How can I pray for you?

"How can I pray for you, right now, Sheila?"

In a matter of four days, I had three people ask me that question! And all three of them prayed at that very moment with me...for me! I can't begin to tell you how it affected me!

Haven't we all had someone say to us...."Well, I will be praying for you about that!" and then walk away?
Haven't we all said that to a lot of people?
I can answer "yes" to both questions.

It is easy to say, "I will be praying for you!" But that doesn't hold me accountable to truly pray for that person. It is a response for when I don't know what else to say. I really do want to show that I care, and I really do want to pray for them, in the quiet and the comfort of my own private place. I really want you to think I am "real"...but I am still a little bit afraid to be "real"!

The first time it happened last week.....I was sitting across the table from our Women's Ministries Leader, Rachel. We were talking about just that....ministry. After our discussion, she said to me, "Sheila, how can I pray for you right now?" I was a tad bit flabbergasted, but recovered, and shared something very heavy on my heart. She stopped, bowed her head, and began to pray for me. As I sat there with tears flowing....I immediately felt a bond with this sister in Christ. She showed me right there, that my burden was her burden, and she was willing to take it to Jesus for me!

Then three days later, our Church Ministries Pastor, Lynn, emailed me about something she and I had discussed on Sunday. She later called me, and said that she felt led to ask me how she could pray for me. I was starting to think that there must be a conspiracy :)
As I shared with Lynn, she also started to pray with me over the phone about my burden.

The the next day, our Small Group Coach, Destini, called to go over the schedule for small groups....and toward the end of our visit, she said, "Sheila, is there anything that I can pray for with you?"
(There was something definitely going on ????)
I once again, told her that I had something HUGE on my heart, and she started praying!

I was so humbled, that these three ladies, who are quickly becoming my friends, would take the time pray for me!
I felt challenged to do likewise for others, and sad that the next day, I passed up a perfect opportunity.

This weekend, I spent some time asking God to help me be so alert, so tuned in to the needs around me. I may have a chance to make a genuine difference in someone's life!

It is all about becoming "real"!