Never Stop Praying

        One of the many blessings our family has experienced in the last 24 weeks has been the amount of people praying for us.Whether we conclude a presentation of our ministry at a church or whether we share with a friend we’ve known for a long time, the number of people wanting to pray for us has been incredible.

Recently, we had a dear friend of over eighty years of age tell us he would not be able to come alongside and support our ministry. “I won’t be around long; it would not really help you in the long run. BUT, I will pray for you and for your children. I promise I will pray for you on a daily basis AND that I can do,” said our elderly friend to Tony and I with a smile on his face. How precious those words were to us; a pledge to pray and be involved in our ministry in a way that matters most.  

For Tony and I, a day doesn’t go by and that we don’t stop and pray for strength in our journey of faith. Without a strong prayer life, it would be impossible to move forward in faith and trust God to provide for the results that only He can provide.

One of the most memorable examples of how prayer has shaped our hearts and minds was when we contacted a church hundreds of miles from our home on the telephone. Prior to contacting this church, Tony and I had spent the morning praying that the Lord would open more doors of opportunity. An hour after we concluded our time of prayer and meditation, I picked up the phone and called a church I had never made contact before. Their name was on a list I had but I did not have a name of a senior pastor nor of a missions pastor. A male voice responded to my greeting and introduction and he began by telling me that he had been praying that his church would become more missions minded. “Sister Laura, I believe your phone call is an answer to prayer. We’ve been praying on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a greater involvement in missions and I believe you’re ministry is going to play a role in it,” said the enthusiastic senior pastor of an African American church on the telephone. My reply, “Praise the Lord! We’ve been praying that the Lord would lead and guide our steps! How amazing that He would honor our request and bring us together.”  The result of what was accomplished only through prayer gave not only the pastor but also to Tony and I the encouragement we had been seeking. The encouragement to trust in God for our heart’s desire and to know He can orchestrate circumstances and events beyond our human understanding. No wonder Scripture reminds us to “pray without ceasing” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17. 

With humility and a heart of thanksgiving, I would like to express our  appreciation to our friends and loved ones who pray for us on an ongoing basis. On behalf of our family: Thank-you and never stop praying.

-Laura