March 4thKnitting Prayers
Breath Prayers
A Menno Minute - Knitting Prayers 
-- Linda Dickinson
Sarah Bessey is a theologian (and knitter!) who writes regularly about breath prayers. She recommends choosing one or two lines to ponder, and then breathe through them. I’ve always liked the idea of breath prayers – I really struggle to set aside time every day to pray, but I have no problem breathing… this seems a good way to be in contact with God, and I can just talk to Them about what’s going on.
Here are some I’ve used…
Inhale: ‘ Let your love, God,’
Exhale: ‘Shape my Life..’
(Psalm 119:41 MSG)
Inhale: Loving God
Exhale: Great Creator
Inhale: I breathe in your spirit,
Exhale: And breathe out all that’s not of you.
Inhale: Do Justice
Exhale: Love Mercy
Inhale: Walk Humbly
Exhale: With God
(Micah 6:8)
Inhale: You are my vision
Exhale: O Lord of my Heart
Inhale: Nothing else satisfies
Exhale: Only you Lord…
(You are my Vision, by Rend Collective)
For me, knitting prayers are adjacent to breath prayers. There is a rhythm, and there are prayers that go through my head every day when I knit.
Knit, knit - J’s babies 
Knit, knit - J’s babies
God, be with them....
(J is one of my husband’s coworkers whose baby boys were born at 32 weeks and then spent 10 weeks in the hospital.)
Purl, purl - Oh Cookie, you are loved, I’m grateful for you 
Purl, purl - thank you for your doggie love – I love you
God, thank you for Cookie. She's the best dog for us.
(Cookie is our 17-year-old dog)
Knit, purl – so help me - if that child of mine doesn’t stop yelling and stomping!
Knit, purl – Wait. I am grateful. I have a child who can yell and stomp.
God, grant me patience and let me approach this with a
calm voice and heart.
Purl, knit – Dad’s CT scan 
Purl, knit – Mom’s health
God, be with their doctors as they work together as a team; and thank you for medical science…
My friend, Donita, gifted me with the knowledge of an Arrogant Worms song called "She is Always Knitting" last year. I felt very seen! The first lines of the song are,
“She never stops, don’t care where she is,
She never stops, do it in front of the kids,
She never stops on the bus, yes she did..
She never stops knitting…”
The reality is, I do knit a lot. I find it soothing to do something repetitive with my hands. And I think it’s that repetitiveness that helps me remember to pray.
Of course, it’s neat to create something with your hands, string, and a couple of sticks. Learning new techniques expands my knitting knowledge base, and it helps me concentrate on what’s being said/taught/shared. I knit in classes, while someone else is driving, while watching TV and yes, I sometimes knit in church.
Knit 2, purl 2 – God, I pray for my newlywed kid and their spouse…
Purl 2, knit 2 – Let them grow in love, and keep appreciating each other.
Knit, knit – God, I’m praying for my former coworker
Knit, knit – Let their new job let them be a blessing to others…
Knit, Purl – Oh God, when will the violence in Gaza, Ukraine, Iran, Minnesota stop?
Knit, Purl – How long, O Lord will you let this go on…
Knit, Purl – Tumbler Ridge is much too close – it’s not just a problem over there….
Knit, Purl – Look on me and answer, but I trust in You. You have been and will be good to me.
(loosely taken from Psalm 13)
Each prayer is stitched into every stitch. I imagine the person (or dog!) being surrounded by God's love.
Will you try a breath prayer?
Inhale: Be with us as members of Mennonite Church Alberta
Exhale: Let's go forth and do Your will.
Let it be so.