395 Miles and Counting
My dear friend Jay had recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He and I had worked and gone on golf trips together for over 20 years. I wanted to let him know that I was praying for his healing and that I would walk with him on this journey.
Susan, Northminster’s Church Office Manager, helped me pick out a hand-knitted prayer shawl from Northminster’s inventory, in a color I knew Jay would like. I arranged a time to visit Jay and his wife in their home. It was during this visit that I gave him the shawl. I explained that the people who knitted it had prayed over every stitch in hopes that whoever wore it would feel comforted by those prayers and the love of God. Jay, who was Jewish, was very moved and readily accepted this gift. He told me that he would wear the prayer shawl often. And he did. Jay passed away about a year later.
As of this writing, 1,252 prayer shawls have been given out over the years. That is 695,000 yards or 395 miles of God’s love!
If you have a loved one or friend whom you think would enjoy receiving a prayer shawl, call the church office to arrange a time to select one to take with you. Shawls are available free of charge and each one is beautifully done. If you are a knitter and would like to get involved, give the church office a call at 513-931-0243.
Laurie Laning
