I distinctly remember the first time someone said, “Let me pray for you.” I had been a student in Bible Study Fellowship for several years and after a rocky first year, I loved what I was hearing and studying. I was learning how to apply the Word to daily life and growing in my love for God; He was changing me. And that was good and needful thing.
The phone rang one afternoon in 1993, and I was surprised, very surprised, to hear the voice of Nancy Shirley, my beloved teaching leader from BSF. I couldn't imagine why she was calling me; in a class of over 300, we were only casual acquaintances. She got right to the point of her call. I was stunned (and actually terrified, truth be told) when she asked if I would pray about becoming a children's leader in BSF. We talked about the particulars of being in leadership and the extra time that would be required; I was cautiously, but fearfully interested.
Ending the call, she asked if she could pray for me. Now, I had been a Christian for over 20 years, but I believe this was the first time someone had offered to pray for me, and then did so—immediately, out loud and in my hearing, and over the phone! I thought to myself, how bold, how strange, and how wonderful to hear someone praying for me. I knew as believers, that my friends had often said, “I'll be praying for you”, but to hear Nancy speaking to God on my behalf, asking Him to calm my heart and give me wisdom, was a precious gift. Unexpected.
Over the years, I've had numerous opportunities to pray with, pray over, and pray for friends—and even people whose names I didn’t know but who needed help connecting to the Father or who needed a gentle reminder of the Truth. I've had the joy of praying in many different locations, places that become holy ground as prayers were being lifted up—the kitchen table, the front seat of my car, on a church pew, while walking down the sidewalk of a busy street, at a True Woman conference, over the phone, sitting side-by-side on the curb, and kneeling at the sofa in my “quiet room.”
Praying out loud (even talking, sometimes) has never been easy for me; I'm an introvert and words don't come quickly or flow smoothly. But, I continue to learn to pray through my “fear of man” and my worries about saying something stupid or jumbled or tangled. I want to continue to step out of my comfort zone, get past myself, and be an encouragement to others. I want to bless others, as I have been blessed.
Will you join me?
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed (James 5:16).
Written by Mary Ann Lepine
