A Pocketful of Promises

“Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.” —Isaiah 58:8, NKJV

As a teacher, I seek God’s guidance in prayer from the parking lot as I walk to the school building and into the classroom, while walking the halls, and during instruction. I end the day with praise. I prayerfully use Scripture verses from Verse of the Day, the Sabbath School lesson study, or a Bible text from a sermon I listened to on my way to work.

I write this verse on my calendar or on sticky notes to carry in my pocket for the day. This daily routine has helped me memorize Scripture and provided spiritual direction and a calm spirit throughout the day. One of my coworkers acknowledged my calm spirit and wanted to find out more. We connected by sharing our interests in praying and praising God for His goodness, giving me an opportunity to witness to her.

My coworker became my prayer partner.

We did prayer walks, prayed in a room at school, and read Scripture and a daily devotional that brought comfort and peace. I shared that a Bible verse in my pocket enriched my life because I saw students excel, and that brought a lot of meaning to my life for God’s goodness. My coworker loved the idea and wanted in on it as well.

We wrote Bible verses on sticky notes and exchanged the notes every morning. I saw my prayer partner becoming more comfortable with bringing her requests to God in prayer. We prayed for her mom as she received radiation treatment and a cousin who had liver cancer. The next prayer request was for herself. She was about to have a medical procedure done to check for cancer. As the time drew nearer, she expressed that she was confident and at peace because we were praying. The day before this medical procedure, I gave her Isaiah 58:8. When I checked up on her the following day after the procedure, she said, “Hey, friend! I kept your last written Scripture verse about healing in my pocket during surgery yesterday.

I am doing well, and I felt at peace.” I am so thankful to God for healing my friend, prayer partner, and coworker, who sometimes calls me “bestie.” Only God can do what He does in spirit and in truth; His faithfulness endures forever because He loves us.

Margo Peterson