"Today I pray" by Becky Conrad

Today I pray for my friend who is dealing with a lot of anger. The anger is deep within. The anger is consuming her. She really is a wonderful, caring person.

Today I pray for my friend who is very sick, her life has been hard to deal with---physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Today I pray for my friend who just lost her sister to cancer yesterday---they were very close.

Today I pray for my friend who has her elderly mother in her home and her father that is in a Rest Home. He does not know who she is.

Today I pray for my friend. Her husband has been shipped to Iraq. They have two young children.

Today I pray for my friend. She has taken a "leave of absence" from work to take care of her mother who is battling cancer.

Today I pray for the man who lost his 9-year-old son, hit by a car while getting the mail out of the mailbox after he got off of the school bus. This same man lost his wife two years ago, and his father earlier this year. I pray for the young girl that hit the boy and her family. Their lives have been changed forever.

Today I pray for the family of a woman who was hit and killed by a car while crossing the highway. I pray for the girl that hit her, and for her family too. Their lives have been changed forever.

Today I pray for an elderly man who has been diagnosed with colon cancer. He faces surgery the first of January.

Today I pray for a young boy who injured his shoulder in the early spring playing ball, which he really loves to do. He suffered and endured a lot of pain at a young age. He recently had surgery on his arm to find out what the problem was. It was very hard for his parents to see him go through this procedure and he is on the mend now. Praise God.

Today I pray for my country and for all the men and women in the Armed Forces fighting for our freedom. They are sacrificing so much for us.There are so many others. The list is endless. So many hurting souls of the world.

Does it take long to pray? Yes, but it is only a small amount of time compared to the time in a day. I can pray all day if I want too. The opportunities are everywhere. In my car, sitting in my living room, before I go to sleep, after I wake, while I am cooking supper, or just having a quiet time to myself. Anytime is fine. The prayers really do not have to be fancy or said with a lot of dollar-words. They can be as simple as a child's prayer. Are we not His children no matter what our age?

I pray to not be judgmental, but respect others for their worlds of strife. I have not walked in their shoes, nor have I lived their life. I only know my own limitations and expectations.

I only pass through this life but once. As I travel this through this life, it is my privilege and choice to pray for the healing of broken hearts, sickness, words left unspoken, or spoken in anger. There are hurting souls everywhere---every town, every street, every country and nation. A prayer is only a breath away, whispered quietly, and prayed for someone else.

Simply said, "I lift them all to Thee. Peace begins with me."