How to Seek Justice Through Prayer

31:17 Founder, Markeyla Henton (far left), stands next to Tanikia Carpenter and Shadee Language at the #MamasoftheMovement.

I remember the day George Zimmerman was acquitted very vividly. I spent the week leading to the verdict watching the trial in dismay, mourning Trayvon’s death, and hopefully expecting the change America had been promising me. And then, the fear of an adult white man was worth more than a black boy’s life. There was not much that could console me, because all the deepest fears about the world I lived in were confirmed. I buried my grief concerning racial injustice under the Cross. I acknowledged that what I needed, the hope I had in America, had to be redirected to the Savior.

The Zimmerman trial were years before I would give birth to my son...years before I would march down Cottage Grove with #MamasoftheMovement. But, the brokenness that I experienced from the Zimmerman trial is still very real to me. It changed how I approached justice. I vowed to do more than hashtag. I vowed to create real change. I vowed to be the change. Today, I am the wife to a Black man. He and I are raising two black children. I am the CEO of the first collaborative space for Black Christian female professionals. And although all those things have changed, I still find myself at the Cross burying my grief. But, this time is different. This time, you are here with me. I hope to create a gathering at the feet of the Savior that allows us to fight injustice through prayer. This time I know my grief is a shared experience. This time I have a platform and a responsibility.

The Bible is a story telling of how the Son of God brought liberty to an oppressed nation. All through the Bible, the words oppression, freedom, liberty remind us that God cares about matters of justice. This prayer guide is a first for our tribe.  Although the structure is how we were always meant to meet in prayer, I can't say I always expected our first guide to be about justice. So, I want to outline how WE do things. Our weekly prayer circles will be a combination  of Bible study and communal discussion. 

Prayer does not have to be led by one person to be effective because it is essentially a  conversation.  In community,  every individual voice brings power  to the tribe.  Our conversation with one another becomes a conversation with God as we center our hearts on the Word. The time together helps us deeper understand our savior. 

Each week we will go through our prayer structure discussing different topics.  Each prayer guide follows the outline given by Jesus in Matthew 6. We are not the first to use the Lord's Prayer to guide how we should structure prayer.  I encourage you to explore how others break down the Lord's Prayer to deepen your understanding  of our prayer circles.   

Each week we will:
Establish
Submit
Request for the Now (physical needs)
Repent
Request for the Eternal (spiritual needs)
Re-Establish in Praise

I have no doubt that this prayer guide will help you navigate  your journey in seeking justice.  My hope is that this prayer guide takes you to a safe place to explore how God's will is justices in the Earth. I also hope that you see the revolution in your own salvation and faith. It is radical to change your life to fit the mold of Christ. Your decision to seek justice in prayer is a form of protest. 

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