Over the past 5 or 6 years I have made many prayer quilts. I even joined the Prayer and Square organization and followed their rules about asking a person if they would appreciate a quilt that has been prayed over. (No prayer quilt surprises!) Some recipients have been church members. Some have been friends. One man was someone I knew in the neighborhood who wasn't Christian and didn't have much hope for his future. Most of the recipients have been returned to health but a few have not.
There have been many situations though resulting from the prayer quilts and not all have been good. MOST people when asked if they would like a prayer quilt have received the offer gratefully. But some haven't. One man became upset because he took the offer to mean that people were giving up on him. He left the church angry. My sister-in-law's quilt for her mother got LOST in the prayer chain and that definitely put a strain on Marcy's heart and she has had to pull up an extra supply of forgiveness.
And my friend who recently has been in the hospital declined the offer of a prayer quilt saying she would rather not have people focus on HER health but on their own. Ah~~ if this dear friend of mine feels that way... then maybe I have been stepping on people's toes. What it boils down to is that the person in need of prayer (and we all are in need of prayer!) has the correct answer and not I. Tetsu suggested that in some cases my timing might be better... but each person accepts their illness in their own way and in their own time.
Which makes me think that I should not be so actively involved in making prayer quilts... this activity which was so close to my heart.
I am still going to pray.
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