I had gone to Montreal in December for a friend's wedding. I was unprepared for the bitter cold and its numbing effect on my sightseeing interests. The day after my arrival, I decided to go to an underground shopping mall where I could purchase some warm winter boots. As I hailed down a taxi, the wind lashed across my face. I gave the driver the address of a store that an acquaintance had recommended and I arrived at my destination some 15 minutes later. I paid the driver, exited the cab, and tried to get my bearings. By the time I realized that I was in a totally residential neighborhood instead of anywhere near a shopping mall, the driver had sped away.
I was hopelessly lost. There were only attached houses sitting atop steps as far as the eye could see. I had no choice but to knock on someone's door and hope that they would be kind to a stranger.
I climbed the first set of stairs that I saw. As I reached the top, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw a reassuringly familiar sight. A mezuzah was affixed to the doorpost of the home. Presumably, the owner was Jewish and might be willing to help a fellow Jew.
I rang the doorbell, not knowing what to expect. After what seemed like a long time to me, a woman's voice behind the door asked me to identify myself. I sheepishly admitted that I was a lost American who was trying to find my way to a boot store. The voice replied that there were no stores in that neighborhood. She seemed to think that I might be using a ploy to gain entrance into her house.
I tried again. "I am a Jewish woman who came here for a friend's wedding. I was staying in Cote St. Luc, and got bad directions to get to a store. I'm hopelessly lost. Could you please tell me how I can get a cab back to the shopping area?" I pleaded.
There was silence. I tried once more. "Don't open the door for me. You don't know who I am. But could you please call a taxi to take me to the underground mall?"
I was soon to find out that Someone had a more important plan for me than buying a pair of boots.
Still, no answer. Yet I heard the unmistakable sounds of releasing chains and unbolting locks, and the door slowly opened a few moments later.
A short woman in her sixties, with reddish-brown hair swept up in a bun, stood before me. She was at least a head shorter than me, plump, and wore a shapeless black dress with open-toed shoes. She sized me up very quickly and bid me to come in. "My, my," she exclaimed, "it's freezing out there. Come in, come in." With a wave of her hand, she ushered me into her modest living room. "Can I get you a cup of tea?"
"No, thanks," I declined, "but thank you for letting me come in. I'm sure it must be a little worrisome having a stranger come to your door."
"Yes, it was," she admitted, "because I live alone. You looked innocent enough, though. What are you doing in this neighborhood?" she inquired.
"I really don't know myself. I can't imagine how I ended up here. By the way, how far away is the address on this piece of paper?" I asked.
The lady studied the paper carefully and replied, "That's on the other side of town. It will take you half an hour to get there at this time of day."
"In that case, I guess that I'll just forget about shopping and get a cab back to my hostess' house where I'll be staying for the weekend. Can you help me order a cab from here?" I wondered.
"I'll be happy to," the lady replied, "only it will take them about twenty minutes to get here. Make yourself comfortable in the meantime."
My first order of business was to take off my coat and enjoy the warmth emanating from the radiator. As the woman called the taxi, I wondered why in the world I had ended up so far from my destination. I was not pleased about spending the rest of the weekend without a warm pair of boots. And I was very annoyed at having wasted the day going absolutely nowhere. I was soon to find out that Someone had a more important plan for me than buying a pair of boots.
The woman sat back against her faded green couch and reassured me that the taxi would be here soon. In the meantime, she was a very gracious hostess and asked me where I was from.
"Well, I'm originally from Baltimore, but I've lived in New York for the past few years," I replied.
"Are you religious?" she inquired.
I wondered if there were something about my appearance that broadcast that I was. "Yes," I acknowledged, "why do you ask?"
"If you're religious, and you're from Baltimore, then you'll appreciate the story that I'm going to tell you. I'm not religious, but my son is. He became religious when he was 15 years old. I was happy for him. He wanted to go to a religious school and decided that the best place for him would be at Ner Israel yeshiva in Baltimore. When he came home for the summer, I was not feeling so well. Before he went back to school, he insisted that I see a doctor. I told him that I didn't think I needed to, but that if it would make him happy, I would go.
The doctor told my son that I had a tumor the size of a grapefruit in my stomach.
"So, he came with me to see my doctor. The doctor did some tests on me and told me that everything was fine. He then told my son to go into his office and he spoke with my son for a few minutes. I didn't know it at the time, but he told my son that I had a tumor the size of a grapefruit in my stomach. My son was stunned, and didn't know what to say. The doctor told him that I couldn't be expected to live for more than three months, and that there was nothing medical that anyone could do to help me.
"My son didn't say a word to me about that conversation. He went back to school a few days later and told someone there what happened to me. That friend told the head of the yeshiva. The head of the yeshiva announced that all of the boys and men in the school would pray for me at every prayer service, three times a day.
