Have you noticed, in your own ministry or personal walk, what a difference it makes when you give prayer a place? I was reflecting on this over the past week as our staff of workers at Emerald Hills refreshed the training room that we’ve been using as a prayer room since the first of the year. Do we need the training space? Absolutely. In many ways, it creates additional headaches and space-problems by setting aside that entire 17′ by 20′ classroom as a prayer room. But at the same time, I’ve noticed how grateful our workers are to have a place to pray. Now in some ways, our whole building is set aside for that purpose. (We named the building a Prayer Center.) But it just wasn’t quite good enough for our team members. They wanted a room that could be darkened some… with lots of that brown freezer-wrap paper on the wall for people to record their prayer requests, praises, and outcomes. They wanted a “holy of holies” with quiet worship music playing in the background. They wanted pillows, prayer rugs, and special curtains. Now please understand, our staff here doesn’t really seem to be the mystical type. But there’s something about setting aside a special place to pray. It somehow makes it more . . . . I don’t know… more of a destination. Now granted, on our property here at Emerald Hills, we’re in the process of building 29 designated prayer shelters scattered on prayer trails throughout the land. But, somehow, they needed more. I guess, to be fair, it has indeed been a cold winter here with more than the usual amount of snow. And they *did* set up the room on Dec. 31st… so why should I be surprised.
What about your ministry, church or family? Do you find that it helps to set up a designated *place* to pray? A mountain-top grotto? … a quiet closet in the basement? Can you … would you take a moment to tell us what you’ve done? Just click on the link below the web version of this item and share what *you* have seen in your own experience. And thanks in advance for participating.
My closest friend and prayer mentor has a “God Room” in her house. We pray there often and it is wonderful to have a place to retreat from the activity of kids, pets, and noise! When my family moved bedrooms around to accommodate my Dad moving in with us a year ago, I announced, “we need a God Room!”. So the smallest bedroom is now a room set aside for worship, prayer, and study. It is wonderful. My other friends have benefited from spending time in the ‘God Room’ with me and claim it is ‘annointed’! Now my friends have God Rooms in their homes and their friends are creating spaces set aside for meeting with God, too. It is contagious!
Here’s some information on how churches are stimulating more prayer, especially global intercession:
Powerful Praying Churches–part 1 http://www.catalystservices.org/bm~doc/chpr1.pdf
Powerful Praying Churches–part 2 http://www.catalystservices.org/bm~doc/chpr2.pdf