I am a Prayer Warrior!

I am a prayer warrior.

This is a title I had not imagined I would ever have. I am proud of this title.

I grew up attending a little Southern Baptist church in Ivor, VA. We would have youth Sundays (the 1st Sunday of every month). The youth would lead the service. There would be a worship leader, someone to read scripture, we would usher, and they’d pick someone to lead prayer.

I NEVER wanted to pray. I was terrified to pray in front of everyone. I thought my prayers weren’t good enough.

This fear followed me into my adulthood. I would always pray silently. I never volunteered to pray over anyone or at events. I even struggled to pray out loud with my husband. Something about praying out loud makes a person vulnerable. Well, at least I felt vulnerable.

I joined a small group through my church and my group leader would open in prayer. I admired her ability to become vulnerable with prayer in a room full of people. There came a time when she would ask if anyone wanted to pray. I would clam up and look far away because I did not want to be asked if I would pray.

I still don’t understand why I was so afraid to pray. I think I compared my prayer style to those around me. I told myself I would be judged for how I prayed.

Yal the enemy is such a liar. He did not want me to walk boldly in my faith with the Lord.

He quickly turned my gift into a fear. THE DEVIL IS A LIE.

One evening at group I felt the spirit nudging me to pray. When Kati asked if anyone wanted to pray, I leaned forward and said “I’ll pray”. I was SO NERVOUS. I prayed my prayer, everyone said amen, and we all went home. Not one person looked at me like, “What kind of prayer was that”. No one said for me not to pray ever again. All of my fears and worries were lies.

From that moment on, I began to become a prayer warrior.

I became bold in my personal prayer life.

I began to talk to God ALL the time.

I encouraged my husband to pray with me. We began praying out loud with each other every night. I started small in my public praying by praying over dinner during family events.

In my praying I truly felt God favoring me. It felt as though He had been waiting for me to be bold and brave in my prayer life. I would pray heavy over the people I loved when they would request prayer. I would see God answer so many prayers.

Recently my sister asked me to pray over her and her future husband during their wedding after they braid the cord. The pure joy that I felt was overwhelming. Knowing that my sister was asking me to bless their marriage was HUGE.

It’s these moments that I realize I am a prayer warrior. I love having this title. I love that God has blessed me with a praying spirit. I love that I fought the enemy to recognize that God has blessed me with this spirit.

I will never stop praying.

You call me and ask for prayer, guess what? I am going to pray. I will stop what I am doing and pray over you, no hesitation.

Knowing that God is listening to us and wants to answer us is such a beautiful gift.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Tells us to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

I have so many testimonies of how prayer guided me and helped me.

Prayer is a direct life line to God. It is our time to sit with Him.

Once I was reminded that He hears me and loves me, gave me the confidence I needed to pray in front of others and for them. I pray that my testimony encourages each of you to be bold in your prayer life. Be bold in knowing that God hears you and will favor you. Find comfort in knowing that you can stop at any moment to talk to Him and He will listen.

God’s Love & Mine,

Carrie