Pray It Forward

One of my favorite parts leading up to Christmas and New Year's is receiving photo cards from friends near and far. Some mail comes from miles away, while others are from a few streets over. I enjoy it because it provides a glimpse into our friends' lives and updates us on what's happening in their world. After we eagerly open the envelopes and admire everyone's updated status, I attach it to a ribbon on our patio door window for all to see. It becomes a part of our Christmas decorations. A few days after we welcome the new year and put away all the Christmas trimmings, I take down the cards and put them in a basket. The cards remain in the basket for the year until the new cards arrive the following Christmas.

After the cards serve as embellishments inside our home, they are used as prayer cards throughout the year. Every day, I pick out a different card and use it as a reminder to pray for my friends and their family.

When my kids were homeschooled, and we had more time in our mornings, we each randomly picked out a card, prayed, and prophesied over the family. 9 out of 10 times, I would text the person on the card and convey the prophetic words spoken by the kids. I loved witnessing my kids hear the voice of the Lord and then the family encouraged by it. Sometimes they were generic, but other times, the comments were exactly what they needed to hear. Now that I think about it, I wish I had written down what was spoken so we could reflect and confirm what was said.

I have one sweet friend who sends us two cards every year so they can have a better chance to be prayed over more often. ☺

As the holiday cards start rolling in, I encourage you to take a moment to pray for the family on the face of the card. This small gesture may be the best gift you can give them all year round.