Five years of decision compressed into twelve months. This is how I describe the engagement season before marriage. The engagement season is full of excitement and anticipation. Mixed in with that is also a vast amount of decisions about the wedding day. Such as:
Where to get married? Who to invite? What to eat? What to wear? What goes on the registry? What music? What can we afford?
If a couple can learn how to make those decisions, stay compassionate, and put each others needs before their own, then they have allowed the engagement season to prepare them for marriage.
The process of planting a church reminds me of the engagement season. I’m looking forward to many years of ministry and many Sundays pastoring. Mixed into this excitement has been a billion decisions to make in only a few months. Decisions are an inevitable part of this season and an expected part of leadership. Leaders make decisions–many of them.
In one week the day we’ve been preparing for will arrive. I want to approach this day just like I approached my wedding day with my wife Stefanie. We invited friends and family to pray for us each day of the week. The prayers were focused on our wedding day and our marriage. We saw all of those prayers answered on our wedding day and we’re living them out in our marriage now. So would you join Gallery Church Sowebo in praying for us this week? Here is how you can pray:
Sunday: Pray that our primary goal would always be to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Luke 10:27
Monday: Pray that we would become a church family that loves each other deeply. 1 Peter 4:8
Tuesday: Pray that in all things we would walk in obedience to see God’s good and perfect will done here on earth. Matthew 6:10
Wednesday: Pray that we would never lose sight of the Great Commission. Matthew 28:19
Thursday: Pray for the people of Sowebo to place their faith in Jesus as Lord. Romans 10:17
Friday: Pray that we would mature in our dependence on God’s Spirit. John 16:13
Saturday: Pray for revival. John 10:10
Reckless Abandon 
I am joining you in prayer this week and greatly anticipating what God will do!
Love and Blessings!!!
NaKhia H. Grays Black Campus Ministries Regional Coordinator InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Mid-Atlantic Region http://www.intervarsity.org/bcm *Donate here: https://donate.intervarsity.org/support/Nakhia_Grays *
*”For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.’ ” ~ Romans 10:13-15 (NIV)*