29th June - 5th July 2026
I want to record a huge thank you to all those who have contributed to our weekly prayer diary over the past six months. It has been such an encouragement and a blessing.
As many of us head off on holidays and our normal routines begin to change, I thought it would be helpful to continue reflecting on some of the themes that emerged through our recent Storybearers series.
The series was entitled Storybearers: In Every Season, recognising that life is often lived in different seasons.
Some seasons are marked by joy and celebration. Others bring uncertainty, disappointment, waiting or change. Often, we find ourselves wishing we were in a different season than the one we are currently experiencing.
Yet Scripture reminds us that God is present in every season. He is not waiting for us at some future destination; he meets us where we are today.
This week we begin by recognising God's presence in our everyday lives. Whether your heart is full of gratitude or weighed down with concerns, these readings invite you to pause, trust and remember that the Lord is faithful.
Pause and Reflect
As you begin this week, take a few moments to consider:
What season am I currently walking through?
What has God been teaching me recently?
Where do I most need to trust him today?
What is one area of my life that I need to place more fully into his hands?
Then bring that season honestly before God in personal prayer.
Written by David Mairs
MONDAY
God Knows the Season
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (NIV)
Most of us would prefer to choose our own seasons. We naturally gravitate towards times of blessing, certainty and success, while trying to avoid seasons of waiting, disappointment or loss.
Yet Ecclesiastes reminds us that life unfolds in seasons. Some are joyful. Some are painful. Some are confusing. Some are deeply rewarding. All of them, however, remain under God's sovereign care and control.
One of the greatest comforts we have is knowing that God is never surprised by the season we find ourselves in. The challenges we face today are not outside his knowledge. The questions we carry are not beyond his wisdom. The future we cannot yet see is already known to him.
As you reflect on these words today, take a moment to acknowledge the season you are currently walking through. Perhaps it is a season of joy and blessing. Perhaps it is a season of waiting, uncertainty or change. Some seasons are easier than others, but every season has something to teach us about God's faithfulness.
Bring your season honestly before the Lord. Whether it is a season of celebration or struggle, trust that he is present and at work. Even when we cannot see what he is doing, we can trust the One who sees the whole picture.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, as I begin this journey through your word, I thank you that you know every detail of my life. You know the season I am walking through right now. You understand the things that bring me joy and the things that weigh heavily upon my heart. Nothing is hidden from you.
Father, help me not to compare my season with anyone else's. Help me trust that you are at work even when I cannot see what you are doing. Give me grace to embrace where you have placed me today rather than constantly longing for a different season.
Teach me to believe that your timing is good and your purposes are wise. Whether I find myself celebrating, grieving, waiting or hoping, remind me that I never walk alone because you are always near. Thank you that your presence goes before me, walks beside me and remains behind me.
Help me to trust you more deeply this week and recognise your hand at work in every circumstance. And where I struggle to see what you are doing, help me rest in the confidence that you are still at work. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
TUESDAY
Trusting the One Who Sees the Whole Picture
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)
There are moments when life simply doesn't make sense. We pray and answers seem delayed. We make plans and circumstances change. We ask questions and God appears silent.
Proverbs reminds us that trust is not built upon understanding everything. Trust grows when we place our confidence in the One who does understand everything.
God sees the whole picture while we see only a small part. He knows where each path leads. He sees opportunities we cannot see and dangers we do not recognise. His perspective is eternal while ours is often limited to the present moment.
Faith is not the absence of questions. Faith is choosing to trust God even while questions remain unanswered.
That isn't always easy. Most of us would prefer certainty. We would like God to show us the whole roadmap before asking us to take the next step. Yet time and again we discover that God asks us to trust his character when we cannot fully understand his ways.
Today, whatever questions you may be carrying, remember that your confidence rests not in having all the answers but in knowing the One who does.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I often want certainty before I trust. I want to understand before I obey. I want answers before I move forward. Yet your word calls me to trust in you with all my heart.
Today I bring before you the areas of my life that feel uncertain. The decisions I need to make. The concerns I carry. The situations that seem beyond my control. Help me resist the temptation to lean solely upon my own understanding.
