This week guest, Rachel Johnson, shares a powerful message about how prayer across the miles closes the gap between military women.

Prayer Across the Miles

Just scrolling through the contact list on my cellphone, the incredible number of women I know not only across the country but around the world astonishes me!

The military life is a life of dispersion—we meet, we connect, and then we scatter!

This initially was very hard and caused tearful goodbyes. But over time and as more good-byes happened, I have come to see the blessing. No matter where we go, as a visitor or new resident, we are bound to know someone (or know someone who knows someone) living there! Military moves may have scattered us geographically from our sisters, but our hearts still connect us. All praise to God! And one of the biggest blessings of that heart connection, a connection that spans the miles and separation, is prayer.

Stories of prophets, apostles, and great men and women of faith who bowed to their knees in prayer for their spiritual families fill the Bible.

Paul says to the church in Ephesus, “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” James says in chapter 5 of his letter that we should pray for one another in times of trouble, happiness, or sickness.

Even Christ is our example in John 17 of praying for his disciples and those in his spiritual family as they faced his coming crucifixion. Prayer fills the pages of Scripture. And it seems everywhere you turn there are examples for us to follow of the importance and honor of praying for our spiritual family.

So what about us and our Christian military sisters scattered far and wide across the country and world?

We can pray for them! It’s been a privilege and joy of mine for many years now to connect with far-away friends simply by asking how I can be praying for them. Sometimes the answer comes as a simple text response. Other times it may lead to a deep phone conversation sharing significant trials and heartaches. Whatever way I learn of that prayer need, the next thing I always do is commit to praying. I write that prayer request on a note in my Bible or post it to my bathroom mirror or over my kitchen sink. I put it in a place where I know I will see it and it will remind me to pray for my military sister. Then each time I see that note, I lift that her up in prayer.

Now what could be sweeter for military sisters spread so far apart physically than the connection of prayer to bring them close?!

Prayer across the miles unites hearts, not just with God but with one another!

So, what far-away military sister do you need to reach out to? Maybe look through your phone contacts like I did! I guarantee God will show you one if not many who you can connect with through prayer. What an encouragement and blessing we can be when we unite together in prayer across the miles.

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Rachel is a whole-hearted Christian, wife of a handsome Air Force fella, homeschool mama of 3 spunky boys, and a passionate Bible teacher of over 10 years. When she is not mothering, she can usually be found doing a jigsaw puzzle, reading historical fiction, or going for a hike in the great outdoors. Daily, she clings to her life verse, Jeremiah 29:11, ” ‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

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If you have prayer needs, you can submit them to the Planting Roots prayer team on our Prayer Request page.