I hate open heights! I can’t stand balconies, glass elevators freak me out, and when I am driving across a bridge, you’ll find me hugging the dividing rail along the inside lane.
Some friends tried to help me conquer these fears by inviting our family to join them one Sunday afternoon at Inner Peaks Climbing Center. I cringed at the thought of it, but JJ and our boys really wanted to go. So I caved in and agreed to a family “outing” inside this huge rock-climbing center.
When we entered the doors, my heart stopped beating as I look up at the highest peak – 25 feet! The instructors assured me that a web of ropes, harnesses and carabiners would hold me tight. Before I could say “no thank you,” I was strapped in and signing an injury waiver. I played it safe and stayed on the lower peaks.
Towards the end of the day, our friends John and Laura challenged their eight-year-old son Steven to climb to the highest peak – promising $5 in tokens and a cone of ice cream at arcade next door if he would touch the bar at the top.
Steven was afraid of heights, too, but he loved a dare. The promise of reward, mixed with the challenge and faith of his father evoked courage in Steven.
I watched with admiration as that little guy started the climb with confidence. He made it to 15 feet, then 20. But as he inched past the next face of the wall, he saw just how far he had to go before reaching the bar at the top. In fear, he looked down with tears and said he couldn’t do it. Then he cried out for his daddy’s help.
By this time, John was holding their very tired 3 yr old, and Laura was feeding their very hungry baby girl. I don’t know where my brave husband was, but as I looked around I realized I was the only one standing there who could do something.
Suddenly courage and strength surged through my body. I called out to Steven, “Don’t give up buddy. Wait for me to come to you. You can do it. I’ll help you!”
I said a quick prayer that God would help me and that Steven wouldn’t give up and start repelling his way down before I got to him. In no time, I reached the 20 foot marker. I crossed over the peak and up beside Steven to encourage him, reminding him of how far he’d come. Using my words and my confidence I focused his thoughts towards a higher goal, an inner peak, a reward that would be much greater than ice cream and game tokens – the reward of getting to a placehe had stopped believing he could reach.
My fear was gone. I had stopped thinking about me long enough to focus on helping someone else reach their goal and overcome their fear. Strangely enough, in that moment I overcame mine, and reached a peak of my own.
I became the response of a child’s cry for his father’s help. And that day became a picture of what happens when friends pray for and encourage one another. Like Jesus, we come alongside each other in some of life’s hardest challenges and highest peaks and we say, “Don’t give up, you can do it. Wait for me. I’ll help you.”
In that moment we take our eyes off our fears, our doubts, our struggles and set them on someone else’s needs. There we find faith to believe the power of God’s Word for them, and somehow our confidence in God’s promises and power are true for us in a way they may never have been before. That is the power of a praying friend!
Today, I invite you to join me in a conversation with God and some girlfriends so that we can experience what happens when women pray – for each other. This is your chance to share a request (a need, a hope, a desire) that you want someone to pray for you for this week. In return, you will pray for one person for the next week, too.
And because I love to share with friends books that draw me closer to Jesus, those who participate in our “conversation with God” will be part of a drawing next week for a new book called “Dear Jesus.” It is filled with devotions and scriptures that capture the heart of God’s response to every woman’s longings and intimate struggles.
Here’s how we’ll do this:
Click the word “Comments” below my name on this post (just under the 2nd green box).
Type in your prayer request in the white box.
Include your first name and where you are from.
(If you don’t have a blogger account, you can sign in as anonymous. But please include your first name at the end.) After type your request, click enter. Your comment will post.
Read the prayer request/comment above yours and pray for that friend.
Copy and paste it in an email to yourself as a reminder to pray for your new friend throughout the week.
On Monday, I’ll post about the power of praying God’s Word and share some of my favorite scripture prayers. Wouldn’t it be neat to find a Bible verse to pray for our prayer partner and post it in Monday’s comments? I’ll share how to do that.
