Near West Side

Thanks for joining me today to intentionally pray for the city of Chicago.  I missed a post last week because of a busy schedule, for that I am sorry.  My goal is to still post every Wednesday.

United Center with Near West Side in the background.

This week the focus is on the Near West Side community. This is the area next to the Loop in downtown, west of the Chicago River.  Some of the areas within this community are Fulton River District, Greektown, Little Italy, Illinois Medical District and University Village. There you will find the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and several hospitals. It is also the home of companies like Boeing and Oprah’s Harpo Studios and the home of the United Center where the Bulls and Blackhawks play.  It also has an interesting history in that the Great Chicago Fire started in this area.

The Near West Side Community has so much within it that we could focus on in prayer.  There is one thing I have felt like we should pray about for this area, the Medical District.  This area is one of the largest medical districts in the US and the largest in Illinois.  Some of the hospitals are John H Stroger Hospital (formerly Cook County Hospital), University of Illinois Medical Center and Rush University Medical Center.  There are also a lot of colleges that train medical professionals.

John H Stroger Hospital

 We all know people that are struggling with health in one way or another, some that I know are literally battling for their lives.  I am marked by the fact that this area in the city must have great influence within the medical community.  I am sure that medical advancements are happening every day.  Pray that God would use the men and women here to meet the needs of many and that he would give them wisdom and creativity to know how to handle the tough cases.  I am also praying that the people in these hospitals and medical centers would know God and see Him as the Great Healer.  Pray that the believers in these places would be able to share about God’s love and compassion with those dealing with all kinds of illnesses and diseases.  I am so encouraged by the people I know that work in the medical field.  Their jobs are not always easy but are so important.  If you know specific people in the medical field, pray for them today too!

Thanks again for joining me.  I am so encouraged knowing that we are unified in praying for this great city.  Blessings on your week!

Next week:  Washington Park