Charlotte Hornets Guard Jeremy Lin Extends Spiritual Support to Fans, Encourages Fans to Pray for One Another

Oct 08, 2015 02:38 PM EDT

Using his celebrity for God's glory, Charlotte Hornets point guard Jeremy Lin continues to extend spiritual support to fans and encourage them to intercede in prayer for one another via his year-old online prayer group.

"The JLIN team has been meeting to pray for your prayer requests and we wanted to invite you all to join us in praying," the 27-year-old athlete emailed his prayer group in a message titled "Jeremy Lin Prayer Requests 12."

"There were many prayer requests for similar things so we have summarized them below with our prayers for you all. Below that you'll find excerpts of individual prayer requests that you can pray for," Lin continued, closing with words of encouragement from Philippians 4:4-7.

In the email, Lin provides thoughtful prayers for healing, devotion, family, salvation, churches, provision, and for the world.

"Father I pray that all churches on earth will help teach their congregation to live lives that are transformed by the renewing of our minds," the athlete prays. "Then we will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. I I pray that the churches will work in unity, opening their doors to the community, the needy, and going into the world to show them what a compassionate God you are."

Lin specifically lifts the thousands of Syrian refugees up in prayer, as well as those in Taiwan and throughout Asia who are affected by the dengue fever outbreak.

"We pray that the epidemic would be contained quickly and that people would be healed.  Help those that are fearful to turn to you for comfort and strength," he writes.

The email also includes dozens of specific prayer requests from fans, all anonymous, which range from requests for physical and mental healing to spiritual revival and forgiveness.

"Continual guidance and wisdom when faced with all the seductions of this city, as I am surrounded by money, ambitions, and frivolity," writes one fan.

"That I would be a good example to Christ to all my employees, as well as my clients. That I would make the people a priority higher than the profits or prestige," adds another.

On his website, Lin said he decided to start his prayer group after a number of his supporters inquired about ways they could intercede on his behalf.

"The journey I've been on has had its ups and downs and I appreciate all of your support throughout. Some of you have asked how to pray for me so I decided to start a prayer group where I can send out requests for those that want to pray and support," Lin wrote.

"Please feel free to share with others you think would be interested. So much of what happens is out of our control, but prayer has been a place I have consistently found peace with God."

In last month's email, the NBA player asked fans to pray that his own personal relationship with God to flourish.

"I'm hoping that I can really strengthen my prayer life and take it to another level," Lin wrote in the email. "Prayer is an act of submission and humility, and I want to have random prayers throughout the day be more instinctual."