Stitched With His Love

By Rita Garcia

"Do not be anxious
about anything, but
in everything, by
prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
present your requests
to God."
Phillipians 4:6

remember, as a young girl, going with my mom to the women’s “Quilting Bee.” Where I learned to love the crisp smell of new fabric, all the wonderful patterns and vibrant colors, along with my passion for sewing. When the women finished a quilt, you could see the pride of satisfaction shining on their faces.

With joined hands they would pray over the freshly finished quilt with the purpose that whoever used the quilt would feel the warmth of His Love. Each meeting, we sat around the framed quilt, stitching tiny stitches in neat little rows, mine were not always so neat—I am sure someone fixed my not so tiny stitches.

The women would listen to one another’s hopes and dreams, and share one another’s burdens. It was not out of the ordinary for the needles to stop and be quietly tucked into the quilt as the women prayed over a need, problem, or dream that one of them had brought before the group.

If it needed praying over, there was no time like the present. Week after week I listened to the testimonies of these women, praising God that He had satisfied their needs. It was at this Quilting Bee that I learned the power of prayer. How in the bleakest of circumstances He is there—with Him all things are possible.

The love I witnessed in action was one of the greatest lessons in my young life, but I also saw prayer and faith take flight. I knew, first hand, from my mom that there were many times these women, often in secret, went the extra mile, helping the one in need. To my young eyes it seemed they felt one another’s pain.

I recall when my father was injured. He worked in the oilfields and was hit in the back with a heavy object. My father was not able to work for several months and money was tight, but food was always in ample supply; thanks to my mom’s quilting group.

As they listened to one another, and prayed for one another, a spiritual, patchwork quilt was created, stitched with His love, His faith, His hope. Without a doubt, God looked with satisfaction upon the lives of the women. How many of their needs were satisfied because they loved one another as Christ instructs us in His Word?

When we are in the midst of a crisis or wavering on the road of indecision, we need the prayer and support of others, someone to hold us up in faith, even when we are wavering; we can be like these patchwork quilts, when we put our prayers, our faith and our caring together, we will create a beautiful spiritual patchwork quilt, stitched with His love.

This quilt will bring His comfort and caring to others in need. God is our strength and our source. It is His plan for us to love one another as He loves each of us. It gives our Heavenly Father great satisfaction when He sees His Children sincerely caring for one another, when we handle life with faith and prayer.

Dear God, help us to show our love for each other by being sensitive to the needs of others. Help us lift them up in prayer, and not tear them down with words. To stand in faith with them, even when circumstances tell us different. Enable us to create a beautiful spiritual patchwork quilt for the world to admire and want to be a part of. In Jesus Name, Amen.