Hi Friends,
Prayer is often something private, a conversation shared only between oneself and God. But other times, prayer is something to be shared, when we are blessed to come together with others in the name of Jesus, where we can agree together about various subjects that we want to talk about with our loving heavenly Father. I am creating this blog for that type of prayer about a specific subject which has been on my heart for some time - the ministry to the grieving with which I have been involved here at Cornerstone Friends Church, my church home.
I don't always completely understand the purpose of prayer, especially when it is in regards to asking God to intervene in our lives and in specific situations - after all, he already knows our needs and he knows what is best in all circumstances. Why does he need us to tell him about something when he already knows more about it than we do?
I think one reason is that when we are asking for God's help in a situation, it is a reminder to us that he is the one sustaining us and that he is in control.
Prayer also allows us to draw into God's presence and spend time with him. He is always with us, but when we are praying, we are in his presence in a special way - because we are more fully aware of his presence with us. Prayer is talking to our heavenly Father, and as we talk with him, we begin to know him better. When we bring a need to him or pray to him about a situation, it helps us to see that situation or need through his eyes.
One situation that has been on my heart for some time is the hurt and the needs of grieving people. I have learned first-hand, through the death of my first husband, how deeply painful grief is and how it can affect a person physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I also know that God calls us to "comfort others in all their suffering, as we ourselves are being comforted by God." (2 Cor. 1:4) I have felt God leading me to help with a ministry to grieving people at my home church, Cornerstone Friends Church. My husband, Nathan, has felt led to that ministry as well, and both of us have since been serving at our church by facilitating a GriefShare ministry.
Most recently, I have been feeling called to pray (more) about this ministry and to invite others to pray with me. I have some specific things that I want to pray about and which I hope others will join with me to pray about, but for now, I just wanted to you, my friends, know what I am doing and to ask you to join with me in regular prayer for this ministry to the grieving.
Dear Father,
I ask that you bless the GriefShare ministry at Cornerstone Friends Church and that you would us this "prayer blog" in my life and the lives of those who join with me, that we would please you with this endeavor, and that you would use this to accomplish your will in the world.
Amen
Cornerstone Friends Church www.cfcmadison.org
GriefShare www.griefshare.org
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Mindy and Nathan, the need is so real and present. Grief will touch all of our lives at one time or another, a fact of our lives here on earth. Those of us who have already experienced grief in a very personal way are often times called to comfort others in their "time of need" that is the christian life. I recently had the God given privilege to comfort a local family (good friends)following the loss of their mother, daughter, sister, friend. Had I not gone down that path before them I would not have had the right words to share, healing words of comfort stemming from a heart filled with evxperience. I have a burden for the grieving, Griefshare taught me what is 'normal' while grieving and has offerred a loving dose of support that I can pass along to others' heading down the same path... one that should never be traveled without our dear Lord. Ginnyne Patricy
ReplyDeleteI am glad that we were able to share a portion of God's comfort with you and that you have been able, in turn, to offer that comfort to others. Being a conduit of God's comfort is such a privileged and is one blessing that I have experienced as a result of my own loss.
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