Puzzle Prayer Time
Puzzle Prayer Time
The beautiful white-haired grandma sat silently beside me as our car rolled down the Interstate. Marcia Starr Ballestero, my devoted wife of fifty years, was letting her thoughts and heart focus on the needs of a family member.
Small talk between us had died out when she picked up her iPad. From the corner of my eye I could see that she was doing it again. She does it at home too, almost every day.
She was going through her camera roll and albums looking for a specific photo. That’s her pattern. Today she chose one of our children and their spouse. Some times she chooses a picture of just one person, other times it may be a couple or even their whole family. Once in a while she chooses a picture of us.
The selected photo is then imported into her jigsaw puzzle app. Her gentle fingers begin to move over the hundreds of pieces. She moves them here and there trying to make them fit where she thinks they should go.
Her puzzles may last an hour or two, sometimes longer. The attraction she has for puzzles isn’t so much her love for games, but it actually is part of her family prayer time.
As she moves each piece of the puzzle into place, she is praying silently. She is praying for every aspect of their life. She prays for their soul, their marriage, their health, their finances and their home.
I do my best not to interrupt her puzzle prayer time. She methodically attempts to make pieces fit in place. Often she gets it right the first time. Other times not. When it becomes a trial and error project, it is like real-life to her. Her prayer focus is on the missing pieces in that person’s picture. Loving fingers slide over the face, sometimes the heart and then lingers a moment.
- I wonder, is she praying for their heart?
- Is she praying for them to make right decisions?
- Is she praying for God to keep them safe?
- I never ask.
When she is finished, she will hold the photo up for me to see. When I compliment her on the beautiful picture, she smiles. I know that there was a lot of love and prayer put into that puzzle. How much? Only God and her know.
No one else in our family knows about this. Our children and grandchildren do not even know. But heaven knows that there is a loving Mother and Grandmother who is trying to make the pictures of her family turn out right by asking for God’s help to find the missing pieces and put them in the right place.
Apostolic Expository Series
Christy Ballestero (My Beautiful DIL)
http://marciaballestero.com/
Pastor Anthony & Kim Ballestero, New Destiny Worship Center, Clearwater, FL (My Son)
Pastor Bryan & Christy Ballestero, Temple Of Pentecost, Raleigh, NC (My Son)
James Groce Blog – "Toward The Mark"
Kenneth Bow Blog
Kingdom Speak Podcast
Philip Harrelson – "The Barnabas Blog"
Verbal Bean Ministries
Holy Ghost Radio
The Ballestero Blog 
That is really special. Thank you for sharing this with us! I love you both and miss you!
Marty
October 12, 2015 at 11:20 am
Just pure love! Precious!!!
Ramona Yandris
October 12, 2015 at 11:24 am
What a wonderful idea! Prayer time about a certain person or family should be that special. Thank you for sharing this. God bless you both!
Sis Jennifer
October 12, 2015 at 12:06 pm
She is such an amazing lady. Her prayers for me are the reason I’m here. I appreciate you both more than words can express.
Brywczynski
October 12, 2015 at 12:43 pm
This is beautiful. So neat. Didn’t realize there was an app like that.
Thank you for sharing.
Heidi F
October 12, 2015 at 12:49 pm
Another timely post, sure enjoyed being with you @ McLain, MS last week God Bless
uamos2014
October 12, 2015 at 1:59 pm
Love this!!! Love you both too!!
Carlene
October 12, 2015 at 8:38 pm
Thanks for the post loved it
Jerre B
October 12, 2015 at 8:56 pm
This blog was such an inspiration! What a precious thing for Marcia to do, as she lovingly puts the pieces together, to pray for her children and grandchildren. Thank you for writing this beautiful blog!
Nila Marxer
October 13, 2015 at 1:29 am
i loved hearing her speak at Ladies Conference last week..what a pattern for other ladies to follow!!
Karen Donohoo
October 13, 2015 at 10:51 am
Amazing blog. Thank you for sharing with all of us!
Anthony Ballestero
October 13, 2015 at 1:10 pm
What a Lady like expression of love and genuine care! I’m not surprised that she came up with such a special way to focus on loved ones! We pray for you both and love you!
Denny Morris
October 13, 2015 at 9:49 pm
Beautiful and inspiring! Thank you for sharing! Bless you both!
Carol Johnston
October 14, 2015 at 1:27 am
That was wonderful … It made me cry … Everyone needs to read this .
Sue Pinell
October 14, 2015 at 9:50 am
This is absolutely beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing this with us, Bro. Ballestero! God bless you both!
Charlotte Mills
October 17, 2015 at 6:58 am
This is beautiful and powerful! Thank you for sharing this.
Tselot Kifle
October 22, 2015 at 12:44 pm
Oh! I will get this app if I can find it! Love this so much! Thank you!
Tess
December 26, 2015 at 5:49 pm
Being a grandmother I can understand her love for family…precious lady!
Patty hines
July 8, 2016 at 3:28 pm