A request was before Norm. “Come with me and help pray for those that need it”. Not the usual request to ‘pray’ for someone with a few other people. Unknown and never before seen by Norm. He said ‘sure’, Norm likes to pray.

Norm rode with a new friend. A man that he instinctively referred to as his brother. A stranger weeks ago, at the next table at a coffee house, asked who the two of them were. Norm and Bryan had been reminiscing about an astounding local man and the woman was this man’s mother! A response to a simple request by a stranger that in some way felt right to Norm and Bryan. They now refer to each other as brothers, indeed.

A man of faith was Norm’s new ‘brother’ and as it turned out, a volunteer at a church gathering around 50 miles away. A rather large church that broadcasts their services worldwide for the spiritual hungry. Norm and a double handful of neighbors had been watching these services and were intrigued by them. It felt right and good.

A month later Bryan drove Norm those 50 miles to the church to help in praying for a few people that desired it. Norm had no preconceptions about the building (campus) and when they got there it looked like a parking lot filled with vehicles akin to the areas airport. A thousand cars perhaps? The church building was immense and yet warm and friendly. The address caught Norm’s eye. 777, the first numbers on Norm’s old Gibson Mandolin. They went up to the second floor and Norm was given a lanyard that had ‘Prayer’ on it.

There was breakfast laid out and coffee. Everyone in the room was a volunteer. It was the first service and it was on monitors and speakers throughout the two story lobby. Bryan bought Norm an Americano and they went up to the volunteer room for the breakfast offered. The prayer team welcomed them and soon, it was time to go down into the sanctuary to pray for people that desired it.

The first thing Norm noticed was there were about a dozen people arrayed as he was with “Prayer” on their lanyards. The service ended and the preacher said anyone desiring prayer to come down to the front of the platform. Astonished, Norm saw the people line up in the aisles. Perhaps a hundred or more, waiting for him and the team. He had no idea of what to do but he had been given a small bottle of anointing oil and did not know what to do with that either. “Anoint them on their forehead if they wish to have you do so.” A quote from St. Augustine: “For it is one thing to see the land of peace from a wooded ridge..and another to tread the road that leads to it”A.

Norm looked at a man looking for direction and Norm smiled and nodded his head. The man, also smiling, stood in front of Norm and immediately Norm asked him if he would like to be anointed. Yes was the answer, on the forehead was his preference. Norm daubed a bit of oil on his forefinger and put in on the man’s forehead and stated that this was baptism of healing and asked the man what he would like prayer for. It was personal and spoken from his heart and it was right and good. Norm told him of his obvious love for the Lord and the Lord can see that love in his eyes. They both cried a bit and the man hugged Norm after asking if it was OK. It was indeed welcomed. After the second service it was similar. A hundred or more people, eager to meet a prayer warriors words of healing and comfort. The prayers given were given by our Lord who sees the hunger for His heart.

The other people that came to Norm’s eye connection received what he listened for from the God that whispers truth to him. Many tears and quite a few strong embraces came with that given truth. Norm was astounded. Never had this happened to him so many times, with so many eager with desperate needs. The honor of conveying the blessings of the Spirit stays steady. There will be more blessings to convey. It’s pretty good. Jack . St, Augustine Confessions, VII, xxi