People Profile - Holly DobsonRebecca Swarbrick - 13 Jan 2012

1) How and when did you first get involved with 24-7 Prayer?

I guess I got involved the first time I spent an hour in a prayer room - my heart was captured from the beginning. It was 2002, I was 17 and spending the week at Spring Harvest in Skegness with a friend. I don't remember anything about that week, other than being hooked on prayer for the first time in my life.
 
2) What attracted you to the movement?

It was prayer done differently. At 17 I was attending church prayer meetings and learning to be confident in speaking out and praying for others. But no one told me I could pray with a paint brush, or spend an hour just sitting with God being still, or turn up to a room in the middle of the night for a one hour prayer slot and shout to God along side a CD track. It added a whole new dimension to my prayer life that meant I could experience an intimacy with God I hadn't had before. The 24-7 model shows people how to spend time with God, how to be themselves, how to listen; it transforms, revitalises and invokes a passion for wanting to develop your relationship with God. I love that!
 
3) Do you have a particular memory from the movement that is  significant to you?

There are so many! I guess one is when I made the transition of moving down to Guildford, God was all over it. For the 11 months prior to the move and then once I was actually in Guildford, I've never experienced God's such exquisite timing in all parts of my life. Literally everything fell into place and I couldn't have planned it better. The way events led onto others could only have been God. It set me up for being here and knowing how much God has everything in control when you give it over to Him is a lesson I've definitely enjoyed learning.
 
4)  How do you find rest and refreshment amongst the hustle and bustle of life?

Rest is one of the most important lessons I've learnt recently. I LOVE rest. With my job and my involvement in church life, I could literally keep going all the time, so I purposely block time out of my week just 'to be'. If I didn't, the rest of my life and commitments would suffer. Taking time out with God is more important than anything else.
 
5) You are part of the Guildford Boiler Room. Are there any other prayer communities that you would love to visit?

So many! But to try and narrow it down... I used to work in Greece and I left a little piece of my heart there, so I'd love to go and see what's going down with the guys in Thessaloniki. Also, Stanford and Kansas City because of their creative vibes, and then outside of 24-7, the Northumbria community as I love their celtic roots and that part of the country.
 
6) Is there a special book you would recommend to other Partners?

My favourite books tell stories, so when I read stories of what God is doing, I'm captivated. 'The Grace Outpouring' is one that I can highly recommend. It's the testimony of a guy who took over running a retreat centre on a mountain in North Wales; his story describes how God is tangible to all who visit or even go near the centre - stories of a random, rural place where God is dwelling and doing amazing things. It renews hope and faith in us all for what God can do right where we are.
 
7) Any final words of wisdom?

At the beginning of each day, offer it to God. And in each situation that doesn't make sense and is hard to deal with, remind yourself that God is working in it and through it; don't stress about it, chat to God about it.

Thanks very much Holly; so lovely to hear from you. If you would like to become the next 'Profile Person' please email me on [email protected].