Have you ever found yourself in situations where you tried handling things with your own knowledge and by your own might?
Well that is exactly the kind of situation I found myself in when I started medical school in Dominica. I went there with my own ideas of what “I” would do to ensure my success spiritually and academically. But I thank God for his grace that helped me, through prayer, to realize that there can be no true “success” until I completely let go and let God!
Let me share a few testimonies of how, through prayer God moved so that His will would be done in my life.
Friends From God
Prior to traveling to Dominica, I had purposed in my heart that what I needed to do to ensure excellence in my school work was to live by myself, keep friend making and social entertainment to a bare minimum. In retrospect I don’t believe this was a terrible plan, but the key is that it was not God’s plan!
A day after arriving in Dominica a young lady approached me while I was eating in a Chinese restaurant. She introduced herself as a sister of another new student, OJ, and we carried on a short conversation thereafter. Before long OJ became a good friend, my roommate, my prayer partner, my study partner and confidant. OJ’s exceptional knack for organization and planning really helped us create an effective study schedule for ourselves throughout the semester. I thank God for that God-ordained meeting, in the Chinese restaurant, that allowed our paths to cross and our lives to be forever changed!
As my first semester commenced, God began to place other wonderful women of God, Nanna, Sandra, Nana (different from Nanna) and Esther into my life. Each person had their unique testimonies of where God brought them from and an unwavering faith of where God is taking them. Not only did we form a study group among ourselves, but we became one another’s source of encouragement when school became too overwhelming. I remember countless occasions where as soon as one of us started to panic or breakdown a night or two before our upcoming exam, the rest of us would immediately stop studying and meet in someone’s apartment. During that visit, we would worship, pray and cry if need be and encourage one another in the Lord for hours until everyone’s faith was restored. Little did we know that this act of love to one another was only incubating us for the spiritual birthing that was to come in the form of a prayer group.
Prayers That Avail Much!
James 5:16, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
This verse is one that I have “known” for the most part of my life. However, it became clear to me, while in Dominica, that my “knowledge” of this verse lacked the understanding and wisdom needed to put it into practice in my life.
A song says: “prayer is the key, prayer is the master key. Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer…”
Indeed prayer is the key to opening doors in heaven and on earth, and once we (as a group of young ladies) realized that, through this verse, we began to meet several times a week to pray. Through prayer, exams were passed even if it was only by a single point! God gave just enough to make it through and sometimes, He surpassed our wildest imaginations. Through prayer, sicknesses were healed among us, co-signers were provided for those of us who needed one, loans were granted, families were reunited, relationships restored and strengthened, past hurts were forgiven and souls were won into God’s kingdom.
This prayer meeting continued throughout my 5 semesters (20months) in Dominica and is still continuing even as all 6 of us have finished successfully.
I thank God for the people He placed in my life and the experiences I had, in Dominica and US, they have taught me to pray at all times: when in doubt, when fearfull, in times of sadness or weakness and even in times of confidence and strength. It is my prayer that every student that reads this article will be encouraged to put God first, even in their academics. Because our God is a God of excellence, if we seek Him first, I believe we that we can do great exploits!
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