When I saw her at church on Sunday, I remembered immediately. She ran up and hugged me and said, “Mom is recovering, and the doctor says she’s doing well. Thank you so much for praying. It means so much to me.”

I felt so guilty. I couldn’t bring myself to admit to her that I had forgotten to pray. But when I got home, I did pray. I prayed for Lisa, her mother, and her recovery. I asked God to forgive me for taking a request for prayer so lightly. I made up my mind that in the future if someone asked for prayer, I would pray right then and there. I now keep a notebook by the phone, and I check it regularly.

If we had any idea about the power of prayer, we would probably take it a lot more seriously and do a lot more of it. Like Hannah did, and the Lord answered her prayer to have a child (1 Sam. 1). Like Daniel did, and God shut the mouths of lions (Dan. 6:10–24). Like Paul and Silas did—in prison—and God sent an earthquake that opened the doors and loosened their chains (Acts 16:25–34).

You may say, “But I’m just an ordinary person. Can my prayers really make a difference?” Absolutely. James 5:16 says, “The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful.”