Can prayer really transform a person? Can it change her in her way of being, living and relating? Heather-Dawn Small answers with a big "Yes". The world director of Women's Ministries has no doubts and has proposed the theme "Transformed by Prayer" for the International Adventist Women's Day of Prayer 2023. The event, occurring annually every first Saturday in March, falls on the 4th this year.
The Sermon
To establish a deep relationship with the Lord, "prayer is the key" according to Small, who prepared the sermon for the day entitled "When we pray, God hears and answers, and transforms us into the image of Jesus. The relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit changes our lives. God renews our mind and heart, and recreates us into a person ready for heaven".
Filled with examples from Scripture and quotations, the text proposes a path to help understand and live prayer at all times. "Even in difficult moments, prayer can change us," the director emphasises. "God is waiting for us to turn to Him and say, 'Father, I need you. I cannot face this alone (or alone)'. These are the moments when God increases our faith and changes us."
The Seminar
The day of prayer will also include a seminar, to be held on Saturday afternoon. The title is "Prayer that transforms" and the content has been prepared by Nilde Itin, associate director of Women's Ministries for the worldwide Adventist Church. It offers "an overview of the transformation God desires to produce in us, its process, its characteristics in relation to prayer, and some practical ideas for a transforming prayer life," Itin explains.
The Apostle Paul, from persecutor to missionary, Mary Magdalene, from demon-possessed to follower of Jesus, and John, from son of thunder to beloved disciple, are just a few of the many biblical examples of transformed lives that demonstrate the power of God, Itin points out. But "transformation," she adds, "is not about being 'the best version of yourself' or even 'becoming a better person'. The transformation that God desires and can bring about in us is to restore His image (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:27-28). Spiritual transformation in Christ consists in being fashioned into the likeness of Jesus Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4)".
More about the International Women’s Day of Prayer
Since 1990, the Department of Women's Ministries at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has promoted a special day when women have the opportunity to strengthen their spiritual bonds as they pray for and with each other. The International Women's Day of Prayer is the first Sabbath of each March.
In past years, this special day has been celebrated in a variety of ways: prayer breakfasts, fasting and prayer, consecration services, women preaching the sermons for church services and other special programs. A resource manual, with ideas and a planning guide for making this a life-changing day for women and men in the church, can be obtained from the General Conference’s Women's Ministries director.
The International Woman's Day of Prayer provides an opportunity for women to learn about each other and prayer for one another. It is a time to reunite with God and one another to strengthen spiritual bonds. Prayers for women everywhere create a spiritual network of empathy and understanding between Adventist women.
For more information and resources, please go here.
For resources within the EUD Territory, please go here.
