ALREADY CLEAN

What are the lies you have believed about yourself?

Put your hand on the ink pad, and then stamp it on the "dirty" figure, as a way to symbolize the ways you have been labeled, the lies you have been told, by yourself, the enemy, and others.

Now, write the truth of who GOD says you are on the other figure.

This station, created by two young sisters, had a "take away" paper full of declarations from God to encourage us to believe His truth about us.  It was especially meaningful for our youth.

AT THE HEART OF IT ALL . . .

Communion with Jesus . . .

The communion table is always at the center of deep interactions with God.  This year it was also the site of  a young boy becoming a Christian, and then taking communion for the first time with his family.

Thank you, Lord, for all the ways you meet with us during our weeks of prayer.  Some of the stories, we are privileged to hear; some we do not.  But they are all known and orchestrated by You and Your never-ending and wooing love for us.

Speaking of Arizona . . .

This was our fourth year of non-stop prayer.  For the past three of those, we have been part of Lite the Fire's AZPray initiative.  Since January, 2008, each and every week the "torch" of 24-7, non-stop prayer has been passed from location to location.  Churches, businesses, hospitals, and even homes have hosted prayer round the clock at numerous locations throughout the state.  In other words, Arizona has been covered, week by week, and hour by hour, in prayer, since December 31st, 2007.


Each year, as we have hosted the week of prayer, we have received the "torch" (symbolically represented by a camping flash light), as well as a book in which to write how God meets with us throughout the week.  At the end of the week, they are passed on to the next prayer location.  This station (above) was a place to read and reflect on what folks who had hosted 24/7 prayer during the weeks earlier in the year had written, as well as record our own thoughts and prayers.

PRAY GOD'S BLESSING on ARIZONA!

Our state is in need of prayer!  Can I get an amen???!!!
I love the words that Judi, the artist who created this station, put around the edges of the state to prompt our hearts to focus on pertinent issues.  By the end of the week, the state was "covered in prayers!"

ABIDE, or "The God Cube"

The Abide station, or the "God Cube" as it was affectionately nicknamed, was from our first year of 24/7 prayer in 2007.  Robin felt the Lord lay on her heart that it was time for it to be part of our week again this year, so she added a meditation sheet, calling us to a new and further interaction with the Lord.  She also created a new element, a round canvas mat, for the floor, so people could write on it, as well as outside and inside the cube.
  

It is covered with written expressions of worship, praise, love and hope to the Lord.  Throughout the week, people entered here to reflect, interact, and pray.  Once again it was a holy meeting place.

KINGDOM COMMUNITY

ABOVE:  I loved, during the week of prayer, hearing the rustle of people working in this station.  You couldn't always tell visually that someone was in there, but you could hear them, quietly working on, and working out, the issues of "kingdom community" with God.

We all make many choices as to how we will live out our faith in Christ.  One of these choices involves whether we will choose to live in isolation, or in community, believing that one of the most significant ways the Lord reveals Himself and ministers to us is through one another.

This large prayer station was a heart-felt collaboration between the leadership teams of both our Home Group and Art Core ministries.  The small booth with scripture verses represented the joy of our relationship with the Lord, but ultimately, it was a dead end, because without the support and encouragement of one another, individually, we can only go so far.  The large tent, however, represented how, through our common relationship in Christ, we can offer and receive love and support, and was full of creative activities that underscored, through scripture and group art, the significance and benefit of living in mutual trust and relationship.   relationship.

The "hand" squares, which were part of the creative prayer process in this station, are being sewn into a quilt.  What a great and tangible expression of the truths this station was all about!  

"So then you are no longer as those who have no part or plan in the kingdom of God, but you are numbered among the saints, and of the family of God."  Ephesians 2:19

PRAYING FOR THE USA based on the 7 MOUNTAINS OF CULTURAL INFLUENCE

During our weeks of 24-7 prayer, we love to have some of the stations be some sort of corporate expression or group project/prayer.  This year we offered scissors, magazines, markers and glue sticks, and invited everyone to post their prayers for the US in the form of a group collage, glued onto a paper mural of 7 mountains, representing 7 areas of significant cultural influence:  government, religion, family, media, education, the arts and entertainment, and business.  It was amazing and revealing to see people's creativity and hearts come forth in what they posted.


Lord, help us continue to call on You - may Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth, as in heaven!

DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?

Come, sit for a while and learn the character of your Lord!  Many of His names and their meanings are displayed; you can choose from printed versions of some of the names to decorate, embellish or add scripture or your own thoughts or prayers to.  You can also create your own freehand version of one of His Names.

We knew this station was impacting people when we began to see numerous references to God's Names in the prayer requests, worship and praises, and journaling entries around the room.

For one another, by one another

Our week of prayer is a gift we give ourselves - created for one another, by one another.  Here are a few photos of some of our stations being installed.

THE KINGDOM, THE KING, ENTER IN!

Our week of prayer has come and gone!  But the theme is continuing to challenge us, in learning to see the Lord as our dear, powerful, benevolent King who meets our needs out of the abundance of Himself; as well as challenging us to see the Kingdom as here and now; and to reach out to others around us.  Lord, help us continue to enter in to all you have for us in understanding and living out of these truths.