The Power of Prayer
Last summer I experienced probably the COOLEST event since I became of follower of Jesus... I got to witness up close and personal the full power of praying for someone who doesn't believe in God or Jesus. This is one of those stories that really should never be forgotten so I'm blogging about it just as much as for a reminder to myself as for anyone else reading.
Way back in my college days, I was studying Pure and Applied Sciences at John Abbott College. I wasn't doing too well in school. I was much more focused on partying and socializing then studying! I shared a locker with two of my closest friends and we were living it up with partying and skipping class and shooting pool.
At the locker next to ours was a very sweet and very pretty girl named Susie. Now, being that I was quite dorky back then (yes... and probably still am today!) I was not all that accustomed to having pretty girls being nice to me :) She was always incredibly friendly and kind and always took the time to talk and just ask about how my day was going. One day, we were chatting at our lockers and Susie tells me about her relationship with Jesus and how she is "born again". My reaction? I was a BIG JERK to her! I laughed at her and made fun of the whole thing and got everyone else around me into it. To this day I still want to justify my actions because, back then I knew absolutely nothing about being born again... to me that is crazy people who go door-to-door with fliers. But there is no justification for what I did. I was a jerk... plain and simple. She was still friendly to me after that and I graduated shortly after and moved on with life.
In the summer of 1999 through some very cool circumstances (a story for another time), at the age of 28, nearly ten years after college, I finally really understood what Jesus did for me and for the entire world and I put my faith in Him. Shortly after that, I started attending church regularly and really began to grow in my faith. It wasn't long after that, late one night, I remembered that incident with Susie where I treated her so badly just for sharing her faith with me. It really hit me hard and I felt terrible about it. I prayed that one day I would be able to apologize to her.
Jump ahead a few more years. I'm sitting in line to see Revenge of the Sith with my best friend (same guy I had a locker with in College), my wife, and another friend who was going through a really ugly and painful divorce. As I was talking with my friend about his divorce, I noticed right beside us in line to see the movie was... Susie! I immediately wanted to say "Hi" and apologize for what I did... but I chickened out. I didn't even talk to her. I know... dumb, dumb, dumb.
Last summer, my wife was going to a bridal shower for one of her good friends who was soon to be married. It was an afternoon party and she asked me to pick her up afterwards with the kids since we had dinner plans. I got there and rang the door bell. Guess who answers? Yup. Susie. Turns out she is also a friend of the bride and they had the party at her place. She invited the kids and I in to have some dessert. I chatted with Susie briefly about being in the same college. She said I had looked familiar but didn't quite remember me from school (Good! I didn't leave any permanent damage with my jerk-like behavior!) During the party, my wife Danielle and shared with her that we were moving and that I was going into full time ministry in September. Susie was so thrilled and excited for us. After a few mouth fulls of cake we loaded the kids into the car and headed off to our dinner plans. And you guessed it... I still didn't apologize!!! Here was a second chance that I had blown. I told me wife this whole story about how I treated Susie in college and how I had asked God for a chance to apologize. She wanted me to turn the car around right away and do it! I guess my guy-ego took over and I said that the next time would definitely be the time I would do it... not even knowing if there would be a next time.
Finally, just 2 weeks before we were to leave Montreal for good and start my new position as associate pastor, we were at the wedding and Susie was there. Danielle and I went and chatted with her and I then told her how incredibly proud I was of her to be able to stand up for her faith in Jesus during those college years. I apologized for being such a jerk to her and asked her to forgive me. She was so thrilled and touched by this. She then told us an incredible conclusion to this story. It turns out that during that entire year of college when our lockers where side-by-side she was praying for me and my two buddies that one day God would touch our hearts and reveal himself to us. She would pray for us each night with her mom! I was in blown away! Especially since 2 out of the 3 of us buddies put our faith in Jesus! Susie was so happy that she got to see her prayers answered and Danielle and I felt so blessed to be able to learn this part of our faith journey.
I am SO grateful for those prayers. Thanks Susie!! Who knows where I would be in my life right now if not for this brave, faithful college student who's heart was bigger then all that the world could throw at her!
