"Faith comes in all shapes and sizes." That was my mom's response after I told her about a recent happening at work. A table of four young girls, one of which moved about in a wheelchair, seemed most pleasant as I dropped off their drinks. That was my only interaction with them durning their dining experience, however, as they were leaving I extended good night salutations and began cleaning their table. My hands were full of dirty cups and plates when I turned around to see that two of the girls were coming back to the table. After misunderstanding one of them an awkward amount of times, one of my co-workers finally clarified for me- the girls were asking if and how they could pray for me that night. Fumbling for words through my surprise, I somehow managed to mention that my grandma had just died and that it would be nice if she could pray for the resolution of her estate and for my family. Then, after introducing ourselves, the girl in the wheel chair bowed her head and prayed aloud right there, in the middle of the restaurant, for my dad and for the rest of my family. After the final "amen", I thanked her most sincerely and again said good night.
As I finished cleaning the table afterward I thought back to the days when I prayed like those girls. I thought about the days when I circled around people and requested specific ways I could pray for them and then did. I thought about how my feelings of prayer have changed and how most often it is more of a heart thing than it is verbal thing anymore... Something I feel and express in my heart versus what I say with words. I may often complicate my words, but God knows my heart and that is what I will trust.
So many things will remain with me for a long time from this prayerful interaction, one of which is having another co-worker ask why I was the one the girls approached in regards to prayer. I had not been the one to serve them and spent no time conversing with them, so why was I chosen. I told her it was because maybe they knew that she would scream things about wanting to win the lottery while their heads were bowed.
Considering the many mixed feelings I had about the whole thing, my final thought is that it was simply one kind soul reaching out and showing love through the ways she knows...
God bless.
