Prayer Prompters

Funny the things that remind us to pray! Since we moved to Jamaica and left our boy at VFCC, you can imagine how many times a day our thoughts turn to Ryan and if not careful a few tears will run at any time, at any place.

The first time we found a coin on the pavement one of us said, pray for Ryan! Well it stuck, now 7 months later, we have quite a collection! 147 coins that when spotted, Ryan came to mind! As if we needed a reminder!

Actually the majority of the coins are worth 8/10 of a penny, not very much value at all. But let's talk about the value of the spontaneus prayer. Could it be that when we found a coin he was driving alone, feeling homesick? When he was nervous about a recital, did we come upon 8/10 of a penny? When he was struggling financially, did we spot a coin? When the enemy was tormenting him, did the three of us say, "Oh God remember Ryan" when finding a very damaged coin, run over by more than one truck?

As a matter of fact, we have a lot of prayer reminders in the house! We have a gift from the first children's ministries group we served in our first staff position. Everytime I see that heart hanging on the door I say a prayer for little kids who are now adults and have long forgotten who the Seler's are!

The little dish that holds our "Ryan" coins is also a reminder of praying for a person who literally despises me and caused severe damage to me in every way. As difficult as it is at times, we have to pray those kind, you know, the blessing kind of prayers. Everyone in a group of 100 people was given a dish like this one, that is why I received one. I am not sure why I didn't toss it away or put it in one of my many yard sales, could it be that even my spontaneus prayers have value for a person like that?I know it has value for me.

Prayer is so powerful. What still amazes me is that I can be here and Ryan there and prayer supercedes all geographical boundaries, it supercedes me "knowing all the details". Prayer supercedes all my hurts and lasting memories. Prayer goes far beyond anything my natural mind can comprehend. Prayer is supernatural. Prayer is so far reaching that even when my prayers don't make sense, God makes sense out of them.