I can’t to this day remember why I was feeling down and discouraged; but I remember telling my husband that I didn’t want anyone else to feel like I was feeling at that moment. I couldn’t even explain to him how, why, and what I was feeling. I know my husband was always there for me, but I felt I was all alone that night and I didn’t know which way to turn. I know that God will never leave me, but there are times when we would like to know that there is someone here on earth that we can turn to; someone that cares and is willing to just listen to us. I realized I just had to experience this for myself; I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has never left me, but I can understand how others may feel like He has… And l care enough to reach out.
That night I realized I had to help others that could not deal with feelings, situations and circumstances they may be going through at that moment. I had read the scripture in Ezek. 22:30"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." I realized that I had to be the one to stand in the GAP. I don't even remember where I got the initial list of names to mail out that night, a spam email I think, but I sent out a list asking people to join me in prayer for others, for the nation and for our leaders. I shared a little about me serving as a Pastor's wife; and then as Co-Pastor after the Lord elevated me up in the church. This was difficult because those of us in ministry sometimes feel we have to be careful what we share; we can’t be vulnerable, especially with complete strangers. I shared where and what God had bought me through, and I asked them to stand in the GAP with me for others and that God so loved us that He gave His ONLY Son.
I went to sleep that night hoping I had heard correctly from the Lord. The next morning, I hurriedly checked my email and there was a letter from a lady named Ruth. Ruth was thanking me because she had planned on killing herself that very night, she got my email. Her name was on some list that I randomly chosen from an email someone sent to me about something. I remember praying as I sent that first email off, “Lord please let me know this is from you. I don’t want to be in self and get out here doing damage to anyone.” If I had not heard and responded to the leading of the Lord, my purpose for being here may have gone unfinished and Ruth would have possibly died. Ruth remained a faithful Prayer Warrior until she died in a car accident 6 years ago.
For the past 19 years over 1000 Prayer Warriors have been touching and agreeing on many problems, illness, and needs; you name it, we've prayed on it. This group stretches across 46 states and several countries, including: Bahamas, Japan, Korea, Germany, Iran, and Afghanistan. Wherever we have troops we probably have a GAP Prayer warrior stationed there. Those that are a part of this unique group includes: Pastors, Chaplains, Military, Doctors, Government Workers, State and local workers, CEOs, lawyers, teachers, Analyst, principals, housewives, college and high school students etc. But we all have one common denominator: we know that we know there is POWER in PRAYER.
