Day 21 Lenten Journey

PRAYING FOR STRANGERS?

Have you ever had someone come into your mind, that you've never even met before, and felt the need to pray for them? *(I'm not talking about dreams of someone , although guess who I dreamt about last night? MIMI! I dreamt that Terry was going to take her FISHING , bahahaha, and I was worried she would get too tired. She was sitting in her wheel chair when I finally found them, and I asked her "are you tired?" and she just smiled. I told Terry and the people around them, "She is 100, I'm afraid this fishing trip might be too much for her!" Now, how weird is that?! But, just seeing her smile , in my dream last night, was the best. Thank you, God.)*  Anyway, back to "stranger prayer requests". This is something that happens to me pretty often. Sometimes , it's someone I have met in passing. An acquaintance.Other times it's someone I see, like somewhere, out, and I will keep thinking about them ( know, ok, gotta pray for them today). And, the weirdest, sometimes it's someone who is either on the media or a celebrity even. It's bizarre. 

I read this book once about this woman who did just that--she felt the urges to pray for someone, like every day. Only she takes her calling a step further. She TELLS the person she is praying for them. *OUCH*.  She said she argued to God about doing it so many times, but did it anyway.And the results were unbelievable. Some she never knew what happened but most times when she felt the need to tell someone she was praying for them (strangers!), they would say "HOW DID YOU KNOW?"... Well, I have done it a FEW times. The thing is, you feel kind of dumb doing it, at least I do. I feel uncomfortable and weird. I've even written letters to a few of them, thinking to myself  "they will never see this. They will never care about this. They will never respond to this".  I argue to GOD: "Stranger Danger! I might appear extroverted, but I'm really NOT, God. And, God, btw, I hate greeting on Sundays in church. I'm truly a  half-Introvert (He doesn't respond to that, FYI, haha). "And then, that still small Voice says "it doesn't matter. you do what I ask you to do".  And then I hear this: "it's not about you". WHOA. What???? Life isn't all about Janice Louise Powell Fry? Shocker.

So, ok., you're asking: What do you do with this weird info you have gotten about someone (regarding praying for them)?  I just go with it.  And, most times, just pray for them. Like, their face might pop up a gazillion times. Even in the middle of the night. Love that. NOT. But, I say a quick (really quick) prayer and say "ok, God. Done. Now what? Goodnight, God."  No answer. Just the nagging face of the person I need to pray for will come back. Again and again.Sometimes, I know God is gently encouraging me to tell that person. I would give some examples, but , again, it's not about ME, it's about them.And I won't and will not share things I know b/c that defeats the point. But, the few times I've done what I'm supposed to and let them know? the responses I have had? Pretty significantly amazing, to be honest.  Thankfully, God will only give me one person to focus on for awhile. but, past faces still pop up sometimes. And , when they do, I will again, say a quick prayer.  All I know is that this weird thing is just one small thing God asks  of me, JLPF.  If I hear back from someone, well, great! If not, I still pray. (and hope I never run into them. LOL).  What do I pray for, for them? If I have details, I'll pray for that. If not, if it's just a face, I go with what I have/know/have heard about them  and just pray for them. I know, I know, it's weird. Believe me, it's weird. And even weirder to write them I do that. But, maybe you have had the same thoughts about someone? That urgent feeling to pray for someone? Write to someone? I say, go with your gut and know it's God. It's just simple math. And you know I don't know MATH- MATH, but this is simple:  Gut feeling + Face + Prayer+  equals "God-called-you-to-do-it. " Don't second guess yourself like I have. That book I read just confirmed to me that my gut instinct was right all along. (don't ask me the name of the book, heck I read so much I can't even remember). But, if you have ever had that kind of urging in your spirit, not your intellect, go with it. Your INTELLECT will tell you, "don't do it. You'll make a fool of yourself. Don't write that letter. don't call that person. Forget about it. It's all about YOU."  Your spirit, so connected with the HOLY Spirit ,will gently prod you. It will not demand your obedience, but will encourage you  to do things.(I love this about God. He doesn't force us to do things for Him. It's all in our court whether to pick that tennis ball up and hit it or not!). This blog would "blow up" if wrote down all the missed opportunities I have had . Let me say, LOTS. when I KNEW I should've said something. Written something. DONE something. But, thankful for a God who gives me, JLPF, 2nd/3rd/4th and gazillion opportunities.  My biggest stumbling block is my own self. I'm ready to kick down some stumbling blocks during these 40 days. Let the pieces fly as God would have them.
amen.and amen. thus sayeth JLPF.

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