Praying grannies sparkle in the light
You expect gems to sparkle.
As I walked into the prayer room at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, that’s just what I got — sparkle — from the smiling faces of the Grandmothers Expecting Miracles (GEMS) to their charming and spunky personalities.
I take it grandmothers need spunk, especially if they are “prayer warriors” as many of the GEMs described themselves.
My article (on the cover of today’s Religion Section) was to focus on the women themselves. Priscilla Davis, who started the group; Joyce Chaffee; Joane Schmidt; and Phyllis Morrow. They are not the only ones in the group but they were there the day of my interview.
One thing became very clear: Though they sparkled, they wanted to shine the limelight on something else: prayer.
As mentioned in my story, they didn’t want to share all the details of their prayers, and rightfully so.
However, they discussed some of their previous concerns and the happy outcomes.
For instance GEM Nancy Nathaniel (who was not at the interview) had asked the group to pray for her young grandson, Crosby, when doctors found a tumor in his nose. The GEMs prayed for little Crosby, particularly when he was diagnosed with a form of cancer.
Davis said he had to undergo surgery and chemotherapy. Throughout this difficult time the praying grandmothers continued to lift the little boy up in their prayers. Nathaniel provided them with a picture of Crosby so they could envision his sweet face as they prayed.
Today Crosby is in remission.
“And his curls are growing back,” Davis said, beaming.
For sure, these praying grannies have seen miracles like Crosby’s, but their prayers are always about Godly results — whatever that may be.
“We know God knows what we want and it may not be part of His plan,” Chaffee said.
“It’s a challenge but we have to remember God’s in charge,” she said.
Something that wasn’t in today’s story, due to space constraints, were the prayer bears the ladies hugged in the picture (shown above).
The GEMs said the bears and other stuffed animals are given to people who are being covered in prayer by the group and other prayer warriors at Chapel Hill. They each hug the stuffed animal and pray for the person who will receive it. Then the bear is presented to the recipient.
It’s a token of love from folks who believe wholeheartedly in the power of prayer.
(Above photoJim Beckel/The Oklahoman: From left, Joane Schmidt, Priscilla Davis, Phyllis Morrow and Joyce Chaffee, stand outside their church, Chapel Hill United Methodist. Each GEM — Grandmothers Expecting Miracles — holds a “prayer bear.” )
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
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