Saturday, February 22nd. I messaged Tiffany to check if it was too late to send to her my “I Pray When…” picture. She had e-mailed a few people from our ward 2 days prior and I was one of the lucky ones to get the chance to enter the challenge before it had become public to everyone. Luckily that Saturday was the last day to enter it through Tiffany.
So I took up the challenge and spent about 2 hours with it…it was quite ambitious (for me) to take a picture of myself because I wanted it to be as sharp as possible but the hardest part was figuring out exactly what I needed to write on my blue painted paper. I started collecting my thoughts by making a list of the times when I pray. Halfway through that… I ended up praying. Quickly after I knew what phrase I needed to use. It was a sweet experience and it made me smile many times. Fast forward a month. Today. Tiffany sent me a message saying
“Did you see that your face is on Deseret News!!” http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865599130/Mormon-Channel-Al-Fox-Carraway-extend-social-media-challenge-about-prayer.html
I was surprised. She continued with another message saying
“Wanna know something cool, they totally pray whose pics should be shared!!”
Just that thought right there, that second, put a huge smile on my face. I felt humbeled and happy.
This thought about “praying when life is good too” is making me remember a paragraph I read e few years ago from Brigham Young saying
“The worst fear I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and His people…This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty, and all manner of persecution and be true. But my greatest fear is that they cannot stand wealth”.
Can we stand blessings? Can we remember to pray even when life is good?
The thought behind the picture is to encourage anyone that sees it. I know it is easy to fall on bent knees when things are crazy or when ones struggles are easily noticeable. It is also easy to forget about God when life gets comfortable but I know I need my Savior every moment. It is vital to pour out the heart to God so He may be able to pour in. I am thankful for prayer and for the difference it makes in my life to be able to talk to my Father in Heaven. And when things are going smoothly for me…there is always someone to pray for and someone to serve to.
The Adventures of Tom and Alba 