Berlin Prayer Lift

I was in a battle with a flu bug, and I wasn’t winning. Scheduled to fly from Berlin, Germany to Grand Rapids, Michigan in less than twelve hours, I started praying through the alphabet telling God who He is—Almighty, Beautiful, Comfort, Door, Excellent, Friend, Great, Healer…oh, and how I needed healing!

“I should call out the troops,” I told myself. I looked at my watch. It was just before 11:00 P.M. Friday, January 3, which translates into “just before 5:00 P.M. back at work.” I dialed Home Missions. When Small Group Program Director Diana Klungel answered, I was already feeling relief, because the purpose of my call was to ask this co-worker of mine to pray with me.

Diana often prays with people over the phone. It is not uncommon for her to say at the end of a conversation, “I’d like to pray about that right now. Would that be okay with you?” And then she just does it—prays!

So she began to pray with me. Using the very words from my alphabet prayer, she asked God to pour out His power and peace and rest into my body. We thanked God for the amazing technology that could link us over thousands of miles and said our good-byes.

With the countdown underway I fully anticipated healing would be the immediate answer. There wasn’t a lot of time, and that would be most practical. Instead, the answer was rest. And then the surprise: At the airport the next morning I learned my international flight had been cancelled; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines rebooked me for the following day and compensated me with an upgrade to Business Class. “Royal” is a key word here. I have never known such in-flight luxury. Envision stretching out your tippy toes as far as possible and being unable to touch the seat ahead of you. Imagine someone hanging your coat for you, offering you champagne and setting your table with linen. Consider exclusive show selection and viewing on a personal
monitor. And then the unexpected gifts— the toiletries kit, socks wrapped with a ribbon, a generous dish of mixed nuts, Belgian chocolates and a souvenir delft, Dutch-style house. I felt special. I felt cared for. I felt rested.

And this is what I learned: Ask. Receive. Call on the troops—the Diana’s in your life. Pray together. Pray about anything. Pray about everything. Pray more. God has something bigger for us. Smile at the provision. Bask in the shower of His gifts.