Photo Credit: Fa-Barboza
When you pray, expect answers!
Two years ago, shortly after we were wed, my husband and I watched the movie - War Room. I recommend that you watch it if you haven’t. It was such an inspiring movie for me and after seeing it, being the practical person that I am, I immediately started a prayer journal of my own. I would write short prayers for different people who came to mind. I thought to myself, it would be fun to tick off answered prayers. I prayed for friends, family members, church acquaintances, and even complete strangers I met and reached out with the gospel. I was consistent for a couple of months and then there were days I would completely forget I had a prayer journal. And days became months. Once in a while I will stumble across the notebook and flip through it. And my heart would sink a tine-tiny bit at the many prayers still lingering, unanswered. By the time we got to 2017, I had completely forgotten about the ritual of prayer-journaling. Even though, all the while I kept on with my gratitude journal and my writer’s life journal. Of which the former is much more consistent. However, at this point I had ticked off about two answered prayers. Then last year, to my surprise, one day whilst flipping through the prayer journal, I ticked off about 3 major prayers that had been answered and I hadn’t even taken not of. Now, couple of days back, after I charged the sisters to begin prayer journals, and promised to share some of the testimonies in mine, I went back again to check, and lo and behold, I ticked off quite a number of prayers (said in 2016) that were now answered! As you read, may the Lord increase your faith and give you more oil in the place of intercession. Amen!
The first recorded request that got answered is dated 30th March 2016…
A prayer for my cousin Princess (a pet name), who is a single mum, and who lived in Abuja at the time. She struggled with low income and the job wasn’t even exciting. After a while she quit. Abuja is a hard ground to till when you are jobless. Accommodation and other living expenses can be tough. And her baby daughter was back home in Kano under the care of her mum. We talked frequently, Princess and I. And on one particular occasion, I was very worried for her. Then on March 30th I wrote a long prayer - it was a page full. A paragraph reads: Lord, I pray for my little cousin, keep her from temptation. Let the beast of this city Abuja, not find her. May she be shielded from all kinds of evil. Provide for her so she can raise her daughter and provide for her. Lord, provide for her a befitting job…make her life beautiful. Make her content with Jesus…
Prayer answered: Months later, Princess calls me, and tells me she had gotten a job with a bank in Kano! Kano — Do you know what that means? It means she was reunited with her baby, and could now raise her and be there for her. She also had the full support of her own mum. My heart was in awe of God. Also, it wasn’t a marketing job. She also got to travel for trainings etc. I grew up in Kano, so, I knew Kano was a lot easier to navigate in terms of survival than Abuja. And Kano was a terrain Princess was already accustomed to as she too was bred in Kano. She had the guidance of her mum so the pressures of single life would be adequately managed. My heart was full of joy!
Next is Chinwe…
A young lady who contacted me in Dec 2015, after reading an article I wrote on TW online magazine. It was titled, “10 ways to get your groove back after a dry patch.” She lived in the east. In summary, Chinwe had resigned her job, and hoped to start a food business. But her husband wasn’t too happy with her sitting at home and doing nothing. They had grown apart as a result. She wanted to get her groove back and asked my help. We exchange a series of emails and then Chinwe just stopped writing back. She was silent for a year, or more. And in that period, for every time she crossed my mind I would send an email, and say a prayer. I also wrote a page full of prayer in my journal on the 30th March 2016. One line reads: “Father, heal and restore the relationship with her husband…Turn the heart of the husband back to the wife…”
Prayer answered: Then one day from the blue, she replies and tells me she had been silent because she had a baby. It was a girl. She sounded happy in that mail. I could tell her life had gotten pretty busy and a lot had changed. But I was thankful for that mail. I haven’t exchanged mails ever since so I cannot particularly say this or that have changed. However, I am grateful to have heard back from her and she remains a fond memory in my heart.
Next is Chidinma…
A single mum who lived across from us when my husband and I newly moved to Abuja. After a while, I felt quite uncomfortable that we barely said anything to each other but good morning. Then my husband and I began to read a book (can’t recall the title now) which we used as a daily devotional. It had these short chapters that were easy to read. One chapter spoke about evangelism and that spurred me to reach out to Chidinma. She had two boys, Chikodi and Miracle. One Saturday, I walked up to her and broke the silence. I learned she had never been married and both boys were from different fathers. She told me about her desire to be settled and her dream to go back to school. She was a caterer and ran a restaurant somewhere in Wuse. On another occasion, she invited me into her house and we talked for a long while. The guy she dated at the time was muslim and very controlling. This worried me a lot. I wrote two pages full of requests for Chindinma in my prayer journal. This was in April, 2016 (date not specified). First, I asked God: “Lord, severe the relationship between her and Ali.” Actually, there were two guys in her life at the time. Which troubled me the more. I prayed: “Lord, concerning Chuma, if he is not your will for her life, Lord reveal it and let his hold over her life be broken. Lord, bring the man you have chosen — for Chidinma — to be her husband, and a father to her children. Reveal the one you have prepared… in due season reveal him.”
Prayers answered: On the 14th of April, merely a week later, after an episode, Chidinma called it quits with Ali. He was gone for good. Chuma remained on the scene. Chidinma and I became close acquaintances. Even after we moved form the area, I stayed in touch and we kept praying for her. Later that year, we visited her twice at her restaurant. Then there was silence. She wasn’t taking calls, nor replying messages. Later, she got back on the radar to say she lost her dad. And there was silence again. Then last year, after we moved to Bayelsa, after over a year of silence, she sends me photos on WhatsApp of her traditional wedding. I was in awe! And it wasn’t Chuma. LOL. She was wedded on the 24th of last month. We couldn’t attend but she sent us pictures. She married a believer, a good looking man with a good reputation. Her two sons now would have a “consistent dad” and Chidinma would find rest from the struggles of navigating life as a single mum. God be praised!
Next, the Katos…
A young couple we met in our new church community in Abuja, 2016. They use to give us rides to and fro church, when we lived in the same area. They were older than us by a year, they got married in 2014 and were yet to have kids. One day, (I can’t particularly recall what inspired this prayer…) I wrote in my prayer journal: Lord, like Elizabeth and Zachariah give them a son… Like Hannah, open Grace’s womb in Jesus name. Lord, grant them your deepest desires, make your name manifest in their lives…..
Prayer answered: Shortly before I relocated from Abuja, I got a sense that she was pregnant, and when I inquired, it was true. I was glad for her. Then late 2017, while in Bayelsa, I got news that she had put to bed. I rejoiced. But all the while the news was just good news. It had completely left my mind that this had been a request in my prayer journal. Not until January this year, flipping through my prayer journal, I came across the request, and my heart leapt. Now, I was eager to know the sex of the baby, LOL. Well, it is a baby girl! Her name is Sophia. :)
I will stop here today. Will share more tomorrow…
May the night flames of intercession begin to burn in your life like never before. Amen.
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
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