I’m writing this as an encouragement to everyone who has been united in prayer for the complete recovery of Bridget Martin.

A significant number of people in New Zealand and in many other parts of the world have been united in prayer for Bridget forming a family of faith united in our love for Bridget and her family, and in our need to experience the healing action of God in Bridget. While we pray in many ways, a helpful focus for our prayer has been confidence in the intercession of our companion in this need Venerable Suzanne Aubert (image above) as we pray:

Thanks be to you O God for all you have done, are doing, and will do for Bridget.
Suzanne Aubert pray for Bridget 

The full form of this intercessory prayer is available on the Suzanne Aubert Website.

Because I get caught up and distracted by so many things during a day, I have set up a number of prayer reminders that helpfully interrupt my daily routine. These prompts act as a prayer bell calling me to turn to God in prayer for Bridget. One of my most successful prayer bells is the chime of my phone signalling a call an email or a text. Before reaching for my phone I take a couple of seconds to pray:

Thanks be to you O God for all you have done, are doing, and will do for Bridget.
Suzanne Aubert pray for Bridget

I do the same thing at every traffic light. If it’s green I pray as I pass through the intersection with an added prayer of gratitude to God for green lights. But I have found too that when I approach a red (or amber) light, I have a sense that God really is giving me an opportunity to stop completely, turn off the music, and take a full minute or two to pray for Bridget.

I have seen so many signs that God is hearing our prayer for Bridget. Dan reports “I am very pleased to say she is making good progress. She is moving her head a lot, her arms are active, opening her eyes as well as squeezing my hand tightly. Small movements in the legs. Although cannot verbally acknowledge us yet, she is doing so by nodding and raising her eyebrows. So very encouraging developments for us!! ☺. Please do not let up the thoughts and prayers for her. Suzanne Aubert, pray for us. Dan & family”

Thanks be to you O God for all you have done in Bridget’s healing to this point!

Another grace that I am savouring is the powerful experience of unity I have with all of you who are sharing in this prayer for Bridget. I have no doubt also that God is working powerfully not only in Bridget, but also among us. We had an experience of this at the prayer vigil a couple of weeks ago, and we also feel this powerfully when our social media posts, phone calls and emails to other parts of the country and around the world bring enthusiastic response. This morning I had an email from Chris, a friend in Wisconsin to say “there’s now at least thirty of us in the US invoking Suzanne Aubert daily for Bridget”.

So today, wherever we are and as grace abounds among us, let us renew our commitment to prayer for Bridget.