Praying for you

In life, when something is going wrong with a friend or family member, we often say that we will pray for them.  But do we?  I know that over the years I have told someone that I would pray for a specific thing for someone and I would forget.  Not on purpose but I would forget.  So was it okay, since I told the person that I was going to pray for that I was going to?   How many times has someone said they would pray for me and they didn't?

The past two Sundays I have challenged my students in my youth group to find someone they didn't know too well and pray for them before youth group was over.  I also challenged them to call each other during the week daily and ask them if they had spent time with God and ask them for prayer concerns.   Both weeks I didn't pray with any of my students, but have had several students text me and ask me those questions.  It feels really good to know that someone is praying for me.

Several years ago I started making an excel sheet with several rows and columns numbered 1-31.  On each day of the month, I pray for those students by name on the number of the date on that row.   I feel prayer is very important.  I have seen prayer change my life and other peoples lives.

I challenge you to take a few minutes today and pray for a friend.  Text or call a friend and ask them what you can pray for them.   

Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving. Colossians 4: 2