EP 62 Effective Prayers Over a Family - Michelle Leonard

Welcome to iRefresh, where we talk about the power of prayer and God's Word. Welcome to another episode. We have my dear friend, Michelle Littard. Welcome. Thanks for having me. It's good to be here. Okay, so Michelle and I, we were actually one of the very first ones to do a video, probably, what, two years ago? Yeah. And she was brave enough to come back with me because one thing I know about Michelle is she is a woman of prayer and she knows how to intercede. And I was wanting her just to share highlights of things that mean a lot to you about what God's taking you on your journey of prayer. Of course that. situation with Vasari really stands out. And just to see what God did in that time period and where she's at now. You know, she's in Kosovo now helping teach Bible study and just a big part of their church leadership. And Vasari is a young lady that you'll have to go back and watch us on one of our videos because Vasari has an incredible story about coming to the States here to get a came from a Muslim family, uh, through Samaritan's Purse, which is Franklin Graham's, um, heart project. And, um, anyway, she came to know the Lord eventually, you know, through all that. And, um, yeah. So she had some issues again in Kosovo and came back, and it was just a time where to get her here, we had to press in and pray. And God did a miracle in bringing her here to get her heart fixed a second time. And during that time, he really just helped her grow in her faith and made her strong. So when she went back, she just was prepared for what God had for her there. You have just been a blessing to me. I want to tell you that right now, Cheryl, that when we first reconnected, you know, you were my dorm director at ORU. Wait, a few years ago. Yeah, a few years ago. And so we reconnected after a time where I had been hurt and kind of pulled back from my— from the church a little bit. And anyway, you pulled me back in. So I just thank you for doing that. It was a God moment. Because we went to an event and we met up each other, right? And so we ended up sitting together and we just had a conversation. And I invited you into an iRefresh, I believe. Yeah. So that really just did something in my heart again. And you just nurtured me back. If you remember, my family now, I think, has been to one of our women's groups. Which is brave. Okay. So because we are a women's ministry, we predominantly pray for women. However, if there are men are bold enough, then they need some prayer. So we have done that. We have been able to pray for your husband and your son and your daughter. It's been a wonderful experience to be able to stand with you, with your family. And tell us some of the things that you feel like God's been faithful as you have been pressing through and praying for some of your family members. Well, my son specifically, when he was about five years old, we lived in California and God gave me a vision while I was praying for him that he was called into the ministry, and I just saw him preaching to masses of people. And so I always knew that, and he didn't really start following that direction in college and all. And finally, when he was in his third year of college, he called and said that he felt like he was called into ministry. And he came back, went to Ramah, and then had a breakup with a girl. And he was just struggling with what he was supposed to do next. And I saw him on his bedroom floor just crying out to the Lord, and I said, Would you be interested in letting my prayer group pray for you? And so he showed up that morning and some beautiful prophetic words were spoken over him. And even, I love how you write all that down. Beautiful story. He had such clear direction after that. Did his internship in Springfield. Met his wife there. Yes. And after they got married, I brought that letter back out to him that had everything written down. He had... in his bedroom. And he and his wife sat down and read it. It was just beautiful to see what God had brought to pass through those prophetic words. You know, Michelle, when you're talking about how we write things down, we talk about that as a scribe who writes down in some stationery. We have scriptures, and we want to make sure people know is, you know, we may make mistakes, but our goal is we have a scripture for them to encourage them to pray it through and see if that's, you know, what God intended for them. And then the great thing is when we have that scripture or the scriptures that are included in that, that they can take that away. And I've heard that over and over. They have that stationary, right? That they can take with them and they hold on to the word of God in their lives. So I think it's beautiful to see how you've even brought it up to see, like reminding us of when the answers, a prayer happened. through the things that we've written down in the past. So I love that. That's really what Ira Fresh wants to do is take the essence of those messages so we can reflect back and see when God actually answers those prayers. That's powerful. Yeah. That was one huge thing. My daughter had some struggles in college with a roommate situation, and it seemed like there was no way out of it. And we prayed for her, and God did a miracle in that situation and other things in her life. But isn't that the key, though, is when you share, you're willing to share your needs? Because I don't, you know, we are not meant to live our walk with the Lord alone. There is that community where God wants us to link our faith up with someone else. Because sometimes there's a days we need that encouragement or someone is standing with us and believing. And knowing you have that backing, I think to me, that's where my takeaway, even with as being a part of a group of women who pray is, Yes. Is it strengthens me. And I have that reassurance that I'm covered when sometimes you don't, we don't know how to pray, but we have other ones are like, wow, they Lord has shown and direct them how to pray the word over their lives. And that's what I enjoy that. We've had opportunity to be able to pray and see that God's been faithful to answer the cries of their heart. