In my home growing up sometimes I’d walk past my parents bedroom at night and notice that their door was slightly ajar. As I’d pause I could overhear them taking turns praying. Nothing fancy. Nothing Spooky. Just mentioning people to God and praying for specific things that they believed to be God’s will in one person’s life or another. This is intercessory prayer plain and simple.

Now that I’m grown with a large family of my own, I am keenly aware of how dependent I am on the Lord. I desperately need Him. The needs are all around me, and often I realize that I am over my head. The solutions are not in my hands. The only thing I can do is pray. It’s at those times I remember how faithful my parents were in praying for me and my older brothers and sister. Looking back I’m convinced that God honored their many requests and blessed our lives profoundly.

“The Praying Man” is my tribute to dad and mom and their faithful life of prayer. But this song is also an acknowledgment that it’s time for me to join the ranks of the prayer warriors. I have the privilege of prayer. I can cast all my care on the Lord because He cares for me. When I have prayed, I’ve seen him change hardened hearts, provide for every need, find lost things, bring new life, and so much more. I hope this song will encourage you to intercede faithfully for someone else. God is sovereign, but He also chooses to allow our prayers to influence how He works and what He does. How could we not seek to learn how to pray and get things from God.

I think this picture of my dad was taken by my sister-in-law Lois (Thank you, Lois). It was at a family gathering at my dad’s country church (South Litchfield Baptist) where, after a brief retirement, he has returned to pastor for the last 9 years. Dad turned 83 this Spring and is still serving, loving and praying for others.

I know my folks would go to the ends of the earth to make sure I lived for Christ. I am committed to loving my kids as long and as far as I have to. I will never, ever give up on them. They have been given back to God and regardless of the struggles they may face, I will love them as long as it takes.