I met Timothy Samuel a couple weeks ago at the MoveIn Conference, he was one of the people who stayed up all night in the prayer truck. The next morning I was so inspired by his story that I asked him to write about it so I could post it here- so he did. It was such a life changing experience for this group that they're actually meeting again tonight, right now as I type this, in Toronto to pray ALL NIGHT-again. Amazing!! They didn't even know each other until this night of prayer in the UHAUL and are actually from all different cities: Scarborough, Kingston, London and I think Cambridge... I'm excited to see and hear about what God continues to do through their fervent prayers together.
Last Friday night was one of the most powerful nights of my life. I was at The People’s Church in Toronto for the “Move-In” Conference – a two day event for young people exploring the idea of moving into high-needs neighbourhoods to see the kingdom of God break forth. It was emphasized that prayer needed to be the dominant force of this movement so a U-haul truck was set up in the parking lot and converted into a make-shift 24 hour prayer room for the weekend. After the first worship service on the Friday night, which saw the six-seven hundred of us present drop to our knees together in repentance, all I wanted to do was pray.
Around 11 pm, with my Bible in hand, I made my way to the prayer truck and was surprised to see five or six other young people already there meeting with God. I climbed in to join them and grabbed a spot along the right side with a blanket. The inside walls of the truck were covered with written prayers, Bible verses, and pictures of the neighbourhoods in Toronto that prayer teams would be moving into. As I began to posture my heart towards God to enter into prayer, I listened to the heartfelt petitions of those surrounding me, and quickly realised I was in the company of sincere lovers of Jesus. Within a very short time of being in the U-haul, I was so stirred by their passionate cries I knew that I would not be getting much sleep tonight. Opening my Bible before me, I knelt before the Lord and dove into prayer with my new friends. Soon after, two more brothers entered the truck, and now there were seven of us. The presence of God was heavy and all of us became gripped with a spirit of prayer. We cried out to God for His Spirit to be poured out on the city of Toronto and on our nation Canada; for our generation to turn their hearts back to God; for revival on our university campuses; for the “Move-In” teams and their neighbourhoods; for God to impart His love into our hearts; for human trafficking to end; for Jesus Christ to be revealed; for the salvation of the aboriginal peoples of Canada and for many more things that were placed on our hearts. Having a guitar and flute at hand, we also took time to worship the Lord in song together as we continued to pray. During our night watch, there were moments of tears, as when one sister began weeping over the suffering of Jesus, as well as moments of lightheartedness, in which we laughed together and celebrated Christ’s victory and simply the joy of prayer.
Around 4 am we decided to pray over each person in the prayer truck and I eagerly jumped into the middle to receive some of the fire that these warriors had. Being able to speak into each other’s lives was one of the most awesome experiences of the whole night, as each one of us had specific things confirmed about the call of God on our lives. The rising sun at 6 am brought with it the next prayer team, and after joining them for a few minutes, the seven of us climbed out of the truck to greet Saturday morning.
I can honestly say I’ve never experienced anything like the seven hours I spent in that U-haul. I had only known one brother in the group, and now I felt a deep connection had been formed between the rest of us. Almost beyond anyone else in my life, they knew the deepest things of my heart as we spent the night pouring ourselves out together before the Lord. Having our very friendship birthed from prayer, we ended up going on two more prayer walks together on Saturday. We all had a strong sense that something had been established that night between us and God and we were drawn to each other for the rest of the conference. I’m excited to see where God is going to take us as we draw near to Him together, and we’ve already planned to meet up next week Friday for another night watch to cry out for our generation. PRAISE GOD FOR PRAYER!!!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
You can't take a Uhaul to Heaven, but you can bring Heaven into a Uhaul...
