A NOTE FROM THE PRAYER OFFICE: The International Mission Board will be closed on Friday, July 3, due to the Independence Day holiday, so “Today’s Prayer” will not be available on that day. Thank you.

WORLD LEADERS. “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Please pray today for Prime Minister Stephenson King of Saint Lucia (eastern Caribbean Sea).

A monthly word from Ed Cox, director of IMB’s Office of Global Prayer Strategy:

The summer months are upon us; consequently, we have a significant number of our missionaries who are back in the United States for their stateside assignment. In addition to visiting churches and family, they will be coming to Richmond, Va., for their stateside assignment conference. The first summer conference began on June 27 and will continue through July 3, and the second one will be on July 12-19. Please pray for the participants to enjoy safe travel, refreshing communion with the Lord, warm fellowship with colleagues, and helpful equipping for their future overseas ministries.

Pray also for the July 12 missionary appointment service, which will take place at Urbancrest Baptist Church, Lebanon, Ohio. May this not only be a time to appoint new missionaries, but also a time when scores of people respond to God’s call to international mission service.

In addition, please pray for our July 27 through August 24 field personnel orientation that will bring together more than 260 adults and 115 children for training at our international learning center. May the Lord bless them with excellent health, keen minds to learn, and open hearts to experience fully all that He has planned for them during these days of orientation.

In closing, I ask you to lift up our budget task force, which will be meeting throughout the summer to develop our 2010 budget. As you probably are aware, we did not reach our 2009 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal. The task force members are faced with many difficult decisions as they seek to stretch available dollars to meet worldwide needs. Ask God to grace them with wisdom from on high.

Thank you, my brothers and sisters, for your faithful prayers.