No Air but a Prayer Carrying Me Through

Almost twenty years have passed since one of the scariest encounters of my life. I was newly eighteen, a freshman in college, and very homesick. When a sudden illness landed me in the hospital, I got a lesson and a reminder of what happened that’ll stay with me forever.

Lying in the emergency room, surrounded by my closest friends, I found out that my left lung had completely collapsed. There was pressure on my trachea, causing me to have trouble breathing. My family was three hours away. I don’t know which was more terrifying - going through an intense emergency procedure wide awake, or my roommate having to call my terrified parents to let them know what was going on.

When interventions at the local hospital didn’t help my condition, it was determined that I needed to be transferred to a facility with a higher level of care. Because my lung was collapsed, I couldn’t fly in a helicopter, so instead I was put in an ambulance for a three-hour trek down the interstate. Though I was medicated, there are certain moments that have been forever ingrained in my mind.

The nurse at my head during the procedure, talking about her son who was a music major in college. The paramedics - two young females who made me feel as comfortable and safe as possible. The amount of pain I didn’t know a human could experience and live. The song my iPod got stuck playing for the entire ride.

I say it got stuck, but as I look back, I believe it was God’s reminder to me that He was going to see me through. The song was “Somebody’s Praying Me Through.”

So, when you’re drowning in a sea of hurt. And it feels like life couldn’t get any worse. There’s a blessing waiting to push back the curse. Cause somebody’s praying you through.

I didn’t realize how many people, how many places were praying. The prayer circle happening on my college campus. The prayer trees being executed throughout the church community on my behalf. While I was weak, others were standing in the gap and flooding Heaven’s gates for my well-being.

I’m a firm believer in the power of prayer. I’m also learning more and more the importance of surrounding ourselves with people who aren’t afraid to pray for us during hard seasons. People who are there when life feels ordinary and mundane, but they are still praying for you. Those who understand that prayer is powerful and our God is faithful.

We are all going to go through tough seasons. We are all going to find ourselves in times where we need someone to have our back. We feel too weak, or life is too heavy to know just what to pray. Those are times in which those prayers will forever mean the most. Don’t take for granted those prayer warriors in your life. Cherish the gift God has given you. Think of ways you can be a prayer warrior for someone today. If you know someone going through a challenging season, let them know that you’re praying and really follow through. It’ll be the change you both need.

Psalm 145: 17-19

The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all his acts.

The Lord is near all who call out to him, all who call out to him with integrity.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry for help and saves them.