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changing the world one prayer at a time

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Paul Burns

Hubby, daddy, pastor, author, singer, cook, who believes that mesquite smoke and prayer can make the world a better place.

Street Corner Prayer

Last month I hit the road doing Prayer Encounters workshops at various churches.  One of the stops I made was to a small church in a neighborhood that most of the city has seemed to have abandoned.  Ironically, you can see the state capitol building from the parking lot of the church building.  I doubt the folks at the capitol can see that church, though.

Most of the members no longer live in the neighborhood, but they feel called to serve and worship there.  They look out for the children and families as best as they can.  That building and those people stand as a visible reminder that God has not abandoned the neighborhood.

The church has been studying and practicing Prayer Encounters (the book) for a few months and they welcomed me and fed me well.  Throughout the workshop they shared their own stories.  One woman told me of an elderly woman in her neighborhood who for the last forty years or so has regularly stood out on the street corner to pray for people. As children walked by she would call out, “Come over here, child!  You need some prayer.”  She would lift up prayers for them and their families.  Even adults would walk by and she would call, “I know you need some prayer for something!  Come on over here!”

Over time, the neighborhood came to her for prayer.  She was like the local priest right there on the corner.  Grown men would come by and tell her how they remembered her praying for them as boys and what it meant to them.

Over the years she must have prayed for thousands of people.  Imagine what she means to her neighborhood. She stands as a visible sign that God has not abandoned her neighborhood.

How different from the street corner preachers I have run across over the years who randomly fire out all the ways a person might go to hell?

This woman is a street corner prayer, lifting her people up to God with tears and smiles.  Though I will probably never meet her, I can imagine her.  Her face is worn with care.  Her back is stooped and her knees are knobbly and rough.  Her hands are leathery and warm from the sun.  Her eyes are like small pools of tears, though there is a light that shines through them with hope.  She always sees you before you see her.  And she is waiting, always waiting for you to turn the corner.

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For my Russian readers

My friends from the Russian Federation,

I am aware that many of you have read a story entitled Wrestling with Poverty. Every time I get notice that someone from Russia has read a post it is almost always this story.  I feel moved to write to you directly.  I really have no true awareness of the level of poverty your region is dealing with, but I feel it must be extreme.  I do not have a solution to offer, but I do want to offer something more powerful than any human solution: a prayer.

O Heavenly Father, Creator and Lover of Humanity, may your Holy Spirit lift the Russian people into your heavenly realm.  Surround their whole country with your love and fill them with your holy presence.  Give them an unmistakable sense of your hand upon them.  Use the faith and compassion of those who believe in your Son Jesus Christ to bring encouragement and hope to all they come across.  And LORD, feed this nation by your hand!  Pull the people out of the deep poverty that depresses their country!  May your Church rise to meet the needs of the people!  Save Russia, O Savior! In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit we pray.

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Prayer Encounters Lenten Challenge (Modified from the earlier challenge)

Today marks the first day of Lent.  There are 40 days of Lent not including Sundays.  The last day is the day before Easter Sunday.  Lent is a time for growing in faith.  I would like to make a challenge to you that I know will grow your faith immensely and strengthen the faith of others in the process:

Pray with 40 people throughout Lent.  It can be with family members, church members, friends, classmates, neighbors, coworkers, and anyone that God puts in your path.

 Potential strategies:

-Make a list of all the people you want to pray with.

-Pray at every meal with whoever you are with and wherever you are.  You might even invite the waitress(waiter) to join you.

-Anytime someone express a need, a problem, a hope, a concern, an anxiety, or a joy offer to pray.

Example:

Your talking to your friend and she says, “I’m seeing the doctor tomorrow and I am kind of worried that there is something wrong with me.”

You might respond by saying, “You really seem worried.  Can offer a prayer for you?”

-Anytime someone says to you or emails you asking to pray for something/someone offer to pray right then.  If it is by email, write the prayer.

