The Contents of Prayer.

 "Our prayers for the evangelization of the world are but a bitter irony so long as we only give of our superfluity and draw back before the sacrifice of ourselves. " by M. Coillard in On the Threshold of Central Africa.  Influenced Amy.

I'm currently reading through Elisabeth Elliot's biography of Amy Carmichael (missionary to India), entitled A Chance to Die.  Something that has struck me as I have read this book is Amy's intense dedication to prayer.  Surprising, her letters home were not filled with all of the victories won on the field; but rather, all the sorrow.  In these stories of sorrow, she earnestly beseeched her friends and family at home to pray, because she believed in its power.  The contents of her prayer requests have been rather surprising to me.  Instead of primarily asking people to pray for her strength, health, peace, etc, she asked them to pray for the country, the people, the lost, the spiritual warfare, and the like.  She was so focused on the greater missions of bringing glory to God that all of her concerns and needs were overshadowed and swallowed up by the greater need of reaching the lost and discipling them into being mature believers in Christ.  She was intently focused on her purpose, so much so that she truly did sacrifice her needs and even her prayer requests so that other needs and prayers could be lifted up on behalf of God's ultimate purpose.  It is with this in mind that I include this quote from the book.  It was a quote that Amy counted as very dear to her, and she truly did model self-sacrifice.

This book has taught me that I spend far too much time praying for myself, and thus allow the needs of the world to be put on my secondary prayer list.  Prayer for others must be primary, and I am sure one will find personal growth and personal peace when one does practice self-sacrifice. In light of this, I have a request.  Please, pray for Russia.  Pray for the students, children, and families my team will be working with.  Pray for the believers there - that they would be discipled, and would thrive as a visible body of Christ to the Russians.  Pray that the light of Christ pervades the hurting country of Russia.  Pray.