I’m standing, head bowed over a coffee table, holding hands with my sweet sisters in Christ. We are praying as tears roll. I open my eyes during this sacred moment to glimpse beautiful women with heads bowed and hearts open. My eyes flicker across a lovely offering of tasty cheeses and fruits and bread and I see in my recent memory strong, beautiful, loving hands reaching across the table, gathering food as our hearts are gathering words of encouragement and love. Sweet strawberries to balance searching hearts. Laughter ringing through the room, surprise and concern mixed with sweet mint tea and sisters. Women called together to ask for direction from their Father, friends unified in purpose—to equip women, to make disciples, to give Him glory. I drink it in, knowing it is an uncommon occurrence in today’s society.
Closing my eyes again, I thank God for the hours of getting to know these ladies: praying with them, mourning with them, and celebrating spiritual breakthroughs. Holding hands in prayer is a beautiful habit of ours. These precious hands have worked together, worshipped together, and lifted each other up. Young hands, mothers, wives, daughters and grandmothers hands, professional, academic hands, retired hands, creative hands. Loving hands that have rocked babies and strong hands that have built fences. Hands joined together, uniting lives and families and tender hearts. We understand clearly that we are to be God’s hands in this world.
Tonight our questions and fears have been addressed and once again eased. We rest in knowing that God holds our small circle in His embrace and that what He has joined together has an earthly purpose as well as an eternal goal. Peace floods my soul as whispered amens are lifted to the Father’s ears and we rejoice in His presence. Deep in my soul I hear the Spirit whisper the words of Jesus, “They will know you are my disciples by the love you have for one another.”
Alabaster Jar 