About 12 years ago I started the same prayer every morning that has always been answered daily ever since in a positive way. At the time I discovered this prayer and its effects I was working in New Orleans and over on the west side of New Orleans in Metairie, Louisiana and driving from the northeast corner of Lake Ponchartrain from Slidell, Louisiana where we lived.
The commute of 40+ miles was at least an hour each morning with an even longer commute coming home when everyone was leaving work at the same time. The traffic both ways was horrific.
I had been making the commute for six years up until that point and had listened to the local NPR station to keep up with world news, New Orleans news and traffic snarls. It also helped pass the time.
But in 1995 I had just not only started a new job, but had helped start a new church plant in Slidell that was an absolutely wonderful fellowship. As part of that fellowship we had small Bible study home groups meeting each Sunday evening rather than all meeting at the building. These groups were fabulous!
I hosted one group in our own home and we had about 12 to 15 members of all ages coming all the time including neighbors of ours who I invited over. We also had some children that we took turns teaching in the adjoining room.
We discussed many things and had good studies going with excellent, well versed leaders. The discussions were very uplifting and encouraging and I loved having everyone in our newly renovated home that had just flooded a couple of months before! Every single member of this group and in the church were part of helping us clean out the muck that was left after the water receded, took home all sorts of clothing and bedding to wash and clean for us and myriads of other services.
Like I say – it was a joyous fellowship that was growing rapidly.
In our talks and studies in our small groups we got to talking about how to "go out making disciples" as we went and how exactly to find people we could talk with and study with. The big question was always "where are these people? Where do we go to find them and how do we start a discussion about Christianity and our faith?"
I had these important questions in my heart as well. But as fate would have it – or should I say God’s Spirit leading me – I decided to turn off my car radio every morning and to spend my hour’s commute time in prayer. And I did that for the remaining four years that I had that twice daily communte.
I worked in a large law firm of about 100 hundred people including about 40 attorneys and even more support staff. I got to thinking one morning in my prayer time about these people who I was around all day every day all day long and in conversation with and I wondered who I could or should try to seek out to talk with about Christ or would that even be possible.
The vast majority of the people were religious, some very deeply, with many being of the Catholic faith. There were also a good many young attorneys just graduating from law school who were eager to start their careers, but also "too busy" to be going to church a lot or even any. But they had very eager intellects and were easy and willing to talk and learn.
I was in an ideal position to have contact with everyone in the office because I was a specialized staff attorney. My specialty was legal research and writing briefs, appeals, etc, but I also used my journalistic background and skills to put together and publish the firm’s quarterly 6 page newsletter to clients. My other task was to oversee the firm’s law clerks, to work with them, give them writing assignments and to edit their work.
I was in a good position to reach a lot of people each day, but how did I know how to do that? To "go out" to try to "make disciples" and to teach others?
I decided to pray what turned out to be a revolutionary prayer one morning. I asked God to send to me someone, however many He knew of, who needed ministering to that day that I came in contact with and to let me be aware of everyone I talked with to know when the opportunity to share my faith would arise.
He DID!
What was so amazing about it is that many times it was the person I would have least expected to have the opportunity to engage in spiritual conversation. To be able to talk about Christianity and my faith and to strengthen them.
It doesn’t alway happen in a dramatic way. Many times it is in very quiet way as I walk my daily walk. It is in the normalcy of my life that God sends those I can talk with and/or minister to. One thing that prayer does for me is to make me aware of people I meet so that I will be prepared to say just a word or two perhaps, even if it is just "God bless your day."
Many times it is in ministering to my family. Telephone conversations with my children. Talking with my mom and having uplifting, comforting spiritual talks. It is in my blogging. In ministering to Tom at the end of very long, stressful, wearying days when I can offer words of hope and peace and comfort him in his physical needs and prepare him a good dinner while we talk more.
I would urge each of you to try it. I kept trying to urge my fellow Bible study group to try it and some finally did. One of my dear younger teacher friends came to the group one night all excited. She couldn’t wait to share with me that she had prayed my revolutionary prayer and one of her fellow teachers had come to her needing a friend and guidance through a very hard time in her personal life. Roxanna was amazed and blurted out to me in her amazement "It worked!"
