Several months ago I listened to the audio book “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. It was a wonderful story about the maids and the families they worked with in the setting of Jackson, Mississippi. The time line was during the last years of Martin Luther King. John F. Kennedy was president. I rarely read fiction, but this one came highly recommended and I took a chance. I actually listened to it as I drove from one appointment to the next. It was so intriguing that there were times when I wanted to drive around the block to hear a little more.
The main character of the story, Aibileen, kept a prayer book and many times during the story she made reference to her prayer list. At one point one of her friends, also a maid, asked if Miss Elizabeth was in her prayer book and she simply responded “no“. Miss Elizabeth was not a nice person at all. Let’s just say that if you were a maid, you would not want to be on her bad side. If you were her friend, you just did whatever she wanted. Aibileen had a hard time putting her name in the prayer book. When she finally addressed her reason, she simply said that if she put her name in the prayer book and prayed for her, all kinds of stuff would start to happen. The Lord would see to that and she just wasn’t sure she was ready to deal it.
It reminded me of the times in my life when I have prayed for specifics. It was like
people in my life that were struggling and loved ones that I was concerned about.
Sometimes it’s been my clients that were going through a hard time for any reason. One thing that I have prayed for often and for which I am so thankful is good health. In times of illness or facing medical testing that could have a negative outcome, I have always asked God to restore good health. There are many aspects of my life that motivate me to exercise, to make wise choices and to eat healthy. Today it is gratitude. And with gratitude I find a need to be a good steward of gifts granted and respond likewise. Like Aibileen said when you pray about something, stuff starts to happen.
