The Beauty and Faith of a Crochet Prayer Shawl Ministry
Here at DulceBella Designs my mission is to encourage, uplift, bless, and pray for each visitor to DulceBella Designs. In John 17, Jesus sets an example for us to pray for one another. A prayer shawl ministry reaches out to others who are hurting, suffering, discouraged or going through a difficult time. The beauty and faith of a crochet prayer shawl ministry is touching the lives of others and letting God use your talent for His Glory.
History of the Prayer Shawl
The first Christian Prayer Shawl ministry was started in Hartford, CT in 1998. It has now become known world wide and many other individual groups have started. Crocheters and knitters create shawls and then pray over them. Recipients are people who are ill, have suffered a loss, are facing life altering changes, or are simply in need of comfort and healing. Prayer shawls also mark celebrations of life, for instance, couples who marry, or baby baptisms.
Over centuries, shawls have come to symbolize shelter, peace, and spiritual sustenance. These finished items then become physical expression of prayers and love, showing how much you care. May they always warm body, mind, heart, and soul.
My Participation in a Prayer Shawl Ministry
I was first introduced to a prayer shawl ministry in 2006, by a close friend of mine who also crocheted. She had invited me to a local prayer shawl meeting. Although I did not really understand what it was all about, I agreed to join her. After all, she told me I would get to crochet the entire time I was there. It was held at a local Catholic church, and there were several local ladies there that I already knew. That evening, we sat around visiting and crocheting or knitting on a project that we were working on.
During that evening’s session, one of the ladies finished the project she was working on. She asked us to stop and say a prayer over the shawl that she had completed. The shawl passed around the room from one person to the next as each one said a silent prayer over the it. It was carefully placed among the small collection of other blankets and shawls that had been completed and prayed upon.
I left that night touched by what I had been a part of. All the ladies in the room were simply lovers of the art of crochet and knit who spent one evening a week gathering together working on their projects. While being a part of this ministry, I saw the shawls/blankets touch and bless local people who needed to feel the warmth of God’s loving arms around them. The group would give the shawls to those in need, hurting, or in need of healing. The prayers over the shawls brought blessing, healing, strength, and comfort to many. I began to see the power of love in this ministry.
The beauty and faith of a Prayer Shawl Ministry in Action
A year later, an old family friend, an elderly man, fell on some ice. He hit his head, and hospitalized for a significant amount of time. I decided that I would finish the afghan that I was working on and give it to him as a prayer shawl. Then I had the ministry group prayer over the blanket and sent it in the mail to him and his wife. The gift touched and blessed them deeply. The injury healed quickly, as well as the cancer that had plagued his body.
This was just the beginning of this type of ministry for me. I learned that I had to have faith and the beauty of a crochet prayer shawl ministry in action was revealed. Whether it was a baby afghan for baby dedications, or a larger throw for one suffering from illness, injury, or loss of a loved one or a wedding gift, the blessings from sharing my talent from God have been countless. I have had it laid upon my heart to make and share these gifts as tokens of love and prayers.
I hope and pray that you will feel lead to come back again for more inspiration. Until then, I continue to pray for all who find their way here that they receive the blessings that only God can give.
