Cycles of Life

In my first grade teaching, we talk about the cycle of life in several forms. The cycle of the butterfly from egg to caterpillar to cacoon to butterfly is a favorite. And of course the children like to learn about the life cycle of the frog from eggs to tadpoles to frogs.
We also learn about the water cycle...clouds to precipitation to puddles to evaporation and back again to clouds.
I've been contemplating this cycle of life in regard to prayer.
The prayer starts with God, He gives us the "desire, the urge, the burden" to pray for someone or something. We then offer that prayer back up to the Lord, and at that point He is able to bring the answer to our prayer.
For the completion of that prayer, it must follow the "life cycle" of prayer.
Obviously, the Lord could do all this without out "help", but for reasons He understands, He has involved us in this life cycle of prayer.
In order for His work to be completed on this earth, He needs for us to participate in this spiritual cycle of life.
There are life cycles all around us, and it's exciting to be involved in one of the greatest cycles of life.