Teach me to trust your wisdom when I cannot see the full picture. Give me courage to follow your leading even when the path ahead is unclear. Remind me that you are a good Father who delights in guiding his children.
May my confidence rest not in my ability to figure everything out, but in your faithfulness and love. Direct my paths today and help me walk closely with you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
The God Who Watches Over Us
I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip, he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:1–8 (NIV)
The psalmist lifts his eyes to the hills and asks a profound question: "Where does my help come from?"
It is a question we all ask at some point in our lives. Where do we turn when life becomes difficult? Where do we look when we need strength, wisdom, guidance or protection?
The answer is simple but powerful: our help comes from the Lord. Not from our own strength. Not from having all the answers. Not from having life neatly organised. Our help comes from the One who never sleeps and never stops watching over us.
Psalm 121 reminds us that God is not distant or distracted. He watches over his people continually. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. He is attentive to our needs and faithful in his care.
That doesn't mean life will always be easy. Challenges still come. Difficulties still arise. Yet we face them knowing that the Lord who created heaven and earth is also the Lord who watches over us. There is great comfort in that truth. While circumstances may change, his watchful presence remains constant.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you that you are the God who watches over me. Thank you that I never face a day without your presence or encounter a challenge without your care. When I feel overwhelmed, remind me that my help comes from you. When I am anxious about the future, help me remember that you already hold tomorrow in your hands. When I feel alone, reassure me that you are near.
Guard my heart from fear and strengthen my confidence in your faithfulness. Help me to lift my eyes beyond my circumstances and fix them upon you. Thank you that you never grow weary, never become distracted and never cease caring for your children. Thank you that your watchful eye is upon me even when I am unaware of it.
Today I pray that you will continue to watch over my family, my church, my community and all those who need your protection and care. May I walk through this day with peace, knowing that I am held securely in your loving hands. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
THURSDAY
Strength for the Weary
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28–31 (NIV)
Weariness comes in many forms. Sometimes it is physical exhaustion. Sometimes it is emotional fatigue. Sometimes it is the weariness that comes from carrying responsibilities, facing disappointment or waiting for circumstances to change.
Isaiah reminds us that while we grow tired and weary, God does not. His strength never diminishes. His wisdom never fails. His resources are never exhausted. Those who hope in the Lord discover that he renews their strength. He may not always remove the burden immediately, but he provides grace to carry it and strength to continue walking faithfully.
Many of us wish he would simply remove the burden. Yet often it is in those very moments of weakness that we learn afresh what it means to depend upon him, going deeper into the storm with him! It is there that we discover his strength is not merely a theological idea but a daily reality.
If you are feeling weary today, remember that God is not asking you to find strength within yourself. He invites you to come to him and receive what only he can give.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you know the weariness I feel today. You know the burdens I carry, the responsibilities I hold and the concerns that weigh heavily upon my heart.
Thank you that your strength never fails or falters. Thank you that when I reach the end of my own resources, I can draw upon your grace. Help me to learn how to do this!
Teach me what it means to wait upon you. Help me resist the temptation to rely solely on my own strength and instead learn to depend upon yours. Renew my spirit where I feel discouraged. Restore hope where I feel weary. Replace anxiety with trust and frustration with peace.
May I discover afresh that your grace is sufficient for every challenge I face. Help me to keep walking faithfully, trusting that you are at work even when progress seems slow. Thank you for your sustaining presence and unfailing love in my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
FRIDAY
Seeking First the Kingdom
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:25–34 (NIV)
Worry has a way of consuming our attention. It can dominate our thoughts, rob us of peace and distract us from the things that matter most.
Jesus understands this. He knows the concerns we carry about health, finances, family, work and the future. Yet in the middle of these realities, he repeatedly calls us to trust in our heavenly Father's care.
Notice that Jesus does not say our concerns are unimportant. Nor does he suggest we simply ignore them. Rather, he reminds us that our heavenly Father already knows what we need. Jesus points to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field as reminders of God's provision. If the Father cares for them, how much more does he care for his children?
