Connected through Prayer

Every morning, I receive a text from a local grandpa in the community. He sends his granddaughters to Girls GIFT Ministry and faithfully holds the ministry, and me, in prayer. He also prays daily for the Catholic Infertility Ministry I help with here in town since he knows of my involvement with that ministry. Recently, he has added prayers for preparing for the fall semester (say it isn't so!) on top of praying for my current summer (stay a bit longer, please!) routines. 

It means the world to know someone is so faithfully and in a dedicated way is praying for my intentions and me in this way on a daily basis. I don't remember how it evolved that he began texting me every morning with the prayers but I'm so grateful for his doing so as it helps me to also start my days with this prayer-oriented view as well. I usually do my prayers at nighttime as I reflect on my day and think ahead to the next morning. So, receiving these prayers from this gentleman in the early morning hours is a great way to help me to situate and orient my day and the daily tasks.

The funny thing is, I had been doing this for others (praying for others) long before this grandpa started doing it for me. All my life, I've always taken it seriously when friends, acquaintances, and even strangers have asked me to keep them in my prayers. Sometimes, I pray for them on the spot and aloud with them but more often than not, I pray for them during my personal and private prayer time. Being able to pray for others is such a gift and I'm grateful to be able to do so. 

Reflecting on where I've been able to intentionally direct prayer efforts, at large, I'm able to see how serving others in this way has also helped to strengthen my relationship with God, too. Thank you, Lord, for the blessings that continue to pour forth and for your Providential Love. It's amazing to see the thread that connects recent supports through prayer, too. For instance, in the first parts of Summer 2022, I prayed for a dear woman at work who had retired as part of her retirement wishes as she prepared for a different chapter and stage in her life. Ironically, as that one month of praying for her by name, her daughter, and dear colleague of mine was diagnosed with cancer. I transitioned from praying solely for her mother to praying for my friend and her battle against cancer for 18 months. It was an honor to cover her in prayer as she faced surgery after surgery, chemo, and not only the physical but emotional tolls fighting - and overcoming - cancer takes. As I wrapped up that year and a half of walking alongside her spiritually in this way, I shifted to praying for another friend, who also is close to my friend who defeated cancer, as she faced a radically different life for her children in her as they mourned the loss of her husband over the holidays. Initially, this was to be a one month duration of lifting that family up in this way, but it evolved into a three-month stretch until I was called to lift up another family going through struggles with their son receiving diagnoses and treatment for some behavioral and emotional challenges. It was just under a month of praying for this family over this past spring when I received word from a beloved former professor in need of prayers as she and her husband battled cancer for the second time. For the next six weeks, I was able to hold these fighters in prayer, too. 

This Perpetual Prayer Chain now has a woman I met last summer, through work, at the front and center. She is fighting mouth cancer and just has a grueling surgery with recovery being a bit more complicated than anticipated. Please join me in prayer in lifting her up and giving her stamina to face what lies ahead in the days to come for her.