It's only day one of prayer week and wonderful things are already happening! This morning, one of our challenge participants, Carrie Phy, messaged me the following experience and said that I can share with the group. This is so special and I am so happy for her!!!
Thanks for sharing, Carrie!
Hi. I just HAD to share this with you. Last night I was reading thru what you had transcribed about the video this week and the things you have prayed about. I have a MASSIVE change coming up in my work that will dramatically change my life. This transition has been dragging on since March and it will change my job as my current position is being eliminated. And I have zero control over it. I have been praying for months to trust God's plan but I am struggling. Last night, I focused my prayers on 2 topics and this was one. I prayed, OK begged, God to please give me the strength and courage to trust in HIS plan for my future. And then my devotions this am was called "waiting with hope" and all about what I am going thru right now!
Prayer and devotions are already a part of my life but someday I feel like I just go thru the steps, this challenge this week is going to encourage me in more ways than I originally thought!
Have a blessed day,
Carrie
Here is Hillarie's sweet experience; (Thanks so much for sharing, Hillarie- this is so personal and special)
One of the most memorable moments involving prayer came in the form of guided meditation…
During my childhood my dad did not believe or practice in any spiritual connection and did not believe in any “after”. I always felt something and traveled my own spiritual path. And then in the last 10 years of his life my dad started to shift. He started going to yoga classes and then he went daily and he became a Yogi. It became a way of life for him. When my Dad was in his last physical days on Earth, he was in hospice in a quiet soothing room. They were keeping him out of pain and he was not alert awake or aware.
Here is the story as I remember it.
Folks were coming in to tell him hello, safe travels, peace etc. and I sat quietly with him mostly scared and sad and unsure. I prayed he wasn’t scared. I prayed he wasn’t in pain. I prayed he knew how much I loved him. Sometimes these thoughts were out loud sometimes they were affirmation statements to him and to myself. Sometimes they were thoughts. I was exhausted.
One of his yoga friends came in and she began to sing a rhythmic meditation mantra. I drifted. I began to sense a peace and a white light filled my mind and heart. I was still there in the room but I wasn’t. It is difficult to describe with words. And then my dad joined the mantra- just a few syllables- and he relaxed. I don’t know when the woman left- I kept hearing the mantra and saw light and felt at peace. And I know he did too.
Several hours later he transitioned and I am so glad I was with him. I know this moment of prayer this meditation this experience helped him carry on and it helped me too. The experience drops into my thoughts sometimes and I cannot remember the mantra or the woman’s name. Those images are fuzzy. But the sense of peace and safety and white light is still very clear.
Here is a wonderful story of sacrifice, prayer and miracles from David! Thanks David for sharing!
A long time ago when I was on my LDS Church mission in Paraguay we a had a wonderful experience with fasting and prayer. I was serving in a city called Cuidad Del Este on the border of Brazil and Paraguay. Really close to the famous waterfalls if Iguazu. I just received a new companion who I only had for one month. I had been in this area for two months before I got my new companion working hard but not having as much success as we weed hoping for. My new was amazing and together we had a strong desire to find a family to teach and invite them to be baptized. So we fasted and prayed for 24 hours. It was the hardest fast I can remember. It was super hot so my companion and I were dying of thirst after one day. Even at night after sunset it was still so hot and humid. A gentleman we were teaching asked if it was raining that evening since we were sweating so bad that night. After our fasting and praying was done we found a family to teach the next day and after teaching them all the discussions this family of 7 got baptized. So our prayers were answered.
I’m the one squatting in this photo on our day off seeing these amazing waterfalls
Thank you so much for all your prayers last evening and all your hopeful messages!! You are so sweet. It was an extremely emotional day and your prayers give me so much hope that this awful situation will resolve itself! Here is a SUPER COOL TWIST to the story! On Sunday, during some quiet moments at church, my mother, who is also doing this challenge, had the feeling that she should fast for me this week. She had NO IDEA why, or if I was struggling with something (besides the usual struggles!) so she decided to fast for me YESTERDAY!! When she saw the email from me, asking for prayers she was kind of blown away! She had been prompted, days before, to fast and pray for me on the exact day that I reached out to all of you! The exact day I needed it most! God is so loving and so aware of each and every one of us and loves to help us bless each other! When we are struggling and reaching out in prayer, he already has help on its way! Answers to your prayers are already in the works as well! Amazing! :)
Several of you are also in need of prayers. I know our combined love and faith, intertwined with God's will and grace, we can help each other in miraculous ways!
Here is what was requested:
(From Alma Woods) I could use prayers in finding a job that will work great with my family and personal schedule.
(From Shon Rivera) I would like prayer for my son Malachi. He has been struggling with anxiety and I declare that he is delivered from anxiety, because anxiety is not from God. And I declare the peace of God rest upon him.
Anyone else need prayers? Just let me know and I will send it out! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!
Here is a beautiful song about prayer that is our song for the day! Thanks David!
This is Jenny Robinson's very raw and personal story about her unspoken prayers being answered. I am so glad we are never left comfortless.
Thanks for sharing Jenny.
Seven years ago, my marriage took a devastating turn. I was committed to get through it and we started seeing our first of several therapists. When I saw that no changes were happening, I prayed to feel at peace with leaving and felt that confirmation that I had tried and didn't need to stay in that relationship. Within a few months though, and maybe because I was scared, I thought that we should keep trying- that our family was worth it! How could God not help us when this was truly a righteous goal? So I stayed😣 Then things just continued to crumble until there was no foundation left.
Fast forward to today and I see that we are better apart than together. We have almost completed the divorce process. But I wondered if I would always feel that little bit of defeat and doubt about my choice. I have wondered what our first therapist would have said years later and if he would have approved of my choice but time has kept me from meeting with him again.
Well last Saturday my church had woman's conference with several classes on several topics. And who should be a guest speaker? My first therapist! I went up afterwards to chat and when he asked how we were doing, I told him we were divorcing and he said "You did all you could do"! It was a comforting balm to my soul and answer to the prayer I hoped for but did not voice out loud. Heavenly Father had already given his blessing, and my therapist(s) have as well. Surprisingly, in my prayers I have also felt the Lord telling me that I need to give myself permission and that he will guide and support my path. And in more ways than I can count, he has. This Beautiful soul challenge is one of them!
Jenny