To celebrate the 7th anniversary of Prayerworks Studio I’m posting a series of Top 7 lists over the next seven days. This one is focused on my prayer bead journey.
- Receiving my first set of prayer beads from my mom. She bought them as a gift for me during a mission trip to the Dominican Republic back in 1990.
My first set of prayer beads, a gift from my mom.
- Receiving my calling. Walking out of a restaurant one evening seven years ago, I heard a voice very clearly say, “You need to make rosaries.”
Sometimes our callings come in unexpected places.
- Telling my husband about this quirky calling, and receiving his response. “Um, honey, so I was in a bar when God told me to make rosaries,” just didn’t seem like it would fly well. But really, there was no good way to explain what had happened. Thus, about ten days after I heard the voice, I summoned the courage to tell Max. “Um, honey, I think God is calling me to make rosaries,” I said, and held my breath. Without missing a beat he replied, “Makes sense.” I exhaled, and thanked God for this amazing man who knew me – and God – so well. He has been my primary partner on this journey ever since, and our son, Matthew has been right there with us. (By the way, Max’s perspective on this moment is hysterical.)
The men in my life. None of this would be possible without them.
- Partnering with The Upper Room. They invited me to lead workshops at SOULfeast, to lead their Advent Staff Retreat in 2011, and to write devotions for their daily devotional. They have published two of my books (with one more on the way), offered me the opportunity to be a part of General Conference, and given me more opportunities than I can count to share the good news about prayer beads. So many of their staff members are now good friends of mine. I have been so blessed by the relationship.
The Upper Room, Jan/Feb 2013. The issue that set off a firestorm of prayer bead love.
- Attending The Upper Room’s Academy for Spiritual Formation. The place of my healing and deep spiritual formation. The place I came to know I am DEEPLY loved by God. The inspiration for my upcoming book.
The Academy for Spiritual Formation: a place of profound healing and grace.
- General Conference 2016. So historic, and such a profound moment to witness prayer beads being used by a large, global, representative gathering of a Protestant denomination. And so fun to talk with people about praying with beads.
The General Conference 2016 prayer strands you helped make.
- Seeing how you have received the prayer beads. By far some of the most profound moments in this journey have involved you: the way you received the prayer beads, the questions you asked, the testimonies you shared, the photos you sent me, the invitations to lead retreats or workshops for you, the stories of how you are making and using and sharing the prayer beads. And the love. My goodness, the LOVE you have shown me and others. Such a gift.
You are DEEPLY loved by God . . . and by me.
Such an amazing seven years. I look forward to the next.
