Bread, Wine, & Prayer Journals

We celebrated my sister in law’s home-going this past weekend.

Although there are many highlights I could mention about the service, from the hilarious anecdotes shared by family members, to the robust congregational worship, or bouncing my delightfully cuddly grandnephew on my knee for the first half of the service, something happened towards the end of the memorial that marked me. 

During the conclusion of my brother’s eulogy for his wife, Mark shared about how Kristen was an intercessor. In fact, she often dedicated two hours every morning to praying over prayer requests. He knew not to interrupt her during these prayer times, just as she knew not to interrupt him on the days he worked from home. 

Now, my family knew Kristen prayed. On our Neuberger family text thread, she would often type out an encouraging prayer in response to a need we had posted, share the link to a worship song, or text a Bible verse. We knew she prayed.

Here’s what we didn’t know (or at least I didn’t know).

Every name, every prayer request was logged into a journal. 

While Kristen’s CJD-ravaged mind and body confined her to home hospice during this past month, Mark had asked two of the ladies from his church to help locate Kristen’s prayer journal. After searching for a bit, they located it. However, they didn’t just find her most recent one. They unearthed journal after journal after journal, all filled with meticulously handwritten names, prayer requests, and scriptures. 

After sharing this story during the memorial, Mark pulled up handfuls of Kristen’s journals and placed them on the altar next to him. It was such a stunning visual reminder of Kristen’s hidden legacy. I remember hearing someone exhale an audible gasp somewhere behind me as Mark laid journal after journal on the altar next to him.

Kristen's Prayer Journals

Mark shared that probably every person present in that sanctuary could find their names in her journals. You could tangibly feel the emotions and tears well up as people realized the depth of Kristen’s love and compassion for each one gathered. 

As soon as the service was over, I wove my way to the altar area to snap some photos and explore a few of the pages of just one of her journals. All I could think about was how holy this all felt. Kristen’s prayers were laid on the same altar that held the sacred wine and bread of the Lord’s Supper. Her communion with God mingled with God’s communion with us. As the Apostle John described in his apocalyptic revelation, 

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Revelation 8:3 - 4

I almost immediately found my name. Upon seeing this entry, my youngest brother Peter laughed that his sister had "sewage issues." It's true - our house did have sewage issues a couple of years ago. I especially love that Kristen added a heart by my name.

Kristen was not one to ever think of herself as someone special. She never sought the spotlight. Her heart was to serve behind the scenes. During one of our last phone conversations, she shared how bummed she was that her health challenges (undiagnosed at that point) were keeping her from completing the training to become a part of her church's Stephen Ministry.

And yet, her prayers are so precious, they ascend before the throne of God as sweet smelling incense.

I don’t know where you find yourself today. Maybe you’re wrestling with chronic illness and disease. Maybe you’re struggling with a toxic work environment or broken relationships. Maybe you don’t feel like your life has any real significance. 

Pray. 

Your prayers are just as precious to God as Kristen’s.

I have been a part of some form of prayer ministry for almost 30 years now and yet watching those prayer journals pile up on that wooden altar is one of the most inspiring things I have ever witnessed. 

My ‘ordinary’ sister in law did something truly extraordinary. Her quiet legacy reverberates in heaven, where she now dwells, fully healed, with Her Savior and Lord.

To God be the glory for the great things He has done. 

Kristen & Mark, August, 2025 - Camp Arcadia (Michigan)