Why Prayer Is A Powerful Piece Of My Worship

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  NIV*

Have you ever prayed and were totally at peace with whatever the outcome?  I mean the legit calmness and “all is well within my soul” kind of feeling?  One particular prayer of mine was all about me.

I had been a widow for two and a half years and quite frankly I was not thinking about, meeting, dating or looking for another husband.  I know my family and friends had good intentions and would ask frequently if I had gone to any of the singles events at church or would I be interested in online dating.  I took their advice and visited a couple of singles bible study groups and events.  Can you say-AWKWARD?   I discovered quickly there is a big difference between being single because of divorce and the death of a spouse.

I quietly panicked at the thought of possibly being alone for the rest of my life.  There would be no one to share life with day to day, inside jokes, laughter, intimacy, or growing old together.  I quickly came to the conclusion I could not do this on my own.  So I started praying.  It was not a prayer to bring me a husband, but a genuine, heartfelt plea to God.  Let His will be done and let me swallow and accept the outcome.  I received such peace from this prayer and understood I could face my future with grace and embrace it.

Only God could answer this type of prayer in His timing and His perfect plan.  I lived in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area with six million other people and then I met Randy. The God thing is how I met Randy.

A girlfriend and I decided on a cruise which meant flying to Florida to catch the ship.  I got on the luxury liner with my friend and to fill a full dinner table in the evening, we were seated with six other women.  The group was from New Orleans, LA and I became fast friends with one of the ladies, Robin.  She had a beautiful smile, loved life, and was celebrating with her friends on her remission from breast cancer.  We dined, talked to one another, and hung out over the next few days.  When the cruise was winding down Robin started asking me if I was ready to date.  I laughed and told her my family and friends were ready for me but I was not as confident.  She explained she had a brother who was forty-one, a care-free bachelor who lived in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  She got my information and told me she would be in touch.

A week later I received an e-mail from Robin with her brother Randy copied in on the message.  Randy kindly thanked Robin and asked her to butt out.  For a couple of weeks, Randy and I emailed back and forth.  We had common interests in recreational sports activities, music, food, and our faith.  We decided on a lunch date in early December 2003.  I was extremely nervous since I had not dated in over twenty years!  After a couple of dates, I invited him to my church and we began to date exclusively.

On June 18, 2005, we were married in our church’s garden with our best friends and my three children.  Now they are our three children as Randy calls them his own.  He is a genuinely selfless man who listens to us tell stories about my first husband over and over again.  He told me if he had ever met him they would have been good friends.

 Remember how I prayed about my future and would be at peace with the outcome?  I am so blessed because God did bring another man into my life.  A new best friend who makes me laugh, shares inside jokes and a partner to grow old with gracefully.  I was totally prepared for how my journey would play out and knew God was in control.  Prayer is all about developing, strengthening, worshiping, and deepening the personal relationship with God.   Prayer is powerful and as long as you are open to His will, it can move mountains and make possibilities into reality.

Please visit my prayer request page because I would love to pray for you.  Lord, I hope to encourage others to pray more openly with You and build a relationship.  Your will and timing are perfect and I thank you for all of Your blessings.  Amen!

* The Holy Bible, New International Version Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society