My heart and soul are still overwhelmed by the spirit and presence of God that I experienced this past Monday. Even bad weather and poor parking could not dampen what God had in store for those who gathered for an entire day of prayer. Despite obstacles, GOD WON THE DAY!!

We started and ended the day with worship, and without question, worship sets the tone and prepares our hearts for God’s powerful anointing. Our worship team, led by Michael North, is a team of talented, yet humble, servants that simply allow God to work through them in music and song. Seeing 1000+ people all worshipping and singing at the top of their lungs and with the fullness of their hearts is an experience unlike no other.

Then we prayed. The people prayed. We prayed in small clusters. We prayed at the open mic. We prayed at the wall. We prayed in the parking lot, the offices, the stage, the hall walls and in the FLC.

We prayed standing. We prayed on our knees. We prayed on our face. We prayed with heads bowed and with hands raised.

We prayed for our nation, our city, our state, our governing officials. We prayed for our President, our congress, our Mayor and our Governor.

We prayed for our families, our marriages, our children and our employees.

We prayed for our health, our jobs, our finances and our ministries.

We prayed for our missions, our fellow workers around the world. We prayed for Asia and Africa. We prayed for India and Europe. We prayed for Europe and America. We prayed for the world. Did you see the FLC? The missions department did an incredible job preparing a place where we could see the world.

We prayed that God would provide miracles upon miracles so that we might build a new 3500 seat worship facility.

And then, the church prayed for their Pastor. I wept like a baby. It was unplanned, and I was unprepared for the emotion of an entire church praying for me. I want to say thank you for all who participated, who fasted, who took time to come to the house of God to seek God’s face.

I think of the one verse in I Kings 18:36 where Solomon was praying, and he said these words, “Give attention to your servant’s prayer and his pleas for mercy, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘my Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.”

Those who gathered felt and experienced the presence of God. It is my prayer that we at Shepherd would truly become a PRAYING CHURCH. May we continue in His presence by staying on our knees, humbly asking for His love and mercy. May HIS name be made known in this city and may His eyes be upon us “Day and Night.”