Monday, January 26, 2015

Speaking God's Language - Joni Eareckson Tada - Prayer Monday


"The large window in the airport framed a gray afternoon. Our flight was late and my friends Judy and Bunny stood beside me to pray - something we often do before and after flights. I was feeling discouraged by the news that we lacked the funds to launch an outreach to help disabled children in several Eastern Europe orphanages.

Bunny reached for our hands, we closed our eyes, and she prayed, “Lord, send forth the corn and the wine and the oil. Send forth the early rains… the late rains… and produce a wonderful crop of blessings…” I recognized the words from Joel 2:19 in her prayer: “The Lord will reply to them: ‘I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully…’” I wondered if Bunny was thinking about the needed ministry funds.


Just then, I felt someone edge between us. The mystery person must have been a believer; he kept punctuating Bunny’s prayer with “Amens”. When we finished, he picked up his bag to run and catch his flight. Before he left, he folded a $100 bill to Bunny’s hand. As he hurried away, Bunny waved the bill in the air like a flag of victory and said, “Yea, even while I was speaking in prayer, the angel came with the answer!”


She was right. When Bunny prays, things happen. “Joni,” she instructed as she tucked the bill in my coat pocket, “This is the first fruits of what God will supply!” And it was. A foundation eventually caught our vision and helped fund the outreach to the orphanages. I’ve learned, through the years of interceding with her, that Bunny’s prayers not only seem to, but do, have power with God. It’s because she has learned to pray in the language of the Father. Even her response was from Daniel 9:21, “Yea, even while I was speaking in prayer.”

Speaking God’s Language: Joni Eareckson Tada


This message is part of the Prayer Monday series.

4 comments:

  1. Praying back words from our book of Words has such power. I've discovered that too. What a beautiful story to its truthfulness! Thanks for sharing this, Joanna.

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  2. I love testimonies. They're so encouraging. Thank you for sharing and God bless you!

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    1. I feel the same way, Jessie. There is so much we can learn from the struggles of other people for their faith and from their example in living that faith.

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