“Seems everyone has their hand out these days,” one of my friends said recently. We were talking at the time about whether or not to start fundraising for Prayer Sisters.
“Hm…” I pondered. She was right, and to be honest with you, my stomach lurched at the idea of asking for money to promote Prayer Sisters, even though it’s a fabulous ministry. Why did I feel that way? Time for some serious soul searching.
One evening while I was struggling with what to do about all the demands at PSI, my then 21-year-old daughter Kaelin said, “It sure seems like a lot of hullabaloo for a simple idea. You all are treating this like a business when it’s not one. It’s just a really good idea.” She’s a wise old woman, that young gal. She suggested we simplify our way of doing things. Instead of making women sign up and order materials from our online store, she suggested we make everything downloadable and free.  “You like to give everything away anyway, Ma.” Yeah, well that’s true. I’d much rather give the books to people instead of asking them to buy them. Years ago one of my Board members said, “Kathy, you can’t keep giving everything away!” We wouldn’t survive. Or would we???
More soul searching. Lots of praying. A few tears… Gradually came peaceful relief. Kaelin was right. We needed to go the “No hullabaloo” route and simplify.
I am SO excited about the changes we’re making at Prayer Sisters. Now ANY woman who wants to be a Prayer Sister can simply go to our website, download and print out whatever materials she wants, call a few friends together, and go for it. Simple. No hassle. And no money and not a lot of time required. How great is that?
We’re still here to answer questions and provide guidance if you need us. I’ll keep blogging (I hope you’ll keep reading!). And we’ll be sharing tips and updates on Facebook, but honestly, it’s a simple idea. Gather a few friends who want to pray, commit to a time, and do it. You can use our materials or not, whatever you want. Just pray! That’s what we’re all about.
So, the other day Kaelin and I were walking out of Walmart and a lady was sitting there asking for money for some notable charity, and my daughter and I just looked at each other and smiled. Yep, everyone has their hand out these days, but it doesn’t cost a cent to pray.

My family!

     I’m in a unique season of life. It’s my bonus season, to tell you the truth. I’m old enough to be an empty-nester, but instead of listening to my own voice echo through an empty home, I get to enjoy the daily barrage of a full house of six—my husband, our three young adults, our teenager, and me. Well, and the dog. That’s seven.
     So… I’ve been a mom for a long time, and my mantra has always been “Family First.” Ask anyone who knows me well. I’ve missed meetings and canceled dates with friends and changed my plans time and again for my kids. Okay, I admit it. I’m the proverbial helicopter parent. But hey, I’m thrilled that my twenty-somethings and my high schooler like to hang with me, so I welcome every opportunity I can to spend time with them.
     But there’s one thing I won’t sacrifice for my kids, and that is dedicating the time to pray for them. Diligently. Passionately. With my Prayer Sisters and alone, I pray. Because there’s only so much I can do as a mother, only so much influence I can have. Honestly, the best thing I can do for my family is pray… they need my prayers more than they need my constant attention. God can do for them all the things that I can’t.

     The way I see it, the best Mother’s Day gift is the one moms give to their children every day when they pray.
“If you… know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11

The Ultimate Why of Prayer Sisters

One morning my Prayer Sisters and I prayed ferociously for a wounded kid whose life was in danger. Only we didn’t know it was.

You see, that mama wasn’t able to join us that day. Later in the week I shared with our friend what we’d prayed—that we’d sensed spiritual danger in her loved one’s life and stood against it in the name of Jesus. Instantly her tears welled up and she whispered, “But I didn’t reveal that to anybody!”

No, she didn’t… But the Holy Spirit did. He told the Prayer Sisters so we could intercede for one of our own. Remarkable.

This story represents two of the things I love most about Prayer Sisters. First, it represents the constant, stable, relentless force of a group of committed praying friends.

And second, this experience shows how prayer is REAL, because we have a faithful, loving, interactive God.

And that, truly, is what Prayer Sisters is all about. Knowing God…and interacting with him through prayer and through his people. Incredible.

My Prayer Sisters and I have been praying together for several years. We’ve walked and prayed through the ebbs and flows of life, spiritual highs and lows, good times and poor, answered prayers and agonizing silence.

And I have to tell you, over the years we’ve prayed some, well, almost whiny prayers. At times confused, discouraged, or perhaps even disgruntled, angry at God’s apparent indifference, we whimper our honest cries to the Lord together. And then a beautiful thing always happens. We remind one another of God’s character, and we gain strength. Our cries shift to praise, and our hope is revived as God’s powerful presence renews our minds and refreshes our souls.

We may not always have the answers to life’s puzzling questions, and we may not often understand what God is doing. But we do know we can trust in the truth of who he is….

God is faithful—He promises to never leave us or reject us, and to always be there when we call.
God is loving—He loves us unconditionally, passionately, sacrificially.
God is interactive.—He listens, he speaks, he directs, he intervenes.

Wonderful.

As we steadfastly meet and pray with our Prayer Sisters, let us always remember the reason we pray…to place ourselves and our loved ones in the forever faithful, loving, active hands of God, and to praise his name together.

Girls, Prayer Sisters, treasured friends… let us praise him, worship him, cry out to him, trust him. Week after week, month after month, year after year.
Beautiful.

In the meantime, with my great nephew Davin

Two of my Prayer Sisters are grandmothers. They’re not old, mind you. In fact, these are two of the cutest, most active, vibrant grannies I know. And they love on their grandkids like every self-respecting grandma should. They inspire me.

Someday I’ll be a grandma too. Probably. I have four kids, so the chances are pretty good. And when I hold that baby in my arms I will rock it gently in my 20-plus-year-old rocker, worn and tattered from rocking my own babies, and I will sing the most powerful lullaby I know.

“He’s got the itty bitty baby in his hands. He’s got the itty bitty baby in his hands.  (You know the tune? Sing with me…) He’s got the itty bitty baby in his hands. He’s got the whole world in his hands.”

And I’ll tell my grandbaby the truth of who Jesus is. That no matter what the world believes about him, he still has the world in his hands. He is, and was, and is to come. What we believe about Jesus doesn’t change who he is. And I will tell my sweet grandbaby all about Jesus. How he is loving, to the point he loves the most unlovable of the unlovables and never stops loving them no matter what they do. That he is full of life, and when we give our lives to him, we truly live. And that he is grace, mercy, compassion, goodness all wrapped up into one reachable, interactive being, eager to share all that goodness with us.

And I will sing. Man, will I sing.

“I will sing praise to my God as long as I live” (Psalm 146:2).

The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19).