September is when autumn begins, the academic year commences, parliament returns from recess, and farmers prepare for October’s new farming year. By the end of September many animals will start preparing for their winter sleep. In rural life, in church, nation, and perhaps in our lives, we see much coming to an end and new changes and challenges beginning. Pray for those starting at school, college and university, for our government and the new parliamentary session (1 Timothy 2: 1-4), and for farmers. Pray for the Lord to open our eyes to look beyond the endings around us and see His new beginnings in our own lives, in rural life, in church and nation (Luke 24:31). Pray that He will show us when to let our own works, projects, programmes, organisations and institutions die so that He can do a 'new thing' (Isaiah 43:19; Philippians 3:12-14).