This is not a plea for your money, but something more costly!

It is a plea for something that may be more costly to you—your time and your focus. LifeWind/Medical Ambassadors is asking for you to be willing to take five minutes a day for the rest of this month to impact the world through prayer.

Your prayers can be the difference between LifeWind/MAI’s success or failure. Of course, you are not the only ones praying. Community Health Evangelism (CHE) workers worldwide are finding that the time they spend praying is the time God spends guiding. God’s guidance comes with his empowerment, and that has everything to do with success. 

So some might ask, “If so many other people are praying, why would my prayers make much difference?” I think that is a fair question. Author Watchman Nee has said that God knows what needs to happen, but he often chooses to wait to do his will until we pray and ask. He does this to reinforce his relationship with the person who is praying.

Isn’t that inspiring? God is so eager to have a relationship with you, that he will delay making his will happen until you pray for it! God is giving each of us a chance to participate in what he is doing. Even if others are praying, he may be waiting to act until you have the chance to benefit from praying too.

So when I ask you to pray, am I asking for the benefit of LifeWind/MAI and the work it is doing through CHE, or am I asking for your benefit? Indeed, yes, to both questions.

Last month I told a story about a group of CHE programs in which thousands of Muslims have been baptized. Probably none of that would have happened without the prayers of many people like you.

While I was in Kenya in January, I had to tell CHE workers there was no money from LifeWind for a new vehicle that they needed. Most of the group looked sad, but one woman said, “We are asking the wrong person. We should be asking God for the car. He knows we need it.” I am ashamed to say, I thought, “Good. That means I won’t be blamed for the lack of a car.”

We prayed together—they with greater fervency than I.

A retired school teacher in the U.S. heard about their prayer, and called me to ask how much a used four-wheel-drive car would cost. I said they figured it would cost $12,000. Then this woman of very modest means said, “That is amazing! That is exactly the amount that God has given me to give this year.” And she chose to follow God’s nudge, and sent in the entire amount needed. You can imagine the exuberant praise that went up to the Lord from that group of CHE workers in Kenya!

I have so much in common with the disciples of Jesus—I am a “person of little faith.” But God is using experiences like this to grow my faith.

After you look at the enclosed LifeWind/MAI “President’s Prayer Circle,” please ask God if using this guide for the rest of May should be a priority for you. Is God telling you he wants a closer relationship with you? Does God want to grow your faith with his answers to your prayers?

If you do not already use this guide, please consider, “Is this is a practice God wants me to continue after the end of this month?” If so, the enclosed card and envelope will bring a copy to your door. You will join the many others who are using this tool regularly. We plan to give you follow-up notes on God’s answers, as well as new items on which to focus each month. Thank you for your prayers.

Blessings,

John C. Payne, MD
President
P.S. I’ve stated that this month’s letter is not a plea for money. However, I know God sometimes nudges us when he wants us to act. If that is the case for you, I thank you for your obedience. You may cause some exuberant rejoicing somewhere in the world!