This summer, my husband and I took our little boy on holiday to New Wine. For those that haven’t heard of it, New Wine is a Christian festival of sorts – think camping, epic worship, thought provoking seminars, lots of prayer and all while spending the week with some wonderful people. We had an absolute blast, and have already booked to go again.
New Wine provided me with a real opportunity to get some much needed me time and God time. It was a chance to refill and replenish. I left feeling more spiritually topped up than I have in a very long time. It was also a great opportunity to get to know some of our church family a little better, and all 3 of us really loved doing that. Community living is such a great way to spend a week!
But the best thing, for me, about New Wine was the prayer. During the first 2 days I attended a couple of seminars which focused on giving practical advice and encouragement for praying with others. The seminars boosted my confidence and effectively meant that during what we referred to as ministry time (usually at the end of all the sessions), I could pray with other people there and try to help them in lifting up things to God.
No words are ever going to do justice to what I experienced in getting to pray with others. Each and every time I felt completely humbled and privileged to spend time with that person as they asked God for help. To see their vulnerability, their trust and their hope in those moments was awe-inspiring. And then (and this moves me to tears even thinking back on it) to see God move them and answer them was simply breathtaking. I got to see God step into moments of deep, deep need and pain, and give people the help they needed. I’m not talking physically (although I was once able to experience that and it was about as exciting as you’d imagine!), but rather mentally and emotionally. With God’s support and in a safe place people opened their hearts to let healing start to take place, often for hurts that had affected them for decades.
In many cases my part was simply to watch on, and pass the tissues, and to join in asking God to meet them and help them. But I also asked God each time for help with the words to say, and was so amazed as He gave me just that, and as I was able to say things from Him to each person I prayed with. I wept with them as I knew in the same moment they did just how deeply and completely God loved them, was proud of them and wanted to heal their hurts.
I rarely got any detail about the issues they prayed for, but I didn’t need it. It was enough simply to see the profound impact that moment of prayer had on each person. It reignited my love of prayer and reminded me of its power.
So, while I would of course encourage each and every one of you to spend time praying (alone, but even more than that, with someone), I thought I’d also leave you with a few of the things I heard God saying. Because while in those moments they were said to individuals, some of them are truths that we all need to hear from time to time. So I pray that they will hit home for some of you, and that they will give you the encouragement you need today.
God loves you
God is proud of the person you are today
God has your back
Your worth does not come from other people – don’t let them write your story
You are beautiful to God
God wants to give you His peace
Time taken to rest with God is time well spent
God has something great planned for you
God delights at the time He spends with you
God is not finished with you yet!
And to those of you who read this blog and whom I know personally, please know that if ever you’d like someone to pray with, I would view it as an absolute honour to be that person.
Some really beautiful words you heard God say thanks for sharing them
Go for it Suzie, keep listening, God especially loves young disciples
Suzie we have to share this with BHC – so beautifully written. Loved baby’s post too. Xx