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CLICK HERE  to register for this webinar.

When I attended the wonderful “Awake! & Arise!” prayer retreat at Chauncey and Joan Hutter’s home in Charlottesville on November 21, 2009, I asked Bowie Curry and Scott Bradshaw, two of the leaders with the Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace, what they thought about the idea of a weekly Transformation Virginia prayer call (webinar). They both liked the idea.

I subsequently discussed this idea with Jack Stagman, who is leading many of the prayer movements in Northern Virginia. He also liked the idea. Jack heads up the Transformation Forum, a national ministry.

Today (Jan 8, 2010), Jack called me to say the time is right to start these prayer calls to bring together the diferent people and prayer groups in Virginia. Jack had participated in the launch of Pray Winchester earlier this morning. He said the people in that group liked the idea. Jack told me each of the other prayer groups he has surveyed also like the idea.

So even though we aren’t able to give much notice, we are launching the Transformation Virginia prayer call.

I expect that during this very first call, at least 30 minutes of the time will be spent in discussion and updates with what is happening around the state of Virginia. When you register for this webinar, you will be asked for your city and state so we have that information.

If you want to receive automatic email updates from the Transformation Virginia team, please subscribe to this blog at the top right.

CLICK HERE to register for this webinar.

To hear during this webinar, you have the choice to either 1) Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) – a headset is recommended. Or, 2) call in using your telephone.

To see what we are showing during the webinar, you will need to connect online. If you want to be able to speak (or pray) during the webinar,

Blessings to see the Holy Spirit unite Virginia in prayer!

Randy Peck, M.D.
“Blessed to be a blessing”
THE CONNECTOR and The Journal Guy

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, we praise You as the Master with the master plan. Thank You for lining up the right people, events, and circumstances to make this Transformation Virginia prayer call possible. We commit this call and all others to you. We ask that through these prayer calls, You will unite the hearts of Your children across the great Commonwealth of Virginia. Please make Virginia a bright light for the world. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen!

Dear Friends of The Business of Prayer,

(living in the Central Virginia area)

Joan and I would like to invite you to our home for 1 day prayer retreat. (See details below)

Our heart is to join with other Christians who desire to pray and seek God as THE answer in this hour.

Young and old, mature or new … if your heart wants to go deeper in Christ, please clear out some time in your schedule and come.

God Bless You!

Chauncey & Joan Hutter, Jr

P.S. Please bring a friend, but make sure you RSVP … Thanks!

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The time is now … Let the church arise … Calling all believers, everywhere. Calling students and marketplace Christians … from the business world to the home The time is now … To take your place on the wall … The time is now To Pray …

Awake, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you! (Eph. 5:14)

Awake! Arise!

A one-day retreat of worship, prayer and practical teaching on drawing close to the presence of the Lord and encountering Jesus in a way which awakens the soul!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

All Day and Evening

Retreat, worship, seminars, food, fellowship, renewal

Guest Speaker: Benjamin Atkinson
Richmond International House of Prayer

Location: The Home of Chauncey and Joan Hutter
60 Blue Springs Lane
Charlottesville, VA 22903

Please Invite Your Friends, Neighbors & Co-Workers – ALL Are Welcome!

(To help us prepare, please give us the names of those attending by 11/19/09)

RSVP jhutter@businessofprayer.com
434-979-2829

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Schedule For The Day

Devotional prayer and worship (8-9 a.m.): This optional time invites you to come early and sit in the presence of the Lord. There will be live music for this personal devotional set. Grab a cup of coffee and Bible, and begin your retreat!

Session One (9 — 12 noon): Drawing close to the presence of the Lord — practical teachings to equip you in the secret place.

In this session, we will focus on three topics.

* Encountering Jesus

First, we will take time to learn how to encounter Jesus. We will discuss how to practice “His Presence” throughout the day. Encountering Jesus is something that we can learn to do, and it will affect our lives forever.

* How to read and pray the Bible

Did you know that while you read the Word – you can actually interact with Jesus? In this session we will learn many different practical ways to read and pray your Bible.

* Listening for His Voice

Also during this time we will practice deeper encounter with the “voice of God.” We will teach you to hear the voice of God by using the techniques that have been very successful in the 0 to 5 year old group. You will leave this session empowered to meet God daily.

** Lunch Break and free time for fellowship, a walk along the trail, or some quiet time. Lunch provided; please let us know you’ll be here! **

Session Two (2-5 p.m.): The essence of the secret place

In this session we will talk about our secret place in God, and what it means to truly abide with God. Only you have the ability to love God the way that you can. We will learn how to meet with God and minster back to Him in the secret place of our hearts… that place where you go where it’s just you and God.