I had an amazing time last weekend at the Toronto MoveIn conference. Inspired by the 24hr prayer truck The Westside Gathering parked at a gas station in Montreal this past November, we hosted 72hrs- 3 days of non-stop prayer, it was unbelievable! There were around 600-700 young adults at the conference on Friday night being challenged to get real with God, love their neighbour and even move into a 'less-reached' or 'high-risk' neighbourhood in their city or across Canada. You could read more about how God is moving through MoveIn at www.movein.to
There was a group of around 10-15 people who started praying in the Uhaul at 11pm Friday night and didn't leave until 7am the next morning because God's presence was strong- the stories I heard the next morning were amazing. Hopefully I'll get to post some soon. One girl who spent the night in the truck recently wrote on my facebook wall, “I'm still in awe over Friday night.” Some people told me the next morning that they had never experienced God like that before and that it was a life changing faith experience to pray through the night like that with a group of people. Wow!
I've recently been feeling like it's important for me to travel with people as often as I can- how better to learn how to lead a prayer room than to just come do it with me? And it's wonderful to have someone to talk to on the long drives! My friend Steph, who's been wanting to lead a prayer room at her church for a while, came from Montreal to help me. It was a great experience and blessing for me to have her there. The quote below is what she changed her facebook status to as soon as I dropped her off... And she continues, even one week later, to walk in what God has been speaking to her. It's amazing to watch God work in and through her like this-
"Can not believe the amazing weekend I just had.. what?? renewal?? oh yah.. in the back of a U HAUL and many sleepless nights... God found me again”
As the MoveIn Lead Coordinator reflected on the prayer that happened that weekend, this is what he wrote:
"God did incredible things at the MoveIn conference, and we believe it was primarily because of prayer, of God's grace released through the heartfelt yet feeble cries of the many ordinary people who prayed - mostly in Toronto, but several from other parts of the country and world. As well as a pray-from-anywhere '12 days of (continuous) prayer' we organized, the onsite 'prayer truck' that 24-7 Prayer Canada hosted was indispensable. The team that put it together did an incredible job--all on a shoe-string budget--of covering every square foot of the 17' Uhaul's inside walls with prayer fodder: photographs of high-needs neighbourhoods, verses of Scripture, banners, and more.
The prayer truck hosted three days--72 hours--of continuous onsite prayer. The team didn't know who would fill the hours, but there was always someone, usually a group of people, at times more than a dozen, calling out to God - sometimes loudly, sometimes in a whisper, sometimes not even that. We believe He heard and answered our prayers, and we can't wait to see how He will continue to do that--in the days, weeks and years ahead--through the people who left the conference changed, and through the lives of those who 'move in' to some of Canada's less-reached neighbourhoods."
God is up to something in our generation... It's awesome to be a part of it!
There was a group of around 10-15 people who started praying in the Uhaul at 11pm Friday night and didn't leave until 7am the next morning because God's presence was strong- the stories I heard the next morning were amazing. Hopefully I'll get to post some soon. One girl who spent the night in the truck recently wrote on my facebook wall, “I'm still in awe over Friday night.” Some people told me the next morning that they had never experienced God like that before and that it was a life changing faith experience to pray through the night like that with a group of people. Wow!
I've recently been feeling like it's important for me to travel with people as often as I can- how better to learn how to lead a prayer room than to just come do it with me? And it's wonderful to have someone to talk to on the long drives! My friend Steph, who's been wanting to lead a prayer room at her church for a while, came from Montreal to help me. It was a great experience and blessing for me to have her there. The quote below is what she changed her facebook status to as soon as I dropped her off... And she continues, even one week later, to walk in what God has been speaking to her. It's amazing to watch God work in and through her like this-
"Can not believe the amazing weekend I just had.. what?? renewal?? oh yah.. in the back of a U HAUL and many sleepless nights... God found me again”
As the MoveIn Lead Coordinator reflected on the prayer that happened that weekend, this is what he wrote:
"God did incredible things at the MoveIn conference, and we believe it was primarily because of prayer, of God's grace released through the heartfelt yet feeble cries of the many ordinary people who prayed - mostly in Toronto, but several from other parts of the country and world. As well as a pray-from-anywhere '12 days of (continuous) prayer' we organized, the onsite 'prayer truck' that 24-7 Prayer Canada hosted was indispensable. The team that put it together did an incredible job--all on a shoe-string budget--of covering every square foot of the 17' Uhaul's inside walls with prayer fodder: photographs of high-needs neighbourhoods, verses of Scripture, banners, and more.
