Project Hannah Feb 2013 Prayer Calendar

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Women and girls long for romance, acceptance, love and security. As a result, many times they make bad choices, become sexually active before marriage, wed early or marry a non-Christian. Because they have not been taught to make good choices, envision a better future or set goals to reach their dream, they easily fall into bad relationships.

Praying for . . .

Women and Girls to Choose Purity

God created us with the desires for affection and love. These normal and healthy desires become destructive if they are not controlled. Just as the desire to eat can lead to obesity, the desire for love can lead to destructive relationships with devastating consequences. Planning ahead helps us guide and control our reactions and responses when temptations come.

L E A S E P R AY F O R

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1. Christians to guard their eir thoughts and to carefully choose what they read, ead, watch and listen to. “Whatever is true, whatever ver is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure … think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). hildren how to make 2. Mothers to teach their children lth, education and wise decisions about health, relationships.

3. God’s sustaining grace and protection for Project oduction teams. Pray Hannah’s Women of Hope production men God’s principles for wisdom as they teach women ationships, especially concerning marriage and relationships, ard these truths. in cultures that have never heard

Biblical values such as celibacy while single, virginity until marriage and faithfulness during marriage are considered by many to be ridiculous or oldfashioned. God doesn’t tell us to stay pure because he doesn’t want us to have fun. He made us and knows what we need to be truly healthy and happy in our personal lives, in our families and in our communities. God loves us and wants the very best for us; therefore, he tells us,“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God” (I Thessalonians 4:3-5).

ldren the importa taance tan 4. Parents to teach their children importance This ru uci cial of choosing their spouses. Th is is so veryy ccrucial deci ciisions, because a spouse influences many life de decisions, hat kind of home hom me you including where you live, what ur money. A lsoo, your ls have and how you spend your Also, dren’s lives and nd what spouse helps shape your children’s nd God. Choosing Choosi siing ng a they are taught about life and futur ure spouse helps determine your future and the future of your children. raving for tthe he p hyysiica call 5. Women who have a deep craving physical n results in sexual sexua exxua uall sin, siin, attention of men, which often ove vercom ve om mingg to know the power of God’ss love in overcoming fail, but butt temptation. “My flesh and my heart mayy fail, tion tio ti God is the strength of my heart and my port portion forever” (Psalm 73:26).

God’s best for us is often destroyed by pornography’s perversion of sex and desire. It is available through movies, television, books and pictures; and the Internet has made it easily accessible in the privacy of our homes. Christians must confront the dangers of pornography and prepare their children to resist it so that we can experience God’s gift of human love.

Women of Hope broadcasts in more than 60 languages.

PH’s monthly prayer requests are used in 70 languages.

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February 2013

th that 6. Parents and educators to teach teenagers th hav a e abstinence until marriage allows them to have hips. So-called “safe healthier lives and relationships. iety, leads to millions sex,” widely promoted in society, ck every year, as well of babies born out of wedlock

PROJECT HANNAH as to tens of millions of abortions. AIDS among teenage girls is rising dramatically, and millions of young people are infected with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) two dozen of which are incurable and one which causes cervical cancer that kills thousands of women a year. Girls who are sexually active are more likely to experience increased depression, poor grades and suicidal tendencies (National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health).

7. Single Christian women to have strength and wisdom to withstand the obstacles and difficulties of not being married. Pray that friends will surround them with love and encouragement as they sometimes face loneliness and need to know that others care about them (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

8. Wives who allow their husbands to abuse them verbally or physically because they neither respect themselves nor feel they deserve to be loved. Pray that they will find help from pastors, friends or counselors who can lead them to have strength in Christ to stop submitting to this abuse.

9. Patience and discernment for Christian young women who are trusting God to provide them with a husband. Pray that God will provide a husband who loves the Lord and who will love and respect his wife as they serve the Lord together. “Wait for the LORD: be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14).

10. Parents and church leaders to teach young people good courting practices and to provide healthy activities so that their youthful lives honour God.