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the word says when two or more are gathered in his name that he's here in our midst and, and, Yeah, so many times when we got together and prayed, we just felt his presence. And, yeah, it's been such a blessing having you all. And I love how when the Lord calls you, when we have someone who comes for us to pray together for, even if it's not your family member, I love your passion for those people, that you truly, with an intercessory prayer, like you feel for them. There is a connection that you have to be able to press through on them. Sometimes, a lot of times, it's a stranger. But that passion that God has put in your heart to be able to pray for them has been beautiful. Yeah, and I will say that's not like a natural thing that I have. It's definitely just leaning into the Father and sensing His heart and just allowing the Holy Spirit to show me things and pray. pray through that. Like I said, it's not like I'm not really an emotional person, but I know when I just become sensitive to the Holy Spirit and spend time in the Lord's presence that his heart comes through. And I know we had talked earlier about intercession and how just I'll sense that burden. And in the past there were times that I held onto that burden before I really understood what all that was about. And, um, having a greater understanding of just knowing to lift that up before the Lord, that I'm not to carry that. That burden is, yes, you are to pray for this person, but you're not to carry that. You are to lift that up to me. It's not your responsibility to solve the need. Exactly. I'm a fixer. So let me ask you, have you found something where you have the capacity to actually help to fix or be part of the prayer answer? Have you done that as part of that burden? um yeah i mean okay lots of times like i'm the person i want to bring the meal i want to do the gift and um although god has used that as an open door like right to bring a meal then have an opportunity to pray for somebody but i can't focus on that i really need to use that that's an avenue for um but what a blessing you know when you serve others like that because i've actually i've had some people over time they will say you know michelle brought some food i'm like Wow, that's so cool. I'm like, so, you know, you back it up with. I'm not a good cut, by the way. So her number is. No, I'm not a good cut. That's where I just do pick up and drop off. Yeah, exactly. But I love that it's more than just praying, but you're also, you act it out. You act and love and you respond to people's needs. Sure. Yeah, I guess faith without works is dead. But yeah. I wanted to talk a little to you about healing and praying for healing. I know we both are ORU grads. Right. When I was about five years old, my grandfather was healed of cancer and... I remember my mom calling the prayer tower at ORU. Wow. So I lived in Maryland at the time. And somehow that just, God put something in my heart at that time. And so my mom was also healed of a heart element later on. Um, so I know God's, um, put that on my heart as well. You know, the word says, we lay hands on the sick that they shall recover. And I know that's God's will. Um, and that's such a blessing. And I, I feel like that God is calling the church now, um, to really minister that to the hurting, not just physical sickness, but hurting. That we, the church, we need to be Jesus' hands and feet and his heart and minister to the hurting in the world. And right now there's just so much division and... I just think the church needs to be the light. When you first came and started working with me with I Refresh, you talked about how your hands were, you felt like God was going to anoint your hands to heal. But with being a nurse, how have you seen God use your hands to be the hands and feet of Jesus, whether it was emotional or physical healing? You know, in the hospital, there's plenty of opportunities to pray. People are at their worst. Yeah. And very open to prayer. And working at a Catholic hospital, I had that privilege to be able to do that. And so many opportunities for people just praying after surgery, praying when they're hurting, praying with family members. It was just a great open door. Do you sense that sometimes people feel like their hands get hot or warm? What is it that you feel like, okay, besides just the act of praying, do you feel like God brings an anointing on you to be able to, this is now I need to go release His healing power, whether it's what they're needing physically? Yeah, it's not like all of a sudden I get hot all over it. It's more of a heart sense. Okay. Sometimes it's a brokenness. being broken for these people. A lot of times I do feel warmth in my hand when I pray for people. Let me ask you too, what about the times when you've prayed maybe for a long period of time and how do you... tackle the ones that are not being answered what's what's your