Good morning…
Though the church was closed in honor of Good Friday, our minister used his personal key to unlocked the Northside prayer chapel. A small group of us gathered around our dear friend who will begin her chemo treatments on Easter Monday morning. Our pastor opened the prayer time, he ended by leading us in song, and, into the sacred silence in between, different friends lifted aloud words of blessing, scripture verses of encouragement, and heartfelt prayers on behalf of this special woman we all dearly love. “Complete healing.” “Peace that passes understanding.” “Strength, protection, a willingness to allow friends to help carry the heavy load.” Midway through the Spirit led time, we gathered around and gently laid hands on our friend, expressing our love tangibly, up close, skin to skin. Into the air, we collectively breathed beautiful, empowering words.
After the one of a kind experience, my friend and I went out to lunch at “our usual spot.” Deeply moved by the healing love filling and surrounding her in the chapel of prayer, she remembered out loud, “At the end of our time together, I opened my eyes. I looked down at the prayer rail and saw individual tears, not a pool of tears, my own individual tears, and I knew God was already at work.”
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT),
Sue