"My son came home for winter break three months later and insisted that I see the doctor. I didn't know why he wanted me to go since I felt fine, but he wouldn't stop bothering me about it. I wanted him to be happy, so I finally went. The doctor did some tests and told me that I was fine. Then he called my son in the room with me and asked if I had done anything out of the ordinary since I saw him last. I said, "No."
"The doctor then explained that the grapefruit-sized, lethal tumor that he had seen three months earlier had completely vanished without a trace. He had no explanation for it.
"My son did, and he told both of us what happened.
"I'm not a religious person, but isn't the power of prayer amazing? It saved my life."
"That was eight years ago," the woman explained. "I've been in fine health ever since. I'm not a religious person, but isn't the power of prayer amazing? It saved my life."
Now I understood why I had ended up in this woman's living room instead of in a shoe store. I had prayed for so many things for years and it had seemed that many of my prayers had gone unanswered. I knew that prayer could result in the One Above changing people's lives, but it had been a long time since it happened for me. My prayers had become so lackluster that even though I prayed twice a day, I usually thought about all kinds of matters that had nothing to do with the words of prayer that I uttered. When I thanked God that my body functioned, I didn't feel grateful. While I asked the Almighty to give me health, or financial success, or wisdom, I might be concentrating on what I would eat for breakfast while I gave lip service to the words that I recited. As I requested that my Creator hear my prayers, I was often so distracted that I was mentally focused on what I would do at work that day. It seemed I had stopped viewing prayer as something to take seriously.
This woman's son, and those who prayed for her in the yeshiva, truly believed in the power of prayer. They believed that if God created the world and runs it, He can surely, and often does, intervene in the lives of His creations. Prayer can create a spiritual conduit for this to happen. We have to pray seriously, though, if we want prayer to be effective. If we pray with sincerity, there is no such thing as an unanswered prayer. We may not always get the answers that we want, but we will always be heard and be answered.
That blustery day in Montreal a divine Hand guided me to an unintended destination because there was a message that I needed to hear. The encounter with this woman was a catalyst for me to realize that my prayers simply weren't what they could be. With prayer, we can change the world. When we don't change the world, sincere prayers are never wasted if we use them to change ourselves and foster a closer relationship with the One to whom we pray.
I now know, with the passage of time, that many of my prayers were answered. I simply hadn't gotten the answers that I had wanted to hear at the time that I prayed. When we are equally ready to hear a "No" from our loving Heavenly Parent as a "Yes" because we value the relationship and any communication that we receive, our prayers can take us to a different dimension. The prayers of the boys in the yeshiva undoubtedly took them to Heaven. The woman I met was the beneficiary of prayers that brought Heaven down to earth.
In honor of the birth of Gavriel Nosson |
(33) william savoy, January 29, 2020 2:22 PM
Prayer is about what God wants - which is this: for us to have a closer relationship with him. When we are contented and thankful for what we have - then God increases our material blessings. Answered prayer is our relationship with our Creator. Material comforts follow this.
(32) Patsy cervantes, April 3, 2017 2:41 AM
Great story
It was what I needed. There is no word for coincidence. Thank you
(31) Cyril B. Wells, June 15, 2014 6:25 PM
Awe inspiring!
Great is the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting
(30) Joan Marie, June 8, 2014 7:13 PM
A better idea?
My grandmother used to say that sometimes God answers us with a yes, sometimes with a "not now" and often with "I've got a better idea." Over the years I have found this to be so true! Great article.
(29) Anonymous, June 6, 2014 6:25 PM
Yes He answers prayers.
Yes He answers prayers in His way and in His time.
(28) Bishop francis O. Adeniran, June 6, 2014 6:28 AM
life without God is full of soorow
this is a great piece. when you discover how powerless you are without God, you will require for divine help, favor and grace to go through life from God via faith-filled prayer lifestyle. The infinitives of God's power, makes life enjoyable at the end of it all.
(27) Jewell, June 5, 2014 1:59 PM
Awesome!
Thank you for your wonderful story, it was just what I needed to hear today!
