James 5:16 – Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (NIV)

1 Thessalonians 5:25 – Brothers, pray for us. (NIV)

In our women's group, we drew names for secret pals at the beginning of the year. Throughout the year, we would do thoughtful things for our pal, and at the last meeting of the year, we would reveal who our pal had been. It was lots of fun. How well one was treated throughout the year depended on the response of the person who drew one's name.

One year, I did not get anything at all. I was so disappointed when my friends had nice little surprises at almost every meeting. One lady in the group always made a point of saying that she prayed for her secret pal.

Finally the end of the year came. Gifts were brought, and the names were revealed. My gift turned out to be an inspirational book called "Apples of Gold", signed by the lady who had been praying for her pal.

I valued her gift and her prayers. She died a short time afterward. The gift became more special. Since that day, when I feel the need for a prayer, I get my "Apples of Gold" and remember the woman who loved me enough to give me the gift of her prayers for a year.

We can always give others the gift of our prayers. We don't have to go to the store to purchase them, nor do we have to gift wrap them. We don't even have to tell the person that we are praying for them, but, sometimes, it helps to know.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to pray for others. When we are not able to do anything else, Lord, remind us that we can pray. Amen.

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