It worked with our neighbors across the street who God had led over to my yard while we were out working one Saturday and she began talking about what to do for Easter. I invited them to church with us the next morning and they came. I invited them to our small group and they came.
Within three months they were led by our love and teaching to decide they must be baptized, but there was one problem. They asked me to come counsel with them and study with them because they had questions. You see, they didn’t completely understand what to do and how to go about it and needed a Christian friend.
They wanted to be baptized but were living together without being married and had come to realize on their own that they needed to change. With God leading me to know what to say and do they did the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.
Within a couple of hours of talking, they gave up all of their grand dreams for a huge wedding and decided to be married within the week in a small ceremony in our small log church building with Tom and I standing up with them. Only 15 Christians were there to then watch them change their clothes and be immersed in baptism! We all sang and praised God for both their wedding and their becoming brother and sister in Christ.
Tom and I hosted the celebration afterward in our home and they both deployed in two days to Turkey as they were both in the Louisiana Air National Guard.
Friends – this the power of this always answered revolutionary prayer. I urge you to pray it right now and then wait to be surprised and share with me and all of us how it changes the rest of your day and who God brings to you to minister to. Think about how it applies to your own family – your husband, your wife, your children, your friends, those you run into while out today.
Cheers & Blessings to you today! Dee
P. S. I want to hear your stories, now! So be aware today of just who God might send to you who needs your help and His!
I’ve got a story … just can’t tell it right now. But I enjoyed your story!
I think I have one too but must wait to tell it. What a powerful prayer. I’ll let you know.
I know how powerful it is!! I have often wondered how many folks God put into my life everyday who needed the Gospel of Encouragment–and I didn’t see them. I repent of that and ask Him to open my eyes and my heart to new people who need the Word He has placed in my heart.
Thank you, Dee, this is a powerful post. God is using you mightily.
Peace and prayers
Neva
I haven’t gotten in the habit of praying this every day, but I do pray this often. I think it is why God led me to take my most recent job, where I work with a few high school students — all of whom are in need of a good role model (I just hope & pray I will always be that!). One girl especially is giving me more & more trust each week and letting me in on more of her life. She has been my main prayer lately, always asking that God will help me to know what to say and when to say it.
And you know my husband needs ministering too, and I am always praying that I will know when to be quiet and when to say something to him. (Your advice, I believe, thank you very much!)
So that’s my story.
Greg – Can’t wait to hear YOUR story!
Cecil – Can’t wait to hear YOURS, either!
And, Neva – Thanks for your powerful words in response to my Spirit led post today. My hands were flying across the keyboard in writing it this morning and I felt moved to write everything I did.
Lisa – Thanks SO much for sharing YOUR story and what is going on in your life right now. That’s great news!
Much love to you all who read these words and God’s blessings to you! Dee
I’ve said it. Works every time.
I have so many stories that are not at all dramatic but make me cry when I think of them and the joy that Jesus brings.
I recall one day several years ago when I was district sales manager in Baton Rouge. One of my reps came in and said she got saved. I was busy doing a canvass plan and said, ‘How much did you save?’
“No,” she said, “I got saved at lunch today. The lady that does my nails led me to Christ and she told me to pick someone to tell that I believe in Jesus.”
I was so overjoyed I jumped up like a looney and hugged her then jumped up and down. She was so excited. We spent about half an hour talking about Jesus. I asked her why she picked me. She said, “Because I know you are a Christian.”
That was the best compliment I’d received and better than any sales award I ever won.
About 9 months ago, I made an offer to my boss. His wife has Alzheimers and he has help every day but on the weekends, he takes care of her alone. He has 10 children and several of the kids live close and help him as they can, but he comes in to work every Monday morning very tired and irritable.
The offer I made to him was this. “Could I bring a meal to you on Friday so you don’t have to worry about one meal over the weekend?” The response he had was unbelievable. I thought this 83 year old man was going to break down and cry at that point. He composed himself and said he was very appreciative of the offer.
There is never a day that goes by that he doesn’t thank me for this small gesture. It is a commitment I made and every Friday, I take a casserole, roast with side dishes, fish, whatever I have made for our meals over to him. It is just the two of them most of the time and he even says he often shares it with others! But it is a small way to serve this man in his time of need.
