Close to my Heart…..my trusted “prayer group” sisters!

About 40 some years ago I was a newcomer to Abilene, Texas, worshipping with my family of five at the University church of Christ.  My husband, Burl, was a newly-hired assistant track coach at ACU.

Our three children were early elementary and pre-school age.  Burl and I had both graduated from ACU, so we had acquaintances in Abilene, but were making many new friends.

I recall pretty vividly (for my going-on-77 year old mind!) the morning following worship in the church building auditorium when Carolyn Daniels approached me and asked me if I would like to be part of a ladies prayer group. My heart was thrilled and I immediately said “oh, yes!”  Our first meeting of eight ladies met  the following week for about an hour together.  I was only slightly acquainted with these women at the outset, but the Lord indeed brought together that day eight women of different talents, but with the kindred spirit of being in Christ!  Our combined children ranged in age from about 3 years old up into teenagers!

I share this because it is truly one of the greatest blessings of my life, and I’d love to challenge others who read and reflect on it to get your sisters together and commit to pray daily for each other, as we did those 40 years ago, and continue to meet each week up to this time! (Of course time has altered somewhat the make-up of our group.)   Our simple commitment was that we would pray for one another by name every day! This naturally would lead to praying for mates and children.

We all agreed on the ‘confidentiality’ of our commitment.  We could trust that what we discussed when we shared our needs went no further than our group, unless of course it concerned needs and events generally known by all our acquaintances, such as illnesses, family events, etc.

It is truly amazing that this group of dear friends have always honored the trust, without a single breach of our commitment.  When a Christian makes a ‘commitment’ of this kind, it should be taken very seriously, and has been, to our immense blessing!

Through the years we have lost Carolyn Daniels to cancer, and Earlene Speer, who passed on to her reward a few years after moving away from Abilene. Earline Perry’s huband, Lowell, was killed in a plane explosion during our first years together, and June Douglas, our preachers wife, left Abilene when she and Bob relocated to the west coast.  This left five of us, Jeanette Lipford, Smitty Brecheen, June Estes, Earline, and myself.  After a short time our dear friend, Kay McGlothlin joined in our prayer circle.  Burl and I eventually moved to the farm near Merkel and have since been members at the Merkel church, but I have continued to meet weekly with them.

Thru these years we have had many positive answers to prayers for our families, but also for many things we prayed about we had to be content with a “no” from the Lord.  Having the fellowship of discussion, Bible study, and prayer together helped strengthen us through all the occurrences in our lives thru these years.   Our grown children have been impacted by the knowledge that their moms have been praying together for them all their lives, and now for their children.  We get phone calls from grandchildren asking our prayer group to pray about significant (and some not so significant, too!) needs in their lives.  It is a huge blessing to us.  And, we trust, to them.

We realize one does not have to be involved in such a group to have strong, vibrant prayer lives.  But we have been strengthened and encouraged by this reliable, warm, “safe” group of friends in the Lord.  We have taken seriously the instruction to “confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another” found in James.  We have all found we are more consistent and constant in prayer because of this long-standing commitment.  As we age we anticipate the joy of crossing over into eternal life one by one and imagine the great reunion there in that “great cloud of witnesses.”

The familiar passage in Philippians 4:4-7 has grown so very comforting through all the stages of my life as a result of this prayer fellowship.  It reads “Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, ‘rejoice!’ Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  To an aging Christian woman it is wonderfully comforting to have the promise that God’s peace will guard my mind, as well as my ‘heart!’

Jan McCoy

Merkel, Texas