Prayer is often one of the first things people know they need and yet one of the last things people want to attend: prayer time. Even in our own personal prayer time we know we all have issues with:
Keeping focused
Staying awake
Remembering what to pray
Wanting to go out to meet a group to pray.
As we journeyed through different challenges in health, lack of development, hospital stays, doctors visits, diagnosis, illness, lack of speech, and ongoing seizures with our son Joey when he was young, one of the dearest things was knowing that others were praying for us. We knew that not every family member or friend could walk with us on this journey of special needs, and never expected simple acquaintances to make a commitment to helping us, but when someone told us they were praying for us—it made our day. Just to know another person or a family had our back in prayer meant the world to us.
Because we attended a growing church that became a large church where many were easily overlooked, missed, or not even known, it was a breath of fresh air for someone to take the time to stop and ask us how we were doing, or to call us to do the same. I am one who likes to stay in touch with people and it’s easy for me to make a call to let someone know we are thinking of and praying for them, but I am sure I’ve missed many opportunities along the way. I’m sure that is true for many, if not all of us. In a world that moves as fast as ours does, it’s easy to think of someone one moment and then move on to the next thing and forget that we had that momentary thought about them.
I’d love to suggest that we slow down a bit when we see others hurting, struggling, and fading from the picture of our lives. Our smaller church groups have such an important role to play in the care and nurturing of others, and while we can’t meet all the needs of all the people, we certainly can take needs and cares to the Lord in prayer. And perhaps in a small group there will be a person or two who loves to meet not only the prayer needs, but the practical needs of others as well.
What makes the church work well is when people go to prayer, notice what is needed, and try to fulfill that need. Because our family had the challenge of meeting the needs of Joey 24/7, we recognize others in that same situation. But there are many more needs out there for which we can come together to pray and serve! Let’s roll up our sleeves and get down on our knees and do the work before us!
Dr. Joe and Cindi Ferrini are authors, speakers, and bloggers for several blogging sites on family and special needs. They speak nationally for FamilyLife Weekend To Remember Marriage Get-a-Ways, authored Unexpected Journey – When Special Needs Change our Course, and have been interviewed on Focus on the Family, FamilyLife, and various other radio and television venues. Connect with them at www.cindiferrini.com and social media at: www.facebook.com/cindi.ferrini, www.facebook.com/UnexpectedJourney/, www.facebook.com/MyMarriageMatters/