** Dinner Break ** Provided! Please sign up in advance. This is a great time to get to know each other better. There will be a special gathering of prayer leaders during this time. Anyone can join in if interested in seeing what God is doing in our city! UVa students are encouraged to gather to exchange ideas about God’s move on grounds!

Session Three (7-10 p.m.): The Awakening!

In our prayer times concerning this day, several of our prayer team discerned the need for a real awakening among believers, that the Bride of Christ would be awakened to her Beloved! In this session, we will see how God awakened His people throughout history, and how He is doing that today! Don’t miss this evening session, as we will also have deep times in worship, prayer and prophetic encouragement from Benjamin.

Again, sign up in advance.

We will pray for every name on the list!

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Special Evening of Worship and Prayer
The Night Before
Friday, November 20, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Harp and Bowl Style Worship and Prayer

Join us as we pray for a great awakening in our city!

*Benjamin Atkinson is a lover and servant of Jesus, ministering to the body of Christ through 24/7 prayer and worship. He and his wife Nadia served at Kansas City International House of Prayer for over four years before moving to the Richmond House of prayer. Their praying family includes Gabriel (5), Emma (3) and Kyah (1). Benjamin and Nadia have been praying near daily, as a couple, and then as a family for 9 years. They value and schedule their lives, around Jesus and prayer. Throughout this time they have shared their experiences by inviting people deeper into the knowledge of God, prayer, and fasting.

Real Tax Business Success
525 Meade Ave
Charlottesville, VA 22902
United States
434-220-0525

Randy, good morning to you. Thank you for meeting with me first thing this morning. Thank you for your attitude of gratitude and heart to praise Me. I AM the God of peace. I AM He who weeps with those who weep. I AM My Spirit. I AM gracious. I AM the forgiver of all transgressions. I AM the manna that came down from heaven.

Randy, yes, that was Me who just spoke to you. I want You to do a teleseminar interview of John Paul Jackson. I want you to start doing weekly teleseminars or BlogTalkRadio shows with Christian celebrities. That will create tremendous attraction marketing. These leaders will be interested in what you do. I also want you to start weekly teleseminars with Pastor Baker Rigg. He wants to move forward with Web 2.0 technology. I want you to start going to his weekly worship and prayer gatherings on Monday evenings. I AM raising you up to raise up a new standard of prayer in your community.

Randy, it is Me who is making you smile. I AM smiling down upon you. My favor is upon you. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. I AM the God of your salvation.

Randy, right now, I want you to paste your notes from the Utah trip into your journal. Enjoy. Be blessed. Receive what I AM giving you. I AM your protector. My favor will protect you from your enemies. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. I AM smiling down on you. With you I AM well pleased.

Randy, what you have done with the 6 new people in the Prosper Now 777 course is huge. You and your team have helped them load their own space shuttles on the launching pads and now their rockets are firing to launch them forward into their destinies. That makes Me smile. I have blessed you to be a catalyst to release My UNCOMMON favor into My children’s lives. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. I AM smiling upon you.

Wow Jesus. What great encouragement. Thank You. I love You so much. You are the reason I breathe, move, and have my being. You are my morning joy. You are the delight of my days.

I AM your God of promise. I AM returning. I AM He who places your tears in My bottle in My book. I AM God who shows you things to come. I AM the seven spirits and they are Me. Me secrets are with those who fear me.

Randy, it was Me who led you to listen to the I AM – 365 Names of God this morning. I wanted to remind you who I AM and who you are in Me. Victory is here.

Randy, I want you to follow up with the Chamber prospects today. I want you to go to the Culpeper lead share meeting this morning as Chris’ guest. Taste and see that I AM good. I AM the LORD; he who is joined with me is one spirit with Me. I AM the spirit of counsel. I AM your provider. I AM tenderness. I AM the true shepherd. I AM the dispeller of all fear and doubt. I AM interceding for you right now. I AM love.

Hi Baker,

Thanks for letting me know why you missed yesterday’s Pray Culpeper session. It was powerful. We missed you.

After yesterday’s prayer time, Pastor Brad Hales talked about the need for our local pastors to put this weekly gathering for prayer ahead of all other programs and ministries. Brad says this time of prayer is very uplifting for pastors. He says our community will be transformed when our pastors commit to coming together weekly to pray. He says praying together in the name of Jesus brings unity.

