And then I had a strong memory of one of the two times I cried in a college class (as a student). I'm not one who cries often in front of others. Once a professor showed Shadowlands, a movie based on the life of C. S. Lewis, and I admit I wept, as quietly as one may in a small classroom. The other time I cried in class, the time that came back to me when my student walked out my door, was when one of my Bible professors started class with a prayer. He was rattling off names. It took me a couple moments to realize what he was doing.
He was praying for each of us. By name.
Somehow hearing these names, hearing my name, felt powerful to me. And I cried.
Afterwards, he told us he did this every morning. All semester, I had this man (someone I really didn't know in the larger lecture class setting) praying for me every day.
The henna I have on my feet right now, in an effort to memorize the verse, is Philippians 4:6.
Don't be worried. Instead, in prayer and petition and with thanksgiving, bring everything to God in prayer.
Worrying is in the nature of most people: we stress, we fret, we break down. But God says that, instead of being anxious, we should bring our requests (in thankfulness) to Him. This verse had made me start rephrasing my prayers. Whatever it is that is bothering me generally has its roots in one of God's blessings.
I want our condo to sell: I am so blessed we have a place to live that is warm and welcoming.
I worry I'm not doing a good enough job of multi-tasking: God has blessed me with a family and job and friends and talents and more.
Before I ask God to fix something, I try to think of the blessing in the brokenness.
And when my student walked out my door, I knew I couldn't fix what was hurting her. But I could pray for her. And for all of my students, being thankful that they are in my life, that I have a chance to be in theirs, and asking for peace, strength, and His presence revealed.
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