Our most recent Women’s Ministry meeting, on Sunday, August 30, began with a panel of six ladies answering questions about prayer. Once again, the chapel was packed, and once again, God ministered to his daughters in a variety of ways.

Panelist Bonnie Bonnette defined prayer as “the best fellowship that is.” She also said, “As a child of God we have this privilege to come near to Him and hear His voice.”

When asked how we are to persevere in prayer, Shirley Corbett said, “God always answers prayers, and He has three answers: yes, no, and wait. I pray until I hear one of those answers.”

Several of the women attending had seen the major motion picture The War Room, which opened the same weekend. In the film, a war room is a space set aside for prayer. When asked if she has a special place to pray, Shirley MacLean answered, “Everywhere. I pray without ceasing. I’m grateful to know I can go anywhere and He hears my prayers.”

The panelists’ answers revealed that some of the challenges to our prayer lives are practical in nature.

For example, Jan Neyhart gave a very real answer to the question, What areas do you feel you need to grow in in your prayer life? Jan said, “I am too easily drawn to the TV at night. I need to avail myself of the Lord’s grace to walk away.” I suspect all of us are too easily drawn to something or other and can benefit from Jan’s wisdom here.

Meredith Slack added that she needs to grow in accepting God’s answers to her prayers. This is probably another common area where we could all grow.

Debi Walter shared a testimony of how God built her faith by answered prayer. Long ago, God gave her a promise that she recorded in her journal. Much later, she reread that promise because it had been fulfilled, and her faith was reinforced. “When you record your prayers,” Debi said, “He can use them to encourage you years later.”

After a time of corporate worship, Emily Jessee separated the ladies into age groups, and we prayed for one another. First those under 25 prayed for those 60 and over. Several prophetic words came forth for the senior ladies. Then the 60+ group prayed for the 50- to 59-year-olds, and so on.

Afterward, Emily wrote, “GOD showed up as He always does in power and might, and it was such a pleasure and privilege to pray for each other and to hear from the panel of ladies on how prayer has impacted their personal lives!” She emailed a prayer journal that includes many, many aids to prayer, including scriptural prayers and plenty of space to record requests and praises. If you didn’t get one, email Emily (ejessee@metrolife.org) for an electronic copy or stop by the information counter on Sunday to pick up a hard copy.

Make sure to get on Emily’s email list and mark your calendars for our next meeting on November 29, 2015. Emily says the ladies will share a meal that evening (sign up is required so that the food can be coordinated) and will enjoy “the testimony of God’s faithfulness in our lives as we FEAST AT HIS TABLE.”

Until then, let’s enter our war rooms and persevere in prayer fellowship with our Heavenly Father, who longs to speak with us.