My husband just finished a message series called "The Prayer Project". I have to confess that prayer is probably the weakest part of my daily walk with God. This series has challenged me to be more intentional in my prayer, to communicate throughout the day with God, to praise God and to surrender myself to his will through prayer. Yesterday, Chris finished up the series with a sermon titled "Pray With". The basic message was that, as Christians, we are called to pray with and not just for other people. It's one thing to tell someone that you'll pray for them. It is another, riskier, more meaningful act to stop what you're doing and pray with them on the spot. I, and others in the congregation, resolved to be more intentional about praying with others. However, God wasn't done.
That evening, I went with some friends to a Brandon Heath/Brit Nicole concert. During her performance, Brit Nicole spoke of the power of fear in our lives to keep us from doing God's will. She said that just that day she had been out shopping and felt God calling her to pray with a woman in a store. And yet, her fear prevented her from doing what she felt God calling her to do. Remembering Chris' sermon, my friends and I exchanged meaningful looks and laughed at God's ability to continually weave messages into our lives. And yet, God still wasn't finished!
After the concert we stopped at a Taco Bell for a belated dinner. While we were eating we entered into a conversation with a woman working at the restaurant. She shared with us her struggles of being a single mom, working 7 days a week and barely making ends meet. As many look forward to the upcoming holiday season, she is dreading it because she doesn't have enough money to do much for her three children. She shared with us that last Christmas, in fact, their dinner consisted of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with macaroni and cheese. My friends and I looked at each other. We knew what we needed to do. At 10 P.M. in Taco Bell, we stopped and prayed with this young woman. We got her contact information to see what we could do to make this Christmas better for her family. As we were leaving one of my friends made the comment that this woman was an angel sent by God to test us and see if we were listening to his words. I think that instead, God was giving us a gift.
Blessings and Peace,
Sara
Praise God that you listened to that nudge, and that you blessed that young woman. Blessings to you, indeed!
ReplyDeleteHi visiting form Hear It On Sunday. Praying with people and meeting their needs is one of the best tools for evangelism out there. Sure we can point our fingers and call them sinners, but they can point right back and make the same accusations. It's better to give them the grace God gave us, show them the love He showed us, and most importantly introduce them to Jesus. The Holy Spirit will take care of the convictions part; it's in His job description.
ReplyDeleteManifest Blog
God does answer prayer and often HE uses us as the delivery person to perform his will. Excellent post.
ReplyDeleteHI Sara. I found your blog through the Hear It, Use It community and appreciate your honest reflections about praying in public with others. I find it hard to pray in public too.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the woman at Taco Bell truly felt your love and care, and I think your desires to make this Christmas better for her and her family is another example of prayer. Not quite as loud, but just as meaningful.
...and God still is finished yet...(at least not with me!)...as this is exactly what God has been placing before me and your post, simply another gently nudging from above.
ReplyDeleteWhat a privilege to pray WITH someone...
~Blessings on your ministry of prayer-
~Stacy
OOPS...I meant to say "God still ISN'T finished yet!"....
ReplyDeleteHopped over...very good post and very challenging...just to listening to His gentle voice and to risk and step out of fear to obey...this has stirred me...
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by...blessings to your day...
Wonderful story, Sara. I love how God won't let us off the hook!
ReplyDeleteTears to my eyes, love this. Doesn't it stink that we don't feel comfortable reaching out like this - and/or even talking about our faith sometimes? How awesome that you braved social expectations and reached out to this woman!
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