Prayer Room Stories
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Name: Captain Carol Austin
Date: October 2006
Major:
I have been meaning to write this for the past month.
The Newark ARC-along with Paterson, Trenton & Jersey conducted our 24/7 prayer during the week of August 25-Sept 1. When I committed our Center to a week of prayer I did so on faith that God would use this commitment to make His presence known to the men who come through our doors seeking shelter from the storm of their life .I also did so not sure how I was going to pull together the entire thing. Here are the 2 questions that kept going through my mind:
-How am I going to convince residents/employees to commit to time of prayer?
-Where was I going to find the place to set aside as a room dedicated for prayer?
Through the commitment of all four centers in New Jersey each committing to at least 2 full days of prayer, the first answer came fairly easily, we can surely get enough people to commit to help cover 48 hours and so the sign up sheet went up for the First and Last days of our selected week. Within one day the men in our center were asking if we could have more than 2 days and so in Newark we decided to make every day of our week available for our residents and staff to sign up for one hour prayer times.
The second question was answered just as easily. There is a small room off the lobby, just outside our chapel that is about 8'X10' in dimension, just enough for 2-3 people to gather at a time. All it needed was to find a home for all the 'stuff' that got stored in there, then a clean coat of paint and some bulletin boards and let folks that were utilizing the room do the rest. Put in a cd player and various cds, a few devotional books and Bibles, some note paper, sticky pads and pens and a brand new prayer room at the Newark ARC.
On the Wednesday nite vespers before our assigned week, we re-showed the 24/7 video and had a dedication service for our prayer room.
Now let me share with you the affect our week of prayer has had on our center. Sometimes with the different personalities of the men and the different reasons for them being here, the attitude in a center can become a bit 'street' or 'jail'. Often the residents will try to work against why they have come instead of towards the changes they state they want. Prior to our week of prayer we were feeling the affects of a house of men who were not united. There was backstabbing, gossip and negativity in many conversations heard.
When I entered our center on Saturday morning of our first weekend of prayer I could already tell there was a difference in the center. By Sunday morning Chapel, God's presence was overwhelming. Because our men now have a place set aside for nothing other than solitude with God.
I am so grateful to God for making this possible in our center. After our week was over and all our residents went back to the routine of their program I felt a burden for this time to continue. Although our prayer room will always be available often times the residents will get busy with all the other program things as well as time to visit their family.
We have decided that we will begin set aside time each month for our residents to commit to time with Him.
Name: Major Donna Wendt
Prayer Liaison/NJ Division
Date: October 2006
Thanks to all who participated in the 24/7 hours of prayer in the Prayer Cottage.
There were great blessings as we prayed through the hours of 9:00 AM Saturday September 2nd to 4:00 PM Sunday September 3rd.
People prayed individually, as families and as fellowship groups.
One could feel the presence of the Lord when entering the Prayer Cottage.
A special thank you to those of you who signed for multiple hours and those who volunteered for the hours during the deep of the night and the wee hours of the morning.
Thank you all again and blessings on you.
Name: Captain Frank Nataluk
Westbrook, Maine
Date: October 2006
The week is going awesome!!! Rose Duran did such a wonderful job decorating it and after days of prayer in a row you really feel God's presence as you walk in.
We are anticipating awesome things to happen and several people whom I would say are marginal spiritually are sensing God's presence in the prayer room as well. Please pray for our prayer warriors who are filling the prayer room.
God Bless You,
Name: Chip Kelly
Program Facilitator, Montclair, NJ
Date: October 2006
Praise God for his faithfulness! This morning when I e-mailed you we had 21 slots remaining and now we are down to (drum roll please)....
8 slots remaining for the week ... and it's only Tuesday.
I send this note, to truly acknowledge God's hand in all of this, and not to pressure you to sign up, (although you can visit www.montclaircitadel.org, and click on the 24/7 Prayer icon to do so) but to leave you with this verse as an affirmation of God's movement through the Prayer Room this week:
Ephesians 3:20-21(NIV)
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Name: Major Joy Emmons
Date: October 2006
I would like more [Year of Prayer] DVDs. I shared mine with our Prayer Coordinator. I am trying to start something small in our hallway where the Soup Kitchen people come through. Janet this hallway was filled with a spirit of depression . . ., but is changing through prayer! Last night our outreach pastor was away and I happened to come by for something I had forgotten. "Are you going to pray with us Major?" they asked as I was rushing by. I paused. They bowed their heads. It has become an unusual prayer room.
Attached you will find a story of one change that happened to a woman who sat in a cave of despair in that hallway. Now she is cleaning the hallway for Jesus!.
Name: Captain Carmen Sullivan
Cleveland Ohio City Corps
Date: October 2006
Praise the Lord! I can tell you many stories about the Miracles the Lord is doing in our corps. I have about eighty testimonies of healings that have been backed by [medical] doctors.
I want my corps to be included in the 24/7 prayer. We love to pray and we are experiencing a very powerful revival in our corps. During this month I set up the Holy Place from the Tabernacle and we can see the angels around the chapel. We put the Ark of the Covenant and may other pieces. It is very beautiful.
