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A Texas couple is praising a state trooper who originally pulled them over for a traffic stop and ended up praying with them.

Lanell McGee James of Conroe, Texas tells FOX 35 News that she and her husband, Mar James, were driving to Dallas on Sunday after a death in the family. She says as they were going through Madisonville, a state trooper pulled them over for a non-speeding violation.

Trooper Bates asked the couple where they were headed.

"I told him we were going to Dallas because we had a death in the family. He asked was it immediate and I said 'yes' my husband's brother. He said 'oh I’m sorry to hear that, do you know where he is?' My husband answered 'yes at the morgue' and the officer responded 'no he is now in his heavenly home.'"

To the couple's surprise, the trooper then asked if he could pray with them.

"He removed his hat, asked to hold our hands and he prayed with us. I have NEVER had this happen before but it was everything that we needed at that moment. Thank you so much, Trooper Bates, for praying with us!"


"With so much going on nowadays with police killing people and people killing the police as well as racial tensions, I felt compelled to share this picture," Lanell wrote on Facebook.

The photo has been shared more than 42,000 times.