Over the years I’ve told this to a handful of people, but I’ve never written it out, let alone shared it with a large audience… So, here goes. This is for all of you on my “list:”

You may not know this but I love you. (Or more honestly, over time, I’ve come to love you.)

I care about you, what happens to you.

I’ve lain awake nights wondering how you’re doing, where you are these days, how things are going. I hurt for the hurts I’ve heard about in your life.

I pray for you.

I have been praying for you, many of you for years now, some for over 30 years...

I’ve prayed that you would have peace. That you would know love. That you would come to faith. That you will walk with God. That you will know the Lord’s blessing. That on Judgment Day, you’ll be on God’s list.

You see, you’re on my list.

Years ago I was reading in Acts 27, how Paul was caught up in a storm at sea. Their ship “was a cork in the storm.” They all knew they were sinking. “All hope was gone.” They knew all 276 of them were going to die.

But Paul stands up in the middle of the storm and he addresses the whole crew. He says,

“…take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘…God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.”

They were all in the same boat. In God’s eyes, their destinies had become intertwined. God was going to make it all work out.

I went to work that night and looked around me and began to ask God for the safety of everyone in my “boat.” Ever since then, I’ve looked around at the folks God has put me with, those of us “all in the same boat…” Over the years, God has even reconnected me with or reminded me of people from my past, people who’d shared my boat.

As we shared that piece of life together, and especially as I’ve prayed for you, you’ve taken a deep place in my heart.

And along the way, I’ve found the faith—the confidence—to ask God that, like Paul, I would be granted the lives, the eternal lives, of everyone I’ve “sailed with” over the years. That I will look around in heaven and take count, and that not one of you will be lost.

Hopefully this doesn’t freak you out too much—that I’ve asked God for you. That I’m still looking out for you, guarding you in prayer, going to God over you (yes, even you!)

Even as I’m writing this, I see your face.

And in some way I can’t quite explain I feel like God has promised me something about you. That I should take courage.

So don’t make me wait. Let me know how you’re doing, would you? And if you think maybe there’s something more I have to offer you than my prayers, just ask.

And don’t keep asking God to wait. Turn to Him while there’s still time, before this boat goes down.