We met in a different home each week, maybe a farmhouse one week, a house in a posh part of town or a house in an estate another time.

I really enjoyed the hospitality, homemade goodies and coffee.

I was not long living in this area.  My relatives lived some distance away so the warmth of these ladies made me feel like they were my mother or sister, home from home.

My two children and I looked forward to Wednesday mornings.

When we met, I noticed an atmosphere of joy and peace.  Everyone was softly spoken.  It was a welcome oasis away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

During the meeting someone would share a scripture from the bible.  We talked together about how the reading could apply to our lives. Then a lady might say that the Lord wanted her to speak into someone’s life.

How did she hear the Lord so clearly?  Who gave her authority to speak into someone else’s life.  These were some questions I had and I began to ponder about.

Thanks and requests were made to God.  Prayers were spoken aloud.  These ladies definitely believed in a god who cared about their lives and who was willing to help them in everyday matters.  They had no fear.

 I had never experienced personal prayer like this before.  In my experience any prayers that were said aloud were spoken by the minister who was always male. The words were often read from a book and not spontaneous. Praying was a private matter to the individual and definitely not to be spoken out loud. They were not afraid to pray openly.  I took courage and added my requests.  I don’t remember now all that I prayed.  One lady who attended told me later “I was the best wee evangelical she had ever heard pray”.

Perhaps one has to speak out the prayer so others can hear and agree, so the promise that if we ask anything in agreement God will answer and do for us what we ask.  How can we agree to a private prayer?

I had thought God was far away in the sky or “The Man up above who you knew was there but you did not talk to him so intimately”.  Some of these women even called him Daddy God or Abba Father.

My eyes and ears were being opened.

To be continued.