By Tommi Femrite
Ruth was a circuit riding Quaker preacher during the Civil
War. During the last 25 years of her life she traveled thousands of miles
to over 110 different towns by horse and buggy, carriage, ferry and
train. Her call was to preach, pray, prophesy and bring order to those
under her care.
The original transcription of the journal
disappeared over the years, but prior to my grandmother’s death, she gave me
Ruth’s original journal. Many years after I became a Christian, I was
prompted to transcribe her journal once again…this time on a computer. It
was then I learned that I am the descendant of a powerful intercessor.
Her prayer journal is filled with prayers for people, situations and land.
A Well of
Intercession
Over time, I have come to
realize the amazing treasure my grandmother passed on to me. I discovered that Ruth’s favorite scripture
verses and preaching and teaching topics are mine. I have a like calling
and anointing that she prayed would be passed down to her descendants. How amazing to realize that one of my
relatives knew how to pray not only for her family but also for her future
generations. How awesome it is to grasp that someone interceded for me
over 150 years ago. Ruth dug a deep well of intercession and daily I
drink from this well. I’d like to share
some of her impressions and prayers so that you too can drink from this
well.
Prayers
for Encouragement
In 1856, Ruth penned these
words, “Oh Lord, bend me to Your will and protect me from every trial. Enable me to give You all the praise for Your
wonderful works. Lord, please increase
my faith and strengthen my hands for Your warfare. It is only with Your power that I will be
able to stand against the enemy of my soul’s peace.
Make me truly thankful for
every favor and blessings that I have received lately. You have strengthened me through the words of
others. Keep me alert and faithful on my
watch. Help me to stay strong and alert,
both in times of strength and adversity.
Give me the patience to continue faithfully preaching Your gospel of
peace. Keep my feet shod, keep me
prepared and keep my eyes on the watch.
Oh Lord, enable me to fully submit myself to You and Your will for my
life. I pray for You to wash clean any
areas that would prevent me from fully embracing Your will.
Prayers
for Strength and Hope
When all seemed hopeless
she wrote, “I once more take my pen to add a little in my diary the deep trials
and the goodness of my Heavenly Father towards me…Lately, I have deeply
experienced the necessity of daily, even hourly watching and prayer that I may
be preserved on every side from giving any grounds in the least degree for any
hardness or offense to any. For when we
are watched over for evil, we hear of many problems with our conduct, which I
acknowledge has been the case with me, even when I thought I was doing the best
that I could. But in all of my deep trials and even at times when I have been
almost ready to give out and quit the battle and sink beneath the mighty waves
of tribulations, the Blessed Master has been pleased to draw near and say,
‘Peace, be still, for soon you will come no further and the proud waves will be
stopped.’
Prayers
for Family
For her family she prayed,
“Please do not forsake my children here.
Draw them close to You with the drawing cords of Your love. Turn to them and they will turn to You. Save them with Your everlasting salvation,
not by my power, but by Yours, for all power and glory and honor are yours,
forever.”
Prayers
for Those in Ministry
For those in ministry she
prayed, “Bless the ministers you have called to travel away from their families
and homes. Keep their families safe and
protected while they travel to the distant land. Be with them and protect them on every
side. Proclaim Your Word through every
word that comes forth from their lips.
May Your name be exalted in all the earth. Bring them home safely in Your time to their
families and give them true peace.”
Prayers in Times of Poverty and Trial of
Faith
For herself she prayed, “Oh
that I may abide more fully in patience and keep a close watch on my right hand
and my left. Oh Heavenly Father, do not
let Your hand spare nor Your eye pity until You have brought forth judgment
unto victory so that I may be prepared to praise You. Oh my soul trusts in You for in Your own time
You will rise to help the poor and the needy.
Oh then abide in humble watchfulness.
Oh, that I may be fully resigned to the will of You, my Heavenly Father,
then I shall be protected from every trial and enabled to give You the praise
for Your wonderful works to the children of men.
Prayers of Praise.
Oh Heavenly Father, please
give me the strength to preserve through every trial and obstacle, every height
and every depth and every trial that You allow to come into my path. Let nothing separate me from Your love. When I die, and am finally released from this
lump of clay, please receive my soul into Your heavenly home of eternal
rest.”
Prayers of the Watchman
Lord, make me truly
thankful for every favor and blessing that I have received lately. You have strengthened me through the words of
others. Keep me alert and faithful on my
watch. Help me to stay strong and alert,
both in times of strength and adversity.
Give me the patience to continue faithfully preaching Your gospel of
peace. Keep my feet shod, keep me
prepared and keep my eyes on the watch.
Prayers of Cleansing
Oh Father, please wash me
and make me clean. Through the renewings
of the Holy Spirit, help me to submit myself completely to You. Help me to do
Your will in everything.
Prayers
for Protection
In 1857 Ruth wrote, “I felt
the impression to petition the Father for help and protection and ask Him to
open His ears to my prayer. ‘Bless the
Lord, oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. May He enable all His tribulated children to
stand, even in the field of battle when the Goliaths arise to defy the armies
of the living God. Oh enable them to go
forth with the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit to fight Your battle
as You shall order. For the power and
the glory are Yours, both now and forever.’
Prayers of Intercession
Ruth wrote: I cannot ever remember a time when I was more
deeply bound under the spirit of mourning than I have been for the past few
weeks. I have been weeping it seems,
between the porch and the altar and the prayers of my heart have often been,
‘Spare Your people, oh Lord. Do not
condemn Your heritage, and do not let the unbelievers take over.’
Drink
Deeply
Link your prayers with
those of generations back and create a synergy that produces dynamic
intercession and powerful results. Join
me and drink from the deep refreshing wells of intercession that have been dug
by saints of yester year.