I am NOT available to attend the Pray Culpeper session on Sept 23 in person because I’ll be in Utah next week supporting my wife Julia as she prepares to compete in the Xterra National Triathlon Championships. However, I plan to be on my knees praying in Utah while the Pray Culpeper session is taking place on Wed Sept 23 at Noon. As I write this I am overcome with the presence of God.

Pastor Brad Hales, Pastor Howie Holmes (Providence Bible Church), Dewey McDonnell, and Jim Charapich (President, Culpeper Chamber of Commerce), all said yesterday after the Pray Culpeper session that they definitely want the weekly prayer time to continue every Noon on Wednesdays at Reformation Lutheran Church no matter what.

Our community prayer team looks forward to your participation at Pray Culpeper on Sept 23 at the Reformation Lutheran Church, 415 S Main Suite # 101, Culpeper, VA 22701.

Incidentally, Wednesday Sept 23 is a HUGE day spiritually. It marks the birth of the greatest prayer revival in the history of America. On Wednesday September 23, 1857, Jeremiah Lamphier held his first prayer meeting in a Reformation Church in New York City that launched the Fulton Street Revival. See http://yourdailyblessing.com/prayer-revival-in-america/

I encourage you to invite other pastors and people who have a heart for prayer and worship to join as well.

I’m sending a copy of this email to members of the Culpeper Ministerial Association so they can come and invite others with a heart for prayer and worship as well. I’ll posting it at the Pray Culpeper (www.prayculpeper.com) and Transformation Virginia (www.transformationvirginia.com) blogs to help get the word out. I’ll sending a seperate email to my emails lists for Your Daily Blessing, Pray Culpeper, and Transformation Virginia as well. God is going to get His word out for people around the world to pray as communities on Sept 23.

To God be the glory, now and forever.

Blessings for an extraordinary finish to an extraordinary year!

Randy
“Blessed to be a blessing”
THE CONNECTOR & The Journal Guy

P.S. Your love for prayer and worship is birthing something very significant.

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From: Baker Rigg
Date: Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Subject: Re: Connection
To: Randy Peck

Thanks Randy
had a ministry session that lasted to 12:15 yesterday. Will try again next week.

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From: Randy Peck
Subject: Re: Connection
To: “Baker Rigg”
Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 7:42 PM

Hi Baker,

Thank you for your email and prayers. I appreciate all you are doing for our community.

We missed you today at the weekly Pray Culpeper meeting at Noon. Hope you can make it next week.

Blessings,
Randy

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From: Baker Rigg
Date: Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Subject: Connection
To: randy@empower2000.com

Randy,

Great connecting with you at the ministerial meeting. I will make plans to attend the prayer meeting at the Lutheran church tomorrow. Our prayer time for Church on the Rise is 7pm on Monday nights. I am praying for you today.

Baker

Yesterday, I went to the monthly “Christ In Culpeper” (Prayer Culpeper) meeting at the Culpeper Train Depot. Eight prayer warriors were there initially and one more joined us before we finished. The presence of God was very strong.

While we were praying I saw a vision of a large waterwheel dipping down into the water (God’s living water) and bringing water up to people waiting in the window above. Many, many people are so thirsty for God’s living waters.

Also while we were praying, the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart strongly to resume weekly prayer meetings. When I got home, I found a letter (article) in the mail from Burt Swardstrom titled “Prayer Revival In America.” Burt is Director of Communications (Prayer Coordinator) for Mastermedia International.

As I was reading that article (see below), I knew with absolutely certainly that I am to start a noon-time weekly prayer meeting in Culpeper in which business people can meet for prayer that will rapidly evolve into daily prayer meeting all over our community. Prayer and faith go hand-in-hand. Prayer and love for Jesus go hand-in-hand.

I feel so deeply the pain of broken hearts and broken families in our community. PRAYER IS THE ANSWER. There is no revival without prayer. The only way a city will be transformed is when pulpit and marketplace leaders come together regularly to pray. That is foundational to every great revival.

Jeremiah Lamphier held his first prayer meeting in a Reformation Church in New York City on Wednesday September 23, 1857. Within weeks, hundreds of people were gathering to pray. It’s interesting that in 2009, September 23 is also a Wednesday.

