By Nikita Haynie
Sunday March 30, 2019 was a normal Sunday. I woke up. I went to church. I partook in brunch with two close friends, and I came home and took the infamous “after church nap.” When I arose from my nap, my inbox held a text from my best friend: “I feel so bad for Lauren London.” In my sleepy stupor, I was unaware of the tragic event that occurred, Nipsey Hussle was killed outside of his business. Ironically the night before I viewed a post on Lauren’s Instagram profile of her expressing the joy of being a mother but also the woe of getting sick when your children are sick. My spirit has been vexed since the news of Nipsey Hussle broke. The magnitude of Nipsey’s philanthropy and compassionate spirit towards the black community moved me to the core in addition to thinking about the devastation Lauren London is experiencing broke my heart. This pain reminded me unfortunately of a constant painstaking truth: It could have been any one of us, our dad, uncle, cousin, brother, son, coworker, classmate, colleague, partner and the hard truth: BLACK PEOPLE ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE ENDANGERED EVERY SINGLE DAY. Lauren London and her family’s life changed literally in 24 hours. I believe in the power of intercession and that it is the powerful act of praying on someone else’s behalf. 1 Timothy 2:1 states, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them” (NLT). This prayer is a prayer of intercession for Lauren London and our black community.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray for your daughter Lauren London and her beautiful family during this difficult time. I pray that your angels engulf her in love and comfort. Your word didn’t say this life would be without trials and tribulations, but that we must lean not on our own understanding but lean into you. There will be moments of immense grief and sadness but even in those moments, I ask that Lauren lean into you Lord and you become her refuge. Psalm 34:18 says, The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Lord, I pray that you are her strength and you give her supernatural endurance. I pray that their children and the rest of the family will carry Nipsey’s legacy Lord and continue to do the good work that Nipsey represented. May his spirit live on through them Lord. We pray for justice because vengeance belongs to you and the enemy will not win. I pray that the prayers of those who love and support Lauren and her family carry them through this tumultuous time. May your angels and Holy Spirit bring healing, understanding, and peace.
Lastly, Lord, I pray for your black and brown children. Daily we are experiencing turmoil, Father. I ask that you cover us in your mercy and grace Lord. Protect us from the inequities against us. I pray for a spirit of unmatched unity amongst your black and brown children, for divided we fall but together we can conquer a nation. We are your gift to the world, we are conquerors, we are your chosen people. I pray that every eye that reads this prayer begins to intercede on behalf of Lauren London and your black and brown people. “To say it another way, if two of you on earth agree on anything you pray for, my Father in heaven will do what you ask. Yes, if two or three people are together believing in me, I am there with them” (Matthew 18:19-20 NLT). In your precious and Sovereign name Amen.
May we remember the spirit and heart of Nipsey Hussle in the pursuit of purpose and let his words resonate: “The best thing you can do for a person is to inspire them. That’s the best currency you can offer: inspiration. So, when a person can rely on you for that, that empowers them in every realm of their life. Being inspired. It empowers them in their relationships, in their business, in their art, in their creativity. It empowers them because, without inspiration, you’re dry.”
May we all aspire to be an individual who inspires and be an agent of actionable change. May we all continue to lift our sister Lauren London and our community in prayer incessantly. #RestInPowerNipsey
Nikita Haynie is a Contributing Writer for the Pedestal Project, LLC. Nikita is a writer, author, and educator. She is a creative that writes content intersecting faith, black womanhood, and culture. Proud optimist. Follow her on Instagram: @thenikitahaynie. Check her out at NikitaHaynie.com
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