Page 53 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2025 - Online Magazine

Focus
FAMILY
The Power

of a Praying Grandma

by Kay Weston

as many as nine. We usually meet in Debbie’s living
room—Debbie, Norma, Joyce, Susie, Esther, Christine,
Sheela, Gladys, and me.
We pray the “ACTS” model: Adoration, Confession,
Thanksgiving, and Supplication, but this is just a
guide. The Holy Spirit leads our prayers. Every
week, Debbie makes each of us an index card with
a scripture on it, and we insert our own names in
the blank. For example: “Who should I send as a
messenger to these people? Who will go after us? May
______ say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.” (Isaiah 68.)
We go in with no agenda and are open to whatever
God has for us. We have been meeting for over 100
y friend Debbie is obedient, and I am so weeks now, so we have that many index cards. When
glad she is. If she hadn’t listened to God in I don’t know what to pray, I pull one out and pray
Mthe summer of 2021, “Grandmas in Prayer” that scripture. We will soon have our third-year
would not exist. Whatever our grandchildren call us anniversary, but I feel like I’ve known these sisters in
– Grandma, Mimi, Nana, Grandmother, Gigi, Granny Christ forever. The hour of prayer seems to fly by. We
– it is an honor and a joy to bear that title. I became always leave feeling full, but on occasion, we go for
Nana 20 years ago when my grandson Alex was born, brunch afterwards. Over our food, we share our joys
and he is now 20. Six more were to follow. and sorrows. We laugh and cry together. It’s a secure
place. What is shared in GIP stays in GIP! In addition,
We experience a different level of love for the children we maintain a group text where we can send in prayer
of our children. Debbie was delighted when her son requests from anywhere, anytime.
and daughter-in-law announced they were going to
have a baby in 2021. Waiting for the birth of her first In the last three years, we have shared joys and
grandchild, Debbie knew she had to do something, sorrows, experienced the value of community, grown
she just wasn’t sure what. Then she watched one of personally, and seen many answers to our prayers. I
Karen Wheaton’s Facebook posts. am so thankful for my Grandmas in Prayer group, and
it’s all because one woman was obedient.
In that particular broadcast, Karen said, “Time is
short. Whatever you are called to do, do it now.”
Eureka! Debbie knew what she was called to do—start
a group of praying grandmas.
I was on a personal retreat in a yurt in the mountains
of New Mexico. I was told I wouldn’t have a phone
signal, but that didn’t bother me. I was planning to
unplug, unwind, and take a break from technology.
But, as it turned out, I did have a strong phone signal,
and that first morning, up popped a post from Debbie:
“I am starting a “Grandmas In Prayer” group (GIP)—9
AM Tuesday at my house, who’s in?” I immediately
replied, “I am!” And then I put my phone away for the
rest of the weekend.
And so, it began. We have met almost every Tuesday
since then. Sometimes there are two ladies, sometimes

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