Last night we were praying in our corps until 1:00am. We had 21 people.
May the Lord Bless you today!
Name: Captains Ron & Linda Lee
Binghamton, NY
Date: October 2006
Dear Friends,
Thought you might like to know that we have had some wonderful break- throughs taking place since our 24/7 prayer session here at the corp. First of all when we posted the sign up list for folks to take hour time slots (we have a prayer corner set up in the back of our chapel) the very first person to sign for an hour of prayer (the first hour) was one of our young DSS welfare to work folks (isn't God amazing?). Second we have been concerned about folks gradually leaving the corps fellowship for whatever reason (moving away etc.) and no new folks especially young people coming into the fellowship. This was one of our prayer topics (among many). This past Sunday God began to answer our prayers. Three new teenagers called to come to church on Sunday and were so pleased with Sunday School and Holiness meeting that they want to return and bring their siblings! Third, we had a new woman come to home league last night and a new man came to men's fellowship. So we are already seeing immediate results from our prayers. Also Sunday Salvation meeting this past Sunday had more attendance than the Holiness meeting (more soup kitchen folks coming in). We are truly blessed. Blessings - Ron
Name: Captain Tracy Hughes
Date: October 2006
The Ithaca corps had a tremendous time with our 24 hour period from Sept 9-10 (7pm to 7pm)! The corps in our region shared in a week. The first showing of the DVD sparked quite an interest in soldiers and adherents. One retired Major heard the message on her machine to come to the viewing and was encouraged "It was just what I needed." Some of the retired officers had their own private showing. During a Sunday Morning service, I used the Northern New England Prayer CD track by Josh Pelletier and Jonathan Kountz , to explain that 24/7 is for all ages and types of prayers. Our Assistant CSM now wants a copy of the CD. She had never heard of such a thing.
Prayer partners were at least 27 strong and included corps members, senior group members and Women's Auxiliary members. The teens had a deep level of participation overnight at the corps, under the leadership of Terri Thomas, our YPSM. I believe she may have written to you as well.
Our prayer room was formed by movable room dividers, in the gym/ multipurpose room. I affectionately called it our Mobile Army Strategic House of Prayer. It was created by at least nine different people of varying ages. Our prayer time included the time of our fall kick-off picnic. One retired officer chose to head to her car for her hour. People were very creative. We still have the bulletin boards for requests and answers to prayer posted in the gym. Additions are still being made, and prayers lifted up.
The Holy Spirit's power in this time, in our people and in this special place caught me by surprise. (I shouldn't be surprised, but God never ceases to amaze me.) The bulletin board for answers to prayers also had a heading which said "What is God saying to you?" I began to explain the heading to one of our six-year-olds, who quickly responded "Oh, like 'Don't be afraid, just believe.'" Of course, he wrote it on a sticky note and put it on the board- a beautiful example for others. God is definitely speaking!
That same day, the Sunday before Labor Day, 24/7 SA prayer began unofficially in our corps. I wrote a prayer request for a member who lives at a nursing home whose legs are not good. The nursing staff had prepared her to accept not being able to come to the corps anymore. By the next Sunday (the 10th) she was able to come to Stewart Park for the picnic, and has come every Sunday since then. God is at work!
One ten-year -old, (who had never thought about praying for an extended period of time), said to his replacement "I'm not finished yet." All of the over-night participants commented about reading scripture, and using the music CDs available, writing requests or writing what God was saying (some with drawings). It seemed that everyone tried some method of prayer that was new to them, and they were all pleased. One fourteen -year- old liked it so much that he signed up for an extra time slot. A soldier who came to join us that night, had commented earlier that she hadn't decided how she was going to use her hour. (I told her that she didn't have to know ahead of time.) She reported beginning to pray and then writing and writing and writing. I know that for me personally, the Lord drew me back into a depth of communication with Him that I had not experienced since my regular visits to the prayer room at the Training School. I was convicted and strengthened. The time flew. God is awesome!
The 24 hour period of continuous prayer nudged our corps into a new type of cooperation and spiritual awareness. People got excited about communicating with God. I know it is not over. Suggestions were made to continue the initiative with individual Sunday school classes, and even to start a Prayer Shawl knitting/prayer group! There is also strong support for a more permanent prayer room
Name: Captain Frank Nataluk
Westbrook, Maine
Date: October 2006
The experience was awesome and we are seeing fruit already!!! We are keeping the prayer room in tact for people to still use and we will continue to encourage people to do so.
Name: THQ Employee
Date: October 2006
I wanted to take this time to speak with you. I went into the new Prayer Room yesterday for the first time since it's been moved into the dining room.
What a peaceful atmosphere it was as I read my chapter for the book club I am in here at THQ. (and prayed!)
Name: Christine Kelly
Date: October 2006
I was inspired when I heard about 24/7 prayer at commissioning last year. Since then, I have participated in five different prayer rooms. Each one was unique and special in my encounter with God. I decided to suggest setting up a prayer room at my college. So, I took a copy of the DVD and resources to my student fellowship and showed it to our leader, TR. He liked and showed the DVD to the student leaders. Now, they are talking with administration to find a time and place for the prayer room. Currently, we are looking at late January or early February.