Hello Notch,

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

It seems there is one central disconnect, and as long as it remains, we’ll keep talking past each other.

That disconnect is how efficacious prayer actually is.

Thank you for sharing the story of your deconstruction. I know many people with similar experiences.

But I’m asking you to hear my story, as well: that’s not what I’m talking about when I talk about prayer.

Like I said earlier, prayer is my job.

People come to me in their worst places, when they’re in their darkest days, when they’re hurting more than they’ve ever hurt.

How do I help? Prayer.

And do you know how quickly it works?

Instantly.

I watch people go from intense pain to peace in the span of two minutes.

I watch physical pain healed in seconds and the absolute shock appearing on people’s faces when the thing that always hurt doesn’t hurt anymore.

I watch people go from rage so powerful the veins are bulging on their neck to being absolutely calm and at peace in minutes.

This stuff happens DAILY.

I watch us bring our greatest burdens to Jesus and experience Him handling them, right in front of our eyes, immediately.

And how long is my typical prayer?

One sentence.

Then I sit back and watch Him answer.

And He does.

Daily.

You keep trying to say that I have no way of knowing if this is Jesus answering prayers.

But I do. Absolutely.

Because people are in the worst pain, we ask Jesus to handle it, and He does. Five minutes later the problem is healed so thoroughly the person can’t even bring back the pain when they try.

I’m guessing you’ve never experienced prayer like this.

I’m guessing you were never taught prayer like this.

That’s not your fault. I’m sorry if those whose job it was to teach you didn’t have this kind of knowledge of prayer, or didn’t take the time to learn it.

But it is absolutely, entirely real — so much so that it is my day job. Jesus shows up so regularly, so constantly, so faithfully, so powerfully, every single day.