When I was leading a bible study at church on the book The Power of a Praying Parent, I talked a lot on my blog about prayer. It's because that study truly transformed my prayer life. And God blessed me with so many answered prayers over the course of that study. (of course He still does, but I was blown away by the number of very specific things that were answered during that bible study). I believe the most significant answer to prayer was the prayer partners He sent me. Why am I always so surprised by God's goodness?? It is something I experience on a daily basis, and yet each time I see it firsthand, it leaves me speechless. It just constantly amazes me that the God of the Universe, the King of Kings, the Creator of EVERYTHING hears MY prayers and answers!!! I've said it before and I'll say it again, when you learn to pray powerfully and effectively, when you pour your heart out to God on behalf of others and see Him answer, when you see miracles happen, you will never be the same.
God answered a huge prayer for me. I prayed it a long time ago. I don't know if I have ever mentioned this on here, but my 20th high school reunion was held last year. During the planning of it, I re-connected with a very good friend from school that I had not talked to in years. He and I emailed and caught up with each other and before long, we were talking every single day. Sometimes by phone, but most times through email. He didn't have to talk to me for too long before he realized how important my faith is to me. He told me that I was an encouragement to him in his faith--esp in regard to being the spiritual leader of his home that he needed to be. We began sharing prayer requests with each other and really began feeling "connected" to each other through that. And that was what our relationship became--prayer partners. I had never had one before and I loved it!! I was already excited about prayer and now to have someone in my life who felt the same way! WOW! It was great! At least I thought it was...
My husband pulled me aside one day and said "What do you and your friend spend so much time talking about?" And I told him that we shared prayer requests, we prayed for each other and just basically encouraged each other as Christians. Stephen asked me "How would you feel if there was a woman I was talking to for extended periods of time on a daily basis?" And my heart kind of sunk. I understood. I knew that what I thought was a really good thing was actually inappropriate. I explained to my husband that there was absolutely nothing going on other than prayer and he believed me. He said he didn't question it for a minute. "BUT..." he said "what happens when he and his wife are having a bad day and maybe you and I are having a bad day at the same time?" I felt sad that I had caused my husband to feel threatened. All I had to do was consider how I would feel if he had the same type of relationship with a woman. I realized that God was speaking to me through Stephen. Stephen expressed to me for the first time that what my friend and I were doing together were things that he wished he and I were doing together. (one good thing that did come of this was that it led my husband and I to begin praying together.)
So, I emailed my friend and told him I could not continue to keep up our friendship. I told him some of the things my husband had said. I have to admit that as I was typing that email, I felt a bit of resentment. I felt like Stephen and God were asking me to give up something that was very good for me--my very first prayer partner! I started to doubt that what Stephen was asking me to do was from God. But you know, when I hit the "send" button, I felt an unexplainable peace that made me realize it was absolutely God's will that I honor my husband's request and end the relationship. My doubts were gone. (If you would like to see the post I entered on my blog the day I made this decision, click HERE). But the very next time that I had a hard day, I realized I did have a void. I felt I had lost the person I could call up or email and share my burden with. So I prayed and asked God to send me another prayer partner. MONTHS went by. My husband and I occasionally prayed together, but I needed someone else--a WOMAN who would understand my concerns as a mom and a wife. Someone I could be very open with. I prayed and prayed that God would send me someone like that.
I'm not really sure how or when it happened, but I now have 3 very good (girl)friends from church who pray for me and with me faithfully. We don't see each other as much as we would like, but we email each other at least weekly--sometimes daily--and ask each other "How can I pray for you?" We are deeply connected to each other and it is one of the most exciting things I have ever experienced. I am so moved by the email I get from one of these friends that says "I am desperate for prayer about this particular situation and I know that you will be faithful to lift it up." And I know that I can send them the same type of email and they are immediately covering me in prayer. It's cool to have a friend or two that will do that for you, but the REALLY cool thing is when you are just going about your day and you can actually FEEL their prayers. I HAVE to give you an example...one day I was fighting with my husband. I was so angry with him I didn't even want to consider making up! Earlier that same day I had sent my friend Melissa an email, asking her to pray for us. I asked her to specifically pray that I would soften my heart. I still vividly remember being in my kitchen, at the stove, pouting about the argument with my husband. Telling myself I had every reason to be angry. I promise you, ALL OF A SUDDEN, a feeling of total peace and love and forgiveness swept over me. It was like a ton of bricks. It was sudden and it penetrated every part of me. One second I was angry, and then the next, I was trying to figure out what I could do for my husband to make up for my behavior. I was consumed with love for him that I was NOT feeling just seconds earlier! I knew when it happened that it was the result of prayer. I glanced at the clock on the stove to make a note of the time. After finishing what I was doing in the kitchen, I went upstairs to check my email. I had received one from Melissa. She was telling me that she had received my prayer request and she was praying hard for me at that very moment. I looked at the time her email was sent...yep, it was the same time I had that "feeling" in the kitchen. Wanna know what's even cooler than that? I have had at least a dozen or so other experiences just like that.
If you don't have a prayer partner, I promise you are missing out on a huge blessing. If you can't think of anyone in your life that could be that person for you, do what I did. Ask God to send you one. He will do it. And at just the right time!
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." ~James 5:16
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:6-7
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