Praying for Strangers

 Every day I pray for strangers. It sets the stage for new friendships. Let me explain about my prayer. I decided long ago to ask God to be the One to lead me to friends. This is my prayer: “Thank You, Lord, for the stranger that I’m yet to meet, one who will become my friend.” As a result, my friendship coffer overflows.

 Life is short. “We can’t choose our [birth] family, but we can choose our friends”—a young friend said that to me the day after I prayed with her mother in the hospital, following her father’s unexpected death. She and her husband were two strangers for whom I had prayed before we even met, the same as with her parents. It’s always wonderful to meet the new people God brings into my life; they are precious gifts.

My husband and I returned to Florida in 2014 after being away for four and a half years. Though we’ve acquired many fine friends and enjoyed nice experiences while living in other places, I longed for Florida. I’m one of those people affected by seasonal affective disorder, also referred to as SAD. There aren’t many gray days in Florida. Even the almost daily summer rain showers are followed by brilliant sunshine. One of the delights upon our return was the frequent flow of visits from our Florida friends, who welcomed us back to the Sunshine State, as well as our many snowbird friends.

 Does “pray without ceasing” mean to do nothing except pray twenty-four hours a day? If we tried this, we might be hauled off for a psychiatrist’s evaluation. Instead, it means that we maintain an attitude of prayer throughout the day, knowing that God’s listening ear is with us. My days are better because of my friends—each one is a tremendous blessing. My husband and I prayed for these friends and continue to pray for them. They are an extension of our family. Thus, let us pray for strangers for, in so doing, they become the ones whom we call, individually, “my friend.”

 Betty Kossick.