I have learned two things. God will work through you, if you allow it. (This was not something I thought about a long time and then followed through with. I just went with what I do best.) The other thing is to not ask “what can I do?” Often if they knew what to ask for they would or get it done themselves. So by finding a need and just doing it, helps them more than anything.
Thanks for your reminder that I need to ask God for other ways of helping to serve his peoople.
When I was a single mom, attending LCU, one of the girls who had been studying with me at the house came over. It was around 9 pm. and she said she needed to talk with me. (I really thought she was the answer to my prayers). My 17 and 19 year old sons and my 22 year old foster son were watching television so we decided to go to a local diner. We walked in only to find no empty booths. In the corner was a young man, a fellow student, sitting with two other boys, strangers to us. They insisted we sit with them. Reluctantly we did so. A few minutes into the conversation, one of the young men found out I worked at Sunset International Bible Institute and he started asking questions. I just “coincidentally” had a bible in my purse and was able (with the grace of God and His Spirit) to turn right to the answering scriptures. Several times he said he didn’t want to hear anymore and I put the bible away. A few minutes later he’d say, “well what about . . ” and out it would come again. To make a long story short, we had to call 5 or 6 numbers to get someone to unlock the building so we could share in this young man’s baptism at 4 am. It was incredible. There wasn’t a person at the table whose life was not changed by this experience. Our God is indeed and Awesome God!!!!
Peace
Neva
Thanks for your response, Garth! Y’all – Garth (Hope – and isn’t that a great last name!) – is my son-in-law!! And he’s a cool guy!
Gina & Peggy & Neva – Wow, God is good and does amazing things in our lives! Thank y’all so much for sharing your stories with me and with all of us hear.
Com’n guys – I know more of you have good stories dramatic and small and tender to share. Sometimes it is in the “little” things we do – like Peggy did – that God blesses us and others the most.
Cheers & Blessings to each of you today! Dee
Great story Dee.
Thanks, Dee, for this post and for sharing this prayer. My post on my blog last night tells my recent story, although it’s not quite the same prayer. I think I’ve been afraid at times to pray this prayer – ooh, this is hard to admit – I want to be used by God but it might be inconvenient! He might ask me to (Peggy!) make a meal EVERY week for someone, or give up my night at home when I “need” to relax and rest (AS IF studying or praying with someone wouldn’t energize me more than watching Survivor on TV). But as I experienced yesterday, giving up my lunch time with other teachers or in the quiet of the classroom to have one-on-four with students was much more rewarding. Not earth-shattering, but soul-satisfying.
But I do have a story that still makes me excited and, although it hasn’t yet led to salvation for that someone, let to spiritual conversation and a deep friendship. One night at our ladies’ class, I felt convicted to share about a co-worker (I was a seminar “host” – behind the scenes person who does registration, makes sure room temp is right and food is delivered, etc. – and the trainer was a lovely lady I worked with once or twice a month and with whom I shared a cordial relationship). I asked that my sisters pray for me as I prayed for an opportunity to share the Lord with this gal. By sharing this, I felt I was really stepping out there to be accountable – no backing down!
The next day at lunch, I asked my friend how things were for her spiritually – and she opened up! I really felt the Spirit leading the conversation, and it was thrilling. Our relationship turned a whole new corner. We became dear friends, and when my DH and I moved last summer, she told me she was losing her spiritual advisor. God is going to have to use others to bring her the rest of the way, I suppose, but it was so awesome to see God answer my prayer so dramatically.
Thank you, wise sister, for inspiring me to pray this radical prayer again AND DAILY.
Dee, this is a marvelous post. I pray that God will open my eyes to the opportunities around me … but I like your prayer so much … send them to me. How many has he sent our way that we never saw?
I am doing a series on prayer now, and will link to this post next time.
Love and blessings,
john
Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles » Blog Archive » An Early Start to Birthday/Anniversary Celebration // Mar 2, 2007 at 5:31 am
[...] So many of you who I cherish in my heart and pray for daily (remember last Friday’s post, "Try This Always Answered Revolutinary Prayer" that I pray every day, even at 3:30 a.m. this morning when I could not go back to [...]