Power of Prayer

Prayer brings joy. Prayer brings comfort. Prayer brings healing. Prayer brings Christ into our lives. Prayer is powerful.

Miraculous things have occurred in my life as a result of prayer and the Love of God. The Bike Race was incredible, but that wasn’t the only huge thing that happened in my life that week. Just days before the race, I received and responded to the spiritual and physical calls to be a FOCUS Missionary. I’ll have more on FOCUS later, but this is the basic rundown. First, FOCUS = Fellowship of Catholic University Students. In a couple weeks, I’ll be headed to Champaign, Illinois for New Staff Training and then I’ll be back home (in Minot) to fundraise my salary! Then, this fall, I’ll be finishing up my degree at NDSU and serving as a Campus Intern for FOCUS on campus. In January, I’ll be sent off to a campus somewhere and will be with FOCUS for at least two-and-a-half years after graduation. So pumped!

This morning, a woman at my home parish approached me after discovering I’d joined the FOCUS team. It was touching when she said, “I’ll add you to my prayer list.” I thanked her and what she said next almost made me cry. She said, “You’ve been on there before, you know.” Oh, how I know! But really, did I know? I’ve known that people have prayed for me, that they have contributed to my success through their faith. This is something that I have known, but it was put on a personal level for me this morning. Not only have “people” prayed for me, but a specific person has prayed for me. I am so grateful for each and every person that has said a prayer for me; know that they have been answered. My life is incredibly blessed! Through FOCUS, I hope to help other college students realize the blessings in their lives and experience the same Joy in Christ that I experience. It is humbling to realize I did not get to this point on my own. My prayers did play their part, but the prayers of others have been giving me that boost all along. Just amazing!

As I was titling and dating a blank word document so I could write about the amazing effects of prayer, my phone rang. What do you know, my thoughts were enforced! People don’t generally call me, but someone called to let me know she was praying for me! It was wonderful and the timing couldn’t have been better. I am so blessed to have so many people praying for me and will continue to need their prayers. Where would I be without them?

Thank you, brothers and sisters in Christ, for helping me live out my faith. You are in my prayers.