Late yesterday afternoon, I spoke with Brad Hales, pastor of Reformation Lutheran Church in downtown Culpeper. He has agreed to allow his sanctuary to be used for prayer time on Wednesdays at Noon. So we will start weekly prayer meetings from Noon – 1 pm on Wed, September 2.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, we praise You as the God of prayer, the God of revival. Thank You for stirring my heart to begin weekly prayer meetings in downtown Culpeper starting Sept 2. I’m expecting an explosion in faith and God-centeredness. May Your Holy Spirit send the invitations to people’s hearts to come. Thank You Jesus!

Blessings to experience the power of prayer in your community!

Randy Peck, M.D.
“Blessed to be a blessing”
THE CONNECTOR & The Journal Guy

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Prayer Revival In America
Source: http://www.truthkeepers.com/prayer1.htm

Wesley Duewal (Revival Fire: ZondervanPublishingHouse)

1857 Prayer Revival in America

A quiet, zealous forty-six-year-old businessman in New York was appointed on July 1,1857 , as a missionary in downtown New York at the Dutch Church. Jeremiah Lamphier had been converted in 1842 in Broadway Tabernacle, Finney’s church that was built in 1836.

Lamphier felt led by God to start a noon-time weekly prayer meeting in which business people could meet for prayer. Anyone could attend, for a few minutes or for the entire hour. Prayers were to be comparatively brief. Lamphier’s group met on the third floor of the old North Dutch Reformed Church on Fulton Street in New York. Lamphier printed some handbills announcing the prayer meetings with the title, “How Often Should I Pray?” He left these in some offices and warehouses. He also put one on the door of the church on the street side.

The first day, September 23, 1857, Lamphier prayed alone for half an hour. But by the end of the hour, six men from at least four denominational backgrounds joined him. The next Wednesday there were twenty. On October 7 there were nearly forty. The meeting was so blessed that they decided to meet daily. One week later there were over one hundred present, including many unsaved who were convicted by the Holy Spirit of their sin.

Within one month pastors who had attended the noon prayer meetings in Fulton Street started morning prayer meetings in their own churches. Soon the places where the meetings were held were overcrowded. Men and women, young and old of all denominations met and prayed together without distinctions. The meetings abounded with love for Christ, love for fellow Christians, love for prayer, and love of witnessing. Those in attendance felt an awesome sense of God’s presence. They prayed for specific people, expected answers, and obtained answers.

Newspapers began to report on the meetings and the unusual spirit of prayer that was evident. Within three months similar meetings had sprung up across America. Thousands began praying in these services and in their own homes. I n New York, gospel tracts were distributed to those in attendance, with instructions that they pray over the tracts and then give them to someone God brought to mind.

The three rooms at the Fulton Street Church were filled beyond capacity, and hundreds had to go to other places. By early February a nearby Methodist Church was opened, and it immediately overflowed. The balconies were filled with ladies. By March 19 a theater opened for prayer, and half an hour before it was time to begin, people were turned away. Hundreds stood outside in the streets because they could not get inside. By the end of March over six thou- sand people met daily in prayer gatherings in New York City. Many churches added evening services for prayer. Soon there were 150 united prayer meetings each day across Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Meetings began in February in Philadelphia. Soon Jayne’s Hall was overfilled, and meetings were held at noon each day in public halls, concert halls, fire stations, houses, and tents. The whole city exuded a spirit of prayer.

PRAYER MEETING FERVOR

Almost simultaneously noon prayer meetings sprang up all across America in Boston, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, New Orleans, Vicksburg, Memphis, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, and in a multitude of other cities, towns, and in rural areas. By the end of the fourth month, prayer fervor burned intensely across the nation. It was an awesome but glorious demonstration of the sovereign working of the Holy Spirit and the eager obedience of God’s people.

America had entered a new period of faith and prayer. Educated and uneducated, rich and poor, business leaders and common workmen-all prayed, believed, and received answers to prayer. Even the president of the United States, Franklin Pierce, attended many of the noon prayer meetings. This was not a revival of powerful preaching. This was a movement of earnest, powerful, prevailing prayer.

All people wanted was a place to pray. Sinners would come and ask for prayer. Someone would individually pray for them, and in minutes the newly saved person was rejoicing in Christ. Prayers would be asked by name for unconverted friends and loved ones from allover the country. In a day or two, testimonies would be given of how the prayers had already been answered. In some towns, nearly the entire population became saved.

