I’ll pray for you.”

When misfortune strikes, those words come so naturally, so automatically, even casually. But how many people follow through with heartfelt prayer?

I want to tell you what can happen when someone does. Three years ago, my family experienced a horrific tragedy. My son lost his legs in a farming accident. I was still reeling when a prayer from a woman named Laura appeared in a text message on my phone.

Another prayer arrived the next day. And the day after that. Laura prayed for me and my family every day without fail for 18 months.

Those prayers saved my life. They buoyed me and kept me moving forward. They changed my relationship with God. They gave me strength I didn’t know I possessed.

Since the day that first life-giving text arrived, my whole attitude toward prayer has undergone a revolution. I now understand the awesome power of a few words offered in God’s name to a person in need.

The next time you offer to pray for someone, do it. You