Today's post focuses on the prayer commitment of praying for revival in your community.

I love meeting new people. I love chatting with anyone, known or unknown, that I may cross paths with on a daily basis. The checker at my grocer store, the barista at the coffee shop I frequent, the mom at the park where my kids play. I love to hear snipets about their lives and to share bits of mine in return. A few encounters like that and you've begun brand new relationships with handfuls of people who you otherwise could have ignored. Interesting isn't it?

Community isn't a rare thing today. Wherever you are, community is there. That's the neat thing -- there's really no escaping it! What is rare, however, is vibrant, strong, and healthy community. Why is that?

In America, it seems we place great value on both time and privacy. Would you agree? Time, we seem to never have enough of; our love of privacy is rooted in pride. Gone are the days of really cherishing life shared in community with one another -- sharing of our possessions, our stories of victory and hardship, our lives.

Today, consider the following questions and prayer prompts as you focus on revival in your community. Again, as you pray, remember that the basic nature of prayer is two-fold. 1) We pray and God listens and 2) God responds and we listen. It cannot (should not!) be any other way. So as you ask God any of the questions below, remember you are engaging in conversation with him. Don''t forget to wait on the Lord.

Blessings, friends.

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1) Do a mental sweep of your immediate community. Where do you find yourself most often -- why? What areas do you avoid -- why? Ask the Lord to direct your attention to one area in your community.

2) How do you regard your community? Is it a place you enjoy being? Is it a place in need of change? How? If you could do one thing to bring about positive change in your community, what would it be?

3) At the heart of a strong and healthy community are the people who reside within it. Commit to finding a way to intentionally interact with someone in your community 3 times this week. (Repeat this step in the weeks to come.) This person could be your regular checker at the grocery store you frequent, another parent at your child's soccer practices, the pastor at a nearby church, a server at one of your family's favorite restaurants, or…

4) At the end of the week, reflect on the encounters you've had with these people in your community. What did you find out about their lives? Spend time in prayer for them. Ask the Lord to guide you as you pray specifically over the "bricks & mortar" of your community.