Six months previous to Lamphier’s prayer meeting boom, few would have gathered for a prayer service. But now a spirit of prayer occupied the land, as though the church had suddenly discovered its real power. The majority of the churches in most denominations experienced a new dimension of prayer. The Presbyterian Magazine reported that as of May there had been fifty thousand converts of the revival. In February, a New York Methodist magazine reported a total of eight thousand conversions in Methodist meetings in one week. The Louisville daily paper reported seventeen thousand Baptist conversions in three weeks during the month of March. And according to a June statement, the conversion figures stood at 96,216–and still counting. all but two of the youth in one high school were saved. A similar event took place in Toledo, Ohio. These are just brief examples of what was happening constantly all across the nation.

The accounts of the prayer meetings during those revival years describe how the people would quietly gather at the place of prayer promptly at the appointed hour. Whoever was leader for the meeting—a layman or a minister— arose and announced a hymn. They sang one or two verses with great joy, the leader prayed briefly, and then turned the service over to the members. Any person was free to speak or pray for no longer than five minutes. If the person took more than that time, a small bell was rung and it was someone else’s turn.

Requests for prayer, often coming from distant places, were spoken or read. Often sinners arose and requested prayer for themselves. Members gave testimonies of answers to prayer, and the people praised the Lord. Brief exhortations on prayer or revival were allowed but limited to five minutes. Many testified of revival progress in various locations. Promptly at the closing of the hour the leader rose and pronounced the benediction, and the people quietly left the building. Occasionally someone might stay behind to pray with a spiritual seeker.

THE INVISIBLE CLOUD OF GOD’S PRESENCE

A canopy of holy and awesome revival influence—in reality the presence of the Holy Spirit—seemed to hang like an invisible cloud over many parts of the United States, especially over the eastern seaboard. At times this cloud of God’s presence even seemed to extend out to sea. Those on ships approaching the east coast at times felt a solemn, holy influence, even one hundred miles away, without even knowing what was happening in America.

Revival began aboard one ship before it reached the coast. People on board began to feel the presence of God and a sense of their own sinfulness. The Holy Spirit convicted them, and they began to pray. As the ship neared the harbor, the captain signaled, “Send a minister.” Another small commercial ship arrived in port with the captain, and every member of the crew converted in the last 150 miles. Ship after ship arrived with the same story: both passengers and crew were suddenly convicted of sin and turned to Christ before they reached the American coast.

The battleship North Carolina was anchored in New York harbor as a naval receiving ship. More than a thousand young men were on board. Four Christians agreed to meet together for prayer and knelt on the lower deck. The Spirit of God so filled their hearts with joy that they broke into song. Ungodly men on the top deck heard the singing, looked down, and saw the boys kneeling. They began running down the stairs, mocking and jeering. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit so gripped them that by the time they reached the bottom deck they fell on their knees and began crying for mercy.

Strong men who were deep in sin were broken down by the Spirit’s power and knelt humbly in penitence and faith. Night after night the sailors prayed, and hundreds were converted on the ship. Ministers were sent for, and they came out from shore to help in the gracious work of the Spirit. The battleship became a mighty center of revival. Converts of the movement, completing their periods of training, were sent out to other navy ships. Wherever they went revival fires were kindled in other naval vessels.

IN HOMES, SHOPS, FIELDS, AND CHURCHES

Reports came in of hundreds being converted in prayer meetings, private homes, workshops, and fields. Often the doors of businesses held signs reading, ” Closed, will reopen at the close of the prayer meeting.” Five prayer meetings took place daily in Washington, D.C. Five thousand or so attended daily services in the Academy of Music Hall.

In Philadelphia, Jayne’s Hall removed partitions and added space for six thousand people to attend daily meetings. At this time George Duffield wrote the hymn “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” For months multitudes of churches opened every evening for prayer, and some of them had from three to five services of prayer each day. All were filled. The services consisted of simple prayer, confession, exhortation, and singing. But it was ” so earnest, so solemn, the silence. ..so awful, the singing. ..so over-powering” that the meetings were unforgettable. A canvas tent was erected for outdoor meetings, and it immediately filled with people. In four months’ time, a total of 150,000 people attended the ministry in the tent, with many conversions. Philadelphia churches reported five thousand converts.

The Presbyterians in Northern Ireland heard of the awakening in Philadelphia and sent fraternal delegates. These delegates returned to their homeland and reported what they had seen, and the revival broke out in Ireland, spreading across the British Isles.

REVIVAL IN THE ARMY

Because of the bitter tensions of the Civil War and the slavery issue, for a time it seemed that the southern states would not be as powerfully influenced by the revival as the northern ones had been. Others dispute this assumption. An unusually powerful revival broke out among the southern troops stationed around Richmond, Virginia, in the autumn of 1861. It began in the hospitals among the wounded men and then spread into the camps as these men returned to active duty. Prayer meetings were organized and hundreds converted. The movement spread rapidly throughout the army, reaching the troops of Tennessee and Arkansas.

