IMMEDIATE
NEED – IMMEDIATE ANSWER
Carolyn ‘Jo’ Gower
My mother was the kindest, strongest Christian woman I ever
knew. Yet, as a child, I never heard her pray out loud. No doubt she prayed.
Her life was hard as a child, even though she didn’t know it at the time. They
lived in the country, had no electricity, grew their own food, and of course
walked to school.
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| My mother's engagement photo. |
The first day of school that year the teacher told the
class everyone needed to bring a nickel for supplies. Mom knew there was no way
her parents had the money and she was not about to ask them, so she
first of all asked God to
help her.
After getting home from school, as she played under the porch, she prayed to God for help. Suddenly she discovered a nickel in the dirt! Thanking the Lord and telling her parents about it, she knew God had heard her prayer!
Hearing her story late in my life, I couldn’t help but
wonder why she didn’t share it with us as children. (Maybe it’s because our
sweet mother never liked drawing attention to herself.)
I’ve often thought of that prayer answer, especially as we
began our journey in studying the subject of prayer – like the time my husband,
Hugh, and I went to a prayer workshop by Dr. Albert Lemmons in Missouri. Around
that same time my brother, Keith Roberts, had already been studying the subject
and also attended a prayer workshop by Dr. Albert Lemmons, held here at WFR
Church. As you can imagine, our prayer lives were challenged and we’re forever
grateful to Albert Lemmons (you can see his website at www.prayermatters.org) .
From that point, God worked in our lives to teach us more
about prayer; to pray more and lead others to do the same. Over the years we’ve
hosted prayer workshops and prayer retreats. Hugh and Keith have both
taught prayer seminars through the years and continue to do the same today.
Keith and the Calhoun Church of Christ have remained faithful in helping us to
grow in prayer, even hosting an annual Prayer Workshop (see www.calhounchurch.org).
I believe that out of our growth in prayer, we, at the
White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ; World Radio; WFR Relief; WFR Missions have
come to emphasize “PRAY FIRST”, then plan and continue to pray about the plans
God has helped us to make.
Even though I have many important duties at World
Radio, I consider my main one to be in the area of actually praying for
World Radio speakers and those that give to this ministry.
To remind me of prayer’s role at World Radio, I display
this framed quote my brother gave me:
“How different the world would be if we prayed before
we made our plans, rather than asking God to bless what we have decided to do.”
