America Is Bleeding | 7 Ways to Strengthen Your Prayer Life
I received an invitation that left me both humbled and grateful. Shirley Dobson—widow of the late Dr. James Dobson—asked me to speak at the National Day of Prayer, Capitol Hill, “Holly Prayer Time” in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Dobson shared:
“I served as chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and Cristie Jo accepted my invitation to speak at our Capitol Hill event in Washington, DC. Her message on that occasion confirmed the strength of her convictions regarding core biblical issues relevant to the nation and the church. She is a very effective speaker and leader, and the Lord used her in a special way that day. I have known Pastor Jerry and Cristie Jo since 2007. I have had the pleasure of witnessing Cristie Jo as a faithful wife, devout mother, enthusiastic grandmother, and effective Bible teacher for many years. Cristie Jo has shown excellent leadership ability throughout her decades of full-time ministry.”
I was asked to deliver a message on prayer for our nation titled “America Is Bleeding: Seven Ways to Strengthen Your Prayer Life.” Walking into that room filled with nationally known women of ministry—Shirley Dobson, Bobbie Wolgemuth, Vonette Bright, and Kay Arthur—I felt a deep sense of calling mixed with reverence. I was not only speaking on prayer—I was representing the cry of countless believers who were witnessing the cultural erosion in America firsthand and longing for spiritual renewal.
My prayer partner, Tina, traveled with me and interceded from the back row throughout the entire presentation. Her prayers always began with the gentle but powerful words, “Precious Master….” As I spoke, I felt covered by her intercession and strengthened by the presence of the Holy Spirit. There was something holy about knowing the message did not rest on my words alone but on God’s work through prayer. That day remains one of the clearest reminders to me that ministry flows first from intercession, not performance.
Two weeks later, Jerry invited me to present the same material to our home church because members were curious to know what God had stirred during the event.
The Seven Centers of Influence
I shared how every year, the National Day of Prayer focuses on the Seven Centers of Influence:
Government
Military
Business
Education
Family
Church
Media
Mrs. Dobson asked me to incorporate these into my presentation, and I embraced them as anchors for targeted prayer. I began by urging the audience to visualize America as a patient wheeled into an emergency room—bleeding and coding, overwhelmed by spiritual and moral trauma.
American families are splintering from addiction, abuse, divorce, and absent fathers. Nearly one out of every four American children lives in a single-parent household. Our educational system—once openly welcoming prayer and Scripture—has become increasingly resistant to faith-based expression. Jerry and I raised our children in public schools at a time when we felt confident, they would be supported in values consistent with Scripture. Today, the environment our grandchildren face bears little resemblance to that reality.
Spiritually, the landscape has only grown more fragile. Over forty percent of young adults have walked away from the Christian faith of their upbringing, preferring spiritual alternatives or none at all. Church attendance continues to decline as secular worldviews become dominant, and religious conviction is often portrayed as outdated or divisive.
These realities confirmed what Jerry and I had long known throughout our ministry and church-planting years: deep discipleship and a correct biblical worldview are not optional; they are essential. Everything we taught—from Sunday sermons to small groups and recovery ministries—centered on equipping believers with a strong biblical worldview capable of standing firm in a shifting culture.
Christian researcher George Barna has consistently warned that without intentional biblical worldview training; the church’s influence would continue to shrink—and history has proven his concern accurate. This conviction sparked much of what later developed into our broader The Power and Influence of Christian Strong vision: teaching believers not only how to believe but how to live boldly, think biblically, raise families faithfully, and influence culture with truth and grace.
Seven Prayer Practices
At the close of my message in Washington, I offered seven prayer practices to strengthen any believer’s personal prayer life—simple disciplines that still guide me today:
Prepare a place to meet with God.
Prearrange your prayer time.
Consider your posture in prayer.
Purify your heart through repentance.
Plead with the Provider—Jesus.
Praise Him continually.
Participate in God’s eternal plan.
A Continuing Call
Reflecting on that moment at the National Day of Prayer, I see clearly how prayer remains our most powerful response to cultural crisis. America may still be bleeding, but the Great Physician is ready to heal—not only our nation, but each heart willing to seek Him.
Prayer is not retreat; it is advance.
When believers surrender daily to Christ, strengthen their biblical worldview, and live out courageous Christian Strong faith, God’s light shines in the darkest places.
This is the mission, Jerry and I continue to champion through the Power and Influence of Christian Strong movement: building spiritually resilient believers who pray boldly, live faithfully, and shape the next generation for God’s glory.
As you reflect on your prayer life, ask God to help you commit to taking it to a deeper level. Let me encourage you to incorporate these seven practices into your prayer time this week and simply watch what God does. Then, do it again next week…and the week after that—establishing a holy rhythm that becomes part of your daily walk with Him. As you remain faithful in this practice, your intimacy with our Triune God will grow in ways you never imagined possible. Trust Him to go before you on this prayer journey. Expect Him to meet you there, to work in you, and to work through you—until you begin to witness Him accomplishing what once seemed impossible.