F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 3 11 11. Young women w who are considering liv living with their bo boyfriends.

Pray th that they will re respect themselves an and wait for men w who will commit to lo love them through lif life’s joys and trials.

Most cohabitating couples stay together no more than 18 months, and only one in six lasts three years (CWA: The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, 2001).

12. Young women in Albania, Central Asia, the Middle East, Ukraine and other countries to be protected from traditions that allow girls to be sold into sex slavery or allow babies of young brides to be sold by their husbands. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute” (Proverbs 31:8).

13. Laws to be passed and enforced in many countries to keep parents from forcing their young daughters to marry. Many times they are forced to marry men who are 10 to 30 years older and who may even be infected with HIV/AIDS. 14. Christians to understand that God loves us and knows that sin and lust will destroy us. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not

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R AY I N G F O R W O M E N A N D G I R L S T O C H O O S E P U R I T Y

become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:7-9).

15. Women who have been deeply hurt or abused to experience the healing power of forgiveness as they forgive those who have harmed them. Forgiveness is evident as we honestly desire God’s best for the person who has hurt us.

16. Deep and unwavering faith for Christian women who are living with non-Christian husbands. Pray that their love and patience will be used by the Holy Spirit to speak to their husbands’ hearts, persuading the men to accept God’s gift of salvation.

17. Christian husbands who have non-Christian wives.

Pray that their love and tenderness toward their wives will lead the women to be open to God’s love and gift of salvation.

18. Parents and church leaders to teach young people about the dangers of pornography, which distorts how we view others, destroys the true beauty of physical relationships and perverts our understanding of normal, healthy relationships. With more children using the Internet, they will be exposed to pornography and will need to know how it can destroy their lives. (Sources: http://unitedfamilies.org/default.asp?contentID=34; http://www.just1clickaway.org/ ).

19. Women who feel the deep loneliness of being abandoned by their husbands or of never having a husband. Pray that they would feel God’s intimate presence and reach out to others who are lonely and in despair.

20. Young women to learn that although loneliness is difficult, it is better not to marry than to live with a husband who does not respect you or your God and who may negatively influence your children, a result that could have eternal consequences for generations.

dead husband’s relative. Pray that Christians will devote time to intercede for them, fulfilling God’s command to care for orphans and widows in their distress.

27. Single Christian women who are pressured by their families to marry nonbelievers. In many countries the majority of church members are women. It is difficult for many to find a Christian life partner partner. Pray that more men will willl give g ve their gi lives to Jesus Christ and faithful lly ffollow olllo low w hi h m in faithfully him all area eass of o ttheir h ir lives. he areas

21. Victims of domestic violence. Pray for every man to understand that God has made woman to be his companion and that he should love, respect and protect her. Pray for all women who are not receiving love and respect in their families.

28. Ch Chri isttia ian n wo w men to know that God has has a Christian women purpo osee and d pla an for them and that he iss at purpose plan workk in th thei eir live es ev ven n when they are struggling stru uggl gling their lives even an nd feel el d efeated d. ““Being B ing co Be onfi n dent of tthis, his, s, that and defeated. confi H ho began a ggood ood workk in n you wi will ccarry arry it Hee who on n ttoo completion comp co mple lettion u ntil thee d ay of Christ Chri Ch rist Jesus” until day (Philippians 1:6).

22. Brides who cannot meet the dowry demands of the husband’s family. Such dowry cases sometimes lead to torture, murder or suicide.

23. Women in ministry to be encouraged and know God’s strength and presence. Many of these ladies carry a heavy load of ministry, work and family responsibilities. Pray for Project Hannah’s staff and their families.

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To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy –to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

24. Women to have opportunities to learn about sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS so they can better protect themselves. In many countries, women have no control over their lives and cannot resist the demands of their husbands, fathers or other men.

25. Children watching abuse between their parents.

Many will likely become abusive husbands or timid wives who accept abuse as normal.

26. Widows who are blamed for the death of their husbands and those who are forced to marry their

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