Don't just say it, Do it!!

On a more serious note.......

Have you ever said, "I'm going to pray for you.  Yes, I will keep you in my prayers".

Sadly, I think this has happened to most of us at one time or another.

If someone ask me to pray about a particular thing, I am always willing to do so.  But, I must admit that there have been times in my past that I have said I would pray for something and it never crossed my mind again.  It makes me sick at my stomach when I realize that I might have let someone down because I failed to pray.  Actually, my success rate on following through on my prayers for others was pretty low back then.

Was it because I was so busy in my own life and I was only seeking answers to prayers that only concerned me and my family?  Was it because I was neglecting my prayer time?  Did I think that my friends would feel much better if I just let them believe that I was praying for them?  These are all legitimate questions that I have to ask myself.  In today's world, we all face so many problems and so many people are in need of prayer.  I know that  in my heart that if I tell someone that I will be praying for them, then I need to keep that promise.  I also know that I have failed in the past to follow through on my promises. 

Let me assure you that my heart sees things a whole lot different now.  I do have a secure prayer life for which I am so thankful for.  I do take the time to write down the needs that others have in order to not forget to pray for them.  And I no longer wait for people to ask me to pray for them.  If I know there is a need, then I want to be on that prayer team, seeking God on that person's behalf.  Yes, there are still times that I am mentally exhausted and I might not grasp a grueling need that is pulling a friend down, but I do allow the Holy Spirit to guide me and with that I feel confident that my heart will be open to eventually see the need.

I  know that these past three or four years, we would have never made it through without the prayers that were lifted up on Tucker's behalf.  People were definitely praying.  Without those prayer's, our circumstances could have had a completely different outcome.  I am so very thankful for strong prayer warriors.  I desire to stand strong in prayer and truly seek God for answers.  I want to be a strong prayer warrior for others.  This is something that I am determined to do. 

I can assure you of one thing......my eyes have been opened through the devastating news of my mother's cancer and of her death.  Also Tucker's diagnosis of leukemia has opened my eyes to see just how important prayer is.  My prayer life is a lot deeper and I have compassion for others like I have never had before.

I think I mentioned a while back that I have a need in my own family.....For twenty years, I have been praying for the salvation of a loved one.  I have ask people many times to pray with me about this and I know that they have.  I am not sure that they have prayed twenty years for this need, but I do know that my friends have joined me in prayer.  Why God has not answered this prayer, I do not know.  I do know that He has heard every prayer and I also know that His timing is not my timing.  I do take this need very seriously.  I also know that I am not standing alone in having an unsaved loved one.  There are many people out there whose hearts are heavy, longing to see a loved one saved.

I hope and pray that I never allow myself again to become cold to the Holy Spirit.  I want to be sensitive to the needs of others.  I am not going to be one of those that says " I will pray for you and then turn my back".  I now see it as a Blessing and a privilege to pray for my family, friends, and those that I don't even know. 

I hope that you will do the same.  Just think how great this world would be if we spent more time praying for one another!

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The weekend is almost here.....Enjoy, and don't forget to pray for

those in need!!  Sweet Blessings!