Hi folks, I hope you are good! This week we are meeting at the Crescent Club at 8.00pm in the upstairs front lounge. Over the next few months some of our reflections will focus on various aspects of prayer through the eyes of some Christian ‘heroes and heroines’ based on the book by Pete Greig: ‘how to pray- a simple guide for normal people’.
We kick start this series by thinking about Susana Wesley, also known as the ‘Mother of Methodism’. To say she had a rough life would be an understatement! Poor health, dysfunctional marriage to a penniless preacher, lost nine children, raised ten children almost singlehandedly, their house was burned down twice and her husband was imprisoned twice!!
She was though, a formidable women long before Charles and John became famous. During her husbands imprisonment and because the replacement preacher wasn’t very good, she set up a Sunday school in her kitchen! It wasn’t long before it grew too big and some 200 people were meeting in a nearby barn, where she would read sermons, sing psalms and pray. On top of all this, she gave her kids 6 hours teaching a day and an hour each of individual attention.
How then did she cope and manage all this?
Susanna was predominantly a woman of prayer… although she had no place to go for prayer she would create her own prayer room by folding her apron over her head. Her children knew that when she was like this she was not to be disturbed. She would pour her heart out to God, mourn the loss of her children, intercede for her annoying husband! And pray for each of her kids by name. Simple prayers whispered under an apron. She demonstrated simple, persevering prayer.
Some questions…
Have you managed to set fire to anything? What happened?
Whats the daftest thing you have prayed for?
How does Susanna’s story make you feel?
What comes to mind as you read the way she prayed?
How well do you relate to this way of praying?
What do you think of the quote?
Peace, Rob
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.