Story 2: Praying to a Friend

Throughout my life, I have always been someone who prayed.

I wasn’t raised with the traditional,
“Now I lay me down to sleep…”

Instead, I had to speak to God in the only way that I knew how; as a friend.

I can remember speaking to God on my ride to school on the school bus. I spoke to him in the lunch line. I spoke to him in the quiet hours of the morning and in the dark before bed. I spoke to him when I was angry, sad, happy, alone, confused, and every emotion in-between. I took comfort in knowing that no matter how many mistakes I made, or how lost I felt, God was there. He was a constant friend that I could speak to at any time.

I remember once, being at a gathering for my friend’s parents and their friends. A group of teachers from the school had gathered in a country house for a get-together. One of the teachers told us about a fishing spot that they were heading to. It sounded interesting, but we didn’t go right away.
About an hour later, my friend and I went walking down country roads. We were trying to find that fishing spot. The instructions were vague in our mind, and the roads much longer than we anticipated.

We continued down the path, and it seemed like we had been walking for far too long. We then came up to an intersection and had to decide which turn to take. I remember praying in my heart, asking God to get us to the fishing spot. We made a decision, and continued to walk.

I was certain we were going to get lost, and at the same time, I was certain we would find the fishing spot.

After long, we walked until we saw a small dock and our art teacher standing on it holding a fishing rod.

We had made it.

There have been more instances than I can count where God has showed up for me. Times when I prayed in the silence of my heart, and He answered me. Walking with God means that you are never alone, and the best prayers are often the simplest ones. God may be God of the universe, but He is also a person. He has interests, a personality, and a desire for intimacy with us.

So the next time you have a moment to pray, don’t over think it. Just speak to Him like a dear friend, one you respect, trust, and honor.

He will always be there to answer.

Love,

Jasmine