Celebration Stories
We believe that God is doing amazing things during this time and want to share those stories! Hearing about the fruit of prayer and mission is so encouraging and can strengthen our faith, so it's important to share where God is moving!
But here are some praise worthy stories of how God moved in answer to our prayers during the 40 Days of Prayer Campaign...
I just wanted to say thank you so much for doing this 40day of prayer project. It’s really helped me remember the importance of prayer and the power of prayer. I’ve fallen away from God a bit this year but this has helped me to come back to God and is actually making me excited to pray and wanting to put my name down more so I can pray more!!
I loved my hour prayer slot today. A very special time. So glad I got involved.
#salvos40daysofprayer
I’ve had a really busy week this week, almost like pre-corona. On any other week I would have been tempted to just push my time with God to the side or really minimal time because I was ‘too busy’. But this commitment I made when I signed up to 40 days of prayer a few weeks ago has forced me to prioritise prayer this week which I otherwise wouldn’t have. The resources have helped me pray for things I wouldn’t usually. It can feel hard at first but I’ve really felt God’s presence during those times and I believe he will reward me/us for the sacrifices made.
"I’ve just spent an hour an hour in prayer. I experienced a sense of God’s presence with me & an excitement for what he is doing - especially as we all intentionally spend time with him. The resources are so helpful. I used the ‘praying in colour, intercessory Prayer’ - and ‘counting your blessings’. I plan on ‘prayer walking’ tomorrow in my time slot. Thanks for what you’ve done to make this happen."
"I sense God doing a new thing too. I don’t believe that it’s by coincidence that the 40 Days have coincided with the territory’s 21 Days of Prayer. It’s got to be God. Wouldn’t it be amazing if this was the beginning of a revival that we have prayed & talked about for years."
"Corps asking if they can take a whole day and encouraging ALL their people to pray! Loving the excitement! Also being creative and making it their own! Engaging in a big way. Imagine what God is going to do during this time."
"I'm really excited about my prayer hour tomorrow. I've planned my session with music, verbal prayer, written prayer & I will be purchasing a beautiful candle from Dusk today, which I will light and pray for one of my colleagues, then I will give it to her and tell her about our prayer sessions. So hopefully she will feel comfort from that. She has been on my heart lately, her name is Jade."
"I normally don’t sign up to do these things but I was quite challenged to commit to doing this and I’m so glad I did. My times have been different to what I would normally do as I followed several of the stations and it was such a refreshing, moving time for me. It was wonderful to pray for others and equally as wonderful hearing God remind me how much I am loved and that no matter how useless I feel sometimes he can use anyone who has a heart for God and is willing to be used by Him."
"Hunter & Port Stephens Corps leaders joined together in prayer today (12th June), praying for the Army, the way forward, the move of the Holy Spirit, personal growth, the Corps in this area, and more, a beautiful, worshipful, moving time of prayer and meditation……..also we heard some inspirational teaching from Matthew and Kathy from the Australian Prayer Network. Thanks to Sandra Koutnik and Yolande for organising; present were Mark and Fran (AO’s), David and Val (Singleton), Wendy-Sue (Cessnock), Joel and Yolande (Raymond Terrace) & Howard & Sandra (Port Stephens)."
- "So I got the Villawood crew organised for our allocated time slot of prayer. I had 15 stations set up with all sorts of creative options, but only one took off. Chalk footpath art. I had two packets of thick footpath chalk, but they were soon used and I had to go back to the dollar shop and buy ten more.
We fair dinkum flooded Urana Street Villawood with colourful messages of love and Hope. People were asked to share their prayer for Villawood on the Footpath and heaps of people got involved. One lady just came to life. She was pretty messy and stressed out but as she grasped what was involved in the footpath prayers she forgot all that and just focussed on searching her heart for a hope filled message to share. It was beautiful to see her smile and to sense her desire for people here to be safe and feel loved. She was very arty and loved drawing hearts, balloons and smiley faces and writing hopeful messages.
Some of chalk messages have lasted all week and I even noticed the posty reading them the other day as he delivered the mail."
To hear more about Villawood’s 40 Days of Prayer experience click on this link and have a listen to the Stories of Hope Podcast! https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/brycedavies/id/14930993
- "Bethany Aged Care has joined in with the Salvation Army 40 days of prayer-with a prayer chain started at Chapel on Sunday 7th June. Residents wrote their cares and concerns and hopes which were joined together and placed in the Chapel area. It will stay there until July 9th and staff and residents shave been invited to add their prayers"
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"We had a wonderful day yesterday, with 18 people prayer-walking Willowdale. The community was so open, with very few people refusing prayer. We had several contacts where people are looking for faith fellowship or are eager to engage in more conversation with The Salvation Army to serve. One lady was learning guitar and played a worship song while we sang along. Other Christians expressed their desire to be more missional and received prayer to be faithful witnesses in this community. One man received prayer for healing, and another family invited our prayer walkers into their home for a meal. The contacts we made through facebook are all keen to meet this week, and participate in the future.
As the prayer teams returned from their adventures, there was so much joy as the stories were shared. It was a day of joy; a Pentecost gathering anointed and sent to bring good news, and people of all nations responded.
In reflection, this is what the teams wrote:
- What did Jesus show you today? some people are hurting; openness; lightness; believers coming together in this neighbourhood; people still need Jesus; the necessity of evangelism
- In what ways are people experiencing hardship or injustice here? employment issues; lack of support; poor health; poverty of relationships; domestic violence?
- What does the Kingdom of God look like here? family; relationships of deep love; this suburb is a place of refuge; people of all nations; drawn to do the Father's will (not just work)
- What did you hear Jesus saying today? Generational blessing will be here; to pray for the hurting; be the blessing; God loves the people of Willowdale deeply; heal and restore; nourish the land; seek people of peace"
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"Gosford Prayer Labyrinth. You walk in to a serene room, and at every station you look at an aspect of your life, your challenges, and prickly times in your life, sowing seeds in ministry, praying for the area you live and minister, and more. At every table you’re conscious of the presence and power of God. Particularly in the centre of the room where the cross stands. Thanks Gosford Corps, for creating this beautiful room where anyone can come and seek God."
