by Christa Lowe
Recently in a junior church service, my husband took time to ask for some prayer requests from the children. Some of the requests that the six, seven, and eight-year-old children mentioned were:
“Pray for my mom and dad to stop fighting.”
“Pray for my mom to get out of jail.”
“Pray for my grandma. She is really sick.”
“Pray for my parents to find money to pay the bills.”
Sadly, these are such big burdens for little people to carry. At their exact age, I would have been sitting in junior church on Sunday after having ridden a bus to get to church. My prayer requests might have sounded similar.
“Pray for my parents to get back together.”
“Pray for my dad. He is really sad.”
“Pray for my uncle to quit drinking.”
“Pray that our heat gets turned back on soon.”
“Pray for my Grammy to get better.”
I am sharing these things to say that someone did pray!
Someone cared enough to drive the bus to pick me up for church. Someone showed up to lead junior church. Someone had me so convinced that they loved me that I never wanted to miss church.
I still have not “arrived.” I have made and still make many mistakes. However, I am 100% convinced that my life would have taken a much different route without those few people who thought, “Maybe I can make a difference.”
Those people DID make a difference. My family and I moved away and left that church shortly after my years there while I was young. Many of those people at that church may not find out the difference that they made in my life until we all get to Heaven. What a day that will be!
Do not give up; keep showing up! Keep sharing compassion!
Only eternity will tell the whole story of all of those Sundays of standing by our posts and being faithful to make a difference in others. Then, someday in Heaven, we will have forever to listen to the stories of what God did through us for His glory!