On the Wings of Prayer
It’s Wednesday morning. Glancing at the spiral bound planner before me, the word “PRAY” is penciled in for today. As 10:30 nears, I lift the magnet holding a piece of paper upon the fridge, grab the iPad and head on over to the kitchen table. Pressing the Zoom icon, I type in the eleven numbers written upon the tattered paper. You’d think I’d be able to remember it by now—but for some reason, I can’t.
The person monitoring the group lets me in and as I watch, the squares jump to life—smiles upon the faces of those who have entered in, bring life. A cat walks across the screen of one, a little boy sits upon the lap of another, while one square is completely blank with only a name under it. It is blank because this one among us is at work and must remain silent while listening in.
The tender crew greets one another and an opening prayer is requested from a volunteer. Within the boxes of Zoom we are represented but not contained. Au contraire—we press in, embracing the needs of the world far and wide. Details of these needs are brought forth in prayer for all the Lutheran Brethren missionaries and those who work with them.
These meetings began when the need for an airstrip in Chad was made known. The wisdom behind the weekly Zoom meeting was to help lay a foundation firmly rooted in prayer. The gatherings were focused, but as time went on whispers of prayer far beyond the airstrip were also placed on the radar.
Japan, Taiwan, Chad, France, church plants, the Welcome Center, and those yet to be called into positions needing to be filled—all are upheld in weekly prayer. Sick children here, safe travels there, funding for projects, conferences held, and the list grows. The burdens carried are no burden at all as each request is placed upon the shoulders of the only One who can do anything about it anyway.
To date there is no air strip. However, this does not dismay us as we “worship him, pleading again, ‘Lord, help…’” (Matt. 15:25, NLT). It’s perseverance at its finest, for “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, ESV). As we move together as one—one in him—he holds fast.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV) is a dandy. It brings clarity as to what he asks of us and why we gather to pray: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
As we boldly approach the throne—I am going to boldly ask that you join us. It’s a community from across the United States and Canada. Do we all show up each week? We do not, and when we do not, we know our sisters are covering our absence in prayer and covering the needs of our missionaries. Come as you are—just come.
Kathleen Kjolhaug lives on the family homestead with her husband Peter. They attend Elim Lutheran Brethren Church in Clearbrook, Minnesota and have six adult children and twelve grandchildren.
The person monitoring the group lets me in and as I watch, the squares jump to life—smiles upon the faces of those who have entered in, bring life. A cat walks across the screen of one, a little boy sits upon the lap of another, while one square is completely blank with only a name under it. It is blank because this one among us is at work and must remain silent while listening in.
The tender crew greets one another and an opening prayer is requested from a volunteer. Within the boxes of Zoom we are represented but not contained. Au contraire—we press in, embracing the needs of the world far and wide. Details of these needs are brought forth in prayer for all the Lutheran Brethren missionaries and those who work with them.
These meetings began when the need for an airstrip in Chad was made known. The wisdom behind the weekly Zoom meeting was to help lay a foundation firmly rooted in prayer. The gatherings were focused, but as time went on whispers of prayer far beyond the airstrip were also placed on the radar.
Japan, Taiwan, Chad, France, church plants, the Welcome Center, and those yet to be called into positions needing to be filled—all are upheld in weekly prayer. Sick children here, safe travels there, funding for projects, conferences held, and the list grows. The burdens carried are no burden at all as each request is placed upon the shoulders of the only One who can do anything about it anyway.
To date there is no air strip. However, this does not dismay us as we “worship him, pleading again, ‘Lord, help…’” (Matt. 15:25, NLT). It’s perseverance at its finest, for “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7, ESV). As we move together as one—one in him—he holds fast.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV) is a dandy. It brings clarity as to what he asks of us and why we gather to pray: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
As we boldly approach the throne—I am going to boldly ask that you join us. It’s a community from across the United States and Canada. Do we all show up each week? We do not, and when we do not, we know our sisters are covering our absence in prayer and covering the needs of our missionaries. Come as you are—just come.
Kathleen Kjolhaug lives on the family homestead with her husband Peter. They attend Elim Lutheran Brethren Church in Clearbrook, Minnesota and have six adult children and twelve grandchildren.
If you would like to join the WMCLB prayer meeting, contact WMCLB at: WMCLBcontact@gmail.com
No Comments