I believe in the power of prayer. I understand that gut feeling that you need to help a specific person, or for me, send a certain person a card. There have been so many times that I would go through my address book pick a person and send them a card. There have also been so many phone calls, cards and instant messages telling me that they needed it so badly right there and then, that it came at just the right time.
Cool. I have a super-power. Spreading sunshine and love through cards.
But this is about the power of prayer.
I have a customer, and we’re going to call him Smiley. He’s a real Hot Rod of a guy. He lives on the other side of the country from me. We have never met in person, but we have a really good rapport on the phone. He always ends the call with “Be Blessed.” Which makes me smile.
The first time this happened, there was no way he could have known. I had just received a phone call from my sister. She used to reside in Paradise, CA. and at the moment when Smiley called, I didn’t know if she was alive or dead. He called in an order and at the end of it he said “I don’t know why, but I feel I need to pray over you.” And he did.
It gave me comfort. And then something happened at work, and both the computers and telephones were taken out. So i was able to pray constantly for a while… Until I got the phone call that my sister was safe.
The second time he prayed over me, I had just gotten an email from my son’s school. They were on lock down due to a bomb threat. I was beside myself. I couldn’t go, I couldn’t stay. What was going on? Smiley called, he prayed, and then another email came through. It was apparently part of a nationwide hoax. The police were checking everything out, just to be safe.
We’re going to detour here for a moment away from Smiley to one of my card buddies, T. She sent me a Valentine and wrote “I miss your smile.” and my first, the honest, gut reaction was— I miss it too. So I sat down and wrote her a note about it, and set about trying to correct that.
I’ve started making plans with friends, had a magnificent birthday weekend with Linda and our kids. Made plans for something I really really wanted to do in May and bought the tickets!
Friday, Smiley called. This was the only thing we talked about. I think he called specifically for this reason. The following is going to be a paraphrase because it was one of those times when the message was so important that the meaning sank into my heart instead of the words being memorized. He told me something to the effect of “you need to let go of all those things that are draining your energy, that are taking away your joy. You were not put on this earth to be miserable, but to be joyful. Your true purpose, your calling, will fill you with joy,”
It kind of knocked me for a loop. I have a calling that I’ve been neglecting, one that I enjoy and that brings joy to others. (2 cards went out today, btw.) I’ve been working on my writing and that is a joyful struggle.
But I had been bad. I was sucked back into facebook and the stupid stupid articles that i was reading just to have something to read. And I don’t know why my google page looks like it does, but it isn’t good stuff to read. I went off facebook for a long time and didn’t miss it too much.
But you know, I picked up Anne Lamotte’s Almost Everything before Christmas. Started it and put it back down. I am savoring it now, have been reading it enough that I’m almost through the first 5 chapters. The 6th chapter is on writing— it’s one of those I can’t wait so I’m making myself wait kind of things.
But also? I’m finding my smile again.
All because of a man who believes in the power of prayer, and in sharing his testimony.