Dear Families,

This year’s Family Conference theme is “In Everything by Prayer.” The theme is an exhortation to believers, stemming from Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6, emphasis added).

In this command, the Greek word careful means “anxious.” As believers in Jesus Christ, we are not to be anxious. Living in a world plagued by daily anxiety, worry, and stress, how is being “careful for nothing” even possible? Paul gives us the answer in the second part of the verse: We overcome anxiety by taking everything to the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving.

Instead of wasting time and energy by worrying and being anxious, let’s focus that same effort by petitioning God, the only One Who can do all things. As we turn our focus to God through prayer, not only will we see God work in a powerful way in our lives, but we will also experience His peace ruling in our hearts! The result of this prayer is found in the very next verse: “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Worry has been said to be like a rocking chair—it keeps you moving but does not get you anywhere. We need to get out of our “rocking chairs” of anxiety and onto our knees to pray!

We invite you to attend a Family Conference this year and come and join us in prayer, in fellowship, in growth, and encouraging one another. Our desire is that we, as believers in Jesus Christ, will be stirred to more effective and fervent prayer for God’s will to be accomplished in our lives, our country, and around the world.

In Christ,

The Family Conferences Team