{"id":54548,"date":"2026-09-01T10:53:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T09:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/?post_type=prayerline&p=54548"},"modified":"2026-09-01T10:54:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T09:54:36","slug":"interrupting-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"prayerline","link":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/interrupting-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"Interrupting Anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Steve* had been anxious for days, weighed down by the pressures of finding a student work placement. The perfect resume. Endless applications. Tense waiting. Daunting interviews. Clear competition.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Then he saw an Instagram post: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

A Prayer for when applying for co-ops or jobs<\/em><\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

It was from the account of his local IFES fellowship, the IVCF Canada<\/a> group at the University of Victoria. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

As he read it, he realised something. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Prayer in the Feed<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

The lament resonated:  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201cWhy is applying for co-ops so tiring?\u201d…\u201dDidn\u2019t you desire work to be meaningful? \/ This all feels like thorns and thistles.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

He entered into its repentance: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201cI confess my need to command creation… I confess my fear of my human vocation, with all its mortality and limits… I confess the fears in my ruminations\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

And he rested in its confidence:  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201dYour love is steadfast, your anger slow, clothe me with your patience \/ As Chief Shepherd your rule is full of goodness.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

God\u2019s Presence Everywhere<\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Steve texted his staff worker, Alan. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

He wanted him to know that this prayer had interrupted his anxiety. The words on the screen had helped him recognize that God was with him in his search for a placement.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

For the next week, Steve re-prayed the words as he waited for responses. He found strength to persevere for another two months. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

As the author of the prayer, Alan was delighted. For the last two years, around 30 of his prayers have appeared on the uvic_ivcf<\/a> account. He says: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201cThe digital age has given us new opportunities. Student\u2019s personal and private spaces \u2013 bedrooms and kitchens and commutes \u2013 can become temple-like spaces where God\u2019s presence is felt and responded to.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

A Good\u00a0Connection<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Alan doesn\u2019t intend for his digital liturgies to replace embodied ministry. He sees them as \u201ca bridge\u201d that helps his cherished campus community connect faith with all of life \u2013 whether it\u2019s one of those Mondays when it feels like everything\u2019s falling apart<\/a> or one of those moments when you feel like you\u2019ve not studied enough<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

He explains: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201cI start by listening to students I meet with, to their stories and their fears. As I\u2019m interceding for them, I find myself drawn by the Holy Spirit to begin writing. I try to weave their stories into the Biblical narratives of who God is and how their lives relate to his story.\u201d <\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

The digital medium offers a further advantage: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201cA printed paper might be stuffed in a pocket and forgotten, but these prayers are now in a place that\u2019s not so easily lost. Like a fresco in a basilica, they are publicly accessible \u2013 for this and future generations.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Here is an opportunity for more anxiety to be interrupted, for more peace to be found in Christ.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Pray <\/strong> <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
    \n
  • Give thanks\u00a0that this\u00a0campus fellowship is combining embodied\u00a0community\u00a0and digital ministry in its\u00a0learning\u00a0and witness\u00a0\u2013\u00a0thank God for\u00a0Steve\u2019s\u00a0testimony and Alan\u2019s\u00a0Instagram\u00a0prayers.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
    \n
      \n
    • Pray for five community houses that serve as hubs for hospitality-evangelism \u2013 \u201ca space for new students to be immersed in the living witness and testimonies of Christ\u2019s work on the cross.\u201d\u00a0Ask that the\u00a0spiritually curious\u00a0and\u00a0non-religious students\u00a0will\u00a0engage in Bible studies and\u00a0commit\u00a0to following\u00a0Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
      \n
        \n
      • And pray for\u00a0Christian\u00a0students\u00a0struggling with\u00a0a\u00a0\u201csurvivalist\u201d\u00a0mentality\u00a0\u2013 that they will\u00a0envisage\u00a0how\u00a0to\u00a0become\u00a0flourishing and faithful communities,\u00a0empowered by the Holy Spirit.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
        \n

        *Name changed for privacy.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":54550,"template":"","area":[660,462],"theme":[],"class_list":["post-54548","prayerline","type-prayerline","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","area-canada","area-north-america"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nInterrupting Anxiety · IFES Prayerline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Steve* had been anxious for days, weighed down by the pressures of finding a student work\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/interrupting-anxiety\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Interrupting Anxiety · IFES Prayerline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Steve* had been anxious for days, weighed down by the pressures of finding a student work\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/interrupting-anxiety\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"IFES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-01T09:54:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Fall-retreat-group.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1976\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1318\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/interrupting-anxiety\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/interrupting-anxiety\\\/\",\"name\":\"Interrupting Anxiety · IFES Prayerline\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/interrupting-anxiety\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/interrupting-anxiety\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Fall-retreat-group.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-01T09:53:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-01T09:54:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"Steve* had been anxious for days, weighed down by the pressures of finding a student work\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/interrupting-anxiety\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/interrupting-anxiety\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/interrupting-anxiety\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Fall-retreat-group.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Fall-retreat-group.jpg\",\"width\":1976,\"height\":1318},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/interrupting-anxiety\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Prayerline\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Interrupting Anxiety\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/\",\"name\":\"IFES\",\"description\":\"A movement of students sharing and living out the good news of Jesus Christ. 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