Revival was encouraged by Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, who were well known as devout Christians. By the mid-summer of 1863 the revival had spread through all the Confederate armies, and thousands of men had been converted. Chaplains and lay missionaries went out among the troops, preaching and distributing tracts and dealing personally with hungry hearts. By the end of the war at least 150,000 soldiers had been converted, and more than a third of all of the southern troops had become praying men. The revival among the southern troops was primarily a revival of prayer, as the earlier revival in the North had been. While the best estimates are that 6.6 percent of the entire population of the United States was converted during the revival, the percentage among the southern troops was 21 percent. The North really did not win the war—prayer and a mighty revival did!

Dear Pray-ers,

Project Prayer Front Royal, made up of nearly 40 Christians representing a number of churches throughout the town and some from the county, has been actively praying for our area for 20 months now. We have added to the prayers of many hundreds of others who have answered God’s call to continually lift the town and county up to Him in prayer over the years. As you have been faithful to pray, persevering in your prayer closets, God has been moving! I want to share some of the answers to the overarching prayers for the ‘big picture’.

• Front Royal Outreach Church was newly formed and began ministering in the local jail in mid 2008. Several individuals have since been baptized right in the jail! The gospel is breaking through the blockades and the ‘untouchables’ are being touched by the Living God.
• At 1:00 on Feb. 21st of this year, a special service commemorating the day racial integration began at Warren County High School will take place at Skyline High School and will bring racial healing to this town.
• The Avtex site has turned up NO measurable toxins in the soil and the remaining grounds will soon be transformed into a beautiful park.
  The long awaited skate park is soon to be a reality!
• A new united youth ministry movement is gearing up and will soon reach thousands of kids with the gospel of Christ.

All of these things God has done during the 20 months we have been praying in unity for our town and county. It has not been our prayers alone, but the unity in which we pray and the culmination of thousands upon thousands of petitions brought before the throne of our Almighty God.

Be encouraged, mighty warriors, you Gatekeepers of the city! Be strong and do not grow weary in doing good for surely the LORD is in our midst!

Thank you for praying!

Together in His service,

Denni Giovinazzo
Project Prayer Front Royal

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

How will you celebrate this most uncommon day and bring glory to God?

Today is a most uncommon day. It’s a day of convergence when Mother’s Day, Pentecost Sunday, and the Global Day of Prayer all take place. On top of that, it’s our son’s birthday. He was born 21 years ago. That’s 3 x 7.

Since Mother’s Day is always the second Sunday of May and Pentecost Sunday is always 50 days after Easter, it is extremely rare that Pentecost Sunday occurs on Mother’s Day. In 2008, Pentecost Sunday occurs at the earliest time in the calendar year it ever will during any of our lifetimes.

Today, about 300 million people from at least 212 nations of the world are gathering in their communities to repent, pray, seek God’s face, and exalt the name of Jesus. This is the largest prayer gathering in history. 3 years ago, the Global Day of Prayer was officially birthed out of Transformation Africa. A huge prayer and spiritual revival was birthed out of the poorest continent in the world. Since then, the Global Day of Prayer has been celebrated each year on Pentecost Sunday.
Today, you can tune in to live video Global Day of Prayer broadcasts from around the world at www.god.tv. Don’t miss this opportunity to somehow, somewhat get connected.

Culpeper, Virginia had community celebrations for the Global Day of Prayer in 2005 and 2007. Today, Culpeper is having its very first outdoor Global Day of Prayer celebration at Yowell Meadow Park from 3:30 PM until dusk.

Prayer Power
Most gracious and merciful Father, we thank You for this most uncommon day of convergence. We thank You for the mothers in this world and ask You to bless them with an uncommon day, week, and month. We thank You for pouring out Your Holy Spirit 2000 years ago and celebrate what You are doing on this Pentecost Sunday. We repent of our sins and ask You to renew our spirits. In Yeshua’s name, we pray. Amen and hallelujah!

Link of the Day
Invitation to Global Day of Prayer celebration in Culpeper

Blessings for an uncommon Mother’s Day, Pentecost Sunday, and Global Day of Prayer!

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:33 & 34, The Message, Eugene H. Peterson)

If you knew today was you last day on earth … how then would you live?
What would you do more of? Less of?
What would you make sure to say to your loved ones?
What would you do or not do?
What would you “let go” because it really doesn’t matter in the big picture?

