Monday, March 31, 2008

Prayer

Many people who know me, know I love intercessory prayer. Especially for people with health issues. I especially seem drawn to cancer and there has been a big impact in my life through several people with cancer - some I did know and some I will have to wait to get to heaven to meet!

How did the story start? Well, one day on a planet far away...whoops...wrong story!! lol

When I first moved to Texas in 1990, I had been out of church since I was 19. I grew up in several Southern Baptist churchs and at the age of 19, I moved out of my parents home and in with a roommate. A roommate that didn't go to church and lived for clubbing. I tried to stay in church but I remember sitting in church yawning one Sunday thinking to myself that it was stupid to get up for church and not be living the Christian life. So, I dropped out. The pull of a sinful life was way more strong for me than to live a Godly life. So from the age of 19 to 31, I lived a sinful life. Drinking, sex, drugs, cursing, etc, I did them all. Around the age of 26 or 27, I quit dating and decided that I was happier without men! I quit clubbing, drugs, sex and became a homebody. I also struggled with depression - which is a generational curse in my family that had plagued me since I was a teenager. for years, I wanted to go back to church but just never found the courage to go again. Not by myself!! At the age of 30, I felt like I needed to move away or die. I contacted the old roommate in Texas and she knew of a job opening. So I applied, ran off to Europe for a three week trip, came back and gave my notice and was out here 5 weeks after applying! The first weekend guess where I went? To church with my old roommate!! She took me to her Church of God (Pentecostal) and I really didn't like it at first. There is just no sitting on the pew in a Church of God. You have to become involved and actively worship! To my surprise, I really loved the Pentecostal way.

We moved from that side of the city and then joined an Assembly of God. During my years back in Church, I told God that one day I would like to lay hands on people for healing. After an awesome ladies retreat at Oral Roberts University, where I was slain in the spirit for the first time, I went to church on Sunday of the same weekend and we had a spirit filled service. The holy spirit told me to go down front and be annointed by one of our ministers. I walked right down to the alter and asked our minister during the alter call to annoint me. I wasn't sure what I was being annointed for but I knew I needed to be obedient. So I went and I was annointed.

I left that church to join a pastor previously from that church, in his new ministry. One night during alter call, a man who was a preacher from Canada prophesied over me that I would have a healing ministry. People would ask who I was and others would answer that I was sent by God to heal. I still get goose bumps to this day when I think of that phophesy! The Holy Spirit much later revealed to me that the healing ministry was what I was annointed for when I answered the alter call at my previous church.

I thought it was going to be a church ministry where I work under the leadership of a minister. My former minister had just started asking me to pray over people at the alter when he died of a sudden heart attack one Saturday years ago. I often wonder if he could have been saved if I had been reached the day he had his heart attack but we KNOW he is in a better place.

My ministry seems to be to help friends in need of prayer. Many, many times I have been woken at 3:00 AM to pray for friends, relatives of friends and my own parents. I have often wondered why it's at 3:00 AM but that seems to be the time the soul is at it's lowest, according to research, so I think its a great time for the Holy Spirit to give me those people that I need to pray for. I just have to let the spirit guide me for the prayers. I don't know who it is that I need to pray for or what I need to pray for until the spirit gives me the names and needs. I do know that I believe each time I pray for someone that they will be healed. Each time. There is no begging. There is only the asking for healing and just then thanking God for for the healing! Just believe when you pray. Cancer isn't a big thing for God. God is still in the healing business. There are way too many stories of people still being healed and set free for the stories not to be true!

Why tell my story today? A sweet friend, who I hope to get to know much better, was told by her Doctor today that she might have bladder cancer! She MIGHT have cancer. I think whatever the lump is, it can go away between today and the biopsy that she needs. I would love to hear her tell me that the doctors were standing around scratching their heads or that they knew it was cancer and that now it's gone! Thank you Jesus!

That's it for today. My friend Tracy could use your prayers right about now. It's been a tough day for her. Let's lift her up in prayer. God knew Tracy when she was in her mother's womb. God knows how many hairs she has on her head. God ALWAYS answers our prayers. Always.

Have a ROWDY good day!!

4 comments:

Tracy said...

Jo Anne, you are the best. Reading your blog entry today brought tears to my eyes. I thank god everyday for bringing you into my life. I love you so much and I cant wait to meet you. May can't get here quick enough.

Cathy said...

Jo Anne, this was a very dear thing.... I am praying for her.

Conibaer said...

You are such a great friend!!!!

Gardner said...

Nice story. If you've got a gift you should use it.

Reminds me of the song by Casting Crowns - What if His people prayed?