Ladies Prayer Hour

About 20 years ago, a growing hunger to connect meaningfully in prayer with other women compelled Danielle Shumaker to join a few ladies from Fox Valley Bible Church in a nearby home. Cindy McFarland, our missionary to Togo, was one of the founding members of the group. Danielle found refreshment in their simple format: ask God for the Word preached to impact lives and bring specific individual needs before His throne. During a subsequent time of challenge and transition in the church, the group considered disbanding, but in an uncharacteristically bold moment, Danielle insisted that THIS was indeed the time to keep casting all their cares on the Lord. Within a short time, the ladies began meeting in the church library, and Danielle has graciously and loving led the Ladies Prayer Hour ever since. We have seen God do mighty things over the years, including the happy transition to becoming New Covenant Bible Church. She said that one of the greatest blessings of leadership is knowing that God is really leading the prayer hour. Like everyone else, she comes to be led by Him, which takes off any pressure. She said, “Apart from the Spirit, we are just talking out loud.”

Danielle recently reflected on the history and significance of this “school of prayer” as she calls it. She is convinced that prayer is “more about God than about us.” There is a constant danger of being too self-focused in prayer, resulting in the majority of our requests becoming “give me.” While we are to bring all of our needs before Him, this ought not to be where our gaze lingers longest in prayer. To help women pray the Bible more confidently, Danielle began writing Points to Ponder and Pray, turning the pastor’s sermon points into scriptural prayers of personal application. Many of us have found these to be a helpful way to extend the impact of the Word preached into our hearts’ transformation.

In God’s providence, He is leading Danielle and her dear husband, Tom, to move to Arizona to be closer to their son, Jesse. Her influence and legacy as a Titus 2 woman in our church cannot be overstated. We thank God for her servant-leadership and pray for God’s richest blessings as they begin their new adventure!

The Ladies Prayer Hour will continue meeting in the NCBC library on Tuesday mornings from 9:00-10:00, and I will continue the tradition of writing Points to Ponder and Pray. We extend a warm welcome to any woman to please join us in our school of prayer.