Prayer walking begins!

Prayer walk at Miller Park

About 50 people gathered in the upper well at Eastview to discuss the first chapter of Fresh Wind Fresh Fire. More than half of those there had never done a prayer walk before. We were given some directions, prayed together, and then we were sent out in car loads to Miller Park. In groups of 3-5, we all began circling the park and surrounding neighborhoods, simply praying while walking.

What a beautiful start to our summer of calling upon the Lord and interceding on behalf of our community and the people in it. When we arrived at the park, some began walking immediately, while other groups circled up and prayed before they moved around. Some ushered the Holy Spirit while still in the car! Nevertheless, God was with us, He went before us, and stood behind us.

As I was walking, I was amazed at the ways God was working around me. I saw members of our group sitting next to people fishing, people circled up with complete strangers, holding hands together.... I saw the Spirit moving all around me. I saw fresh wind and fresh fire.

My group walked around the park, praying for any person we saw. We began interceding for the other members of our group as several of them engaged in conversations with random strangers they came across during their walks.

The Spirit led me to talk to a group of 7-or-so high-school-aged kids. One boy said that he knew I was going to come over to them. I was drawn to them because I didn't have Jesus growing up and because of that I was headed on a path of destruction. I could tell they were on a similar path. I wanted them to know that someone cared about them. That someone was pursuing them. That someone loved them and would never leave or forsake them. When I was their age a friend introduced me to the God who loves me, and it forever changed my life.

What's really cool about God is that He has ALL authority in heaven and on earth, therefore we can go anywhere and preach the good news in order to spread His fame. I told that group about Jesus and what He had done in my life. I didn't get to pray for them because they unfortunately were getting high. But they were engaged and asked many many questions. Seeds were planted. My prayer is that they saw something "irresistible" in me... and that someday they realize that it was Jesus, there is power in His name.

We met afterward at Dairy Queen to share stories:

Deb Karr's group came across a mother with two junior high kids that use to be Jehovah Witnesses. She also prayed with students from BHS who have never been to church.

Erin Humphries spent all of her time talking with 2 girls, one just happened to be a teen mom -- which is Erin's passion. The girls' said that they felt like no one loved them. "It's like they are carrying a beautiful gift but never opening it or receiving it," Erin said. They exchanged phone numbers -- how amazing -- to see fruit by the end of the conversation. Looking forward to hearing about any follow up with these girls from Erin.

Erin's husband Josh talked with a man named Jose. He wouldn't let Josh pray with him. Josh insisted because "everyone needs prayer for something." Jose finally allowed it and said, "This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me."Praise God!

One group saw a friend from Chestnut, who is also an evangelist. She was talking to someone from the park, so the group began interceding for her.

I'm sure there were many more cool stories! I'm excited to experience, hear, and share these amazing God things every week!

Today we will be going to Franklin Park. Still meeting at the church at 6:30 to discuss Ch. 2 of Fresh Wind Fresh Fire.

Here are my highlights:

"If we call upon the Lord, He has promised in His Word to answer, to bring the unsaved to himself, to pour out his Spirit among us. If we don't call upon the Lord, He has promised nothing--nothing at all. It's as simple as that. No matter what I preach or what we claim to believe in our heads, the future will depend upon our times of prayer."  

"I felt a new sense of unity and love among us. God seemed to be knitting us together. I didn't preach a typical sermon; there was new liberty to wait on God's presence." 

"Week after week I kept encouraging the people to pray. As Samuel Chadwick said long ago, the greatest answer to prayer is more prayer."  

"People weren't hungry for fancy sermons or organizational polish. They just wanted love." 

"Things to come in our church: God taking hopeless, even crazy people and changing them. I knew that a lot of churches gave lip service to the idea that God can do anything. But we needed to have real faith that anyone who walked in, regardless of his or her problems, could become a trophy of God's grace."  

"We never knew who might come to Christ as the Brooklyn Tabernacle. There were junkies, prostitutes, and homosexuals. But lost lawyers, business types, and bus drivers turned to the Lord there, too. We welcomed them all."  

"But in that meeting God clearly spoke to us that it wasn't the ground across the street He wanted to break. Instead, He would break our hearts and build His church on that foundation."  

"At a Tuesday night prayer meeting we laid the problem before God, weeping and pleading for a last-miute rescue of some kind." 

"God had formed a core of people who wanted to pray, who believed that nothing was too big for Him to handle. No matter what roadblock we faced, no matter what attack came against us, no matter how wild the city became in the late seventies--as cocaine arrived on top of heroin, and then crack cocaine on top of that--God could still change people and deliver them from evil. He was building His church in a tough neighborhood, and as long as people kept calling out for His blessing and help, He had fully committed Himself to respond." 

I'm thankful for Nicki and Cat who are leading us to pray!!! Nothing is too big for God!!!! Let's pray!!!