Powerful prayers!

   For several years now, my friend, JoAnn Payne, and I have had a regular time each week to talk on the phone. We first met at UCLA and were roommates after college, when she got a teaching job in Fullerton and I was hired to teach at a junior high in Anaheim.

   Combinations of six single Christian women, all UCLA alumni, decided to rent apartments together near the beach over the course of about five years, sometimes two or three of us, once six in a big condo at Newport Beach. Close ties were established then and have remained, even after going in different directions due to marriage, career changes and relocating to new places. Our friendships have been treasured and any time we can spend together as a group is always special.

   JoAnn and her husband Joe decided to move closer to one of their daughters in Texas after he retired from his job in Lancaster.  Grandchildren were calling; so they packed their belongings, pulled up their roots and started a new life together in Texas. This definitely made it harder to stay in touch with them. But she and I have been able to stick pretty faithfully to our weekly schedule unless one of us is out of town.

   One of the things we look forward to, besides getting caught up on the family news during our power-talking session, is the time to pray together before saying good-bye and hanging up. It is wonderful to be able to share things to pray about and then to continue upholding each other in prayer during the week. Many of our prayers have been answered, motivating us both to spend more time every day praying.

   Our husbands have been gracious about letting us tie up the phone line one afternoon a week; and the two hour time difference between California and Texas has also required some flexibility with dinner times, which has been appreciated by both wives!

   Last Tuesday, she and I were just beginning our prayer time when there was a terrific boom. It was so powerful that the windows rattled and the fan overhead shook. I was startled and interrupted JoAnn.

    “I think we just had an earthquake!” I said, with one eye on the ceiling fan. We waited for a minute, but nothing more happened, so we continued on. When Al got home early that evening, he shared that there had been an earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale, southwest of Porterville. Thankfully, there was no major damage; however, the quake was felt up and down the San Joaquin Valley.

   The timing of it was pretty incredible, making me think of Jesus’ teaching His disciples about the power of praying in faith:

   “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:22-25 NIV)

    God is in the mountain-moving business! Hearing the boom of the earthquake powerfully reminded me of that! He is able to remove any mountain or obstacle that might be in our path no matter how huge it might seem. We only have come to Him in faith and in an attitude of forgiveness towards others. So keep on praying… and expect an “earthquake!”