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Maureen Wilson
I have been a participant in Week of Guided Prayer for over 20 years. The idea of a “Retreat” from our daily routine to pray and read Scripture continues to speak to me! I remember, my first retreat when I wasn't very familiar with the stories told in the Bible. I was reassured that praying Scripture was different from Bible Study and that a knowledge of the Bible was not needed. Each day I was given four Bible passages to read based on the theme. I choose one and prayerfully meditated on the passage that “spoke” to me. Praying on it and journaling helped me consider what God was saying to me through His word. Throughout the years I am constantly amazed at how God reaches out to us when we are open to receive! Week of Guided Prayer has become an essential part of my faith journey.
Anna Bolotnov I very much enjoyed the Week of Guided Prayer experience. It was my first time experiencing guided prayer and I felt that I found something for which I had been searching for years. For me the experience was both educational and spiritual. It was educational as it taught me prayer practices that helped me to learn how to be disciplined and focused in prayer. It was spiritual as it enlightened the soul by strengthening my connection to God. Having a companion was also very positive and meaningful. My companion patiently helped me learn the steps of guided prayer and not drift away into Bible study along the way. My companion was thoughtful and insightful, helping me to dive deeper in terms of how the Bible verses spoke to my heart directly and what prayer would be prompted in response. I loved the Week of Guided Prayer and I am looking forward to repeating this experience many times again!
Mary Beth Wallace The Week of Guided Prayer provided me an opportunity to enter into communion with the other retreat participants, with my prayer partner and with God. For me the retreat evoked and realized the words of Matthew: "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them". Specifically, the closing session was a powerful experience. As individuals, each of us had had different prayer journeys, but as a group we had all deepened our relationship with God. The testimonials by my fellow retreatants, and the sharing of communion with each other solidified our connections with one another. In this community we witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit and reaped the blessings of shared prayer and wisdom. It was a transformative experience where we left enriched with new insights and practices that bring us into deeper relationship with God.
Pat Gushue Praying Scripture was a new concept for me. I had been involved in many Bible studies that helped me to know about God; however, it was by praying Scripture that I deepened my relationship with God. During Week of Guided Prayer I was encouraged to pray Scripture by using my imagination. This form of contemplative prayer, where I used my senses to become part of the Biblical story, opened up a whole new way of experiencing the movement of the Holy Spirit. By entering into the story, I was able to experience what was happening and react in a way that exposed my feelings and emotions. And through journaling and sharing my experience with my companion, my relationship with God deepened in a way that was relevant to my life and the concerns that burdened my heart. Entering into Gods story, opened room for God to enter into mine.
Alicia McKenzie-Barrow I participated in the Week of Guided Prayer entitled, “Living in God’s Time”. Throughout the week, in reading the reflections and scripture, journaling, prayers and meetings with my companion, it was quickly unfolding to me that I had been guided by the Holy Spirit to participate. Based on the timeliness of the theme, the content, and the major changes about to take place in my life later on that year I was reassured that God was present with me on my journey. I had not expected the experience to be such a personal and soul searching one, especially during my one-on-one sessions with my companion. At the end of the retreat, we were all given a mounted post card that read “Everything in God’s Time”, which I keep near my bed as a reminder at the start of each day, of the importance of having patience and waiting on God’s timing, especially when I feel anxious about the future.