0970941811
Trade Paperback
80 pages
Dec 2003
Trc Communications

Review  |   Author Bio  |  Read an Excerpt

Excerpt:

Introduction

As she kept on praying to the Lord,
Eli observed her mouth.  Hannah was praying
in her heart, and her lips were moving but her
voice was not heard.  Eli thought she was drunk
and said to her, “How long will you keep on
getting drunk?  Get rid of your wine.”

“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman
who is deeply troubled.  I have not been drinking
wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1: 12-15

As a young adolescent growing up in the Midwest, I shall always remember my mother, grandmothers and aunts speaking the three words, “prayer changes things.”  Although I was still wearing training bras at that time, something about these words stuck to my psyche like superglue to a piece of paper.  Nonetheless, until I became an adult the true meaning of these words remained elusive to me.

As I commit to memory, at the age of 21 with my then 3-year old daughter, I took a courageous step and moved from my hometown of Springfield, Illinois to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.   I moved in with two of my good friends who were gracious enough to open their home up to me.  I had always had a burning desire to broaden my horizons by living in another state other than Illinois and within the Midwest for that matter.

During this transition, prayer became the rock I leaned on to help me stick to my plans when I would get discouraged at some of the negative comments family members and friends would sometimes say about my decision in wanting to relocate.  I would go to God in prayer so that I wouldn’t allow the negative comments to enter into my psyche in order to prevent me from embarking on my goal of wanting to move.  In addition, since I knew that I didn’t have any family members living within the D.C. area, only a few friends, I knew that one of my only hopes of survival would be to trust in God and make prayer a primary part of my life.   Prayer is now as vital a part of my life as gasoline is to an automobile.  Because of my own experiences with prayer, I now understand the expression “prayer changes things,” with these three words being repeated in my very own household. 

For instance, many of my gloomy days have turned into ones of sunshine due to the power of prayer.  And, as a mother parenting solo, repeating these words aloud and then going before the Lord in prayer has definitely been my saving grace on many occasions.  In fact, recently I had darts it seems coming from every direction since I was dealing with the issues of financial woes, insomnia, stress and anxiety all at the same time.  I literally started to quit my job and move home with my parents to become a hermit for at least two years.  Well, this was my plan of action because I had more than had it.  I’m sure that my parents would have probably tried to have me locked up in a mental institution, but to be honest; I was ready to be committed.  I prayed, prayed and prayed and I know that it was through my coming before the Lord in prayer that I was able to get through this difficult season in my life...

 

©Copyright Carla J. Curtis

December 2003