STEWARDSHIP OF PRAYER WITNESS TALK
PRESENTED BY: David Provost
FEBRUARY 6/7, 2016
Thank you Father Bill for encouraging me to pray more by asking me to share my prayer journey!!
Imagine a family of seven children after dinner sitting around the table …
“Dear Jesus, Thank you for this day. Please help me with my studying for Algebra test and help Joan with her track meet – thank you for this great meal. Amen!”
Each person in the family would pray before and after each dinner – followed with an Act of Contrition, prayer to Jesus and a prayer to the Holy Spirit.
Prayer was a daily part of our family life but the corporate experience of my Catholic faith was dead.
I was married in the Catholic Church but quickly decided to pursue God through a non denominational Christian Church. I was involved in Young Life a High School outreach program, as a leader –and I learned more about prayer and my faith through attending Young Life meetings than I learned growing up. As a leader my role was limited to supporting high school students with bible studies and taking them where they were with their faith and directing them to scripture and an adult encouragement to make good decisions with their life choices. As a leader, I was exposed to retreats and small group gatherings that taught me about prayer, journaling, conversational prayer, listening prayer and more.
This prayer knowledge and experience was tested when our youngest was prenatally diagnosed with Spina Bifida. We prayed for healing and strength to deal with whatever God provided. I remember telling others that those 5 months of knowing we had a special needs baby drove me to my knees asking for strength to deal with the challenges ahead. It dawned on me one day that being on my knees in prayer is a great place to be!
My final prayer experience to share has to deal with my struggle with sleeping - we had “rediscovered” the Catholic church – through my youngest son Gavin’s desire to become a Catholic. My wife found great comfort in stopping into St Pius and praying in the back of church. Fr. Dan, Fr. Bob, Fr. Bill and Deacon Tug have all been instrumental in our family return to the Catholic Church! Thank you!
But back to my struggle with sleeping… during a particularly difficult parenting period, I was frustrated with my lack of peace, lack of sleep, lack of relief from the stress of parenting and all life struggles. My pattern was to wake up … again! and try to pray my needs to God – pray for direction, pray for relief etc.., after months and months of no relief one night I thought, “I am out of words – I don’t know how to pray anymore!” then I had an idea, I bounded out of bed and went looking for a rosary! I prayed the rosary like I had never prayed it before! I thought I will pray the prayers of my Catholic faith. I love it still to this day! I try to keep a rosary close to me always – It has been instrumental in regaining some peace in my life.
My closing challenge is to use this Lenten season to grow in your individual and our corporate church experience. Remember that seeking God looks like something! Take Matthew Kelly’s challenge in his book Rediscover Jesus!
Prayer is the so personal yet our Catholic faith provides so much in the way of the Mass, sacraments and direction. You don’t have to go alone!
Thank you.
