1 Praise the Lord.[b]
Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
who find great delight in his commands.
2 Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn[c] will be lifted high in honor.
10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing
Memphis has a welcoming heart. Because of our recognition of our own brokenness, we cheerlead, encourage, and support people working to change our city for the better. I heard about Knowledge Quest in South Memphis and the work they do soon after I arrived. Though I’ve never met Marlon Foster, I hope to one day. I’ve included some information from their website about the organization following the prayer.
Lord, tonight we lift up Knowledge Quest and the work being done through that organization. We call for hope, perseverance, funding, and blessing upon our neighbors working as staff an volunteers. We pray for wisdom for the leadership and board of directors in guiding the continuing work of Knowledge Quest. We pray for successful bounty at Green Leaf Learning Farm and improving relationships with our food. Lord, we lift up the Best Buy Teen Tech Center, Extended Learning Academy, and Early Childhood Academy. We pray that lives are transformed by the exposure, mentorship, and coaching in these different programs. We thank you for the community partners and donors supporting these vital works.
Lord, bless the righteous. May Knowledge Quest continue to shine forth Your light in Memphis. Amen.
https://www.knowledgequest.org/
Serving the community since 1998, Knowledge Quest responds to the needs of the community through helping to stabilize homes, providing access to health, and by making the clear path to opportunities for families. Engaging the whole family is a priority at Knowledge Quest and we have developed a variety of programs offering targeted assistance to Memphians including our Extended Learning Academies, Green Leaf Learning Farm, and Family Stability Centers.
Vision: To transform lives by expanding minds
Mission: To vigorously equip youth and their families to maximize their potential through education, wellness and economic stability.
Marlon Foster Bio:
Founded Knowledge Quest in 1995 immediately after college, with its official opening taking place in 1998. He has performed nonprofit administration and fundraising duties in a professional capacity for over fifteen years. During his youth, Mr. Foster tragically loss his best friend due to street violence. After this tragedy Reverend Foster decided to abandon his corporate aspirations and divested himself in the development of urban children within the community he was raised in—the South Memphis area. In 2005, Reverend Foster founded Christ Quest Community Church, a non-denominational Christian church rooted in social justice and evangelism. Today, Mr. Foster continues to live, work and worship in the South Memphis community and continues to dedicate his life to build the community and the people within it.