Banana and Lime Prayers

Have you ever said you'd pray for someone and then forgotten to do it? Repeatedly I am amazed at our support team's faithfulness in prayer.  

(shout out to my prayer ladies!!)

When we first became missionaries with Global Partners, Dave and I each asked a group of friends to pray more intently for us. These groups receive more frequent communication from us with more detail about how to be praying for us.  

When I asked my friend, Becky Gray, to pray, she sent this reply:

Yes, Dina, I would love to specifically pray for you.  I have been doing that lately under an odd reminder.  I learned from you how to peel a banana from the bottom and each time I have a banana I pray for you.  God can use any reminder, can't he??

Hilarious! When Dillon was a baby, I had learned to peel bananas by pinching the bottom end instead of pulling the top stem to the side, which many times bruises the banana. I must have shared that tip with Becky, and now that has become her physical reminder to pray.

In January I had the privilege of meeting Russ Gunsalus, the Executive Director of Education and Clergy Development for the Wesleyan Church. We were discussing my developing role with Global Partners in Europe. The guy is a visionary, and before long had me dreaming about what kind of leadership role I could play. We had just heard an inspiring story about a group called "Lemon Aid" so he joked that I could call my new project "Lime Aid". Before we parted, he promised to pray for us every time he saw a lime.  I'm not sure I quite believed him, he's a busy guy. But here are just a few of the picture texts we have received from him in the past 6 weeks with a reminder that he's praying for us.

In a way, using such tangible methods to remember to pray is much like those throughout the ages who prayed the hours. I am blessed by these friends who keep us in their prayers.

Dave and I have committed to praying together every day at the same time during lent. Would you like to join us?