Faith Stories: Prayer Shawl Ministry
“She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.” Proverbs 31:13
As a young child in Scotland I was taught to knit and crochet. Later I would knit sweaters for our children, but after arriving in Louisiana our son Brian said, “Mom we do not need sweaters here.” So my knitting came to a halt for a while.
After joining St. John’s I went to a prayer group, and the leader brought a prayer shawl. A light bulb went off in my head, although I think it was rather a nudge from God for me to use my given talent to knit prayer shawls. I love to knit, and it has been extremely rewarding to be able to give the shawls to people in need of comfort and love.
One of my dearest friends whose husband had died wrote me saying, “I was feeling cold and desolate so I wrapped myself in the prayer shawl, baptized it with my tears, and soon felt a great comfort and love.”
A quote from Susan Izard and Susan Jorgenson: “Out of a single strand of yarn a flowing fabric emerges that will eventually wrap itself around another’s shoulders and speak love into another’s heart.”
Blessings and Love,
Kathleen Matthew