Day of Prayer and FastingCarla Harding - 21 Mar 2013

Hi Everyone,

Hope you're doing well.  I'm emailing to invite all of you all to take part in a special day of prayer and fasting within and for 24-7 Prayer... Please read on!

24-7 Prayer UK and International has two new year markers in each calendar year; the 1st January and the 1st April.  The 1st of April isn't just April fools day but it marks the beginning of our financial year here in the UK, so often a lot of our reflection on what we've done/seen in the last year, and our praying, dreaming and scheming for the coming year, centres around this month.  

This past year God has done so much!  

• 2012 saw the most number of 24-7 Prayer Rooms register worldwide (almost 1200!) in more nations than ever (69!) 6 of those 69 nations (The DRC, Swaziland, Mayanmar, Bhutan, Zaire and Guyana) had prayer rooms for the very first time
• This level of prayer room growth was possibly down to the four amazing years of prayer that happened in the UK & Ireland, South Africa, Malaysia and across the international offices of Alpha.
• Prayer Spaces in Schools are growing at an amazing rate - more and more young people are getting to try praying and meet with God in schools in the UK, Ireland, Uganda and now Germany too!
• The 24-7 Podcast (new season out next week for Easter!) hit 350,000 total downloads at Christmas - that represents an amazing number of people praying along around the world
• Our lovely friends at HTB and Alpha launched their permanent prayer room praying 24-7-365 right in the heart of London on Jan 1st.  24-7-365 prayer in such a significant city is something to celebrate - I hear that it's so popular you have to book a long way in advance to get a slot.
• 250 pairs of shoes were gathered at our Eurogathering last October and given to children in the Shutka Romany community in Macedonia.  250 children now have shoes to wear and are able to attend school because of this one act of generosity
• The Vision Course has launched and is taking people deeper in faith and further in prayer, mission and justice in the UK and USA
• The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby (the new leader of one of three largest Christian streams of the international Church) invited the 24-7 Prayer team to join him on a prayer pilgrimage of some of Britain's Cathedrals.  I just popped into his prayer day in Chichester Cathedral and it was an amazing time.

The above list is just a snapshot of what's been happening.  I'm sure you can think of much more.  God is good, he's moving and we're getting to be a small part of it :)  All this encouragement gives us faith and helps us as we look at the opportunities, dreams and the challenges for the coming financial year.  As we prepare for one year to end and another to begin we want to mark it with prayer. So...

This Friday 22nd March would you join us in a day of prayer and (if you're able) fasting for the movement?

Specifically we want to:
Thank God for the amazing stuff he's done since April 2012
Ask for wisdom, and for His presence and guidance as we embark on the next financial year
Ask for His financial provision for 24-7 Prayer!  

Whatever context you're involved in, it's likely you feel the need for God's provision.  With the difficult economic climate internationally many movements, communities, people and charities are finding it difficult.  We face our own challenges and we want to bring our needs to God and trust that he will provide as he has done so many times in the past.  Please pray for more individuals, churches and organisations to feel the call to give to 24-7 Prayer on a regular basis this year.  

Please feel free to invite your friends and family to take part in this day of prayer.  The more praying the merrier!

God has always been faithful to us so let's pray with persistence, faith and expectation that He will act again in the coming year.  Let's get praising and petitioning him this Friday, and I look forward to seeing what's going to happen and what we could be thanking him for this time next year.  As you're praying keep your ears open.  If you hear anything from God you feel is relevant to us all then please email it to me.

Many thanks and God bless,
Carla