Surrounded by Saints
Words by Tasha Leighton-Said, Camborne, Cornwall, England
Prayer at a time of desperation launches an army into action.
Years ago, my younger brother was sadly in a very difficult life situation and got sent away to an addiction rehabilitation centre. It had been an awful number of years walking him through the turmoil of his issues and so we were all relieved that he was finally getting proper help. However, one day I received a phone call from him and he explained that he'd escaped from the facility and that he just wanted his life to end, that he'd had enough. After an extremely emotional conversation, the line went dead as he had hung up on me. At this point, I felt totally and completely helpless. I had no idea where he was in the country so couldn't even call the police. He'd made it clear that his intention was to end his life and there was literally nothing I could do.
Except pray.
I just dropped to my knees and cried my heart out..."Lord! Please!! Help him! Send him someone, send an angel, anyone!! Just please don't let him die Lord!!"
Later that day, I received another phone call. This time from a woman who had found my brother and brought him back to her house. She had fed him, nurtured him, and planned to get him on a train back home to us in Cornwall as soon as possible.
I couldn't believe it! I was so overwhelmed with thankfulness, with gratitude!!! But I had to ask this woman...."How did you find my brother? Why have you helped him?"
As a side note to add, my brother is a large guy and can look very intimidating. I wanted to know how on earth this older woman found the courage to bring him back to her house!
And she told me: "Well, I was out shopping in town when I heard the Lord's voice tell me to turn around. I turned around to see your brother looking obviously not in a good way. The Lord told me to bring him home, so I did."
How incredibly amazing and merciful is our Lord???!!! When I figured out the timings, she had turned around to see my brother at roughly the same time I'd started praying!!
The woman got him on a train back home to Cornwall and on that train, my brother ended up sitting amongst Christians who shared Jesus with him!! Who prayed for him!! The Lord sent saint after saint after saint!
My brother isn't a believer yet but the Lord is clearly pursuing him. Years later, there are sadly still issues that he is battling and chains that need breaking. However, I wanted to share this story as encouragement to others that God hears!!
Prayer is so essential. Yet it can be the last thing we think to do in a situation. We might want to fix everything (& everyone!), and we can easily get ourselves worn out by doing things in our own strength. But only God can transform, only He can truly pursue a person's heart.
I have faith that when my brother finally accepts Jesus, he will be able to look back at all the different situations in his life where God was truly there to save him. And so I will continue to pray!!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. -Proverbs 15:29
Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! - Psalm 116:2
Words by Tasha Leighton-Said, Camborne, Cornwall, England
Aug 4