(26) kakooza, July 1, 2013 4:58 PM
good to learn how our prayers are answered
It is inspiring to hear how our prayers are answered. Actually some of the answers are invisible to our eyes. Just imagine that very night before bed, you ask God to protect you but since you have lived for years you think its normal to wake up fine yet 1000s die in the night. In the morning you make that short prayer for daily protection and God protects from accidents.., but since you travel and come back fine every day, you think its just normal to go and come back fine yet many die in accidents in the same vehicle or train or plane you used that very day or yestarday
(25) Anonymous, March 4, 2012 1:02 PM
I believe good things happen to good people
I found myself in Germany on a train to the airport travelling the wrong direction. A person that was told to drive me to the airport put me on the wrong train, After a large number of catastropic events a local family who's son spoke perfect english took me to a place where I could call for help (i had no money they were very kind) I managed to catch my flight thanks to the kindness of strangers. The person that should have driven me, not put me on a train will never find themselves so lucky! Kindness breeds kindness
(24) Anonymous, January 6, 2011 4:44 AM
Very touching story and one that's good for inspiration to many.
(23) Anonymous, October 26, 2010 2:04 PM
a constant prayer for my son
As a child I was brought up in a religious home and can appreciate the power of prayer and the security one feels in having complete faith in the Almighty. After I left my parents home and entered a new life of my own with my husband (who is not religious) I gradually deviated from the norm of my religious environment of my childhood years, into a life where my religious standards increasingly became less dominant. Although I always knew that my previous beliefs should have remained alive, I feel that my life now has altered my belief in whether or not I deserve GOd's help. I have three sons whom I love equally, two of them T.G. are settled down. One of my sons (the eldest) is finding it difficult to find his niche in life. I know and believe that there is nothing more genuine than a mother's prayer for her children no matter what her religious status, I just can't help thinking whether my lifestyle has a subconscious bearing in my belief that my prayers will be truly answered.
Miriam, September 8, 2011 4:55 AM
Did you ever hear the story of King Menashe?
King Menashe served idols and even put them in the Bais Hamikdash! (And he was raised by his father, the tzadik King Chizkiyah.) When the enemy king captured him and put him in a frying pan toYou exist, save me." (The athiest's prayer!) And Hashem saved him! The Malachim couldn't believe it! Hashem told them, "If I don't save him, I'm closing the door for all future people who do teshuva." So the door is always open! Daven that Hashem should bring you back to Him!
(22) Benjamin Ng'ang'a, September 16, 2010 6:24 AM
Thank you very much for this life moving story. Its true, we serve a God who listens to every word uttered to him in prayer. Here in Kenya, we have a saying that God does'nt have a dustbin for our prayers. as such we can always expect Him to act no matter the severity of the circumstances that we sometimes find ourselves in.
(21) Sylvia, May 18, 2010 4:14 PM
Thank You for your story.
Thanks very much for your story, it's what I needed to hear today.
(20) melanie, May 6, 2010 3:46 AM
i believe in the power of prayer every time i feel hopeless what i do is pray to God because i know he has the answer on all my problems i thought he failed me once when my father died of cancer and i am praying for him to give me miracles since then i lost my faith on prayers and do not pray anymore but recently when i felt i need him and ask for an answer on my prayers he granted it then i realized that maybe he has reasons why he did not grant my prayer before i bowed to myself to talk to god and pray with sincerity more often as what i used to do before
(19) john nyauncho, October 14, 2009 8:39 PM
prayer is a powerful weapon
I have read this article and totally agree with the contents , God answers prayers. I too know that if one prays in faith it's answered just in time and in a way one can never imagine.
(18) Angela Bascombe, September 6, 2009 4:01 AM
Answered Prayers
Very powerful article,I have be distracted during my prayers, now that I have read your article I will focus more when I pray.
(17) B M Daudet, April 5, 2009 11:36 AM
Answered Prayers
I have indeed throughly enjoyed this story. I am a very strong believer in prayer and in finding this article, was an answer to my question I prayed about this morning. God is good, and god is great and he does answer all of our prayers.
(16) Gary, December 9, 2008 4:29 AM
Wonderful
God will never fail to amaze me.What a wonderful and inspiring story.
(15) Anonymous, September 9, 2008 5:11 AM
Gives hope
The story has boosted my faith and spirit. Yes, we may think our prayers are not answered but when one is looking back one could see that the prayer was indeed answered but not in the manner in which one wanted. I pray at times and wonder why God is not answering me but later realised that He had answered but not in the manner I wanted to see the answer. There are also times when I pray but feel that my prayer is empty and not going anywhere, this story has taught me to be sincere and have faith when praying
(14) Benz L. Modia, March 26, 2008 7:23 AM
I feel encouraged
I am going through financial crisis at the moment and have been praying for a breakthrough. Your testimony has boosted my faith and I believe that, sincere prayer will give me results
(13) Darlene, December 2, 2007 7:03 PM
Lovely story
What a lovely story. It gives me hope. Iam going to pray right now.
