Prayer Shawls • Kindness with Every Stitch

Prayer Shawls

Kindness with Every Stitch

Prayer shawls are blessings of community, kindness, comfort, and compassion, stitched with prayer and gifted to those who are struggling with illness, pain, anxiety, depression, loneliness, loss, or grief – a gift to the maker and the receiver.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people … (Galatians 6:10)

Prayer shawls are blessings to those struggling as well as those who are hospitalized, recovering from surgery, or facing prolonged treatments.

 

WHAT IS A PRAYER SHAWL?

 

Prayer Shawls are knitted, crocheted, woven, quilted, or machine-stitched shawls that vary in size, shape, color, and pattern, and are infused with prayer as a comforting reminder that God loves each of us completely and that He is with us always.

As the shawls are stitched, the makers pray for the one who will receive the gift of their hands – a precious gift of the Body of Christ on earth.

 

BENEFITS OF MAKING PRAYER SHAWLS

 

Galatians 6:10 reminds us to “do good to all people.” All people includes each of us. Did you know that prayer shawls benefit their makers too?

 

Studies have shown that knitting and crocheting:

 

PRAYER TO BEGIN A SHAWL

Lord, as I stitch this shawl, I pray you will infuse my hands with hope, my heart with compassion, my thoughts with kindness, and my spirit with thoughtful care, so that with every stitch, Your abiding love is steeped into this shawl. May it be a blessing to the one who will receive it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

PRAYER FOR A COMPLETED SHAWL

Lord, I pray this shawl will be a gift of hope, comfort, and peace, a blessing of kindness and community, and a tangible reminder of Your abiding presence.

THE PRAYER SHAWL – A POEM

By Jill Jennings

It’s just a ball of purple yarn
crocheted together.
Yet entwined in each loop are
wishes, hopes, prayers.

And if you look closely you can see
a great cloud of witnesses
arranged as arms and shoulders
ready to enfold you
and wipe away each tear.

Cover up.
Stay warm.
Feel our love.
Feel His presence,
All in a wisp of wool.

JILL JENNINGS has three full-length books in print: The Poetry Alarm Clock which features The Prayer Shawl; Dead Man’s Flower and Pineapple Wine: Poems of Maui. Her work appears in The Atlanta Review; Oberon Poetry Magazine; Reach of Song; Encore; Calamari; and Please See Me.  A retired teacher from Georgia, Jill lives in Fort Myers, Florida. Follow her at www.jilljennings.org

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PATTERNS

Joylin Shawl

Joylin Shawl Pattern

Emily Johannes

Knit in rhythmic garter stitch, the Joylin pattern allows you to relax, think and meditate.

Hope Whispers Prayer Shawl

Kristine Mullins

Cochet, pray, and listen to the whispers of hope.

Dancing Diamonds Face Cloth

Gayl Wright

Using just four basic stitches, you can crochet this lovely face cloth in about an hour.

Cheerful Carousel Face Cloth

Gayl Wright

Crocheted in the round, this easy face cloth takes less than an hour of your time.

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GET INVOLVED

Donate A Prayer Shawl • Stitch a Gift of Kindness Mail your completed Prayer Shawl, along with your name, address, email, and if desired, a short prayer for the recipient to: Chronic Joy, 1015 Lemira Circle, Waukesha, WI 53188. We'll include your shawl in a Kindness Box for someone who needs a ray of hope.

Donate a Prayer Shawl

Stitch a Gift of Kindness
Mail your completed Prayer Shawl, including your name, address, and email. We’ll include your shawl in a Kindness Box (chockful of encouragement) for someone who needs a ray of hope.

Chronic Joy
1015 Lemira Circle
Waukesha, WI 53188

Give the Gift of Kindness! Your donation makes our Kindness Boxes possible, including beautiful blank-back postcards, sticky notes, pens, inspiring guides, boxes, postage, and more! Give a Gift of Kindness and Multiply the Joy!

Give a Gift of Kindness

Give the Gift of Kindness! Your donation makes our Kindness Boxes possible, including beautiful blank-back flat cards, sticky notes, pens, inspiring guides, boxes, postage, and more! Give a Gift of Kindness and Multiply the Joy!

