Prayer Ministry

Daily Prayer Ventures

December 2025

1 World AIDS Day and HIV/AIDS Awareness Month  At the end of 2024, an estimated 40.8 million people worldwide were living with HIV, 1.4 million of them children and 39.4 million of them adults. Remember in prayer health care professionals and care providers who work in HIV/AIDS education, prevention, treatment and research.

2 Hanging Advent wreaths and lighting candles to anticipate the birth of the Messiah are Christian traditions that date back hundreds of years. Thank God for the gift of Jesus Christ that continues to change our identities, our lives and our understanding of life as beloved children of God.

3 Pray for people and whole communities in the Caribbean that have suffered devastation and loss from Hurricane Melissa, especially across Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas. Ask God to strengthen their faith as they recover and rebuild and to bless them with support, resources, funding, volunteers and prayers for the duration of their recovery.

4 Pray that, throughout this season of gift-giving, we will be mindful of those, nearby and far away, who lie beyond our familiar circles of family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.

5 LWF (Lutheran World Federation) World Service is composed of 154 churches, in 25 countries, that embrace the Lutheran tradition, including the ELCA. Pray for the LWF’s humanitarian and development work, which promotes peace, justice, reconciliation and dignity for individuals and communities.

6 Pray that we will exercise hospitality and generosity by inviting others to be part of our Advent traditions, worship, meals and celebrations.

7 Pray for the Spirit to form us into faithful yet ever-maturing disciples of Christ who, like John the Baptist, proclaim the gospel, invite others to believe, and boldly serve our neighbors.

8 Martin Luther is supposed to have said, “I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer.” For what and whom will you pray today?

9 Ask God to help us find paths to peace and reconciliation in places of conflict where they have proved elusive, especially in Palestine, Israel, Eastern Europe, Northern Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. Remember in prayer the millions of people who have suffered and been displaced to unfamiliar lands.

10 Theologian Henri Nouwen wrote, “The Lord is coming, always coming. When you have ears to hear and eyes to see, you will recognize him at any moment of your life. Life is Advent; life is recognizing the coming of the Lord.” Say a quiet prayer every day, acknowledging Advent as a time of remembrance, anticipation, celebration of God’s presence and hope for Christ’s return.

21 Winter Solstice  On this shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, give thanks for the brilliant light of God’s love.

22 Remember in prayer those who serve our communities, often working hours that prevent them from participating in worship and holiday activities. Pray for those working in health care, law enforcement, retail sales, emergency response, the military, social services, the hospitality industry and other vocations that we have come to rely upon.

23 Pray that our hearts and minds will be receptive when the work of the Spirit surprises us.

24 Christmas Eve  “Jesus’ voice from lowly manger softly thus calls to us: ‘You are safe from danger; come and see; from all that grieves you you are freed; all you need I will surely give you’” (“All My Heart Again Rejoices” ELW 273). Praise God for knowing what we yearn for most and responding with generous, tender mercy. Let your hearts overflow with thanksgiving.

25 Christmas Day  Oscar Romero, the martyred Roman Catholic bishop of San Salvador, wrote, “The more simple and humble, the more poor and detached from ourselves, the more full of troubles and problems we are, the more bewildering life’s ways, all the more must we look up to the skies and hear the great news: ‘A Savior is born to you.’ And let us listen in chorus to that great news, sung throughout the universe: ‘Glory to God in the heavens, and on earth peace to those whom God loves.’” Give praise and thanksgiving to God!

26 Kwanzaa  Pray for our African-descent neighbors and siblings in Christ who observe Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration of African culture and tradition that emphasizes family, community and culture. Give thanks for the rich and enduring practices of our siblings of African descent and of the global African community.

27 Pray for those who are often forgotten, including neighbors who are incarcerated, are held in immigration detention centers, live in institutions, move from shelter to shelter or are unable to leave their homes.

28 Pray that we might express the life-giving joy of Christmas and that Jesus Christ will continue to bring light, hope and salvation into the world for all people.

29 Lift up prayers of thanksgiving and praise that God illuminates our dark times, gives us strength to endure and surrounds us with love and mercy when we need it most.

30 Give thanks for our siblings in Christ and for our divine parent, who created all that exists and gathers us together.

31 New Year’s Eve  Our baptism sets us on a lifelong journey of thanksgiving, hope, generosity, learning, service and sharing the gospel. Pray for the Spirit to stir our faith in the year ahead and prepare us to continue our journey even though we don’t know where it will take us 

Morning: PRAY 

Four steps for a good morning prayer can be remembered by the acronym –

PRAY: Praise, Reason, Ask, Yes

1. Paise God. Begin by thanking and praising God for keeping you through the night. Give thanks for God's great love.

2. Reason why God is giving you this day. What needs to be done by you today?

3. Ask God, for forgiveness and grace. Ask God for one gift today to help you be the best you can be.

4. Yes God! Tell God you are ready, willing, and able to accomplish the tasks for the day. Do your best and give God the rest.

Evening: GRIP

In the evening, get a grip on the day: 

GRIP: Gratitude, Recollection, Inventory, Prayers

1. Gratitude: Take a moment to thank God for giving you this day. Give thanks for God's great love for you. Where did God bless you today?

2. Recollection: Look back at the events of the day. Consider who you saw, what you did, where you went. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you courage to be truly soul-searching. Were you growing closer to God or further away?

3. Inventory: Take inventory of how the day went. Thank God for the good you have done. Ask forgiveness for any wrong you have done. Prepare to make some amendment for sins. Take a good look at your mistakes and ask for forgiveness. Accept God's forgiveness and be at peace.

4. Prayers: Give to God all those who need your prayers. Let no boundaries stand in your way as you pray for yourself, your family and friends, the Church, the country, and the world.

ﾠ1. Give Thanksﾠ

Pause and give thanks for something
in your day (even if it’s small).

Gratitude lets us see the light in our lives alongside the shadows. Acknowledging what we cherish gives us a sense of wonder and connects us to Love within us and around us. In this way, gratitude is one way we tell the truth about ourselves and our lives. It’s another way we say, “This matters to me.”

ﾠ2. Reviewﾠ

Review what happened in your day
and how you felt about it.

We don’t have to remember every detail, but a general recap of our day makes us more aware of our reality and emotions. This is especially helpful if we are on autopilot or feeling disconnected from ourselves, love, or others. Reviewing our day also helps us consider that Love speaks to us through our humanity (our thoughts, emotions, and bodies) and that we’re invited to listen to all of that.

ﾠ3. Reflectﾠ

Reflect on consolation
and desolation by asking: 

“When did I feel connected to
and disconnected from Love today?”

Holding the memories and feelings from the day, we now observe (without judgment) what sticks out and grabs our attention most. We listen to what brought us alive and made us feel most like ourselves. We call this feeling of being connected to Love and our true selves, consolation. And then we also listen, with equal attention, to what broke our heart, made us feel isolated, or ­misunderstood. We call this feeling of being disconnected from Love and our true selves, desolation. These deeper messages from our experiences and heart are often ways the Sacred invites us into deeper relationship, healing, and growth.

ﾠ4. Mendﾠ 

Listen to where you need mending
or need to make amends.

This step is about accountability and compassion. We sit in union with Love and consider where there was misunderstanding or pain in our day. We listen to where we need to make amends and commit to taking steps to do so. We also listen to where we need to speak up about our own needs or on behalf of someone else. Again, we commit to following up on these revelations when we end our practice.