We talked about our own experiences with the power of prayer. Several group members followed the author's example and prayed for strangers. Jan shared with us some of her feelings about the love and prayers for her when Roger passed away earlier this summer. We referred back to the book The Heart Speaks that we read when April had her heart surgery and the studies that have been done that show when patients are prayed for, even when they don't know they are being prayed for, that they do better.
I found it interesting that several members of the group who have lived in the south said it would be perfectly acceptable there to walk up to a stranger and say, "I am praying for you today." I recently had my own experience with the power of prayer. In July when I went to visit my parents and help them with some critical tasks, many of my family and friends were praying for me and my parents. I truly felt the uplifting and comforting power of those prayers as I dealt with stressful situations. It was a