The good news today? I'm recovering quite nicely from my weekend cold—during my morning commute, when Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life” came on the radio and the dude hit the high note, I actually croaked out a vaguely corresponding noise.

But the bad news is that fall is upon us—I busted out the wool skirt and nylons to wear to work. Granted, fall really is the nicest season in Kentucky, with the drier air, milder temperatures, and beautiful leaves changing. But the advent of fall means that winter will soon follow. And I hate winter.

Thanks to a kind note sent by Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns member Jerri Rodewald, I just remembered that yesterday was my prayer day in the Mission Yearbook. Yes, my friends—the Catholics have their saints’ days, but Presbyterians have the Mission Yearbook. The only difference is that while one prays to the Catholic saints, the Mission Yearbook prays for the Presbyterian saints. And on September 28, wedged between Tina Rhudy of Building Services and Joan Richardson of the Office of the General Assembly, there I am: “Kelsey Rice, NMD.”

I feel almost like I forgot my own birthday (which, as should be obvious from several previous posts, I would never do). After all, how many days of the year can you legitimately command the prayers of the entire Presbyterian Church (USA)? You don’t want to squander the opportunity, especially when there are so many days where you need it. But alas, I’m afraid the day has gone by. And while I definitely advocate stretching birthdays into week-long events, I don’t think it would be fair to Chrissy Riggs, Antissa Riley, James Rissler, and Gwendolyn Rivers to try to steal their prayer day.

How many of us truly pray for other people? Even some of the new disciplines I’ve been incorporating into my prayer life, like the Breath Prayer, don’t really allow many opportunities to bring up the needs of others. It isn’t that I don’t care, or that I fail to think of others’ needs. Maybe I just don’t know exactly how to do it right. I guess I still have the old Pentecostal “prayer warrior” in my head, putting forth copious supplications to God on another’s behalf. Have any of you ever heard the gospel song, “Somebody Prayed for Me”? It says, “They fell down on their knees and prayed for me.” That’s what I picture when I think of praying for someone else. And I feel guilty when I don’t do it.

The Pentecostals do have one thing right, though—prayer has to do with action. When we pray for others, we become attuned to the needs of those around us. I may not be able to physically help the person I’m praying for half a world away, but God may guide me to ways I can help my neighbors in similar situations. And I may become better able to emotionally respond to those I care about.

One of the reasons I attend the church I do here in Louisville lies in prayer. During our service, we have a true “Prayers of the People.” People grab the mike and go around the sanctuary, sharing their prayer requests. On the surface, it can drag things out quite a bit. But through these prayers, I’ve begun to feel like I actually know people in the congregation. I can relate to their lives, understand some of their struggles. The church begins to feel like a group living in it together rather than disparate people coming to be entertained by church.

I may not get on my knees today, but I will be praying for the Network and its members. And if you can squeeze in a belated prayer for me, that wouldn’t be so bad, either.

“Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” --Ephesians 6:18-19

Kelsey

I will pray for you today Kelsey, and all those you work for and serve.
Blessings in Christ,
Viola Larson