{I’ve been spending time getting to know your ministry. What a blessing for those who feel so isolated to offer prayer, support, sending mail and prayer shawls….. I feel like everything I have learned and the Lord brought me through these last 20 years was to prepare me to be able to offer my support as you minister.
Kimberly C.
Essex Junction, VT
{I received this amazing Kindness Box from Chronic Joy. I will treasure this prayer afghan forever now knowing about the loving hands that made it! Thank you for your loving hearts.
Mary J.
Brookfield, WI
{I just received a Kindness Box filled with beautiful things: a prayer shawl, books, flat cards, and much more. I am truly touched and feel the love from you and from God. I had asked for prayer on here and I thank you for your generosity, encouragement, and prayers.
Laura S.
Chambersburg, PA
{Thank you for your prayers and all the resources you’ve provided. I would like to especially thank Bettie, your prayer coordinator for showing such unconditional love of God to me. The [#PenToPaper] cards you send, the beautiful prayer shawl I got, and all you’ve done. Thank you for showing Gods love is still thriving today through beautiful people that truly do care:)
Donna W.
Ventura, CA
{I received your amazing beautiful [Kindness Box] box of encouragement yesterday. It was such a SURPRISE !! Wow! Your kindness means, oh so much that you would send me all those beautiful things. The [Prayer Shawl] afghan is such a labor of love. I will put the cards to good use. EVERYTHING you sent is so beautiful. The timing of it was perfect, as I am facing yet another surgery. I have been battling terrible discouragement in all that is going on with my health and wondering why God allows SO MANY THINGS to happen to me. I have been dealing with questions and doubts and struggle to have hope. Then, your gift came and I knew it was a hug from Jesus to my soul and I didn't feel so alone. Thank you again, it means more than my heart could express.
Anna S.
Denver, PA
{The prayer shawl I received has been such a major blessing to me through a lot of hard times in my life lately. I don’t know, but I feel like the shawl was anointed, because I feel different when I wrap it around my shoulders. It’s almost like a physical hug from the Lord and like being a chick under its mothers wings. I want to thank all of you for your prayers, for the cards, everything has all meant so much to me.
Terri R.
Mountain Home, AR
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EVEN MORE

Crafts, Yarn Arts & More

Crafts, Yarn Arts & More

Creativity is engaging with God at the intersection of faith and vulnerability. Creativity is an act of courageous vulnerability, intentional noticing, and patient listening as we explore God’s extraordinary call to create.

LEARN MORE

Prayer Pond • Your Safe Harbor for Prayer.

Prayer Pond

You're invited to the Prayer Pond, your safe harbor. This is where you can share your prayer requests, updates, and shouts of praise. Whether a request, praise, lament, suffering, loss, hope, grief, or joy, each prayer ripples far beyond this day and the boundaries of our world. #PrayItForward by praying for others.

REQUEST PRAYER

Creative Sparks

Creative Sparks

BE BRAVE. BE CURIOUS. CREATE! Though few of us would call ourselves creative, that amazing grace-gift is woven straight into our DNA. As we engage with God, He ignites our curiosity, waking us to wonder and the joy of possibility.

LEARN MORE

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MEET OUR PATTERN PARTNERS

Emily Johannes

Emily Johannes

Creative Contributor • Shawl Pattern

Emily is an avid knitter and designer, who loves natural fibers, cardigans, and anything sparkly!

She developed an early appreciation for nature, art and crafts. Self-taught, her interest in fibers, textiles and fashion grew as she increased her skills making gifts, shop samples, and charity knitting. In 2011, she found her niche in the world of knitwear design, specializing in shawls and cardigans.

She lives in Kansas with her cat, coffee, and ever-multiplying yarns, always in stitches, dreaming up new designs.
girlpowerdesigns.etsy.com
ravelry.com/designers/emily-johannes

Joylin Shawl pattern

Kristine Mullen

Kristine Mullen

Creative Contributor • Shawl Pattern

I am a wife to my hubby of 17+ years, and mom to 6 great kids ranging from 26 to 9 years old – (1 boy & 5 girls).  I homeschool my youngest 5, who are all the girls, and they are where the majority of my inspiration comes from.

I began designing my own patterns in 2007 when a friend of mine had a baby 10 weeks premature. I spent 2 weeks looking for a preemie blanket I liked, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. So, instead I set out on a journey to create what I wanted. I realized I loved designing and have never looked back.

ambassadorcrochet.com/
etsy.com/shop/ambassadorcrochet

Hope Whispers Prayer Shawl

Gayl Wright

Gayl Wright

Chronic Joy® Content Coordinator and Prayer Team

A grandmother but young at heart, Gayl enjoys exploring creativity through writing, poetry, nature photography, art, crocheting, and piano. She loves coffee, tea, chocolate, and jeans. Gayl has been married to Steve for nearly 50 years, with 7 children and 14 grands (some have chronic illnesses, and one son is now with Jesus). Always learning and writing from her heart about life, her desire is to know God better, glorify Him, and encourage others. She is the author of Journey into Light.

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