I am happy to facilitate an old idea whose time has come here on the ToO! The ToO is a wonderful community, and while threads and factions are great ways to get to know a group of people, there are some things that work better through private messages. We have had a place to post prayer requests in the Second Church for a long time, and I know that many prayers have been said as a result, and that is wonderful. The idea has come about to add something even more personal. A fantastic idea was presented to me regarding the facilitation of matching up prayer partners here on the ToO. Some personal requests are uncomfortable to share with a group, and sometimes it can be more meaningful to know that you have one really supportive person that you can talk and pray with instead of more random "faces."
Here's how it will work (with the possibility of changes as we proceed):
1. If you want to have a ToO prayer partner, PM Catspaw. If you have a specific area of concern in your life and you would like to be praying with somebody who has a similar struggle or need, please mention it in your PM. If you have any other criteria, please include that in your PM as well, and I'll try to accommodate any concerns. Otherwise, it will be more random. I will keep all information confidential.
2. I'll PM you within a few days with the name of your prayer partner. Only the name will be shared, not any other info that the other ToOer may have included.
3. PM each other and pray for each other! There isn't going to be any regulation on this, obviously.
I won't know when you're praying or how often. However, ideally I think a goal might be people exchanging requests and praying for and supporting each other several times a week. Possible questions:
Q. What if my partner leaves the ToO/never contacts me/some other reason why your partner is MIA/it really isn't working and I have already tried to resolve the issue and I would like a new partner?
A. PM me and I'll try to match you up with another partner as soon as possible.
Q. I love to pray for and support others! Can I have more than one prayer partner?
A. Sure, if you would like to have two prayer partners, that certainly could be an option. Let me know in your PM, and I'll keep that in mind for later sign-ups.
Q. I already PM and pray with another ToO all the time! Do I need to tell Catspaw and make it official?
A. No, not at all. There are lots of wonderful friendships here on the ToO. If you're already doing this, that's great. I'm just helping others make connections.
Q. I don't like sharing personal stuff, but this does sound like an interesting idea. What should I do?
A. Your life and what you share about it is up to you, and, if you're younger, your parents. What you share should only be what you feel comfortable with sharing. For years I didn't want to join a cell group at my church because I didn't want to spill my guts to strangers. Finally, I joined and started sharing slowly, and now I love having a group of friends that I have now known for a few years and whom I can share anything with. Relationships take time. If you just want to share general requests and keep personal stuff to yourself, that is your decision. Maybe with time you'll want to share more. Maybe you won't. That's okay. The point is to show love and care for others.
Q. I don't have all the answers to other people's problems. I don't think I'm qualified.
Alternate Q. I have all the answers to other people's problems! This will be a wonderful place to let everyone know how brilliant I am, right?
A. You don't need all the answers, and you will never have all the answers. If you have some godly wisdom to share, that's great, but the main point is to pray for each other. God may give you insight and wisdom, but always be sensitive when sharing with others. If you really think that your prayer partner needs to come around to your point of view, then ask God to make that clear to the other person. It will mean a lot more coming from Him than from you.
If you think God wants you share a verse or message with your partner, then hold things loosely and with humility. You can say that you felt like you should share this, but never play God and tell somebody that they have to do or think something because God told you to tell them what to do. Your role is not to play God - it is to seek God.Any other questions or concerns? Feel free to post here or PM me.
I am really excited about what God has in store for the ToO in 2013!
Catspaw
