My unusual prayer list

Half way down a long stretch of the A3, on my way to work last month, the smoke started pouring out of the car radio. The only time this had happened to me before the car was a blazing wreck within 5 minutes, so my heart raced a little as I looked for somewhere to pull over. But this time, with a gentle "POP" the radio went silent, the smoke stopped, and everything seemed fine.

I'm a bit of a news junkie, so the Today programme is my usual companion on the morning drive to work. It has become part of my morning ritual. Thought for the day; the headlines; the ten past eight interview have all filled my mind with thoughts on the commute. But now there is silence. An enforced "news fast".

And like the other kind of fasting, it has taken me through some stages. First of all irritation (at the cost of replacing the radio). Then hunger: "I wonder what's happening?" Then wondering what to do with my head in the silence. And then working out that this is a great opportunity to use the time proactively. Suddenly, my journey to work has become an opportunity to pray. And I've developed an unusual prayer list.

• Restaurants: Driving down the main street of the suburb I live in, I pray for the progress of the gospel in the home countries of the restaurants I pass. South and North Korea, Japan and Italy all get a look in - and later on, Turkey and India/Pakistan/Bangladesh. I know missionaries in some of those countries, so they get prayed for too.
• Road names: There are a few road names that trigger associations with people I know. So when I turn down Chesterfield Road, I remember to pray for an old friend who comes from there.
• Sports grounds: I pass a golf course and a couple of leisure centres, so Christians in Sport sometimes comes to mind.
• Churches: and of course there are dozens of churches I pass - sparking prayer for their ministry, and the work of evangelism in the local area.

I'm very thankful that the radio broke - and I'm in no hurry to fix it.