Prayer Moments

Have you ever had one of those moments in your life when you knew beyond any doubt that God had placed you there?  A few years ago I was working in Texas for a bookstore.  My position at that time was what they called an MIT, or Manager In Training.  It meant that when I had advanced in my training enough, and a store became available, then I would be the manager of that store.  I had no idea when the opportunity might come or to which town it would take me.  It could be at a new market where I would be responsible for hiring and training a staff of 30+ people, or it could be in an existing location that had undergone a management change.

Since I didn't know what to expect, I wasn't sure how to pray.  I did know a few things, though.  I knew that God already knew the day, city, and circumstances under which I would be given the opportunity to lead a store.  Based on that assurance, I began to pray regularly during my 11 month training period.  My prayer went something like:  "Lord, I ask you to be with me and fill me with wisdom and an attitude of humility.  I ask that you would help me learn all I need to know to lead the people in my future.  I pray that I would bring to them the leadership that they need and that you would use us as insturments to further your kingdom and equip the ministries that you have already placed in that community.  Lord, I pray for the people I will lead.  Even though I don't yet know them and they don't yet know me, you know who we all are.  And you know the plans you have for us.  I pray that even now, you would move in each of their lives and begin a work in them that would prepare them for the plans you have for us.  I pray that you would work through circumstance, your word, and your people to prepare each of us for our future together.  I ask that all we do together would be for your glory.  Amen."

After I had been training for 11 months, I got the call I'd been waiting for.  The next day I was to report to a new city about 3 hours away and take over as the new manager of that store.  What I discovered there was that the store needed encouragement, a positive influence, and strong leadership.  They needed to believe that they were important, and they needed to believe in their leader.

I spent my first few months going through the store cleaning, repairing, and otherwise improving its physical appearance.  This helped them feel better about their store and feel like the place they worked was important and special.  However, more importantly, I spent time with each of the employeees.  I took time getting to know them, their stories, their gifts and strenghths. 

It was during one of these casual get to know you moments that I had one of the most humbling moments of my life.  I was standing at the front of the store having a conversation with our head cashier, Francis.  Francis has a very energetic personality and a very genuine, caring personality.  Frankly, she's just the type of person you want greeting your customers as they go in and out of your store.  As Francis and I were talking she said, "Do  you know that you're an answer to prayer?"  She went on to tell me that she and many of the other employees had been very unhappy with the previous leader for some time.  In fact, leadership, or lack thereof as it were, was a burdon to them.  They knew that there was someone out there who could do a better job.  They knew that the store couldn't continue on its current path for very long.  They knew they needed a change.  While flattered by her comments and her insinuation that I had come in become the leader they hoped for, it was her next statement that humbled me most.

She said that they'd been praying for me.  No, they didn't know who I was or when I'd come, but they knew they needed a new leader.  They prayed that someone would come with wisdom and an attitude of humility.  They asked God to bring them the leadership that they need and that He would use them as insturments to further the ministries that He had already placed in that community.  Francis went on to tell me the details of her own personal prayer for me.  Even though she didn't yet know me, she had been faithful to pray for me.  The hair on my neck stood on end as she recounted prayers that nearly word for word matched the very same words I'd been praying for them.

Two groups of people, though they'd never met, were praying identical prayers for each other, anticipating the day that they would meet and join efforts.  Wow.  What a God moment.  Even now, 6 years later, it humbles me, brings tears to my eyes, and makes my hair stand on end.  My prayer now is that I will continue to be used by God in whatever role I play: husband, father, church leader, and employee.  I want all that I do to be to the glory of God and to fit perfectly within his plan for me.