Steve and I enjoyed a wonderful night in Koln (about an hour away from Frankfurt) to celebrate my birthday. We had a scrumptious dinner and got to see Band of Horses (one of our favorite bands).

While we were waiting for our train back to Frankfurt, I spotted a man who looked African. I leaned over to Steve and said, “I wonder where he’s from?”

Steve glanced in his direction and then walked over to the man to see if he needed any help since he was looking up at the train timetable.

Steve found out that he was from Ghana and then started asking additional questions.

I waved when Steve explained he was traveling with his wife, but since the man was by himself I stayed standing a few feet back and didn’t think it appropriate to participate in their conversation.

I first thought, Lord, this would be a great time for me to talk to someone as well. Please send a woman for me to engage with gospel stories. 

I looked and looked. It wasn’t very crowded and I didn’t see an approachable woman anywhere. I realized I wasn’t going to be talking with anyone anytime soon.

When short term teams are here, we send them out in groups of four.  Two to engage and two to hang back and pray while still in eyesight of the other two.  So I thought to myself, “Well, I guess I can do what we ask our teams to do and pray for Steve’s interaction.”

Jesus, I pray for their conversation. I pray for Steve to clearly communicate truth.

I ask God, to give me a word.

Silence.

God, a word any word.  How should I pray for this exchange?

And then. A song.

“There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning.” Ok God, great. I really like that song.  But I asked for a word.  What specifically can I be praying for in this moment?

“There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning.”

Hmmm.  Joy, Lord? Am I supposed to be praying for joy? Shouldn’t I be praying for him to know You? For him to see truth? For a million other things? Joy, really?

I give in and just sing the song over and over in my head.

I am close enough to Steve and Dr. Mustafa to overhear some of their conversation. And then Steve starts talking about . . . you guessed it . . . joy! The joy that comes from Christ being Lord of his life.

Good thing there weren’t too many people around because I’m sure I looked pretty awkward as my jaw dropped in awe of this encounter with our Living God.

Oh, this was such a sweet reminder of how the Creator of the Universe loves his children and speaks to us through prayer.

This Oswald Chambers quote immediately came to my mind, “Prayer is not preparation for the work. It is the work.” I am grateful Jesus brought to me a place of prayer in this moment and allowed me to be part of the conversation with Dr. Mustafa, even from several feet away.

I pray I will be quick to remember this interaction in moments when I feel removed from the action of meeting and engaging individuals with the gospel.  Prayer is vital and IS the work!