I recently took the Eucharist to a home-bound parishioner, to whom I have been ministering for over a year. She’s a lovely 90 year-young lady who treasures my twice-monthly pastoral visits. After she received the Eucharist and spent a few moments in silent prayer, I concluded (as I always do) with a spontaneous prayer for her specific intentions. When I finished, she said to me, “I think you missed your calling!” After considering her statement for a minute, I replied, “I’m meant to be right here with you, praying for your needs.”
When I entered the ILEM program, I had a directional plan for my ministry. God graciously revealed to me that my plan was not His plan and in fact His plan was better than I could have imagined! One of the gifts I have developed is that of pray-er. I love to open myself to the Holy Spirit and pray aloud for the needs of others. Through those prayers, I verbalize what often has been hidden or unacknowledged in peoples’ hearts. I give words to thoughts and feelings and raise awareness of different ways to converse with God.
- by Beth Simpson (CLEM 2010)
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