Prayer Roping

It's probably been at least 10 years by now from when I first learned how to make a prayer rope at Camp Nazareth. At the time I was a camper and staff were teaching campers how to prayer rope during arts & crafts, as well as free time. 

Fast forward to the summer of 2015, and prayer rope making at camp is still a thing. Looking back, it's quite remarkable how big of a part prayer rope making was in part of the daily life at camp. Not only did it cause more praying, but it caused friendships to be built and acquaintances to be made. For those of us who know how to prayer rope, we became the teachers to those who wanted to learn. And for those who did not know how to tie prayer ropes, they are now masters. 

Looking back, it's interesting how something as simple as leaning to tie knots built character in people. As an example, we live in an instantaneous culture where we can get whatever we want right now. There is no waiting. If we want food, we get it. If we want information, we get it. No longer do we have to wait for photos to be developed or spend weeks traveling from point A to point B. We take pictures with our phones and share them immediately to social media. We jump on a plane and fly thousands of miles in a few hours. Everything is instant. And because of this, my generation is easily frustrated at anything that isn't instant (as a generality). So how does this fit together?

Well, the prayer rope is a difficult skill to master. In order to learn, it takes a lot of patience, a lot of focus and attention to detail. As a teacher this past summer, I could feel the frustration of some students as they struggled to grasp what and how to make a prayer rope. It was difficult at times to be encouraging in the midst of frustration. But, we pressed on as teacher and student to learn the process. Some people caught on faster than others. And some didn't quite catch on at all.

What I was taught through the process of teaching people to make prayer ropes was patience and discipline, something I personally don't always have enough of. Consider how impatient, rude and free our culture can be at times. Camp provides, in the most unexpected ways, numerous lessons in the things we need to grow in. For every person who comes to camp, the experience is slightly different. And God uses each and every person at Camp in a special way. It's quite remarkable, really. 

So, the next time you have a task to perform or something new to learn, remember to be patient and to take your time to learn and master the task or craft. You'll be glad you did, and you'll feel better about who you are and what you're capable of doing. 

Glory be to Jesus Christ!