There were two people in blessed in my story. But I never would have experienced what God had for me to give or receive that day if Steven hadn’t asked for help. I pray you will experience the power of a praying friend by promising to be one and allowing someone else to be one for you today. Be sure to click “comments” just below this box so that others see your prayer request and you find the request you are to pray for, too.
© 2008 by Renee Swope. All rights reserved.
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Please pray for my marriage. We have young children and we both are Christians. If I had to sum it all up–it would all have to do with communication skills (we need them!) and conflict resolution. I would love to have us both go into Christian marriage counseling, however, my husband doesn’t think he has any problems–it’s all me. Thanks so much for your prayers.
Please pray for me that I would budget my time better. It seems I have some many projects, that sometimes I feel overwhelmed and I only get started at the last minute. Pray that I would take to my heavenly Father throughout the day. Thank you so much for your dedication to our heavenly Father.
Theresa from Pennsylvania
Prayer request
Well, i just want to ask for prayer for my boyfriend situation because even though he is not christian i wish God can bring him to His arms, also he is facing this situation with a law suit with some guys that want to take away from him his http://www.lg.com domain, so i ask you to pray for him, so God can work through those people’s hearts so they can give a fair settlemen.
Thanks
Ana Martinez
MEXICO
Hi Renee,
I think what you are doing today on your blog is so awesome, but I have
to confess it has taken me almost all day to get the courage up to ask for prayer concern that the Holy Spirit placed on my heart. I let the doubt storms flood my mind and start worrying about what you and other women will think if I share what I need prayer for.
But I am going to take a step of faith and share what seems so difficult but at the same time necessary. My prayer request is that my heart will soften for the
gospel and for the refreshing presence of Jesus. To allow the truth and blood of Jesus Christ to wash away my shame and guilt of my past, that the chains of bondage will be broken. To allow the Holy Spirit to completely transform my life and forever be changed.
I even have a scripture if you want to share it on Monday Zephaniah 3: 9-20
Blessings to you and all of the Proverb 31 ladies!
Thanks….Joy
I hope that I’m not too late to jump in on this! Thanks for this wonderful idea Renee!
My prayer, perceived need, is to find some way (financially) for me to stay home and take care of my 3-year-old son. Currently, I am only working 2 days per week, but I am scheduled to return to 5 days per week on August 4th. Although my desire is to be able to be a stay-at-home mom, I also have health issues which are forcing me to look realistically at what I am capable of doing on a daily basis. I was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s Disease 2 1/2 years ago, and the stress of trying to work, take care of my son, and run the household all together is rapidly taking its toll on my health. I know that I can do all things through God who gives me strength, but I also know that I would be able to give my husband and son a much better part of me, if we can manage to allow me to not work any longer.
Prayer support would so greatly be appreciated as we look at our finances, the possibility of me applying for disability and the prayer that if I do proceed to apply for disability that I will be approved quickly.
God bless one and all!
Hello Renee,
I want to thank you so much for your encouragement
I really think this is great,praying for each other.Thank you for giving me the opportunity to pray for so many.Thank you for all you do.GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!BECKY
[email protected]
Please pray for me Samuel and Joyce my wife for we have been praying that the good Lord will give us children in our marriage. we have been married for the past14 years but no children. Please pray for us.
Samuel(London UK)
Please pray for a financial,and blessing for a new position. I am not asking for a triple digit job, but one that will pay well. I am looking for a job where I can be of service to others, not of self. To give hope, encouragement,and build people up. Please pray that the Lord will find my request in line with his will for my life.
God bless,
Donna
Anonymous Anonymous said…
I was reading an email my friend sent me and I came across your website. I’m from Dinwiddie County (near Petersburg), VA. My wife packed her luggage and left in the truck with a guy to Tennessee (who has since left her) on 10 February 2008. I haven’t talked to her in 12 days because she acts like we could get back together and then doesn’t answer me when I ask her if she wants to come back to me. I think that she doesn’t know what she wants. She’s also with the first guy’s brother and his family in Tennessee. I love her and I really would like for her to come back to me so that we can start over and be a family again. Please pray for us. God bless, Gerry.