Consider keeping a log of your prayers so you can count them and, more importantly, so you can follow up with them.   There may be another need for prayer or, even better, there may be an answered prayer, which will strengthen your faithfully greatly.

You might even share the challenge with the people you pray with.  Praying with people is both life-giving and empowering.  Imagine the thousands of people that could be impacted by this challenge.

Finally, I would love if you would consider sharing your stories by leaving comments on this post without revealing private details or using names.

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Smiling Moses

A few years ago I took one of our neighborhood youths to football practice. Wallace is an extremely outgoing young man who has brought more people to our church than just about anyone else. As we got out of the car, he said, “Come meet Moses. He lives near the church.”

Wallace led me across the field to meet young Moses. He was a little bigger than the other boys. Wallace said, “This is Pastor Paul. You should come by the church and play basketball with us.” Moses smiled shyly, “Ok.”

Moses’ family immigrated from Uganda when he was younger. His accent is still very thick. A lot of the kids mock his accent, but he would just smile as if he enjoyed the attention. He has one of the sweetest natures a teenage boy ever had. Not only did Moses begin coming to the church to play basketball that summer, he became a regular that fall at our youth program.

When we were beginning confirmation classes the following spring, I approached Moses about it. He told me that I would have to speak to his parents. He went on to explain that he would have to get his sister to translate for his parents. They spoke very little English. We agreed upon a time and I called one of the elders to join me.

Jon and I arrived at Moses’ family’s house in the late afternoon a few days later. Moses led us into the living room where his sister, mother, and father sat. They all rose and greeted us warmly. The sister translated. We were invited to sit.

His parents were older than I expected. Moses was a later in life gift to his parents. He has several grown siblings. His parents sat and smiled as I explained our purpose.

His father responded by saying that Moses had been baptized as a child. He himself was an Anglican minister. He knew about confirmation. He said that he would be very glad for Moses to receive instruction and be confirmed in the church.

I told them how impressed we had been with Moses and how much we cared for him.
Then his mother looked at me with a very serious but cheerful expression on her face and said, “In this house, we are his parents. When he is at the church, you are his father. You are our eyes and our ears. Do you understand?”
I was taken aback by the charge, but I said that I did understand. Jon, the elder, looked on with a smile.

I asked if I could offer a prayer. They both smiled and the father said he would be honored. I prayed a prayer of thanks and blessing. As Jon and I stood up to begin our exit, the mother spoke to her daughter and the daughter explained that they would now like to offer a blessing. Of course!

They began to clap in rhythm and rose to their feet. Then they sang to us with great jubilation. Their homeland began to fill the room. What a blessing it was.

Moses sat quietly, smiling.

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New Year’s Prayer Revolution Resolution

You can make every circle of your life a place of prayer. I’m not talking about blasting your elected representatives with letters and emails about having prayers at schools and football games. This is a personal mission that can transform your home, your neighborhood, your church, your gym, your favorite restaurants, your family occasions, your school, your workplace, and even your Super Bowl party! You can start a revolution with a simple yet world-changing resolution.
Here it is:

I resolve to offer to pray whenever anyone voices a deep concern for his/her own life, loved ones, or for the world.

It starts with watching and listening for the concern of others. To do that you must trust the Lord with your own concerns. Otherwise you will never see or hear beyond your own life. Let me begin your resolution by offering a prayer for you:

O Loving and Almighty God, I ask that you lift up the person reading this into your holy embrace. Surround your child with your power and fill him/her with your peace. Whatever concerns s/he has let it be cast upon you. For you care for him/her. Awaken him/her to the concerns of those all around whether at home, work, church, in the neighborhood, or in public. And embolden him/her and us all to lift them in prayer.
In the name of our Maker, Redeemer, and Provider we pray. Amen.

May God bless you in 2013 and use you to bless others along the way

Paul

P.S. Like if you intend to make this resolution 🙂

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