simple prayer request

A while back, Justin and I volunteered in the children's department at our church. We worked with second graders specifically and at the end of the lesson, asked for prayer requests. Of course when working with children, these requests often vary from my dog is sick to the inevitable "let me get lots of good candy at Halloween and not the bad kind" and sometimes, you receive the really heartfelt request of a child who asks for a happier mom or a new job for daddy, or even a baby brother or sister.

We worked in the program long enough to develop relationships with some of the regular kids. The ones who cause trouble are usually the first you connect with, as was the case with Fischer. He was really busy, had a lot to say, and could top any story you had. But he was precious and I prayed that someday all that energy would be used for the Lord. Along with knowing the kids, you also begin to let them know you. Children are full of questions. Full full full. We were always asked if we had children, and many of them had come to understand that we hoped to adopt from Ethiopia.

The program had started having the kids right down their requests instead of verbalizing them, and the leaders then took them home to pray about them. I really preferred hearing them in class because sometimes, you just need a good laugh. But I collected the cards each week and shoved them into my Bible for later perusal.

Last week I was doing some fall closet cleaning and stumbled across the little pocket Bible Justin sent me when I first moved to Dallas. Inside were tucked three little prayer cards. The first asked for no rain for soccer games, another pet emergency, and lastly, the sweetest request I'd ever received:

"I hope your son stay in your heart forever."

4-20-08

Long before you were here, and before we even knew who you were, you've been dreamed of, longed for, prayed over, and loved.