Today I am excited to introduce you to our guest, Christine Wright. Here is a little bit about Christine:

Christine is a married, mom of four (ages 2 to 15). Between having a preschooler, elementary, middle and high schooler, she doesn't know if she is coming or going most days! She has been known to forget things often! One thing she will never forget though, is Who’s grace is enabling her to soar to heights she never thought possible. Living far from God, for much of her adult life, has led to many heartbreaks but it has been amazing to see His redemptive powers in her life and the life of her family. Her greatest desire is just to stay in the center of His will. She recently began blogging at www.livingjoel225.com

Christine Writes:

Have you ever been shocked by who God has called you to pray for?

God threw me a curveball recently. He asked me to pray for some people. And when I say pray, I mean pray. Serious, focused prayer. For their salvation, for their peace, for God’s
blessing over their life. He showed me the situation they were in and how to stand in the gap for them. He’d rarely requested anything so specific of me before.

And I didn’t want to.

I sat astonished. I never saw it coming.

Soon after I heard Him, the tears came. I cried because I didn’t think I was strong enough to honor what God was calling me to. Tears, because I knew, wrapped inside my pain, there was beauty. I could see the love in His request, but not enough to want to be a part of the
story He was weaving for them.

These were people who had hurt me - were in the process of hurting me - in cruel ways. I’d been praying for an ending, for God to speak to them and show them the pain they were causing.

Not this.

Here’s the kicker...because sometimes God takes things a step further...He wanted me to stop praying for the dream I’d had for years. The prayer of my heart. In exchange for praying for them.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I cried even harder. And then, in obedience, I confessed everything. And prayed through my tears. Pitiful at first, but better as I went on.

Time went by. I started hearing the most amazing reports...God was moving mighty in their lives.

Then, in a way only God could do, they became a huge answer to prayer for my own family.

Only God.

Since then? They continue to do well and the prayer that had been the “dream of my heart” for so long has taken a back seat. I rarely think of it.

Is He calling you to pray for someone who hurt you? It’s not easy, but keep these in mind:

● Time is of the essence. When I don’t want to do something, I can move very, very slowly. I put it off and tomorrow becomes the next day, and so on. I’ve noticed, the prayer burdens I’ve felt the strongest are often very time-sensitive.

● Take it to Him, even in tears and deep sighs, if prayer is hard to come by. If the words don’t come, trust Jesus to make intercession. “Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)

● Sit with Him, every chance you get. Even sitting quietly outside, admiring His work while you might not think of this as prayer, any time spent with Him, will prepare your heart. “Praise be to His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory.” Psalm 72:19 (NIV)

● Always remember, His ways are higher than our ways. If we could peer into the unseen, we would be amazed at all He is doing. You never know how the seemingly impossible prayers He is requesting of you, might be used. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)

When I handed over my prayer, and picked up God’s, He put new dreams in my heart. Then, He started making those dreams, I never knew I had, come true. Trust Him and His call, anytime you feel that tug on your heart.

Blessings,

Christine