6 Blessings of Being in a Prayer Group

My heart ached every time Heather talked about falling behind because of the chronic migraine. I’ve been there, and I wanted so much take some of the pain away for her. So I offered to help. She’s a tough woman, so it wasn’t until after I offered a few more times, that she told me what was most important to her.  

Prayer.  

I know, shocker, right… 

My first duties as Heather’s happy little minion started in May 2019 as Prayer Team Liaison. Every month I post in our Candid Gals Facebook group asking the girls for their prayer requests. Then I compile all of them into an email for our prayer team.  

Candidly Christian has always meant a lot to me, so I was excited to be involved.  

It sounded like a simple administrative task. But I’d never been part of a prayer group before, so I had no idea what a blessing it would be. 

Now, many months later, my involvement in the Candidly Christian prayer team continues to bless my life and my walk with Jesus every day. 

6 Blessings of Being in a Prayer Group 

1). Prayer Groups Offer Encouragement 

As we share our prayer requests, we support each other or offer advice. Sometimes the girl’s comments nudge me towards a solution. Other times, we just simply assure each other that we’re not crazy and it’s okay to be imperfect. 

2). You Are Never Alone When You Are In A Prayer Group

Ever since my father-in-law had emergency heart surgery 15 years ago, I knew someday I’d be in my mother-in-law’s shoes. This spring, I sat in the emergency room next to my husband, panic setting in. His blood pressure had been so high all afternoon. I had to get a grip, but he wouldn’t let me tell any family. Not yet, anyway. 

So I posted a prayer request, and within minutes the girls surrounded me with prayers and encouragement. I wasn’t alone anymore. And they made me brave.  

(My husband was fine. They adjusted his meds and his blood pressure is stable again.) 

3). Being In A Prayer Group Forges Friendships

Did you know that Sheila has a beautiful prayer bowl? Not a list, or even a jar. A bowl!  

Heather’s daughter looks just like her. And the poor young teen sunburns just like me. 

Stephanie has a cat named Bianca that sits on her laptop when she’s trying to write. But she’s so cute and furry, Stephanie just leaves her be.  

I got to be a group leader in the virtual women’s retreat for Jessica’s church! I met her pastor’s wife and some other wonderful women. My best friend got to meet Jessica, too.  

And if you want to learn about patience, Jaime’s your girl. She can see the positive even in a giant dumpster full of construction waste in her backyard. 

We’re not just a list of author bio’s on the “Meet the Candid Gals” page anymore. We’re sisters. Doing life together as best as we can from our homes in Alaska, Wisconsin, Texas, and everywhere in between. 

4). Praying With Others Can Give You Perspective 

Have I ever mentioned that I can get anxious sometimes? Even get a little hot-headed occasionally? The encouragement and support I get in our prayer group gives me perspective. And as I see the bigger picture, I calm down, count my blessings, and handle life a little better.  

5). Prayer Groups Connect You with Others 

I love getting email replies from our prayer team with either words of support or prayer requests of their own. I used to get a little star-struck when a writer noticed me by replying to my comment or responding to an email. But guess what…? Writers are regular people, too. And we get excited to hear from our readers.  

If you’re part of our prayer team, please know that I immediately share your words with the rest of the girls and they rally around you just the same way we stand behind each other. We’re sincerely grateful for you and we want to hear from you and pray for you. This ministry requires a certain amount of vulnerability, so we’re encouraged to know that our words make a difference. 

6). Prayer Groups Help You Experience the Amazing Power of Prayer

Yes, I saved the best for last. As if the first 5 weren’t enough. Witnessing the power of prayer is life-changing. Prayers aren’t just words, my friends. Prayer is power. I know what that means now. Our God hears us. He loves us.  

Sudden, inexplicable peace just when I’m about to lose it – that’s the power of prayer. Just earlier this evening, Jesus delivered a hug from me in my living room to Sheila sitting in her car in the Kohl’s parking lot in the pouring rain hundreds of miles away. God uses prayer to do His work. There aren’t enough superlatives in the English language to describe what a humbling honor it is to see my wimpy little prayers used by God. 

Blessed Beyond Measure

I thought I was signing up just to post on Facebook and send an email every month. But I’ve made precious friends. I’ve grown as a woman and a Christian.  And I’ve witnessed our Almighty God at work.  

If you’re not already part of a prayer group, I hope you’ll find one, whether it’s on a Facebook group, through church or with friends. If you’d like to start your own, Heather has a few suggestions in her post “How to Form Your Own Prayer Circle.” And if you’d like to join the Candidly Christian Prayer Team, we’d love to have you.  

Join the Conversation

What about you? What would you add to this list? 

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