THE POWER AND PROMISE OF PRAYER

Prayer is the most powerful force on earth and in heaven!

In this issue, I would like to share with you an inspiring reflection on the power and promise of prayer, along with some practical ways to pray. I found it practical and helpful, and I am sure it will help you too.

The inspiring reflection on prayer came from a video of HisVoiceOnline TV by Donny Thomas It goes like this:

"If you look out the window of a plane as it speeds down the runway for takeoff, you see people, cars, and houses in their actual size. As the flight takes off, they appear smaller and smaller, until human beings look like ants, cars look like toys, and houses look like matchboxes."

Praying about our problems works like this too. At first, a problem may appear to be monstrous and frightening. But praying about it in the presence of God is like taking off on a flight. At first, the problem appears huge. As we continue to pray and grow closer in our relationship with God, the problem becomes smaller like the people, cars, and houses on the ground, as the flight goes higher and higher until we can see only clouds and no more what is down below. So our prayer life can raise us above our problems until they appear small enough to manage with God's help. As we pray more fervently and with faith and forgiveness and experience God's presence, we grow in our prayer life and learn to manage our everyday problems with less pressure and concern.

Dear friends, are you overwhelmed by a problem? There is relief. Talk to God in prayer about whatever is troubling you. When you pray, you will feel his presence. In addition, He will give you the grace to deal with the problem. As you grow in your relationship with Him, your problems will become smaller, and life will become more joyful. As we frequently/sometimes sing: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim."