Prayer...Shaping Lives

I remember a plaque that hung on the wall of my childhood home.  On it was a pair of praying hands and the inscription, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."  Lillie testifies to this when she reflects on her life.  Things came about because someone was praying for her.

Before she asked Jesus to be Lord, she remembers an English teacher who would nod to her as she entered the classroom and then she would smile.  Lillie felt the teacher's eyes following her as she walked to her desk.  She just knew that the teacher was praying for her.  Again, at church, she would notice the pastor's wife watching her from the choir loft as she found her seat and she knew she was being prayed for.  The list goes on and on.  Certainly, these were influential people in Lillie's early years.  God heard and answered their prayers.  These pray-ers and their prayers helped shape the life of a young girl, who would later learn great lessons in the school of prayer.  Today, many know Lillie as the one who prays for them and she faithfully models the relationship we are to have with our Lord through prayer.  In turn, we learn what an enormous privilege and responsibility we have in prayer.

Because of her experience, Lillie encourages teachers to pray.  “Know your students”, she urges.  “Know if they are saved, and pray for them.”

What about you?  Have you spoken to Him today?  Who has He put on your heart to pray for?

 After all, more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.

Where He Leads Me

A few years later, over the Christmas holiday, Lillie sat listening to a preacher sharing about a missionary in China.  He explained what missionaries do and all that they go through.  Tears came to Lillie's eyes as her heart said "Yes" to Jesus again.  "Oh, I want to do that.  I want to be like that missionary", said Lillie.

Filling Up

After asking Jesus to be Lord of her life, Lillie began in earnest to learn all she could about Jesus.  Every night she would read her Bible.  Not just a cursory reading, but drinking deeply from the Word.  As she read, the room was filled to capacity with God.  Her heart pounded and pounded, because she knew that God was there, speaking to her, right out of the Word.  Lillie, who is never at a loss for words, didn't quite know how to describe it, other than, it was a tremendous feeling.

"He still does that", Lillie states.  What about you?  Is His Presence near?  Do you know Him to be "in the room" as you feed on His Word?

Jesus beckons

At the age of 15, Lillie admitted, "I don't know Jesus Christ."  But, she desired to know Him, so she sought counsel from her pastor.  After their discussion, Lillie began her journey with Jesus.  She describes that time saying, "All the weight of the world was lifted from me.  I wasn't bowed down any more.  I was free."

Can you rejoice with Lillie and proclaim that you are free from the burden of sin that bows us down and puts that tremendous weight on our shoulders?  Only through a relationship with Jesus Christ can you know the freedom that Lillie speaks of.  If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Just how small is she?

As four small faces peered over the side of the crib, a tiny baby looked back.  The older siblings could not help but exclaim, "She's so tincy!"  And their parents agreed.  Thus, the nickname became her "real" name....for years, all her family members and friends referred to Lillie O. Rogers as "Tincy".  Little did they know that the small infant they gazed upon would become a giant for God.