Barb Wise
In 1993, Barb was diagnosed as HIV positive and given only months to live. In a time of great pain and despair, God’s unconditional love was demonstrated to her through Rick Wise. Rick and Barb were headed toward marriage and Rick remained committed to her after the diagnosis. By God’s grace, they have been married for 13 years and Rick has remained HIV negative.

In 2002, they started presenting their story and have made more than 550 presentations. Rick and Barb founded WiseChoices, which uses their story of hope to educate audiences on understanding HIV/AIDS, forming healthy relationships, and restoring hope in marriage.

Barb offers this prayer. Hear prayer >> | May we pray for you? Share prayer requests >>

Dear Lord:

Please put your loving arms around the women in the world who are HIV positive. I ask you to meet our deepest needs to be loved, to be understood, and to be protected. I ask you to help us see who we are in your eyes and to keep us from letting HIV define us.

Especially at night, as our heads hit the pillow and we ponder our futures, I pray you bring the truth of your love to combat the lies. I pray your presence overcomes the feelings of isolation, rejection, and fear. I ask you to give us courage to trust you. I pray you will give us strength to focus on you and the future you have for us beyond what circumstances, doctors, or others say. I pray your voice is the loudest and your comfort and your faithfulness are known as reality.

I remember your faithfulness, Lord, the night I discovered my HIV status. I remember how every area of my life which I had built for security was now crumbling beneath me. And as I literally reached up my hand to you, Lord in the darkness I was certain of only one thing - I knew you would not let me go!

I pray each of us would know the depth, truth, and safety of this great love. I pray when we are sick and wonder what is next . . . I pray imagined fears would not have any power in the reality of our hope in you.

Lord, I ask you to bring people, supplies, and hope in real tangible ways into our lives. Lord, I ask you to use each of us to move at least one other person closer to ministering in the area of HIV/AIDS. I pray you move in lives and cultures to break stigma and to bring compassion. I pray you give us wisdom in moving forward to minister to one another.

Again, I pray Lord that being HIV positive would not define us, but would rather become a tool in helping us to grasp the hope and possible depth of our relationship with you.

And I pray now from Psalm 73 words of truth which offer hope:

“Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.”

May God be your portion.

Amen.