Lungs fill with air, then exhale. Legs walk with ease across the room. Eyes see brilliant green valleys. Ears hear music floating from elegant piano playing.

Every day my lungs, legs, eyes and ears have functioned at normal capacity. Every day they did what they were created to do. Every day I lived and how often did I stop and thank God? There are those without yet I forget to say thank you.

Illness has come to our family in recent weeks. It takes this, the trying, testing of physical health for me to stop. Stop and be thankful. Stop and realize that health is not something I am entitled to. Health is a blessing and the lack of reminds me, my need for Him. My need for His strength. My need for His comfort.

I don’t have what it takes to keep my body going. I don’t have the ability to keep my family from harm, disease. But I do have the power of prayer.

God has given us a way to communicate, be with Him. God has made a way for us to come with our need. God shows His power through the act of prayer. Even when my prayers are not answered right away. Even when I don’t see the good. Prayer is powerful. Prayer humbles me. Prayer releases the tensions inside me. Prayer is the letting go, the opening up, the pouring at His feet. Prayer is the release from the me, the me doing, fixing. Prayer is surrender.

As I hold my baby girl hot with fever, I pray. She is not mine to fix. She is my gift to cherish for this season, but she is God’s, always. I do what I can to comfort her. I pray. I let go, surrender; leaving needs at His feet.

Remember Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue? His daughter was very ill. He did would he could to care for her as her father, then he had great faith. Faith to leave her in the hands of Jesus.

Luke 8:41 & 42 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. ESV

That kind of faith is powerful. That kind of faith changes things.

Taking in another breath. I remember. I am thankful. Prayer is for the healthy and the sick. Prayer is our avenue of communication with our good, good Father whether it is praise or surrender. There is power in prayer! There is power in surrender!