As Christians, we believe that God hears us and our modus of communication is prayer. We are assured in scriptures like Phillipians 4:6Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [NLT], Matthew 7:7Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. [NLT], Mark 11:24I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. [NLT], 1 Peter 3:12The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil. [NLT] and many more, that God's ears are open to our prayers. A lot of times, we ask only for things that we want in the present, and there's nothing wrong with that if our desires are aligned with God's desires for us, but there's great gain in praying ahead for things that can shape the major portion of the rest of our lives, like relationships and marriage.

After I received the news of my admission into the university some few years ago, I had a temporary scare. I remember sitting on the couch, calling back all the negative information I had gotten about the school I just got admitted into - 'Cultist infested', 'it's not one of the best schools', etc. I was happy to finally gain admission, but I was really worried about my safety. I'd mostly experienced a sense of security growing up and this was new territory for me. I'd have to travel interstate, rent a space and navigate the next four years mostly on my own. Mind you, I only applied to this school because the school I was previously trying to get into didn't favor me and I had tried a couple of times.

So now, here I was, sitting on this couch and sinking in my fears. Then the Holy Spirit nudges me to pray. The bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:7Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. [NLT] that we should cast our cares upon God because He cares for us. I grew up in church, so I had quite a good knowledge of scriptures and some understanding of where to go when fears arrive. So, I prayed. I told God that I was afraid of going to this school. That I'd rather stay at home than lose my life halfway into my 4 years there because there is some random cultist attack and I get caught in it. I prayed that throughout my stay in the school, that I never wanted any cultist confrontation. That even if I'm walking on the same road with tens of them, or sitting in the same row with 5 of them, I wouldn't be confronted in any way.

The next few weeks were littered with preparations, documentation, traveling, staying with a friend's older cousin for a while, getting acquainted with the school environment and settling in. Now, I know I wasn't praying for a girlfriend on that couch, but the importance of sharing this story will become very clear as you continue to read.

I want to have a great home in the near future. I want a wife that I love and that loves me too. I want children who grow up in the way of the Lord, who have love around them and can grow to become healthier adults in all areas of life. Yet, I can't help but be aware that the Devil's goal is that I don’t attain this. He wants to use habits, character flaws, pride, desperation and so many other internal and external tools to ensure that I derail from God's plan and purpose. And one of the best places where dreams, faith, purpose, love and willpower can either triple in strength or totally die out is in marriage.

And his plans for my children? They're just as disastrous as his plans for me. He wants to steal, kill and destroy a generation even before they are born. He wants hurt parents who hurt children who grow up to hurt people, so that everyone goes a step further away from God every day. So, if you ask me how important it is to pray for myself, for my family and friends, for my partner, for my children, for the schools that they'll attend, for the friends they'll meet, and for the kind of home that we'll build? I'd tell you dead-serious important!

There was this one time in all of my 4 years in school where we were stopped by some cultists and they actually flashed a gun to get us to stop. This time I was in my final year, so I was already used to school and wasn't that afraid anymore - but you'll stop when there's a gun involved, won't you? Lol. They asked what year we were in and we answered and said final year. They called one of us, and said the rest of us could go. Of course, we took a few steps forward and waited for him because you won't just pull our friend out and ask us to leave, and I don't fully remember if they actually got any money from him, but we all left untouched.

Prior to this experience, I was dating someone who about 2 other cultists liked. They found out we were dating one time and I remember her friend came into the student lodge one evening and said I shouldn't step out that night. No jokes. Our church and provision store were on the same street as the student lodge so we would walk down the road to get to church or buy a few items so eventually I had to go out. A lot of them usually sat outside that area cause there were popular lodges around there, but not one time was I stopped, confronted, questioned, attacked, or anything.

It was a while after school that I remembered that afternoon where I sat on the couch. I was praying for something, but I had some doubts. Then the Holy Spirit plays out a reminder in my mind that made me pause for a bit. I felt overwhelmed with the realization that God actually answered my prayer. It was an amazing feeling. And even though I've had some doubts sometimes (I know, it's giving 'children of Israel' behavior), I am so assured that God hears me. So I pray for my wife, I pray for my children; unmarried. I pray for the jobs we'll have. For my children's friends - that they will be good influences. And that everything in me or in my future wife right now that'll set us up for failure, God does the work of breaking, changing, remolding, healing, even from right now.

So, if you're experiencing some breaking, changing and healing in your life; somebody might be praying somewhere. And I hope that with my story and with the assurance that we find in scriptures that God hears us when we pray, you see reason for you to pray for the future too. Cheers!