Early Prayers

When did you first start to pray? What do you remember about your early prayers?

I started to pray very soon after I had begun to talk. Family devotions were taken quite seriously. Mother had strong interests in missions. So these influenced my childhood prayers. I don't recall everything I mentioned in those early petitions, but one often repeated request was for "China, Japan, India, Africa, Korea and the islands of the sea." Interestingly, I don't think I ever included Guatemala, El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba or Ecuador! Well, yes, Cuba was included in "the isles of the sea," but I didn't know it!

I learned very early in life to pray with seekers at the altar because I wasn't allowed to play or run around during that part of the service. Instead of sitting quietly on the front seat (bored), I joined the intercessors.