ISAIAH 62 PRAYER MINISTRY

Have you ever felt exhausted over something? Felt like nothing was ever going to change? The sadness and initial anger, once fiery hot, has become hopelessness, resentment, unbelief, and apathy.

This is currently how I am feeling over the state of the Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu. As mentioned in other posts, sometimes I fizzle out into a place of legalism, apathy– and even a bit of resentment toward God because of the Chibok girls’ situation, especially when nothing seems to change, and it is all bad news. I’m currently wary even of Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, due to his reports that Northeastern Nigeria is now “post conflict” with Boko Haram. News that Fulani Herdsmen are attacking and killing hundreds of Christians in the Northeast-central Nigeria is no help.

Feeling all of this, I want to quit. Quit praying, and quit blogging.

But this blog is more than just links, pictures, and posts. These posts are about praying to a real God about real people. People who desperately need Him.
Somehow, along the way, I keep forgetting this crucial, life-giving truth.

In my emotional exhaustion, my sorrow, my anger, and my apathy, I look to Jesus—the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). I look to Abraham, who never saw the millions upon millions of descendants he was promised; yet, he stayed faithful and obedient to God, believing it would happen (Genesis 15:6). I look to those in the Bible who received promises from God, and believed them, even when everything around them tried to prove against God’s promises (Hebrews 12).

And today, I look at one more person: Leah Sharibu.

Leah is 15 years old. One can only expect a girl of such a young age to collapse under the weight and trauma of her situation. She has been in Boko Haram captivity for months, celebrating her 15th birthday in captivity— all because she refused to recant her faith in Jesus Christ. There has been some talk about Leah obtaining her release, and parliament in the UK wants to support any and all efforts to bring her back home. Yet, no plans to save her have been set in stone (or, at least, been made known to the public).

She has been oppressed for 1152 days, 13,3648 hours, 218,880 minutes, and 132,800 seconds.

And if she can hold on to her faith in Christ through such a horrific wait, it encourages me to continue to be faithful and patient, myself.

You strengthen and inspire me, Leah. Jesus is using you in MIGHTY, mighty ways. May Jesus grant you freedom in every sense—especially physically– soon.
We love you—and we won’t stop praying. ❤

Do you know Jesus?

“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
(Hebrews 12:3, NIV)

2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ—both fully God, and fully man—stepped out of the perfection of heaven, to pay the price for our sin. He didn’t do so begrudgingly; in fact, He could have stopped the entire act of being crucified at any moment, and had a legion of angels at His disposal to help Him (Matthew 26:53). But Jesus chose to be crucified on the cross, both as complete obedience to the Father, and to make a way for us to be with Him forever.

He did EVERYTHING out of true, sacrificial Love. Learn more about why Jesus needed to die for our sins, and what it means for you, here.

Please pray for…

• Leah Sharibu. May this amazing young woman be physically freed, too.

• The Family members and loved ones of Leah Sharibu. May they continue to trust Jesus as their Sovereign Lord and Savior.

• For the many, many Christians dying of attacks from Fulani Herdsmen. 200 are said to have died since the attacks got more intense.

• Those in jail/suffering persecution for Christ. Let’s not forget any brother or sister currently in jail (Hebrews 13:3).

• The Chibok girls. Find their names and pictures, here.

• The Chibok girl of the week: Glory Aji.

Thank you for your prayers and support.