Praying Together

Do you have a little prayer group? Sadly I feel like quite a few in our generation grew up without seeing little prayer groups in action, but the good news is - it's not too late to start!  A small group of ladies in our assembly get together every second Monday afternoon for an hour to pray. I can't make it every time because I work, but when I can take a late lunch I try to get there. What is special is the range of ages and backgrounds of these ladies... I'm the youngest - coming in at my early 30's, and the oldest would be in her late 80's I'm guessing. We  are a group made up of widows, mothers, grandmothers, single sisters and young married wives...We share prayer requests, burdens and thanksgiving for answered prayer at the beginning, then quietly bow our heads and take turns sharing our hearts with the Lord. It can be an emotional time (maybe because we're women?!) as the requests and burdens are real. It is a time when we pray for our little assembly, our elders, our various outreaches, our community, each other and the known trials dear ones are going through. It is a time when you know each one around the little table cares for your special request and are praying with you. It is a special hour in God's presence - together. 

I am thankful for this little group... and encourage other women to get together to pray. Sure - it's terrifying the first few times you hear your voice in the quietness, but the benefits soon outweigh the nervousness. The Lord has asked us to pray... for sure in our personal lives, but there are also many examples of when decisions were to be made or crisis hit that believers came together to pray. There is power in prayer, and we need to utilize this great resource God has given us!