One day I met Doug Coe, the influential behind-the-scenes leader of The Fellowship, host of the annual National Prayer Breakfast. I had been a Christian for twenty years, was forty three years old, and was an emerging Christian leader. Coe astonished me when he said, “I’ve been praying for you, that you would have…

the vision of Paul,

the patience of Job,

the loving-kindness of Jonathan,

the faith of Abraham,

the boldness of Peter,

the temperance of Daniel,

the gentleness of Moses,

and the love of Jesus Christ.”

I was so moved that I asked him to repeat it slowly enough so I could write down what he said—I’m looking at that piece of paper as I write.

The impression has been enduring. Today I pray for other men all the time.