Prayer Shawl Ministry Update

Greetings and love to all in the Prayer Shawl Ministry!  Whether you are an active contributor of items or a regular prayer support partner, you are a sister in the cause of sharing God’s love.  Welcome to another update.

This past Sunday we shared our love with the congregation and beyond by distributing prayer cloths to all who attended church upstairs and at the warehouse.  I am proud to say that some folks even asked for extras for people in need.  Our simple gift of love will be spread to many and God will be glorified greatly.  Praise Him!  We gave out between 1000 and 1100 items and have more left to share.  Isn’t the Lord amazing?  We originally said we thought we needed 1200, but 1400 would make us feel comfortable.  We actually counted each bag in anticipation of Sunday’s distribution.  Do you know how many we had?    No joke….1400 exactly.  We will be sharing some with the Co-op and other smaller churches in the next few weeks.  If you know of a need, please let me know. 

So….growing up in a Jewish home meant lots of guilt and lots of worry.  We worried that we were not worried enough about any matter.  My mother has multiple gold medals for Olympic Marathon worrying.  But…here is the reason not to worry.  God is great at Math.  So, you are asking yourself if I have lost it, but wait for the explanation.  Sure I know math.  Math is precise and easy to figure out.  Until you encounter God that is.  Last week we had about a dozen prayer shawls in the office cabinet and a few more upstairs.  On Sunday we did not put them out at communion.  Yet, we had requests for 5 of them and we were able to share.  This week the need was the highest we have had in a long time.  Since Sept 27 we gave out 21 shawls, 17 of them in the first week of October.  The loops of the yarn were barely tucked in before we gave them away, but when I counted the numbers in the closets on Wednesday eve, we had 27 left.  Now, you do the math and let me know if this reminds you of some fish and bread story we have been taught.  Why worry about where the supply will come from?  God provides in abundance.  It is a good thing He never went to school in Gwinnett county as he does not follow the rules of the Math AKS standards.  His math is miraculous.  Praise God!!!  Moral of the story….don’t waste time worrying about things.  Just trust God, lift it up in prayer, and let Him take it from you to do His will. 

One more thing and I am through, kind of, like Davis sometimes…

It is nearing Christmas.  I am feeling pretty sure that I don’t need any more stuff in my life.  Stuff is so unimportant to me.  This Christmas I am asking everyone I know who shares small gifts to purchase one or two skeins of yarn for the ministry.  I know of at least 5 small exchanges I am usually involved in and who needs any more white elephants or dollar store exchange items?  Please consider doing the same.  Think of the difference we can make in people’s lives if each person in the congregation donated one skein of yarn.  You know, our storage is limited, but our God is not and He will find space for storage if the harvest brings in a huge crop.  He has that math thing down.  Multiplication is His specialty.  I am not even going to worry about the storage, but am asking God to tell all to cast their nets on one side of the boat and let the nets be so full of yarn that it takes the whole ministry to lift the nets into the boat.  He’s done it with fish, He’s done it with people, and now let’s watch Him do it with yarn.

I love each of you dearly.  Your contributions make a difference in the kingdom and your smiles keep the days bright.  Your love is a light that shines in the darkness.  I thank God each day for each one of you.

Love in Christ,

Dana