Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie Davis.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Debbie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
After graduating from TCU with a computer science degree and working in the aerospace research and development industry, I decided to come back and help with our family’s small businesses. My husband and I were beginning to start a family. After going through a lot of hardships and tough times, my life’s perspective was changed from being so career success, perfection, and monetary oriented to asking God, “Why am I really here?”, “There must be more to this life.” After realizing that I can’t do anything on my own, and that I need God’s help and direction, I surrendered my life to Jesus and asked God to take control of my life. I realized that my life was not all about me, but it was all about God and his purposes that He has for me. I started reading the Bible to see what God had to say to me and to learn more about God. This began my close personal relationship with God and my new life filled with hope, joy, peace, and purpose. It opened my eyes to a much bigger picture of life and a much better life when you put God first.
Project Prayer started, in 2005, when my oldest of four sons was going into 8th grade. In our community, I had heard from many sources who didn’t know I had an 8th grader, that the incoming 8th grade class was not a very good class and had many issues. Being very concerned I asked myself, “What can I do?” I had just gotten involved in a Bible Study, and I thought, “I know.
I can pray for them.” After learning that my son’s class had over 350 students, I thought that it would be an impossible task. I remembered how the power of prayer and God had helped my family tremendously. I knew that getting my son’s class prayed for would have wonderful results. Then God gave me the idea for Project Prayer, and easy way to cover a group of people in prayer on a regular basis.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There were definitely struggles along the way. The first one was how to logistically get 350 students covered in prayer on a regular basis. The second one was fear of being rejected when I asked parents if they wanted to take a prayer card to help pray for their child’s class. Since then, we have gone from clip boards and paper signup sheets walking the bleachers of sporting events, to email invitations and email groups, to Facebook groups, and also to Group Me text groups to get the word out, to find out who is interested in helping, and to let people know how they can get a prayer card.
Please tell us about Project Prayer.
Project Prayer is a non-profit ministry that was created in 2005 to bring honor and glory to God by enlightening people about the power of prayer and to let the power of prayer transform and help our students. We have a website and Facebook page which describes how you can easily get a group of people covered in prayer on a regular basis. We use the yearbook of classes to scan in or type in the students’ names. For other groups, you just need a list of the people you want prayed for. The names are divided up onto prayer cards, usually 10 to 15 per card. On the back of the prayer card is prayer ideas. They are kept in a vinyl passport holder and passed out to parents or people who care about the students or persons. The people are asked to pray for the individuals on their card, at their own leisure, according to their own schedules. If that Project Prayer group would like to, they can meet together once a year at a coffee house to exchange prayer cards and get a new list of names. You can also use your network of praying people to pray for special situations or when an emergency happens to a member of the group you are praying for.
We are known for being a non-denominational, loving organization who wants each student prayed for as some students don’t have anyone praying on their behalf. We believe strongly in the power of prayer and that God can work miracles easily, at any time. “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27
What I am most proud of is that God in that first start up year, got the 8th through 12th grade of Aledo Independent School District covered in prayer. That’s roughly 2400 students. We had so many parents volunteer to take prayer cards that most of the students had more than one person praying for them. Every year since, a new 8th grade class Project Prayer has started up. The people continue praying for the students through their senior year, so for the last 12 years all of Aledo’s 8th through 12th grade classes have been lifted up in prayer on a regular basis. God has done many wonderful things through those students and praying parents. Project Prayer has spread to other schools and organizations. We are trying to get the word out even more, so that other groups can be prayed for.
What sets us apart is that we don’t need any money to run our organization. We just need prayers.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood is our summer family vacations when we would go to Padre Island, especially when my brothers and sister and I would chase crabs at night.
Contact Info:
- Address: 12601 Cleburne Hwy.,
Cresson, TX 76035 - Website: www.projectprayer.org
- Phone: 817-300-4353
- Email: projectprayer@yahoo.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/projectprayer77
Image Credit:
Locations Photography
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