USA: Salvation Army Year of Prayer kicks off! - 21 Jul 2006
A YOP from June 2006-June 2007
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On June 9th,
the Salvation Army in the Eastern USA – from
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The first 24/7 prayer week of the
Year of Prayer is proving a grace-filled, miracle-stirring success! Over 140
individuals participated in the Territorial Headquarters Prayer Room experience
in the first 7 days! Many are giving testimony to the strong sense of the
manifest Presence of the Lord --- He is amongst us in a way we can perceive. In
order to avoid quenching the Spirit by prematurely closing the Prayer Room at
this juncture we are pressing on for a 2nd week.
Ambassador for Prayer and Spiritual Formation
USA Eastern Territory
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When we began to circulate the sign
up list I was amazed to see our staff, high-school and college kids, signing up
for one hour time periods everyday. Very
quickly, there was a day or two wait to get an open time slot in the prayer
tent. There was never any trouble
finding people to fill the hours. I
continued to be amazed…
During the first week our
"prayer tent" was blown over twice during severe
weather. The first time, without hesitation the staff
picked up the chairs and other elements that were in the prayer tent and set
them up in a near by pavilion and prayer continued there until the tent was set
back up. During the second storm the
damage to the tent was un-repairable and the staff said to me, "Capt.
we've got to get a more permanent place."
The "prayer tent" was moved to one of our guest rooms in
SWONEKY Lodge. That same evening staff
came to me with the suggestion that we clean up an old tool shed that sat
behind the maintenance building and pull it out into a central location and
make it our permanent prayer chapel.
The impact this initiative is making
on our summer probably will not be full realized for some time to come. I thank God for give us this special sacred
thing he has given us even before we knew how much we needed it.”
In His Service,
weather. The first time, without hesitation the staff
picked up the chairs and other elements that were in the prayer tent and set
them up in a near by pavilion and prayer continued there until the tent was set
back up. During the second storm the
damage to the tent was un-repairable and the staff said to me, "Capt.
we've got to get a more permanent place."
The "prayer tent" was moved to one of our guest rooms in
SWONEKY Lodge. That same evening staff
came to me with the suggestion that we clean up an old tool shed that sat
behind the maintenance building and pull it out into a central location and
make it our permanent prayer chapel.
The impact this initiative is making
on our summer probably will not be full realized for some time to come. I thank God for give us this special sacred
thing he has given us even before we knew how much we needed it.”
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Major Bonnie
Kirk’s blog:
Thursday, June 29,
2006
This has been a great couple of days.
I had the privilege to spend time at Camp Sebago
in the 24/7 prayer room. The peace and
serenity of that place was juxtaposed against the laughter and banter of staff
and campers outside. It was an odd
feeling - submerging myself in the holiness of that place while still having
foot in this world as I chuckled over the sounds outside.
Today Vanessa joined me for a while in the prayer room - a little 7
year old girl who loves the Lord. This
grandmother and that little girl formed a bond this morning as we prayed
together for prayer requests that have been posted around the room.
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Excerpt from the
Prayer Log Book at Camp
NEOSA logged during the
24/7 prayer week:
Dear Lord,
I thank you for bringing me to a place like this, this
summer. Being surrounded by Christians
is the thing I need most in life right now.
I have fallen so far away from you.
Please just help me be a strong person for the rest of the summer. I pray that you will help me be a good
witness. I pray that you will shine thru
me. I pray that you will be a shelter
thru the storm. Help me stay calm and
give me the patience that it takes to handle the campers. Give the campers good, clean hearts.
Lord I thank you for listening!