Today marks the six year anniversary of 9-11, when four planes flown by terrorists destroyed the two World Trade Center towers, severely damaged the Pentagon, and claimed innocent lives on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. Probably none of the victims that dreadful morning suspected it would be their last ever on earth.

How many lives are lost unexpectedly every day? For how many would life never be the same? Sudden death; it keeps happening.

Since July 3, I have been participating in a weekly prayer conference call with a small group of people around the nation praying for Virginia Morton’s book “Marching Through Culpeper” (MTC) to be made into a mini-series and a major motion picture. We believe God is going to use this movie to heal the heart of America.

During our prayer call on August 14, Virginia prayed for Butch Mills. She thanked God for how excited he was about Rick Heeren’s teaching about reaching entire cities for Jesus. We have prayed for him each week since.

On August 30, tragedy struck. Butch while he was working on a sewer line in a trench in Culpeper. The ground collapsed all around him and he was buried up to his neck in concrete and rubble for more than five hours before being rescued and flown by helicopter to the University of Virginia Medical Center. He broke every rib, his scapula, sternum and clavicle. He has a punctured lung and bruises to his kidneys and heart. He has multiple fractures to the area around one eye and sinus and to his right shoulder. He remains in critical condition on a ventilator.

I barely even know Butch, but I know he’s sold out to Jesus. Carter Mills, Butch’s son, is the star kicker on the Culpeper High School football team and a good friend of my son. Julie Brooks, his niece, did her first triathlon in Culpeper this summer and now is a superstar triathlete. Jonathan Brooks, Butch’s nephew, is a local chiropractor who sent me an email asking me to pray for Butch shortly after his accident.

Our whole community is rallying around this champion for Christ. He is much loved by many, many folks in Culpeper. Our local newspaper has had 11 front page articles about Butch in the last 12 days. Tonight, the Culpeper United Methodist Church is hosting a candlelight prayer vigil to pray for Butch’s healing. This begins at 7:30 PM at Comet Stadium, the former stadium used by the Culpeper High School football team.

Even if you are not able to attend the prayer vigil, please join us in praying for God to completely heal Butch. Thank you.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, we don’t know why bad things happen to good people, but we do know that You are a master at taking things meant for evil and turning them into great things that bring You glory and draw people to You. In unity with every one of my readers and many people in Culpeper, we ask You to touch Butch with Your healing hand and make him well. Make his life a testimony of Your goodness, greatness, and saving power. Stir the hearts of everyone who comes to tonight’s prayer vigil to live each day as if it’s our last on earth – for You. Thank You Jesus. We love and adore You. Amen.

Links of the Day
Newspaper articles about Butch + outstanding from Jeff & Jill Williams [see below]

Photos from the Sept 11 prayer vigil for Butch Mills

Blessings to live each day as if it’s your last – for Jesus!

• Area soccer team going for the goal on Mills’ behalf (Sep 11)
• Vigil being held for man rescued from sinkhole (Sep 11)
• OUR VIEW: Heroes can be found all around us
• Mills’ status worsens (Sep 8)
• CCHS star kicker continues with team (Sep 8)
• Conditions of men hurt remain same (Sep 7)
• Man rescued from sinkhole improving (Sep 5)
• Contractor still in critical condition (Sep 4)
• Contractor remains in critical condition (Sep 2)
• Contractor’s condition upgraded (Sep 1)
• Man freed from sinkhole (Aug 30)

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From: Nancy Palmer
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 11:35 AM
Subject: Prayer vigil for Butch

Candlelight Prayer Vigil

My apologies if you receive this twice. Many were returned as undeliverable.

Some of you may not be aware that a loved member of our church, Butch Mills, was the man trapped in a trench that caved-in last week here in Culpeper, Virginia. He is in severe condition at UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville with pneumonia. He suffered every rib broken, broken scapula, sternum and clavical. He has a punctured lung and bruises to his kidneys and heart. He has multiple fractures to the area around one eye and sinus and to his right shoulder.

A candlelight prayer vigil will be held tomorrow evening, Sept. 11, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at Floyd T. Binns Middle School Comet Stadium. Please bring a candle.

If you are not able to attend, please lift a prayer for healing to his lungs and cure for pneumonia. He is much loved by many, many folks in the community.

