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In Chicago, I still try to walk my 10,000 steps even though it is cold outside! I try to pray that God would open up doors for me to pray for people or share my faith as I walk!

I had three days in a row where I got to pray for people. Sometimes I like to go pray in Catholic churches that leave their doors open during the daytime. I just join people who are praying silently and I silently also pray for them. I have done this for years.

But the other day, I was sitting in one of these large beautiful sanctuaries and noticed a lady behind me and also a family on the back row.

After I prayed for a while, I went to sit next to this lady behind me and asked if I could pray for her. She said she spoke Spanish and not much English, but she told me she was praying for a friend with cancer. We prayed together for her friend and then she said she was just visiting from Mexico but loved to come and be quiet and just go deeper with Jesus when the church was empty.

Then I went to the back and sat with the family on the back row. I asked if I could pray for them. The lady said her son had just died that day. I prayed for her and encouraged her to ask Jesus to give her a picture of Him with her son. It was a sweet time together and I really tried to bring her comfort from God.

Another day I went to pick up a package at the post office. I started talking to an African man in line in front of me. He was from Liberia and had a thick accent. After we picked up our packages, I asked him where he was going. It turned out he lived not far from me and we walked together about a mile to our homes. I asked him questions about his country and his faith. It turned out he is a believer and seemed a little lonely at Christmastime. I prayed for him as we walked together. He told me he works at a nursing home and really tries to be kind to the people who are missing their families during this time.

The next day I also got to pray for someone walking on the road. They had some back pain and I believe they got some relief.

After these incidents, I felt so happy! I really want to be His hands and feet wherever I go.

Every Saturday morning I go out to a busy corner in Chicago where a team from our church prays for people and hands out free coffee and hot chocolate. It’s always hard to go but it is so worthwhile! It’s so fulfilling to meet people where they are at and pray for their needs. A 100 year old man came to our corner in a wheelchair and brought food for us to give out to people who need it. We also got to pray for some homeless people to find a place to live and some people with arthritis and pain.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” I John 5:14

1. What do we learn about God from this verse?
2. What do we learn about people?
3. What does God want us to do to obey this verse?
4. Who can we share this with?

Happy New Year to you all and may God bless you richly as you follow Him!