"Never stop praying"

Prayer.  When God presses something so frequently on my heart and on so many people I know and love in one day I feel I need to pay attention.  I feel like many are getting the message I am getting "Cry out, reach out, pray!" 
I started to notice it when I received an invitation on Facebook to pray for a little boy who had suffered a traumatic injury.  I accepted that request and have kept that boy and his family close in my heart.  Because I have a heart for sick and injured children this really broke my heart.  A family friend posted updates on FB so people could pray more specifically and his dad journaled his journey on a Caring Bridge website.  There were 48,378 people who accepted the call to pray for him and 156,396 visits to his Caring Bridge website. 
I  was touched and humbled by this family's journey and testimony of faith.  I hope that they know or eventually will know that in this many people were shown a loving God who gently cares for His own because of their testimony.   http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/benjaminricketts/journal
I could type and type about my emotions related to this family, but what is really pressing on my heart is the number of people who came along side them in prayer.  And this is the theme I have seen in the past few days.  Sometimes we are reluctant to "burden" others with our prayer needs.  Why is this?  For me, it's pride.  I don't really want to share my burdens, because then you would know I struggle.  And you probably thought I was superhuman before so I don't want to spoil that for you.  :)  It doesn't make sense I know and I am have come a long way.  But the thinking was definately there.  Maybe we don't think we are worth other peoples time.  But here's the thing, Jesus is worth it.  When anyone prays they are going to the Intercessor.  They are able to enter the Holy of Holies and that is not a burden.  That is a privilege. 
I admit that being far away, I feel helpless alot when I want to be with my extended family and I want to give them a hug or some time or some action and so I feel like "Well at least I can pray."  Why is prayer relegated to a "last resort"?  It's what I do when I can not physically do something.  But that is wrong thinking.  The most powerful thing I can do is pray.  Prayer moves the hand of God.  It shows utter dependence on Him.  It acknowledges His control and His power, not mine.  It gives Him the glory.  I need to be reminded of this more often when I think the best thing I can do for my kids and my husband is to give them my words or actions to "help" them. 
Here's something I didn't know.   I did a search on BibleGateway to see how many times the word  "prayer" was used in the Bible in some form.  That's pray, prayer, prayed, praying, etc.  I had thought it would be a big number like 1051 or something.  But it is 365.  My God is not a God of accidents or coincidence.  When He says "Never stop praying" (1 Thess 5:17 NLT) He shows us how much He means it. 
joy