We kicked off the New Year with 21 days of prayer and fasting – a first for Willow Park. We opened up a prayer room and saw a constant stream of people going through, enjoying the many creative ways to pray.

The biggest request being ‘can we keep the prayer room open after the 21 days of prayer’?!

For some of us our 21 days of prayer and fasting was a hard slog and for others a time of breakthrough and the rest of us… both.

Doesn’t that sum it up well?

What we do know is that from the moment we set ourselves to pray our prayers were heard – not a prayer is wasted.

We listened to testimonies at our prayer gathering. I love hearing Jesus stories! We heard of a sudden onset of mysterious sickness during the fasting time, after hospital stays, tests and a ton of prayer this young adult testified that the pain disappeared and the tests were clear. We heard of lives committed to Jesus once more, of hearts on fire for him, of a man who after a long time of feeling out of sorts with the church decided to let go of issues and return to church family.

I loved the story of a gorgeous senior lady who came and shared how she was deaf in one ear. She had asked her friends to pray for her (making the point to surround yourself with praying friends)

She ended the testimony with ‘I can hear perfectly now’

Wow!

Did someone lay hands on her? Or command deaf ears to open?

Not this time – her friend advised her on a new place to get a hearing aid and she can now hear perfectly.

God loves to answer prayer. Yes He can open deaf ears and blind eyes. He also gives us wisdom and answers often come in surprising and mysterious ways.

We also heard today of a lady who was prayed for at the Willow One gathering and was healed from 8 years and 4 months of back and nerve pain.

His ways are not ours!

My poetic prayer is for those who cannot see the way forward…

Wait. Be still.

Don’t be afraid

You promise

That you’ll act on our behalf

And when we cant see the way

And darkness closes in

You remind us again

Be still

We hear

Whispered reassurance

I will prepare the way

I will part the way

My love fights for you

My passion a hurricane

To a standing ovation

Of parted waters

Know this beloved

I will drown the onslaught

You will move past your enemies

You will be hope filled

Open your eyes

You will see the goodness of God

In the land of the living

I am your salvation

Wait. Be still.

Bless you!

Love, Michelle