I became a Christian at some point in the 4th or 5th grade. I had started at a lil’ private school. It was the first I’d heard about God really.

My babysitter was “Catholic”, and she took great pride in being a virgin, until she got married in a hurry…

But, anyhow, I was so excited to learn about God, “The creator”! I took to reading my Bible, or rather trying. King James thou art not thee best starter version for a 9 year old.

Now, I don’t know how well I grasped what “believing” meant, but like a good Christian little girl I dutifully memorized my verses.

“For God so loved the world…”

“By faith and not works… ”

“Love one another…”

“Jesus Wept.”

And so it was that my faith grew over the years.

I wasn’t a perfect Christian, though I tried to be like my babysitter…

But I definitely felt that “Godly Guilt”. And so, it came to pass that for many years, no matter how tired I was, I could not go to sleep without praying.

And not just a quick “Our Father” either.

I prayed for each and every kid in my class. No joke! Each one, by name. And I tried to be specific to their case.

Wether it was the son of a Jehovah witness who couldn’t partake in the school Christmas Show; or the boy that clumsily outgrew the other boys in the class and was often picked on because he should’ve been “good at sports” but wasn’t; or the shy girl who was actually really funny and a great artist; or the misunderstood rocker girl. I prayed for them all, even the ones I made fun of myself, even the ones that weren’t my friends; especially the ones that weren’t my friends.

Luckily for me, there weren’t more than 20 kids to a class probably, at least til high-school. But then, other distractions arrived which often kept me from praying anyways.

Anyhow, I prayed for all of them. I wonder what they’d think if they knew. Would they believe that every night when I closed my eyes I named them each, one by one; that I petitioned for them and their families.

I don’t know. It’s irrelevant now, but I hope it made a difference. I have to believe it did. I don’t think anything is for naught.

Now, however, I admit that I do take prayer for granted, God for granted, even. And I often forget to pray, and give thanks, despite having so many reasons to. Oftentimes, I just turn over and close my eyes.

“He knows how I feel. He already knows what’s going on.”

I am so very grateful, though.

And present day, I find myself praying again.

“Dear Lord,

I thank you for this day. I thank you for my family and friends.

I thank you for everything you’ve given me.

I pray for my health and that of my loved ones.

Lord, I pray for the world.”

Imagine that.

“Lord, I pray for the world.”

The WORLD?

“Lord, I pray for the world.”

How can my prayer ever be enough? These prayers are in vain. I can’t pray for everyone. I have to be specific. I have to pray for a thing. For one person to be healed. It’s ridiculous to pray for everyone, for the world.

But is it?

What if…you pray too? Even if you don’t believe in God, or this “God”, who cares which God.

Won’t you pray for the world? If it means even the tiniest chance of helping, of making a difference.

Won’t you pray for peace and health and gratitude and love and healing?

Maybe it’s time we put aside our foolish differences, our opinions about “religion”, and think about the human race; about the human beings and the race against time we are in now; about the humans that the people around you love and hold dear, and not just your own little nucleus. Because the news is starting to hit too close to home, for everyone.

Just close your eyes and take a moment.

“Lord, I pray for the world.”

Maybe our prayers can be enough.

“Lord, We pray for the world.”