A Call To Prayer

The below article is a Facebook post recently shared by Sister Yvette Phelps and is being shared here with her permission. She and her husband, Steve, have been missionaries in Africa since 2011. You can read about them on their Global Missions page here: https://www.globalmissions.com/bio/970/Steve-and-Yvette-Phelps.aspx

I pray you are blessed by reading what she has shared from her heart.

I often joke now that I have been initiated into Nigeria and am one of their own because of the malaria bouts I have had and the struggle through typhoid, and different intestinal infections not usually experienced in USA. I have had malaria 4 times in 8 weeks. This latest one has been a bit harder. There has been speculation of what may be happening. From the best of my knowledge, I am not getting rid of it, but just lowering the amount of parasites in my system each time I take the medication. Sometimes I feel like a zoo! <grin> Anyhow, this time I’m being treated differently and I'm getting injections in which I will have each day for three days. Malaria has caused anemia this time. I know, with God, I will be ok.

With this in mind, I am much more aware of things here in Nigeria. Every 30 minutes a child dies of malaria. This is so heartbreaking. This is worse than Covid-19. Malnutrition, low immune systems, lack of hygiene, poverty, old wives tales, horrible medical system, etc. can be blamed for this. It is the reality of the nation I live in. So add this ugly virus to the mixture and yes, you're right, this won't be good. Not at all!

There are times I literally hear things that bring me to tears. Why? Because I cannot do anything about it. There are stories I cannot tell you, because it's too crazy to be understood. I feel helpless. I feel useless. Until one evening, as I heard something I could not hardly bear, I started to pray desperately in my heart that God could do something about it. I prayed until the sounds went to silence.

It was, at that moment, my eyes were opened to something different. Prayer is more powerful than we realize. It does not matter how I pray, just that I pray. Pray with passion, with fervency. As tears ran down my face listening to the sounds that caused me to pray in the first place, I felt power in it. I felt Jesus in it. I felt Jesus at work. The sound silenced. Things were calm.

I've been seeing a lot of people calling for people to pray. I think it's time to really listen to that call for prayer! It works. Through our little talks with Jesus, someone's pain will stop. Someones heart will mend. Someone's wound will heal. Someone's unbearable situation will become bearable.

Don't underestimate the power of your talk with Jesus. Just talk to Him. He's listening at any moment you're ready to talk. I am talking to Him about others, because I know there are some precious people talking to Him about me. That is heartwarming and encouraging.

I know I will be ok. I have faith in God and I have faith that He has called someone to pray for me. I will pray for others that God has asked me to pray for, just like the sounds that came to my ears, a desperate cry for help. When I could not go to their side, Jesus did, and He let me be a part through prayer. How powerful is that?

I leave you with this:

You are not powerless. You are not hopeless. You are a vessel that God is waiting to use... by prayer! Pray for others. God will impress on others to pray for you.

Everything is going to be ok. ❤️

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

PS. If you feel it in your heart, pray for Nigeria! For Africa! Pray for our world! There is a lot going on here you will never see, but your prayers will definitely intervene!

PSS. If you don' know God, He's waiting with open arms!