Hello my name is Dolly I don’t know where to start.So here goes.I’m sick of my life my marriage,my husband ,my job everything.My husbands been laid off again this time 2 months so far.
I have to have surgery to fix 2 other surgerys i ‘ve had.and thats next month we will not have any insurance since he’s been laid off so much this year.we fight all the time I get tired cause I’m working and then have to do all the housework cooking shopping and bills .I just want a hand just fix dinner once in awhile we have a garden he won’t even take care of it.I’m not even sure what I want pray for.I hardly go to church or read my bible I do still talk to God but I know its not like I should.Thank you for listening .Dolly
Renee, this is awesome! I am number 291 to respond! Oh, my word! I loved your post. Thanks for sharing your fear and how you responded to it when another was in need. That’s how we all need to be, my friend.
My prayer request is to share God’s message to 25 women over the next 4 weeks in a Bible study that I am leading at church. It’s on the Proverbs 31 woman. I want His glory to shine and for these women to hear the truth in love and to see what God says in these verses and how they can apply them. Thanks so much!
Blessings,
Susan
Please pray for my daughter. She is 22 and pregnant and is dating a guy that is mentally abusive. The first time she tried to break up with him, he posted nude pictures of her on the internet. For whatever reason, she keeps going back to him. Our family is in dire need of prayer and we need direction from the Lord on how to handle the situation. Just a sidenote, my daughter still lives at home.
Please pray for me and my husband as we are in our second IVF cycle. We have one daughter that we were blessed with nine years ago and I have not been able to get pregnant again. We would love to have another child. Thanks for praying for us!
Sonya
Please pray for me as I am facing prison time for embezzlement from a former employer. I turned my eyes away from God and made huge mistakes for which I am suuffering daily. My sentence date is September 22. My attorney told me it was important that I get another job as soon as possible. I have been honest with all my interviews and was hired by a local Cancer treatment group and on Friday 10 days before my 90 days was up was told they could not keep me. Now I am unemployeed again mostly because my former employer kept calling the new employer and advising them not to give me a second chance. I am so depressed . I know God has forgiven me and I am closer to him now than ever before but this valley is going to be hard to climb out of. Please keep me in your prayers.
God Bless You All
Debbie ([email protected])
My prayer is that I will be able to stand up against the gossip in my office. I suffer from approval addiction and am the only Christian in my workplace. I ask for prayer to be able to live out my Christianity each day without the fear of what others will think of me.
My prayer is for complete restoration of my marriage. My husband Roger is a backslidden christian and needs deliverance from pride, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Rose from Bemidji, MN
What a wonderful idea and action of prayer for each other!
My request is for wisdom and clarity. I know the Lord is calling me as a speaker/writer for Him. I am currently working on a project near and dear to my heart, but am having difficulty coming up with that all-encompassing “one sentence summary” that is both powerful and captivating to describe it all. Thank you sweet sister who prays for me!
Blessings!
Shanda
Please pray for my 21 year old daughter, Lana. She is very angry at her dad right now. He has left me, after 30 years together, for another woman. Someone who was supposed to be her friend. Even though there was an age difference she believed she was her friend and had no idea that this woman was using her to see her dad. He has also canceled her health, dental and vision insurance. Thanks so much!
Tammie
Could you please pray for me. I need to meet a real man and fall in love with.
This is for Lucy.
Thank you so mucu. God bless you!!!
Hebrews 4:16 says, “…come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”. I often cling to the word “boldly”. Praise God that He is an intimate and loving God! I have two requests: 1. my sister’s husband is an alcoholic and she needs wisdom to handle this situation in a way that honors God, 2. I am a 3year breast cancer survivor with a precious husband, 3 teenage boys and a 5 yr. old daughter. One of my tumor markers came back doubled and out of the normal range. I need prayers for courage and strength to face God’s plan for us.
Dancing in His grace!