Does Prayer really affect anything?

I recently spoke with a small group of folks about the outcome of prayer.

I shared a brief question about two sets of parents who are struggling with a sick child, one who is suffering from leukemia.

For one set of parents, they prayed and prayed for the illness to slowly leave their child. With their knees bent, holy cards in hand, their child slowly began to return to health, sunshine and laughter.

For the other set of parents, they prayed until they could no longer speak. They lifted their hearts to heaven's gate pleading for their child's leukemia to be driven back into the abyss. Sadly, their child's soul was called to eternal rest. The sound of their broken hearts and shaking fists was all that was heard.

For one set of parents, they believe the power of prayer healed their child. For the other set of parents, prayer offered no power, it failed them terribly, their child's life ending in a veil of tears.

Your thoughts about the power of prayer.

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