“Fervent prayer produces phenomenal results.”  Woodrow Kroll

As the Prayer Coordinator for our North OC Younglives, I can attest to this truth that “fervent prayer produces phenomenal results”! I was asked to assemble a prayer team of people who are committed to pray for our ministry and I send out the prayer requests once a week or sometimes more if urgent needs arise. This is my volunteer job and I love it.  I feel like myself and the prayer team get a front row seat in watching God move through this ministry. Each Monday, I receive prayer requests from Myrna and sometimes from the volunteers and the teen parents who often reach out and ask for prayer. I send these precious requests out to the team knowing that each team member is taking these requests right to the Throne room of God Himself.

And in faith, we each wait to watch and see how God will move,

what He will advise, what doors He opens and what doors He shuts,

who He taps on the shoulder

to come and serve in this ministry, donate to this ministry,

what school He wants us to work with and so much more. 

Sometimes we get our answers that very week, often other times we wait months for the answers, patiently waiting on God who we believe still moves, heals and guides His people. This past year especially, I felt like I couldn’t even keep up with what God was doing. I would joke with Myrna and tell her, you need to call or text me more often so I can keep up with what is going on because if I missed a few days, I was missing out on movements and miracles of God. It really is a joy to be a part of this process. Does every prayer we send up get answered? Of course not. God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. We know and understand this and when discouragement or doubt starts to set in we pray and ask for more fervency and faith from God.  And we wait. Waiting is so important. We are so used to getting everything we want so quickly – want a book, download it in a minute, want food, click on that new app and they will bring it to you, want to get a hold of someone, text them.

Last week I wrote an old-fashioned letter to someone. Some of you may remember; you set aside time to sit down and write out your thoughts, place the card or stationary in an envelope, get a stamp and put in the mailbox and then wait. Wait, hoping they answer back. I felt so connected with these people across the country whom I was writing to.  Prayer is an opportunity to feel so connected to God when we set aside time, sit down and submit our requests to Him, put a “stamp” on them with our “Amen” and wait.  Waiting isn’t really so bad.

Maybe this next year, we can appreciate the wait time, trusting that our Heavenly Father who loves and cares for us, whose thoughts are not our thoughts and ways are not our ways, will answer us. Sometimes it’s not what we want and other times it blows our socks off – like being invited to share at Fish Fest, or having someone partner with us to put on the most amazing fundraising banquet, seeing 100 teen moms and dads show up at Christmas club, receiving emails from new schools asking for YoungLives to do parenting classes and make connections with the moms and dads – I could go on, and on.  (If you missed any of those stories and want to read more, explore our website). And so, in 2018 we will continue to sit before the Lord, ask Him what He wants for this ministry, submit the requests of everyone involved and wait for His answers, wisdom, healings and movement.

If you would like to be a part of our prayer team, please email northocyounglives@gmail.com and we will get you connected but I’m warning you, be prepared to watch some amazing moves of God!

Chick Bryan ~ Prayer Coordinator, baby cuddler, mentor, committee member, and so much more!