Prayer Works

by Andrea Renee Cox

The movie War Room speaks to the power of prayer. After seeing the movie on opening weekend, I was inspired to pray more boldly yet with more humility.

Over the week or two prior to viewing the film, I had been in a sort of panic. The research for one of my old writing projects that I’d set aside had seemed to vanish. I couldn’t find it anywhere. So I prayed every day, several times each day, that it would show up if that’s the next project God wanted me to work on. I also asked my family and a friend to pray for me in this matter.

But the research remained lost.

Then I saw War Room. When I returned home, I contemplated turning one of my bedroom walls into a prayer wall. After praying about that for a couple of days, I went for it. I made labels for the different areas of my life (family, friends, work, etc.) and taped them on various empty spaces on the wall I chose to dedicate to forming a prayer board of sorts. The first prayer I wrote out to tape under the label “work” was about my missing research. It was the deepest, most heartfelt prayer I could have prayed about it, and I know that it came straight from the Holy Spirit dwelling within me. After taping the sheet of prayer to the wall, I quieted my soul and waited.

Not ten minutes after that defining moment, God impressed upon my heart which area in my room to look… and the research I had been searching for over a week to find was sitting there in a neat stack behind a couple of boxes. Sure, the papers and folders were a bit dusty. It took me several minutes to wrestle the boxes out of the way. But when I finally pulled that stack of research from the pile it was in and spread it out on my bed, well, it was the most precious sight I’d laid eyes on in a long time. And the first words out of my mouth were, “Thank You, Jesus!” I just kept saying that over and over and over for several days. I was overwhelmed by the grace He was pouring out on me by giving me back something I had misplaced. Not only that, though. He was also guiding me, showing me my next project to pursue. Even greater still, He was answering my prayer (and the prayers of my family and friend), and in so doing, letting me know yet again that He hears me, that He cares about me and the things I’m passionate about, and that He wants to bring me great joy.

Honestly, that was the most overwhelming part, that He wants to bring me great joy. Who am I that I should receive joy straight from His hand (and in abundance)? Who am I that I should receive His attention like this? Who am I that He should listen to my prayer and take notice of my need?

A portion of my collection of Bibles
and this year's memory verse cards.

Tears are coming to my eyes just thinking about the ways God has blessed me in recent days. Because of those blessings, my hope for the plans He has for my future has been refreshed. I am excited again to see what unfolds in coming days, weeks, months, and years. The more I study about Him and spend time with Him, the more I long to do so. I can feel passion for Him growing and multiplying within me. I pray you experience the same building passion for our Lord. It is definitely a one-of-a-kind feeling that is to be treasured for all eternity.

Friends, thank you for letting me express my gratitude for God’s great blessings in my life. Now it’s your turn. In what ways has the Lord blessed you in recent days? Please use the comment section this week to shout out about the blessings God is pouring into your life.

Thanks for stopping by today! I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to drop by next Monday for my latest article.

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