Today I’m praying for rain for my home state {Colorado} and my host country {Senegal}. Such dry lands are hard on the livelihoods of many.
This prayer request reminded me of this Nicole Nordeman song. I love the lyrics because she pours out her heart. She asks for thunder long and loud, she asks for the sky to grow black and that mercy will pour down. BUT. If it doesn’t happen, she knows that he will provide in other ways. AND. If that’s the case, we will still give thanks.

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Send some rain, would You send some rain?
‘Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You’ll provide in other ways
And if that’s the case …

We’ll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger’s view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You’ll provide in other ways
And if that’s the case …

We’ll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that’s the case …

We’ll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace …

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PRAY with us today, for rain, for water to come and quench the earth. We pray for the people in Colorado who have lost their homes, for the fields that have been burnt, and we pray, above all, that we will still give thanks, no matter when and how God chooses to answer our prayers.