How can I pray for missionaries?  It's a question we grapple with.  Judi and Jack Sprayberry have a great list which they have given me permission to publish:

BLESS - an acronym to guide your prayer for a missionary or for a people group

B - Body:   Pray for physical health and nutrition

L - Labor:  Pray for their work.

E - Emotions:  Pray for emotional health and well-being of the missionary or people group.

S - Social:  Pray for their social relations, their families and extended families.  Pray that God will keep marriages together.

S - Spiritual:  Pray for their spiritual condition.

Seven things all missionaries need... and which people forget to lift them up in prayer over:

1.  Victory over mental stagnation.
2.  Freshness in prayer and in Bible teaching.
3.  Guidance in how to present the Gospel.
4.  Deliverance from the temptation to pride.
5.  Wisdom in relationships with other missionaries.
6.  Strength to overcome temptations brought on by loneliness.
7.  A saving sense of humor.

When Traveling...

• That missionaries will pass effortlessly through customs and immigration lines.

• That the planes on which missionaries travel will not encounter mechanical problems or trouble from terrorists.

• That missionaries will make all their connections.

Health and safety objectives

• Protection for the missionaries from accidents, crime, natural disasters, terrorists, and dangerous animals

• Protection for the missionaries from sickness.

• That missionaries will find time for proper sleep, rest, and exercise.

• That missionaries' food and water needs will be met.

Spiritual Watchcare Objectives

• Times of intimacy for missionaries with Jesus in Bible, prayer, and worship.

• Shielding for missionaries from dark forces in spiritual realms.

• Preservation for missionaries from discouragement, fear, and doubt.

• That missionaries will demonstrate purity, humility, boldness, wisdom, patience, love for people, a teachable spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Teamwork objectives

• That teams of missionaries will experience and express unity, love, good communication, patience and spiritual gifts.

• That missionaries will resist temptations toward jealousy, envy, bitterness, and pride.

• That missionaries will be granted grace for cultural adjustments, dealing with jet lag, being away from family and friends and lack of privacy.

• For missionaries to have wisdom to design and implement effective efforts that will make a long-term difference ... and that they will be able to establish and maintain solid friendships with government officials and other leaders in their chosen land.

Exodus 4:12; 33:14, Psalms 4:8; 19:14; 121:1-8, Isaiah 40:29-31; 55:10-11, Zechariah 4:6, Acts 1:8; 4:29,30, Ephesians 3:16-20; 6:10-20