The Power of Prayer

December 7, 2009
*Certain names have been changed to keep the integrity of those involved.

At around 5, my supervisor, Mac, and I walked over to the Coffman building. This is a place we have gone to connect with people we don’t know, but people how may need someone to listen or talk to. It’s a place when you walk in and find before you a foyer full of students filling big lounge chairs, either studying, talking and even some sleeping.

Upon entering the building, Mac suggested that we take the route we have gone in weeks for previous outreach. So as we made our way through the rows of studying or sleeping students, we made our way down the elevator. At the base of the elevator is the U of M Campus bookstore and just the week before, we connected a bit with people here; so we decided to make our way once again through the book stacks. Upon entering, both of us noticed a store that hadn’t caught our eye before. It was the technology store. Ha, it was like it was shining almost, and believe me, I am not a tech-addicted person. Clothing stores glow to me, not technology stores. So, looking back, it was quite weird for us, me especially, to notice this store.

Since I am an Artist, I was drawn to the Art section, which was located in front of the Technology store. After meandering around, trying to find someone to connect with, Mac and I decided to make our way out of the bookstore. As we were walking by the Technology Store, Mac and I turned and looked in at the store. At this point, he made a comment that he was about due for a new lap top bag. I suggested that we might go and look to see if he could find one; we were already there so why not?

Getting into the store, I walked over to a wall stocked with IPod containers. After a minuet of looking, a young man came up to me and asked if I needed help looking for something. I responded with a “no, not at this time,” and he left me to gander at the wall.

A few seconds later, I decided to hang out and talk, allowing my conversation to start with my experience as a sales person on the sales floor at Schaffer’s (in Des Moines, IA in 2007-2008) and my current sales position (Bare Escentuals, Rosedale Mall, Rosedale, MN 2009-present). I started my conversation by telling *Derrick (the college student who had offered to help me) about what I do when people reply to me, the same way I replied to him just moments before.

To put into picture where I was, I found myself now in the middle of the store, standing outside of a work Island that house headphones. A young man named *Sam was standing in the center of the Island, while Derrick came along beside the side of the island. At that point, the conservation moved comfortably in the direction of talking about the important issues that neither Derrick or Sam had understood or talked about in some time. Issues such as: Salvation, Faith, Freedom in Christ. It was incredible!

After an hour of discussing and answering questions brought up by the Sam and Derrick, my supervisor Mac came back into the store. He was soon joined by the store Supervisor named *Jim, who is also very mindful of faith issues. While the conversation started wrapping up, Mac and Jim talked, and at time interjected their points on certain topics that arose until it was time to close up shop. As Jim asked if he could walk Mac and me out into the foyer, both Derrick and Sam thanked me for the conversation. Big things were talked about and God was SO present!

Now out in the foyer, Jim thanked Mac and me for stopping by. He expressed that just moments before Mac and I had made our way into the store, Derrick and Sam were talking with Jim about the Old Testament and other big, faith issues. Not knowing the right words to say and feeling a bit over his head, Jim, said that he had prayed to the Lord to ask for help. He then stated, “Not two minutes later, you both walked in, and then you (pointing at me), began your conversation with the both of them.” He said that God has been really working on the man who was standing inside the island’s heart and that he was SO happy that the conversation we had happened.

WOW!!!! At this point, I began to cry, moved by the Spirit and the awesome work he did before us. To be an answer to a prayer, amazing. There are not words.
God is big. His power resides in each of us and with that, he wants us to open up our hearts and our time to talking with people from all walks of life. If we do, we could be an answer to someone’s prayer, but most importantly, we could usher yet another soul in the throne room of Christ!