Many of us spend energy worrying about things that may never happen. We replay conversations, anticipate problems and imagine outcomes that never materialise. Yet worry rarely changes our circumstances; it simply steals today's peace.
Jesus invites us to live differently. He calls us to seek first God's kingdom and trust him with tomorrow. One day at a time. One step at a time. One act of trust at a time.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you know the things that concern me today. You know the situations that keep returning to my mind and the fears that try to steal my peace.
Help me to trust that you care for me more deeply than I can imagine. Forgive me for the times I allow worry to become greater than my confidence in you. Teach me to seek first your kingdom. Help me focus on living faithfully today rather than becoming overwhelmed by tomorrow. Give me wisdom for the decisions I face and peace for the uncertainties I cannot control.
Thank you for your daily provision. Thank you for the many ways you have demonstrated your faithfulness throughout my life. Remind me that the God who has cared for me in the past will continue to care for me in the future.
May your peace guard my heart and mind today and help me rest securely in your care.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
SATURDAY
God Is Our Refuge
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46:1–11 (NIV)
Life often feels unstable. Circumstances change. Plans unravel. Unexpected challenges arise. News headlines can leave us anxious and uncertain about what tomorrow may bring.
Yet Psalm 46 begins with one of the most reassuring declarations in Scripture: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
Notice that the psalm does not promise the absence of difficulty. Instead, it promises the presence of God within difficulty. The security of the believer is not found in favourable circumstances but in the unchanging character of God. That is good news because circumstances change regularly. God does not.
The psalm paints a picture of mountains falling into the sea and nations in turmoil, yet in the midst of the chaos comes the familiar command: "Be still, and know that I am God."
Being still is not always easy. We often prefer to fix, solve and control. Yet there are moments when God simply asks us to stop striving and remember who he is. He remains sovereign. He remains faithful. He remains present. And because of that, we can trust him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you that you are my refuge and strength. When life feels uncertain, help me remember that you remain steadfast and unchanging. Teach me to run to you rather than relying upon my own resources. Help me find security in your presence rather than in circumstances that can so easily change.
When fear rises within me, remind me that you are greater than anything I face. When challenges seem overwhelming, help me remember that you are my strong tower and safe place. Give me confidence in your promises and peace in your presence. Help me to be still ... and know ... that you are God.
Thank you for your faithfulness throughout every season of my life. May my trust in you continue to deepen and grow day by day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
SUNDAY
New Every Morning
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:21–26 (NIV)
At first glance, Lamentations may seem an unlikely place to discover hope. The book was written during a time of deep sorrow, loss and uncertainty. Yet in the middle of the darkness, the writer makes a remarkable declaration: "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope..."
Hope did not come because his circumstances suddenly changed. Hope came because he deliberately chose to remember the character of God. He remembered God's love. He remembered God's compassion. He remembered God's faithfulness.
Sometimes we need to do the same.
It is easy to become consumed by present difficulties and forget the ways God has sustained us in the past. We focus on what is wrong and overlook countless evidences of his goodness and care. The writer reminds us that God's compassions never fail, rather they are new! Not once a year. Not occasionally. Every morning.
Every new day is another reminder that God's faithfulness has not run out and his love has not been exhausted. As this week comes to an end, take time to reflect on God's goodness. Remember his faithfulness in previous seasons and allow those memories to strengthen your trust for whatever lies ahead.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your great love and faithfulness. Thank you that your compassions never fail and that your mercies are new every morning.
As I look back over this past week, I thank you for your presence in every circumstance. Thank you for the blessings I have enjoyed, the prayers you have answered and the ways you have sustained me through challenges and difficulties.
Forgive me for the times I focus more on my problems than on your promises. Help me to remember your goodness and faithfulness more often. Teach me to call these things to mind whenever I feel discouraged or uncertain.
As a new week approaches, help me face it with confidence and hope. May I trust not in my own strength but in your unfailing love. Thank you that the God who has been faithful in the past will be faithful in the future. Great is your faithfulness! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.