Monday, August 1, 2022

Prayer

Judy Roberts

I learned to pray from a small but big hearted woman-my grandma. She was special to me. I remember she had a room in her home that was devoted just to prayer. It was painted lavender and it had one or two chairs- the only other object in the room was a silver lighted cross. Many times she would invite someone into that special place to pray.

My grandmother believed in the power of prayer and during WW2 she prayed for the safety of many men. Upon their return from war and the trenches, where she encouraged them to pray the Lord’s Prayer, they gave her the crosses they wore. She must have been given twenty which she displayed in a velvet box.
She never finished high school because she had to work to support her mother and siblings but she prayed to God asking Him what he wanted her to do. After a bout with cancer that went into remission, she prayed that she wanted to serve Him, help His children find happiness in the world so I (she) prayed and prayed to be able to help people. Eventually, after studying many forms of Christianity, she was asked to open a center for Christ’s teachings at the Hotel Roosevelt in NYC. Here she met Lindbergh and Edison and led many to pray.

One prayer that my grandmother taught me was this- when you have a confrontation with someone, say “Bring out the Christlike spirit in me and in the other person.” It always helped me. Or if one suffers from pain whether physical or emotional, utter “ Peace, be still and know that I am God.”

I don’t have a special room where I pray but I have found a corner in my room where I devote time to the Bible and prayer, where I thank the Lord for all my blessings and pray for others and myself. I even pray in my car as it is quiet. God is good and He blessed me with the woman who led me to prayer.