I laughed as I started praying this morning. I know that laughter and prayer don’t normally go together for most people, but it happened during some of my prayer time this morning. I awoke at 3:45 as in the AM, this has actually started to be a regular time for me. So I start praying, usually I go back to sleep in a few minutes. This morning I didn’t go back to sleep, so I kept praying.

As I continued to pray, still lying in bed (I was hoping to fall back asleep), I just began to laugh. I was laughing at the fact that it was now a little after 4:00 am and I was having a conversation with the Lord almighty. I laughed because I was lying in bed in Illinois praying for kids and grandkids in Kenya, Africa, in Michigan and in Iowa and thought how improbable and amazing that we would be in these places. I laughed because in a few hours I would be preaching, this was funny to me because I know me and I know how I was growing up. I laughed and thought I better go ahead and get up before I wake up my wife. At 4:15 am she probably wouldn’t be happy and might not laugh with me.

As I got up I kept praying and prayed for several people who are going through some difficult circumstances, some people who have some major physical stuff going on, some people who are fellow pastors and will be preaching today as well and some people who are running from God.

As I began to get ready for the day I kept praying. The prayer moved to praying for the worship service, for me to present God’s Word with passion and conviction, for our Sunday School teachers, for the worship team and for all need to attend this morning. I prayed for other pastors and churches in our town, that they would preach the word and that the Holy Spirit would dominate their worship.

I am laughing, well it is more of a chuckle at the moment (what exactly is the difference between a laugh and a chuckle?), as I type this in my office. I am laughing because I am full of joy and know that if God can use me as a pastor he can use anyone for anything. I sense that God is chuckling along with me on this one.

Here’s hoping you have joy in prayers today.

Dennis