How do you do life without prayer? Our family knows we can’t. So we pray about everything. Just today a request came through our family chat. “Alright Family. Time to storm heaven for us.” Another problem only God can solve takes us to our knees. We know where our help comes from. And it’s where we go today because we remember how God answered our combined prayers last fall.
Our oldest granddaughter had left for college after two years in a local university. She decided it was time to sprout her wings and fly. Minneapolis was her destination, which was ten hours away. But because this was a very brave decision, we supported her wholeheartedly. We would miss her terribly but we knew this was a good thing.
Once Mom and Nana transformed her room to the highest HGTV standards, she was left on her own. It didn’t take long before homesickness set in. It hit her with a vengeance, taking over all rational thought and decisions. There was no reasoning that could change her mind. She wanted to come home. Now!
It took everything in us to not rush up there to rescue her. But her parents called on grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles to pray. I’ll never forget the burden we felt for her. There was nothing we could do. Prayer was the only solution so we stormed heaven on her behalf. This problem took us to our knees!
An intentional prayer vigil was set in place for our girl to persevere. We prayed she’d push through. Hang in there and find friends to come alongside her. We were desperate for God to intervene. And the very day we called for help, the tide of battle turned. Psalm 56:9 TLB
Before we knew it, she was taken under the wing of a godly professor who invited her to dinner in their home. This professor became her mentor and counselor. God knew what she needed at that moment. And it was a voice of godly wisdom, giving her a cause to remain. She pushed through the homesickness because something beautiful was on the other side.
At the same time, a part-time job opportunity dropped in her lap sealing the deal. One that was tailor made for her, a girl who loves sports. We later heard thirty students applied for two positions, and she landed one of them. Coincidence? I think not. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 1:16 TPT
As she settled into college life, she began to enjoy her classes. So much so, she ended up on the Dean’s List. And she loved her part-time job keeping statistics for college and NBA basketball games. She actually got paid to watch games! This was her niche. Her love of sports and her keen aptitude for statistics rolled into one big blessing. Only God could have pulled this all together for her!
Does God really care about how we feel? Does He hear us when we pray? Does He give us the desire of our hearts? We are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives for us who were called to fulfill His divine purpose. Romans 8:28 TPT
We know the combined prayers of a praying family made all the difference for our girl. God heard our cries. And His arm moved quickly.
Only the Lord could have given her the perseverance to push through difficult emotions within a new environment. Landing her on her feet, confident, excited and determined. This was a growth opportunity, and she pulled it off successfully. With God’s help, of course, and through the prayers of a family who knew where to go in a crisis.
Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 NIV
The power of a praying family cannot be overemphasized. We all LOVE our kids, BELIEVE in them and PROVIDE what we can for their success. But there’s no better gift we can give them than our PRAYERS. Encircling our children with prayer supports and upholds them through every season and trial of life. It’s a game changer!
Be there for your kids. Communicate with them. Then gather the family round to storm heaven for them. Prayer will literally change their world. We know it did for Emma!