The children

I sat alone last night, curled up with a cozy quilt, cup of tea, and a book. The parting words to my dear friend just an hour prior resonated in my head. She asked "would you be praying for this?" referring to an ongoing struggle for life's decision that affect more than her directly. I looked at her and replied, "I never stopped." This battle she's been facing has been carrying on for a long time now, and for the intensity of ordeals she's been put through, she has always come out on top. This most recent curveball has left her perplexed beyond comfort. When she asked if I'd pray for the most recent events, I felt convicted for her even having to ask. What friend am I if those closest to me don't know they are always in my prayers?

There is a list of people I pray for and think of on a daily basis. Many of them are family and friends, some are people I encountered that day or recently, others are prominent people who made a difference in my life but are no longer in it. There are also people I've never met that I pray for as if they are sitting right next to me.

I will gladly admit, I pray for the children the most. My nieces, nephews, past and current nanny-kids, the children of my church and other churches I've been to, the children of my friends or acquaintances and the children I've mentored through various activities. Special prayers center around the children who are ill; ill with diagnosed issues, and more fervently for the children with unknown issues. It hurts my heart to see children suffer from illnesses that cannot be explained or cured. It hurts my heart even more to see parents do all they can but still feel like it's their fault or they are helpless.

My apologies go out to you, the mothers, the children, the families, the friends, and the strangers. Though it may not be verbally stated to you, I have and will continue to pray for you, your child, your family, your struggles, your fears, hesitations, frustrations, questions, future, and past. Each of you have made a footprint in my heart.