ANTHEM, ARIZ. - The Canyon church believes in prayer.

Twice, the Canyon church has embarked on “40 Days of Prayer” in which they pray by name for everybody in their community — 10,000 households in Anthem alone.

The first time, Jane Tilkey, an 80-year-old prayer warrior, took 800 names. Within days, a barely audible Tilkey called minister Tom Riley.

“What’s wrong?” Riley asked.

“Well, I’ve been praying and I’ve worn my throat out,” she replied.

Shawn White, Davina’s husband, said the experience of praying for strangers changes one’s perspective.

“I couldn’t get mad at people if I was in traffic or in the store,” he said, “because I might be praying for them.”

Oct. 1, 2007