Pray First

Pray First Updates

Posted October 1, 2025

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1

Fall in New England has a way of slowing us down. The air grows crisp, the days shorten, and the trees explode with color before quietly laying down their leaves. It’s a visible reminder that change is part of God’s design. Seasons shift, life moves forward, and yet through it all, God remains the same.

At Maranatha, we’ve watched Him provide through every season. This past summer, we saw families strengthened, young people grow in their faith, and countless hearts renewed through the ministry of His Word. Those stories are now mile markers of His faithfulness that we carry into this new season. And just as He carried us through the fullness of summer, we trust Him as we prepare to enter the slowing pace of fall.

The changing seasons invite us to reflect:

  • Looking back, we remember God’s provision. Like Israel gathering stones by the Jordan, we can point to specific moments where God met needs, provided encouragement, or answered prayer in ways only He could (Joshua 4:6–7).
  • Looking around, we notice His beauty on display—in creation, in relationships, in the daily mercies that are new every morning. Even in a season of loss or slowing down, God is shaping us, pruning us, and preparing us for what’s next (Lamentations 3:22–23; John 15:2).
  • Looking ahead, we place our trust in His promises. Just as fall leads into winter and then to the new life of spring, we know God is always at work, even when we cannot see it (Isaiah 43:19; Philippians 1:6).

WAYS TO PRAY THIS SEASON:

  • Give thanks for God’s faithfulness in the past season—big and small.
  • Pray for a heart of contentment, to rest in God’s provision even when circumstances change.
  • Pray for those entering a hard season—that they would know God’s presence, peace, and provision in personal ways.
  • Ask the Lord to prepare your heart for what is ahead, trusting Him to bring fruit in His timing.

WAYS TO PRAY FOR US:

  • For our remaining fall retreats including our Family Fun Day on Columbus Day, October 13. 
  • For new full size mattresses for our new Summit East triple bunk beds (they will help us increase guest capacity!). 

The seasons will keep changing, but our God never will. His provision is sure, His promises are certain, and His purposes are good.