When my dear mother died in 2013, while cleaning out her desk, I found her personal prayer list. It was several pages, handwritten in neat Palmer method, on the type of notepad that you receive from a charitable institution when they ask you for a donation. (Mom kept them all!) 

This list was inclusive. If I asked her to pray for someone, she wrote down the name and the why of the request. If a friend asked, she did the same. If someone she didn’t know asked for prayers, again, the same. Each morning, when she said her prayers, she held the list in her hands and looked at each name, putting them in the hands of God. 

She often followed up to see how the prayer recipient was faring. And, to take them off if warranted. My mother set such a wonderful example for me of service to God and others. She never bragged about what she was doing. It was done in the privacy of her room and in contact with the God she loved with all her heart. (And, as we all know, loved her with all His heart.) 

I was thinking about my prayer list this morning. I have tried to write down the names of those I want to bring to God’s attention. Sometimes my list is in good shape and sometimes I resort to just asking God to bless and take care of all the people in need of help. I need to work on that list. 

However, we recently had an answer to a long-running prayer request – more than 30 years! It is a request that Rich and I have been making together and separately for one of our dear children. Last night, our son made an announcement that he had come to a decision. We could tell from the sound of his voice and the smile on his face, that he was happy, really happy for the first time in a long time. We rejoiced with him and gave thanks to God who loves us all-unconditionally-all the time-no matter what. 

This past Sunday, Reverend Jill gave us this quote as she ended her homily: God gives us three answers to prayer, “Yes,” “Not yet”, and “I have something else in mind”. He always answers. Keep praying.  

God loves you unconditionally! Amen! 

Terri