Wrapped Up in Prayer

Everything is set for Jan’s surgery at 3pm on Monday, December 23, 2013 to remove the tumor near her ovaries. The waiting has been the hardest part, and that certainly made me think of Advent and waiting for hope. It’s tough to wait … not knowing. Is it cancer? Is it benign? Is it contained? Will the doctor be able to get it all? It’s tough to wait.

Jan and I continue to give thanks to God for the overwhelming support and love that has come our way. The prayers have given us strength and comfort and hope. And Jan’s prayer shawl has taken form. It’s been quite amazing. Jan will wrap herself up with it, and it’s like she literally feels all the love.

I had first gotten the idea of a prayer shawl from a meeting I attended at the Congregational Church of Austin, where they have a Prayer Net, a visual representation of the prayers of the people. Folks are invited to say a prayer and then tie a piece of fabric onto the net.

I found a net-like shawl and then asked people to send a piece of fabric so that we could add it to the shawl. The response has been incredible! So many people have sent strips of cloth! Folks from our church, folks from our old church; in fact, several churches have sent groups of strips. Old friends and coworkers of Jan from Navasota ISD sent strips, relatives and friends from around the nation. Some printed their names on the strip or wrote well-wishes. Others sent cards with their cloths with inspirational and comforting messages. One friend of mine, Chris, who is an incredible guitar player (and can build them too!) sent a piece of fabric from a cloth he uses to take care of his instruments.

As you might imagine, Jan often cries when she receives a piece of fabric and ties it into the shawl, but these are tears of gratitude, for to receive so much love, to be lifted up by so many, to know people you don’t even know are saying prayers daily for your health—it is amazing. And yet, this does not even come close to the amount of love that our God has for each of us!

Thinking of wrapping up in prayer, I often think of God as a soft, snugly, comfy blanket. In prayer, I then imagine God wrapping around me like that blanket, bringing me to a place of warmth and security and love.

Whenever Jan is scared or worried or hurting, she holds the prayer shawl close to her, and in some special God-given way, she is reminded of the Lord’s care and how many people are offering thoughts and prayers for her. And we’re not picky about who the prayers come from. Folks from all flavors of Christianity have contributed strips of cloth, Jews, a Hindu, even folks who may be agnostic or atheist—at least they want to support Jan. And it’s been amazing to me to see how many lives Jan and I have touched.

It’s still not too late to send a piece of fabric. The fabric can be any color or pattern, but it should be approximately 1 in. by 12 in. long.

Think of Jan and say a prayer for her as you prepare the piece of fabric. Then mail it to me at:

Ron Trimmer
125 Summers Green
Georgetown, TX 78633

As we are near Christmas, I thought of the passage from Luke where Mary wraps the baby Jesus in “swaddling clothes.” I always preferred that older translation to the more current NRSV that says “bands of cloth.” But thinking of all the “bands” of cloth on Jan’s prayer shawl. I think that’s fine too!

It is with the deepest gratitude that I give thanks for your love and support!

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” -Luke 2:8-14

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas. Click here to visit Hope United’s website.