“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.” (Philippians 1:3-7 KJV)
Quilts are difficult to make when made by hand. My mother used to sew them on an old quilting-frame she hung from the ceiling in our family room (we called it the “living” room). At a church I served a few years back, there was a lady who made quilts by hand.
Diane called them “prayer quilts.” They were special gifts she made for her friends with whom, over time, she had developed an honest and affectionate connection. The quilt would remind her friends of her, when they had moved on.
Normally we don’t think of quilts as reminders, like a sticky note on the refrigerator. Yet, Diane makes very few of these important quilts. She doesn’t work on them while watching TV or talking with family. She works on these gifts alone, peacefully and quietly and prayerfully.
Every stitch in Diane’s quilts is a thoughtful memory of times shared with her friends who will receive them. Good times, difficult times, family events, significant worship events, births, deaths, marriages and divorces, in other words all facets of life. But every stitch is also covered in prayer for her friends, hence the name “prayer quilt.” And they do remind us of Diane!
I have discovered that prayer quilts can work in both directions. Since Diane has prayed for me as she quilted, I can pray for her each time I see the quilt and every time we remember her labor of love. Bobbie and I don’t get to see Diane and her family very often anymore. That’s another reason to remember our dear friends in joy and prayer.
Dear Father, thank you for friends who fellowship with us in the gospel. Empower us to continue faithful in our defense and confirmation of the gospel with old and new friends who share in our grace. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be strong and courageous today in praying for those who share your grace,