It seems that over the last few months God has made me a prayer warrior. A prayer warrior is one who is connected to God intimately and consistently seeks to learn more about Him, from His word and uses their prayer time as a battleground for change. (Pray with Confidence website)
Recently someone called me a prayer warrior and I didn’t realize that others looked at me in that way. I thought I prayed just like others when the need arose but it dawned on me that I am doing more than that. I do study a lot about how to become more Christlike and to be a kinder Christian unknowingly becoming a prayer warrior. I found my self developing in prayer, my faith and seeing the needs of others more clearly. I wanted to pinpoint when this change occurred in me.
It was obvious. It was when my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June. I found my self praying all day long for my dad, his doctors, my mom, our family and then for other pancreatic cancer patients, their doctors, their families. Living in my dad’s diagnosis made me realize others were walking this same walk and needed prayers. I recognized that not all of their patients and their families are believers and I needed to intercede for them in prayer. It opened my eyes to see others in their journey without even knowing them. I wanted to pray for them, to take from my day to say I care about humanity and their suffering.
I have seen my dad’s struggles with chemotherapy. His weakness, loss of taste for foods he once loved, pain, and poor quality of life while being treated. I knew he was not alone so I said this prayer,” Heavenly Father, I understand this is a family journey that not only my family is going through. I pray you comfort not only my dad in his struggles but other cancer patients on this walk. May you keep my mother strong emotionally and physically. May mom and dad both feel your peace like I do through Your grace. Father, please touch the hearts of those being treated currently with Your peace and for them to know You are always with them. Ease them of their pain, weakness and fear. Let them feel Your presence each day. Allow their caregivers to smile at them in confidence for healing and use kind words when they are down. Love each and every one of us Father as You always do and let us not forget that love. May you place Your healing hands on all that are suffering. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.” I still continue to pray for my family and those families I don’t know. Don’t worry, I am praying for you!
I also stepped into my warrior shoes when my good friend and producer of my podcast was on life support for 31 days. In case you are wondering, it was not Covid. He had about 12 tests in the hospital. I started my day in prayer for my father as well as Mark. Mark’s situation was dire. He had a laundry list of ailments that needed to be addresses. He had a team of doctors that were superb but it seemed every day one blood test would look better yet another one declined. A group of us met every night at 6pm in the same location to pray for Mark. We would take turns offering a prayer each night. Some of us said the same prayer but it was okay because it was what was on our hearts. When we gathered nightly our prayers sounded something like this. “Father we stand here today asking for healing for Mark. He is struggling to stay here with us and we all know Father that Mark has so much more work to do here on earth. We ask for his lungs to clear, his kidneys to start working, his heart to stay strong and to breathe on his own. Father there are hundreds if not thousands praying for Mark and we are begging you to hear all these prayers. We are here for Mark and will stand strong in prayers until he stands praying alongside us. We love you Father, in Jesus name we pray.”
This was a true statement about the number of people praying for Mark. He belongs to a large church, worked for ESPN, coached Special Olympics, was on several board of directors and made friends with everyone he met. I do want to you to know Mark is still in the hospital on Day 76 in ICU. We all hope he will be moved soon to a rehabilitation center where we can all visit him, even if it’s through a window.
As I attribute my new career as a prayer warrior to my dad and Mark, I know it is God that placed this desire in my heart. I am confident my dad and Mark will both be healed by the hand of Jesus. My love for Him allows me to put others first in prayer because I know my Heavenly Father will take care of me. I want to make sure that if someone has no faith or they have no family that they will receive my prayers. You too, as a reader of my blog receive my prayers. I am blessed with a large following on Facebook and with many readers of my blog. I am grateful for everyone’s’ time that reads the scripture I post daily on Facebook or to take ten minutes to read one of my blogs. Here is my prayer for you.
“Heavenly Father, I come to you today in prayer for those that have read my blog, heard my podcast or read my Facebook posts. Bless them Father. I don’t know their fears or troubles but I know You do. I ask you Father to shelter and protect them from this world. Show them kindness as they move through their day. Comfort them as anxiety creeps into their mind and if they are in a good place, continue to bless them. They are my brothers and sisters Father and I love each of them. Thank you for the sacrifice Jesus made for each and everyone of us in forgiveness of our sins and in His precious and holy name I pray. Amen.”
Don’t worry, I am praying for you! LoLo
1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—
gratefulgratitude.net 