mindset or what is it um you just keep on believing and you just keep bringing it before god or you get discouraged how do you process i think it's always important that we pray god's will and so um just seeking out god through his word seeing what his word says about that situation um asking it asking him to show me you know just through the Spirit. And also sometimes it's just being persistent and not giving up. We talked earlier about that scripture, the unjust judge, the widow going before an unjust judge, and the judge finally giving in because I'm like so tired of this woman bothering me. And we have a loving Heavenly Father that the Word says too, if a father asks for His child asks the father for bread. He's not going to give him a stone. And so our loving Heavenly Father wants to bless his children. So I focus on that. I know that he wants to give good gifts to his children. And if this unjust judge is going to just give this lady what she wants just because he's tired of her asking, you know, how much more will my Heavenly Father? As long as I know I'm praying his will. And so I really try and seek out his will above anything. So when you're seeking, for those who may not know what that understanding might be, seeking is timing the Word. It's praying and asking Him to show you direction. Do you feel like you also have other people that maybe help to confirm what's something you're praying through on? Yeah, and I do pray for that, too, that I would have confirmation. Sometimes it'll be like you'll listen to a sermon and you'll be like, I just read that scripture. Okay, Lord, thank you for that confirmation. or just bringing friends across your path, or you reading it in a devotional, and then you picking up your Bible just to open up, and it's like, okay, yeah, you're— So those are great times. It's not always like that, but I love it when it is. And sometimes it's just pressing through. Like you think you aren't getting an answer, like what's going on? And sometimes it's just a battle. I think that we don't see what's going on in the heavenlies, and I think that it's just pressing into the Father. I think this is a huge part, is humility. I think sometimes we want what we want, and we think that it should go this direction. and trying to sense his heart and his direction. That's good. Because, you know, when you said that, I'm like, you know, sometimes I don't know if we pause long enough. I'm going to say my own pause to see, okay, is this your will? Because you have, like, I have a feeling it seems like the right thing. But to be able to seek to, like, okay, is this your will? And being willing to put my desires on. you know, on the altar and being willing, like, okay, if God answers it another way, I'm going to be okay with it. Or am I going to be like, you know, a young child? Well, sometimes us adults, we throw a fit because we don't get our way, right? I think it's really important when you're talking about that is seeking to see is what is God's will in a situation. Right. Because he knows the future. He knows, he knows what's best for us. And so I trust him in So even when it's something that you really, really want, that's got to be a challenge. Sure. Because we think that we know what's right. We have a good idea. Sure. Yeah, that's true. So what would your takeaway be as far as like some of the most important things, you as a praying woman of God, that you would want the listeners to say like this is where, like you said, don't give up, you don't stop. But what are some other points that you wanted to highlight to them about the prayer life that you have? I think one important thing that I learned early on was praying the Word of God. You know, the Bible says if we pray His will, then we're sure to have what we ask of Him. And if we're praying what the Word says, like the Bible says that He desires that none would perish, but all would come to the knowledge of Him. So if I'm praying for salvation for someone, I don't have any doubt, you know, that that's His will, that's His heart. So it's easy for me to pray that because I know I'm praying His will. And memorizing Scripture, because there are times where you will come across something in your life where you don't have your Bible there, but the Holy Spirit will bring that to remembrance. And you can pray, and you can trust God in that, because you know His Word is true. More than any of my feelings or any of that, I just know that God's Word is true. So really knowing what the Word of God says, praying God's Word, and just... surrendering yourself before him and being willing to give up your wants and your desires and what you think is right in this situation to listen to him. That's good. He is faithful. You know, that's one thing I love about Michelle, that she really lives out what she's talking about, is that faithfulness, and it's all key, is knowing God's Word and praying to seek what His Word is. And then when you do seek after Him and you're in the Word, He actually reveals it. Because I just had an answer the other morning when I was doing a devotional. Like when you said, I'm like, yeah, like Luke 18 was for me. I'm like, Lord, I'm going to take that as your Word. His word for us is yes and amen, but we have to know what his word is. So we know how to pray. So, you know, Michelle really caps, you know, puts it together so well about what iRefresh is about. It's about prayer and God's word. So when we have that, there's nothing we can't do when we are leaning into him, trusting him, surrendering to his will and watch what he will do for us.