One day, I walked over to my neighbor's house to borrow some sugar.
Yes, neighbors like us still exist.
She comes and raids my pantry and I beg for half an onion to save me a trip to the store.
It's glorious.
As my friend went inside to get me some sugar, I watched her daughter and her little friend Aurora swing in the front yard.
Their giggles were filled with hope, life, and light.
I had never seen Aurora before, but I was struck by her delight.
I swear she was shining.
I felt like I would never forget her face as I walked away.
Now I know why.
My neighbor called me the next week to tell me beautiful Aurora was diagnosed with leukemia the day after I saw her swinging.
It knocked my breath out of my chest and I wept for this little girl.
The girl with the laugh, love, and life.
I knew the Lord had branded her beautiful face onto my heart so I would pray for her, but I was afraid I would forget.
"Lord, help me be faithful to pray..."
Shortly after, I felt led to grow out my hair in her honor.I committed to pray for her in those quiet minutes that I spend each day blow-drying or styling my hair. I even wrote her name in sharpie pen on my hair dryer so I wouldn't forget to pray.
My hair dryer became known to me as my "prayer dryer".
It's been over 3 years now.
My hair grew past my waist and I finally donated my first 12" of hair in Aurora's honor. What a joy!
I am happy to share that I recently learned that she was healthy and in remission. Praise the Lord!
A lot changed over the course of the last few years.Please understand that I am no healer, or magician.
I simply joined the crowd of people interceding for this precious little gift.
There is nothing special about me or my prayers.
But I have witnessed the Lord move mountains through prayer and I allowed him to expand my heart to pray for anyone he "brands on my heart" and added many people to my Prayer Dryer.
I never know who it will be. Honestly, I have never met most of them in person.
It happens the same for me every time.
I will be scrolling through Facebook, or talking with someone and I will see a picture, hear of someone in distress, or read a heart's cry. Then I feel my heart tug.
As I pray, the Lord prompts me to add them to my dryer. So I do. And as I dry my hair I search through the names and pray for all those people represented in the black ink.
Not every day. I am not that faithful. But God is.
When He prompts me to pray, I do and I begin with those who are right there in ink.
I share this with you in hopes you will dig out a black sharpie and write "Prayer Dryer" and Matthew 19:26 "For with God ALL things are possible" on your own hairdryer.
Then patiently wait for the Lord to show you who He wants you to pray for. He will.
As recently as today the Lord has slowly had me add more names to this blower. I find it crazy and wonderful that He uses such an everyday ordinary thing to bring us closer to Him.
What do you think? Will you ask Him to show you how to pray for others? This may be the perfect way to start.
