An article by PRAY CALIFORNIA Stanislaus County Prayer Leader Dr. Kate Hartman– 12/12/2024
Christians recognize the Bible as the authoritative revelation of God’s counsel. As such, the Apostle John wrote, “And we are confident that [God] hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know [God] hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for” (1 John 5:14-15, New Living Translation). Therefore, a Christian practice is to read the Scriptures to understand what pleases God and to pray with the expectation that He will respond with interventions.
Moreover, Jeremiah the Prophet instructs that God’s people should pray for the peace, prosperity, and welfare of the places where they live. This is important because God chooses to work through prayer and wants only good for people everywhere (Jeremiah 29).
Thus, when circumstances mandated a move back to Stanislaus County in February 2023, following 25 years elsewhere, I immediately focused intercessory prayer on its peace and safety.
When Maryal Boumann, Director of Pray California, asked that I become the Prayer Leader for Stanislaus County after the previous leader stepped down to care for her ailing father, my intercessions intensified. Furthermore, to fulfill my duties, I began to track local trends, like crime rates and traffic fatalities. These statistics informed my prayers.
Moreover, the statistics I collected inspired praise to God as stats began to show evidence that prayer works. For instance, SpotCrime.org reported that from September to October 2024, the overall crime rate decreased by 28%, with 40% fewer property crimes. From October to November, overall crime fell by another 1%, with violent crimes down by 13%.
Traffic fatalities dropped by 31%, from 106 in 2021 to 73 in 2023. In the same period, accidents causing serious injuries decreased from 413 to 329. These numbers, gleaned from the University of California at Berkeley’s Transportation Injury Mapping System, are particularly encouraging because 2021 was a COVID-19 year when the roads were nearly empty due to social distancing and stay-at-home orders. By 2023, most people returned to everyday life, and the roadways bustled. Still, accidents causing serious injuries and fatalities decreased – significantly.
Stanislaus County is becoming a safer, more peaceful place to live. However, less crime is not the absence of crime. Neither is fewer accidents, no accidents. Moreover, per the United States Census Bureau, there are 551,430 Stanislaus County residents.
Every person is dearly loved by God, and each is worthy to be prayed for.
1) Pray for all crime rates to drop every month.
2) Pray for increased safety on the roadways and reduced accidents.
3) Pray for the salvation and peace of all 551,430 residents.
4) Speak this declaration: “May you [people of Stanislaus County] experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you [people of Stanislaus County] will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Ephesians 3:19 NLT).
Intercession makes an impact because God works through prayer. Less crime and fewer serious accidents show that God is at work in Stanislaus County. So, stay on your knees, intercessors! Your prayers are making a difference!
-Dr. Kate Hartman, Pray California Stanislaus County Prayer Leader
12/12/2024
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