A beautiful girl of Christ sent this testimony to me Monday 16th May 2011. They are a series of excerpts from emails sent by her to her primary school prayer group. These emails she subsequently forwarded on to me. She was praying with her local primary school prayer group last Friday 13th May 2011. I believe the prayers held up in faith avoided a nasty accident, which could have ended in tragedy for many families. She writes:
“… we prayed for, amongst other things, traveling mercies for the Year 6 kids returning from camp. It was a bit before 3 pm when we prayed – we prayed early today (I checked my watch!). When we arrived at 3.30 for school pick up, there was an ambulance next to one of the Grade 6 buses. One of the bus drivers had a stroke 6 mins after arriving at the school. I’m guessing when we were praying just before 3pm the buses were still on the road. The driver keeled over from the stroke. I doubt he could have kept the bus under control should he have been driving. Out of curiosity I will confirm arrival times with the school but it looks very much to me we have a case of answered prayer. Thank you God the kids arrived home safely (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and please may the bus driver be OK. When in doubt, keep praying guys!!!!!
Still gob smacked,”
My friend confirmed some details and she discovered that:
“The grade 6 buses arrived at school bang on 3pm last Friday so yes; the prayer group WAS praying for the grade 6 kids whilst they were still on the road! The bus driver who had the stroke is not in a good way – only in his 50’s and still badly affected by the stroke. Please do pray for him and his family. I let the deputy head know the prayer group was praying for the safety of the grade 6 kids as they were en-route home. She looked slightly non-plussed and I pray she will be able to digest that info during the day!?!
… All praise to God. I had a [tough afternoon] – hardly the ideal lead-up to a prayer group?!? I was running late, the mood was somewhat “flat” on arrival … but I think God was definitely present in the prayer time – it was as if a small electricity charge (not huge but perceptible) had been put through the group. I certainly had the kids-at-camp on my heart – the weather had been AWFUL that week plus I was about to send my first-born the following week to the same camp. I remember looking at my watch (about 2.50pm) and thinking-isn’t it too late to be praying for the kids coming home? I got a small nudge in the ribs [from God] that I should pray anyway, even if it did seem a bit “silly”.
Follow those hunches/nudges. I of course can’t be certain that our prayers changed the outcome-the driver might have had the stroke 6 mins after arriving at school anyway. But he might have been going to have it earlier and prayer might have made all the difference. Soooo, if ever in doubt whether to pray, DOOOO!!”
My friend then writes me:
“I think the story so extraordinary I’m telling lots of people about it. The reality is there was a God nudge to pray specifically for the kids returning in the bus, very late in the piece and I think on balance of probabilities God did intervene. Why would He ask me to pray 10-15 mins before they arrive home otherwise??”
My friend felt a nudge from God and she responded. While the driver did still have the stroke, the stroke could have happened earlier, it could have been 10 minutes earlier, while the bus full of children was still on the road. I believe this prayer of protection may have saved not only the lives of the children, but lives of those on the roads as well … a potential tragedy on our streets avoided, through the obedient response of a prayer warrior/team …
A gentle nudge from God that could have been ignored, that could have been shrugged off as “silly”, a nudge that could have been missed due to personal pressures, concerns and challenges … and yet, this mighty woman of God made the choice to listen, step out, open her mouth feeling silly, and used her authority to release protection … and in doing so she and her group changed outcomes for many averting a potential tragedy on the roads of our city …
Our prayers do make a difference!
“He that have ears to hear, let him hear … “ (Matt 11:15)
What is God saying to you? What prayers are you being asked to pray? They may seem insignificant to you, even silly … but perhaps they will change a life, shift a destiny, heal a body, save countless lives, it may be the little nudge for someone to come to Christ … often we will never know, but be encouraged that our prayers do change history …
“for the prayer of a righteous [person] is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 – emphasis added)
We may never know the outcome of our prayers in this life, but they will have impact because ….
God is good!
Post script: prayer is continuing for the bus driver, and we invite all and any who feel led to pray for his full recovery in Jesus name.
🙂