(12) Jen, July 28, 2006 12:00 AM
I believe God hears all prayers
I know I'm not the best person in the world, but I believe God has listened all my prayers. He hasn't answered my prayers on my time but on his time, and I just learned to wait and keeping my faith alive, I know there is a God and that HE loves all of us. I give thanks to HIm because he is my strength and my Father in heaven and because if I fall HE is there to help me back up and he even loves me when I'm wrong because I'm HIS child.
(11) Judith, March 11, 2006 12:00 AM
Dear Dr.Aiken, thank you so much for your story.At this time in my life i sometimes find it difficult to pray.Because i feel like i have choises to make and it'not easy. Stories like your's give me hope that Someone hears and sees me ,even when it doesn't feel that way.Thank you very much!
(10) Walter Brown, November 20, 2005 12:00 AM
Unanswered Prayer
Reading your story reminds me of a desire that I have which most likely will not be fullfilled. I have come to the place that perhaps I am out of Gods will and therefore he will not answer my prayers.I will not blame him if he doesn't.
(9) Anonymous, July 6, 2004 12:00 AM
Good article
Dr. Aiken: I read your book - "The Art of Jewish Prayer," which i still re-read at times. This was a very nicely written article. I enjoyed it. Thank you
(8) Michal, January 10, 2004 12:00 AM
You helped me to take a "No" as an aswer
Dear Dr. Aiken,
Thanks very much for your story.
It brought to my mind anew that also a "No" from our Heavenly father is a answer full of love.
I had found that hard after hearing many times a "Yes". You told me, I heard it and now I have something to learn. Be blessed with everything you do! Shalom u'vracha! Michal
(7) raye, March 11, 2003 12:00 AM
Thank you for reminding me.
Prayer should never be the automatic mouthing of words but rather heartfelt and thoughtful outpouring of humble petitions to G-d
(6) Paul Acedera, December 9, 2002 12:00 AM
Very inspiring article. Thank you for sharing this...could not have come at a better time.
(5) sarah shapiro, December 8, 2002 12:00 AM
a wonderful piece
(4) Dolly, December 2, 2002 12:00 AM
Very up lifting..
I have Breast Cancer..and my husband has Bladder Cancer..I have Prayed and Prayed..that our Cancers do not spread..
Reading about "Prayers always being answered" helped give me courage..
Dolly aka Bea
(3) Anonymous, December 2, 2002 12:00 AM
what an amazing, uplifting and inspiring story!
(2) raisy wiesel, December 2, 2002 12:00 AM
prayer
Dolly/Bea
I will pray for you and your husband as well. Please live your lives as joyfully and fearlessly as is possible. May you both be blessed with good life!
(1) Eva Kudrin, December 2, 2002 12:00 AM
Prayer Works
This summer my brother was diagnosed with head/neck cancer. The radiologist said they could control it for 2 years. The tumor board that reviewed the case gave him 2-3 months to 2 years to live. He stayed with me and went through treatment. All the time I cried and prayed that his tumor would shrink or be encapsulated and not spread or grow any further. At the end of his treatment they sent him home with the same answer. They could not operate because the tumor was too large, up against his brain and took up most of his neck. I could see the ugly thing sticking out the side of his neck. It was bad. Although it was hard I kept hoping, crying and praying. All the while thinking, who am I that G-d would answer my prayers in a positive manner? A month later they brought him back for more cat scans and another biopsy. I thought what a waste of time and money since when he went home they couldn't operate or do more for him. So after the cat scans and biopsy he flew back home. Again, I cried and did more praying. Then the doctor called and left a message on my recorder that if he hadn't already left, for him not to leave that they had found something out. I was so tired of gloom and doom and bad news that I could not bring myself to call the doctor. I called home and left a msg for my brother to call the doctor instead. He left my home on Wednesday, Friday I had heard nothing so called home. The doctor was out of the office until Monday so we knew nothing. Tuesday, my sister called and left a message on my recorder they were on their way back to town. Finally on Friday my sister called me from the hospital and said they had arrived on Thursday, that my brother was in surgery. That he went in at 1 and would should be out at 4. I was very angry with her for not calling me and letting me know. She said my brother didn't want her to call me. So I rushed to hospital and we waited. At 5 p.m. the doctor came out and said he came through with flying colors and that he was clean. They took longer than normal because the radiation had scarred things and it was harder to pull things apart. He said my brothers case was "sort of" miraculous. The tumor had shrunk enough in the month that they could remove it. So, praying does help. I had all my friends praying and I sent my prayers to the wall. Believing in G-d does work! I went through a very hard struggle during this time with my faith. I couldn't understand how my G-d could let this happen. How could He be our G-d if He let this happen? I finally had to look at what was happening to the Jews and how they were proclaimed the chosen and even though they were the chosen they were having to go through much worse on a daily basis. Prayer does work. Everyone needs to pray not just for yourself, but the whole world. I do.