This story is a reminder to myself to NEVER stop praying for my friends, family and neighbours. It's also a reminder to NEVER doubt God's timing in everything. We may never know how God answers our prayers, but sometimes, like in my case, you get to have a front row seat watching the power of God at work!
Way back in my college days, I was studying Pure and Applied Sciences at John Abbott College. I wasn't doing too well in school. I was much more focused on partying and socializing then studying! I shared a locker with two of my closest friends and we were living it up with partying and skipping class and shooting pool.
At the locker next to ours was a very sweet and very pretty girl named Susie. Now, being that I was quite dorky back then (yes... and probably still am today!) I was not all that accustomed to having pretty girls being nice to me :) She was always incredibly friendly and kind and always took the time to talk and just ask about how my day was going. One day, we were chatting at our lockers and Susie tells me about her relationship with Jesus and how she is "born again". My reaction? I was a BIG JERK to her! I laughed at her and made fun of the whole thing and got everyone else around me into it. To this day I still want to justify my actions because, back then I knew absolutely nothing about being born again... to me that is crazy people who go door-to-door with fliers. But there is no justification for what I did. I was a jerk... plain and simple. She was still friendly to me after that and I graduated shortly after and moved on with life.
In the summer of 1999 through some very cool circumstances (a story for another time), at the age of 28, nearly ten years after college, I finally really understood what Jesus did for me and for the entire world and I put my faith in Him. Shortly after that, I started attending church regularly and really began to grow in my faith. It wasn't long after that, late one night, I remembered that incident with Susie where I treated her so badly just for sharing her faith with me. It really hit me hard and I felt terrible about it. I prayed that one day I would be able to apologize to her.
Jump ahead a few more years. I'm sitting in line to see Revenge of the Sith with my best friend (same guy I had a locker with in College), my wife, and another friend who was going through a really ugly and painful divorce. As I was talking with my friend about his divorce, I noticed right beside us in line to see the movie was... Susie! I immediately wanted to say "Hi" and apologize for what I did... but I chickened out. I didn't even talk to her. I know... dumb, dumb, dumb.
Last summer, my wife was going to a bridal shower for one of her good friends who was soon to be married. It was an afternoon party and she asked me to pick her up afterwards with the kids since we had dinner plans. I got there and rang the door bell. Guess who answers? Yup. Susie. Turns out she is also a friend of the bride and they had the party at her place. She invited the kids and I in to have some dessert. I chatted with Susie briefly about being in the same college. She said I had looked familiar but didn't quite remember me from school (Good! I didn't leave any permanent damage with my jerk-like behavior!) During the party, my wife Danielle and shared with her that we were moving and that I was going into full time ministry in September. Susie was so thrilled and excited for us. After a few mouth fulls of cake we loaded the kids into the car and headed off to our dinner plans. And you guessed it... I still didn't apologize!!! Here was a second chance that I had blown. I told me wife this whole story about how I treated Susie in college and how I had asked God for a chance to apologize. She wanted me to turn the car around right away and do it! I guess my guy-ego took over and I said that the next time would definitely be the time I would do it... not even knowing if there would be a next time.
Finally, just 2 weeks before we were to leave Montreal for good and start my new position as associate pastor, we were at the wedding and Susie was there. Danielle and I went and chatted with her and I then told her how incredibly proud I was of her to be able to stand up for her faith in Jesus during those college years. I apologized for being such a jerk to her and asked her to forgive me. She was so thrilled and touched by this. She then told us an incredible conclusion to this story. It turns out that during that entire year of college when our lockers where side-by-side she was praying for me and my two buddies that one day God would touch our hearts and reveal himself to us. She would pray for us each night with her mom! I was in blown away! Especially since 2 out of the 3 of us buddies put our faith in Jesus! Susie was so happy that she got to see her prayers answered and Danielle and I felt so blessed to be able to learn this part of our faith journey.
I am SO grateful for those prayers. Thanks Susie!! Who knows where I would be in my life right now if not for this brave, faithful college student who's heart was bigger then all that the world could throw at her!
This story is a reminder to myself to NEVER stop praying for my friends, family and neighbours. It's also a reminder to NEVER doubt God's timing in everything. We may never know how God answers our prayers, but sometimes, like in my case, you get to have a front row seat watching the power of God at work!
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