I have had some very encouraging and unexpected conversations this week.
A Prinsted resident who is not a church goer, although she was confirmed here
decades ago, phoned on Monday. She wanted me to pray for her son who is
seriously ill in hospital and she was extremely worried. She messaged the next
day to say she felt much calmer, had had a good day, and that her son had some
positive diagnosis. Walking back from Home group leaders meeting, her
neighbour told me how she’d asked them for prayer a while ago about sleepless
nights. They prayed daily for a week and she slept well. When they stopped
praying the bad nights started again!
Someone we prayed for at street prayers on Tuesday, who has been very resistant
to Church going, started a conversation about his struggles with faith when I told
him we’d prayed for him. I was amazed and now have opportunities to follow it
up. I was able to give him a copy of some old hymns to read, which he did and
will read again.
On Wednesday, another Prinsted resident, exchanged greetings and general chat.
I said we always prayed for him at Street Prayers, which he said he needed, but
clearly wasn’t prepared to go deeper!
I bumped into another couple. One has been very seriously ill in hospital and is
now able to do short walks. He thanked me for our prayers. I put praying emoji’s
on their Facebook posts!!
I want to encourage you that Intercession can and does make a difference,
whether in a group or on our own. Personally, I focus better when I’m with
others. Anyone can join prayer groups on Zoom or in person. Then if you bump
into people you’ve prayed for, they are nearly always grateful if you tell them.
I also want to encourage you to sign up to some charity prayer diaries. We get
several. I find it incredibly encouraging and faith building to read snippets of
what God is doing around the world, and they affirm that prayer makes a
difference and they can’t do without it.
Anne Marsden