Impacting Friends for Eternity

Praying for Friends

I would love to say that I always loved praying for my friends. But I can’t. In fact, I can say just the opposite. There was a time I dreaded praying for people - especially in a group setting. I was so afraid of what my friends would think if I said the wrong thing. I mean, really, it would be embarrassing!

For such a long time I thought that prayer was something that I did because that’s what my family did before we ate, when we had family devotions and before we went to bed. Nothing really important, we were just thanking God for the day, our lives, what He had given us, etc. I really didn’t understand why we prayed. But when I finally understood I began to pray in earnest for those I loved. My family. I had friends, but never really thought to pray for them. After all, they were just friends, what would they need prayer for? They seemed fine to me.


Well, my older sister was a leader for a bible study for the young people in our church and I attended, mostly for fun, but also perhaps to learn something. The curriculum we used had places for journaling what we learned during our time with God, along with pages for prayer requests for family, friends, government, etc. It was actually pretty neat!

As I started filling it out I found I had a long list of all of the friends and people I wanted to pray for. It was quite long. In fact, there were so many people on it that I couldn’t pray for them all in one day. Finally, I learned that I had to divide them up between the days of the week to pray for them all. One girl, Lindsey, was in my life for just a short time, but left an impression on my heart. Every Thursday she was at the top of my list. Each time I prayed for her specific requests would come to mind. Requests that she never gave me, but they would be pressed so greatly upon my heart that I would pray them for her. Lindsey was on my list nearly a month before I received an email from her. I was shocked to find that the requests laid upon my heart were exactly what she was struggling with. I couldn’t believe it! The next few months I prayed more earnestly in full confidence knowing that what the Lord was pressing upon my heart was indeed what she needed prayer for.

The experience I had praying for my list and especially Lindsey, grew and formed my prayer life. I learned how to pray for others while not knowing their specific needs. It is not always that way. So I just open to the Psalms and pray through them as the Lord directs. Praying Scripture is so powerful… you’re praying God’s own words!

“Pray one for another… the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (See James 5:16) Another version it says, “Pray for each other... The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Praying for friends has become a delight to me because not only does my friend receive prayer on her behalf, I reap the benefits of spending time with my Heavenly Father as well. Sometimes I call my friends just to pray with them. And some of the greatest times with them have been the times we’ve had in prayer for each other – holding each other accountable.

I love how Henry Clay Trumbull says we should pray: “A tourist, in climbing an Alpine summit, finds himself tied by a strong rope to his trusty guide, and to three of his fellow tourists. As they skirt a perilous precipice, he cannot pray, “Lord hold up my goings in a safe path, that my footsteps slip not, but as to my guide and companions, they must look out for themselves.” The only proper prayer in such a case is, “Lord, hold up our goings in a safe path; for if one slips all of us may perish.”

I remember so clearly that beautiful, yet chilly autumn morning I looked out my bedroom window to see a friend on the back porch stairs wrapped in a red blanket with a bible at her side, praying. It was such a precious site, a special moment; I couldn’t help but stare for I knew that she was praying for me.

Although you and I have probably never met and perhaps never will, know I am praying for you today; that God would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

-Caitlin Savino

Caitlin Savino (far right) has worked with girls from all over the US and we are excited to have her join administrative staff. She is truly an answer to prayer!