November 2013
Dear friend,
The season of praise and thanksgiving is here! This month Project Hannah’s prayer calendar is filled with praises and thanksgiving for God’s great answers to our prayers. For some this is a difficult thing to do. The question might be: “How can I be thankful reading about child brides, rape, human trafficking and the social injustices all around me?” This is a valid question. In this work of prayer, sometimes we are tempted to doubt the power we pray to.
In times such as these, we need to choose to obey Paul’s command to the Colossians: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. … And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). Every time we use our tongues to utter praises and gratitude for God’s love, in spite the evil around us, we choose to obey and praise him anyway. In turn, God fills our words and hearts with the emotion of true gratitude as he pours out his love, thereby breaking the spirit of our unbelief. John Piper said it well: “Thanksgiving with the Mouth stirs up thankfulness in the Heart.”
Hannah, the woman from whom our ministry takes its name, thanked God when there were no reasons to – only shame and pain. In thanksgiving to God, she offered back the son she asked for, even before receiving him! And when God answered, she burst out in a song of adoration. She overflowed with thanksgiving to the Holy One, who reigns over all – she humbly affirmed, “God girds the feeble with strength and raises the poor from the dust.”
Over the years I have met women who irradiate Hannah’s courageous gratitude and joy simply because they have experienced how God, who lives in them, is stronger than any of their enemies.
So, dear friend, join me in this thanksgiving season pouring out our love and gratitude as we continue to seek biblical justice through prayer. And as we encourage, serve, and pray for women worldwide, we know that we are not alone in this battle – for God is with us. Let’s bring him our sacrifices of praise.
I want to use this opportunity to thank you especially for joining us in the 16th annual rotational season of fasting and prayer for women as we plead for God to bring them to himself.
In his love,
Marli Spieker
Global Ministry Director/Founder
Project Hannah
TWR