This is Day 8 of 31 Days of Intentional Community. Thanks for reading along!
Yesterday I talked about the importance-- and privilege-- of praying for our community. But what might be even more special is praying with our community. After all, we know that gathering with other believers ensures the Lord's presence.
Recently some good friends had us over to meet their parents who were visiting from out of state. {Side note: when family and friends meet and get to know each other, it makes for an even deeper friendship in my opinion. I love it when my friends get to meet my family.}
A text came in to my friend's mom and she felt an urgent need to lift up a particular situation in prayer. She called my friend and I inside and asked us to join her in praying. Within a few minutes we were joined in a deeper connection. In an instant, an intimacy was formed as we interceded on behalf of one in need.
Whether it's spontaneous supplication, saying grace before a meal, or within the context of a small group, coming together in prayer always helps us to connect more deeply-- with the Lord, of course, but also with each other.
More ideas:
~ Last year I shared what an absolute blessing it was to have a prayer partner. We've let that habit slip away in the busyness of life, but I find myself longing to connect with her in that way again. Maybe that means praying on the phone or even just regularly texting or emailing prayer requests with a specific person.
~ I've sometimes heard moms use the term play & pray to refer to a time when the moms sit around and casually pray while the kids play together nearby. An intentional playdate, this will probably work better with kids who are old enough to be a bit more independent.
~ If praying out loud still feels awkward to you, maybe starting with just one trusted friend will help you get comfortable. After all, it's just adding one more Listener to the conversation.
If you have any other ideas for praying with other people, I'd love to hear!