God, you gotta help me with this.

Bobbie Colgan practiced praying for other members of her Doing What Jesus Did (DWJD) class at Northwoods church. She specifically remembers being taught the acronym T.A.B.—Thank, Ask, Bless.  

Little did she know, her practice would be put to the test when she arrived at a local hospital to show support for a friend and his family, as he faced open heart surgery. She planned to sit and wait with his loved ones, knowing it would be a long day for all.  

What Bobbie didn’t know was that the Lord had much more for her to do that day. 

Just before her friend was rolled away to the operating room, everyone gathered around him. There was a chaplain and a pastor in the group, but the friend looked at Bobbie and asked her to pray for him. 

 Bobbie was taken aback and even suggested that the pastor should pray, but her friend said, “No, you’re my God-friend – I want you to pray over this!” 

Bobbie quickly shot up a silent prayer: “Okay, God, you gotta help me with this. I’m not comfortable doing this in front of people.”  

Bobbie began praying out loud for her friend, and the words flowed from the mouth of God. When she finished, Bobbie felt “super blessed by the prayer.” She could hardly believe it came from her own mouth.  

She looked at her friend’s wife, and she had tears in her eyes. The Lord had answered Bobbie’s silent plea for help. She had stepped out in faith and opened her mouth in obedience. Everyone present was touched by Bobbie’s prayer.  

As they wheeled the patient away for surgery, Bobbie thought she and his family would settle in to the waiting room for the day. But the Lord wasn’t done with her yet! Another family was there for their grandmother’s surgery, and they had watched Bobbi pray. 

“We just saw you pray with that family,” a lady said to her. “Would you pray with us, too?” Bobbie stepped out again, and after the family briefed her on the situation, she prayed for them as well.   

Bobbie sat down again, but it wasn’t for very long. Others began asking her for prayer. Before the day was over, she had prayed for five other families, including a child in surgery. People were seeking out Bobbie, while chaplains and pastors were readily available. 

In just one day, Bobbie gained a year’s worth of confidence because she stepped outside of her box. She practiced what she had just learned in her Northwoods class.  

“I have a new life verse,” Bobbie said.  “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13.