“Put a Prayer on It”

The mother of one of my sister’s classmates died several weeks after our mom did. I knew and worked with this woman of faith, but I decided not to attend her funeral services. Emotionally, I wasn’t strong enough. Frankly at the time, I couldn’t bear to witness another set of siblings say farewell to a much-loved mother.

I heard that it was a beautiful homegoing celebration. If her daughters’ tributes on social media reflect how they honored their mom that day, it was fitting.

On Facebook recently, the older daughter acknowledged their mother as a prayer warrior – speaking to God early and late, and praying through and despite her own pain. She prayed for her girls as they worked, as they traveled, and as they and their children just lived life. In a post, the daughter noted that one of their Mom’s favorite sayings was “Put a Prayer on It.”

When I read those words, I was both warmed and chilled.

“Put a Prayer on It:” Just five words, but oh so powerful!

As I pondered the term, I reflected on the impact of a mother’s prayers and drew parallels between their mom and ours.

I’ve heard teacher and author Joyce Meyer declare time and time again that prayer is simple – just conversation with God. She says that we should pray our way through our days. That’s what Mama did. Forever etched in my memories are the urgency, the fervency, and the persistency in which she talked to God.

After our father died unexpectedly in 1999, our mom turned to her faith and plunged into Christian service. She put herself on the “back burner” and focused on other people and things. One-on-one, she reached out to the sick and those with health conditions that kept them house-bound.

She prayed for family, neighbors, church members and people connected to those groups. She prayed on the telephone and in her home, creating relationships with women and men of all ages and backgrounds. She interceded for people in grocery stores, outside the post office, on church steps, and during her walks. As she circled the lake near our house, she prayed for individuals and families, reminded whom to pray for because she’d given names to the trees.

No call was too early; none was too late.

Mama knocked on doors, was summoned to homes, to hospitals and to nursing homes, sick beds, and dying beds. She prayed for people in crisis and shared in others’ triumphs. She read scriptures, explained to the lost the way to salvation, encouraged the downtrodden, and helped countless people nurture their relationships with Christ.

Every day, Mama had a long list of petitions. And I believe God heard each and every one.

Her prayer life impacted lots of people, many whom we will never know. And that’s good. But as her children – no prayers mattered more than the ones she prayed for us – regardless of how old we were or how much her health declined.

As adults, we were often busy and as each new day began, we never knew what opportunities to expect or what obstacles we’d face. So frequently on weekday mornings, we four stood in the telephone line, expectantly awaiting for the Mama talk that would end in her declaration.

After hearing that her night had been good and ours the same and following exchanges about what our days held, before hanging up, she’d boldly proclaim: “The power of God goes through your body to effect a healing and a cure. Satan has no authority over your body. You be blessed, and have a blessed day!”

And even when one of us didn’t get through to talk to her, we knew that she was covering us – that she always had our backs.

Like our friends’ mom, we were always assured that whatever the situation, whatever the need, Mama was always praying for us.

Mama, too, “put a prayer” on everything!

SCRIPTURES

Philippians 4:6-7 – Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.