Nancy Palmer,
Director of Adult Ministries
Culpeper United Methodist Church

for Pastor Randy Orndorff

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From: Jill Williams
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 10:28 PM
Subject: Daily Grace and Truth – My Last Day on Earth – 09-11-07

The morning was clear but muggy, quiet and inviting for a walk and talk. Jill and I crested the hill less than a mile from our house and suddenly came upon a horrible crash scene. Several cars, a van and a truck entirely blocked five lanes of traffic. About ten emergency vehicles were parked to block traffic with flashing lights, and several more wailing sirens approached. How many lives had been lost? For how many would life never be the same? Sudden death; it keeps happening.

Six years ago today thousands of Americans died unexpectedly when the Twin Towers collapsed after assault by terrorists. Thousands of talented, loving and beloved people perished. Their stories are familiar, their last words and their last deeds celebrated. In the blink of an eye many knew the end would soon approach. How many had regrets for how they’d lived their last days on earth?

Gospel singer, Stephen Curtis Chapman, wrote a song* prompted by observation of a funeral procession. After pulling to the side of the road, and bowing to pray for the bereaved of the departed, the thought that wouldn’t recede was that it would one day be him; perhaps even that same day. “If this should be my last day on this earth, how then should I live?”

Jesus urged his followers to live one day at a time, fully investing themselves in those things that mattered most:

Matthew 6:33 & 34 – Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (The Message, Eugene H. Peterson)

If you knew today was you last day on earth . . . how then would you live?
What would you do more of? Less of?
What would you make sure to say to your loved ones?
What would you do or not do?
What would you “let go” because it really doesn’t matter in the big picture?

Just as those who naively ascended the Twin Towers September 11, 2001 didn’t know that it was their last day, neither do we. So how will we live?

Prayer
Lord, thank you for liberating us to live fully in the moment as if it were our last. This is a profound and simple truth and freeing to “full life.” Would you provide the courage to act or speak, or to refrain from acting or speaking with this reality at the forefront of our minds? That what we say or do may be our last words or deed and to make them count for best, for your best, for the best of those you have given us to love and serve. Amen.

* “Last Day on Earth,” by Stephen Curtis Chapman

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Where does this devotional find you today? On a mountain-top of enthusiasm and hope, or in a valley of discouragement and despair? Perhaps somewhere in between?

In the past two years, Rick Heeren has had a greater impact on me in my faith walk than anyone else. At the beginning of July, Heeren Enterprises officially became a web client of mine. Since then, I have been meeting weekly with Rick and Rachel Heeren, Duane Davis, and Mary Olson. Much has been accomplished and uncommon ideas are being birthed.

Rick now has two new websites (www.rickheeren.org and www.CityMiracles.com). A week ago, he began sending an outstanding “daily” (3x/week) devotional. If you desire to see your city reached for Jesus, I highly recommend you visit www.citymiracles.com to sign up to receive the “City Miracles” devotional.

From 2-3 p.m. EST on Thursday August 9, Rick will facilitate his very first webinar (online seminar). More details about that will follow early next week.

In his second devotional titled “City Miracles: The Influence of The Elk River Story,” Rick states “Perhaps the most startling paradigm shift happened when we realized that the Lord was going to perform the extraordinary miracle of bringing transformation to the entire nation through our hands.”

Needless to say, Satan and his demons aren’t pleased with the fact that my team is turbo-charging Rick Heeren’s communication to help him and the Harvest Evangelism team fulfill their destiny to transform communities across America. We both have experienced tremendous spiritual attacks.

I previously shared about attacks on my family. Then during evening rush hour traffic on August 1, the Interstate 35W bridge connecting Minneapolis and St. Paul collapsed, killing at least five with eight people still missing. When the 40-year old bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River, an estimated 60 cars plunged 50 or more feet toward the water.

Chuck Pierce, the head of the U.S. Global Apostolic Prayer Network, called Rick to say that this bridge collapse is to the state of Minnesota what Hurricane Katrina was to Louisiana – absolutely devastating. I learned this bridge was within one block of the flour mill mentioned in Rick’s third book “The Threshing Floor.”

Prayer Power
LORD, many things are happening that don’t make sense from our standpoint. In the midst of the storms, may we keep our eyes on Jesus. Help us to trust in You and lean not on our own understanding. We pray for mercy for all the victims and their families in the recent tragedy in Minnesota. Turn people heart’s toward you for wisdom in how best to respond. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Link of the Day
The Collapse of I-35 – Aug 2 devotional by Rick Heeren
[http://citymiracles.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=74]

Blessings to trust in the LORD and lean not on our own understanding!