“I’ll be praying for you.”

How often do we forget to lift up the causes of our neighbors after making this promise? More often than we’d like to admit.

I want you to start a revolution. Don’t worry, it’s just a little one.

Next time you see a friend in need or a stranger ask for prayer stop and pray with them in that moment. There’s power when two or more of God’s people come together, we should be taking advantage of those opportunities. You might even find that the very act of stopping to pray with someone, serving them with your words and heart and time, will do some of the mending itself.

Last week I followed my own advice-okay that’s a lie, the advice actually came from a wise woman in my Bible study who decided to stop and pray with people as needs came up. She started to do it, praying for me with me, and it inspired me to follow her example. The sweetest moments of my week have come out of that stopping to pray alongside others.

Try it.

You don’t need fancy words. Just be honest, God knows what’s in your heart. You don’t need many words. Just say what you mean, he already knows what you need.

Bullets

This story is not mine, but it was told by one of the speakers at a World Race debrief I was on in 2013.

Our speaker, Shawn, talked about a former Navy SEAL who had gone into the mountains in Burma to save refugees. This man went from the world’s most elite military service to dodging bullets in the Burmese mountains-literally living on a prayer. Shawn spent a few days with him as a journalist, after a rigorous audition to ensure he could survive the journey, and this is what he said the prayers of this warrior looked like:

“God, keep us safe. Amen.”

Tears

Time after time I’ve placed a hand on a shoulder and dug into my soul for prayers, from healing to encouragement to restoration of relationships or hope. Sometimes God is really specific and I pray for a long time, until I run out of words and promises and truth. Other times I simply bring my neighbor’s plea before our awesome God and say thank you. We all have different gifts meant to bless others, but every single one of us has time. Time is all that is required to bless another person through prayer. I can’t count how many times I’ve opened my eyes to see tears in my neighbor’s gaze simply because someone took the time to love them by praying for them. That is life giving.

And it’s unlimited.

Next time you meet a stranger, talk to a friend, or listen to a neighbor, I encourage you to do one thing:

Pray right now.