The prayer truck hosted three days--72 hours--of continuous onsite prayer. The team didn't know who would fill the hours, but there was always someone, usually a group of people, at times more than a dozen, calling out to God - sometimes loudly, sometimes in a whisper, sometimes not even that. We believe He heard and answered our prayers, and we can't wait to see how He will continue to do that--in the days, weeks and years ahead--through the people who left the conference changed, and through the lives of those who 'move in' to some of Canada's less-reached neighbourhoods."
God is up to something in our generation... It's awesome to be a part of it!
Monday, May 4, 2009
'U-Haul- We Pray' is Heading to the Toronto MoveIn Conference: May 7-10
Some of you may remember, this past November we set up a U-Haul at an Esso station for 24 hours to pray for Montreal (you could refresh your memory here: http://www.24-7prayer.com/content/940). This coming weekend, starting Thursday evening, we'll be doing the same thing, this time for 3 days in Toronto!
When I heard the heart and vision of MoveIn, a little over a month ago, it became an evident partnership that 24-7 Prayer wanted to support... We have a very similar heart for prayer, mission and how to reach our cities. I've copied the vision of MoveIn below for you to read. You could also find more info at www.movein.to
We're hoping for around 2000 young people (19-29) at People's Church from Toronto, Ottawa and beyond on Friday night to hear the vision and be challenged. Saturday will be geared towards those seriously considering taking the 'MoveIn' step themselves. 12 days of off-site 24-7 prayer surrounding the conference started May 1st, but we're also doing 3 days of prayer ONSITE, in the People's Church parking lot, to cover this weekend in loads of crazy prayer and give space for people attending to also go pray through how God is speaking to them. The prayer truck theme will be to pray down God's Kingdom in our cities- There are around 40 profiled communities to pray through as well as many other things to inspire your 1hr prayer shift in our 3 day U-Haul sacred space...
If you're from the Toronto area (or not and want to come anyway), PLEASE come join me!!! There are still many slots to fill and we need all the onsite prayer support we could get. I'm also looking for some 'mother/father/mentor' type people to be there praying for and with our generation as we learn to rise up to the call of Christ in our cities.
Please email me for more info or to sign up for your shift in the prayer truck.
Daria.tomiuk@24-7prayer.com
The MoveIn Vision:
John 1:14 says, “The Word [Jesus] became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Or, as The Message paraphrases it, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”
MoveIn is about copying Jesus’ example (Phil. 2:5-7) by literally moving in to the neighbourhood.
We have discovered that something amazing happens when a group of Christians intentionally moves into a neighbourhood to pray (Acts 1:14) and be. In doing so, they have chosen to become part of the neighbourhood. Rather than visiting or serving and then going away, they will share in their neighbourhood’s joys (Rom. 12:15), and in its troubles (Rom. 8:17); and they will have an opportunity to be right in there as salt (Matt. 5:13) and light (Matt 5:14) - as the hands and feet of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27; Matt. 25:35-40) - with a cup of cold water in one hand (Mark 9:41) and the good news (Isa. 52:7) in the other.
We are encouraging all young Christians to ask themselves to move where they move on purpose and to challenge their default motivations. Sadly, it seems to have become the norm for Christians to move into a neighbourhood not because of the need or because of a calling to reach it, but because it is convenient. Furthermore, neighbourhoods that are inconvenient or unsafe are avoided.
It is time for Christians to move into neighbourhoods because they are not safe - to move into neighbourhoods that are messy and have high crime rates, high poverty rates, low standards of living, and a disproportionate representation of Christ.
“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” Paul, Romans 15:20
It is also time for those who move into suburbs and other lower-needs neighbourhoods to do so on purpose - prayerfully, seriously, communally.
As we ‘move in’, we pray also that we would be part of the fulfillment of the prayer for more people to go where the “labourers are few” but the “harvest is plentiful” (Matt. 9:37) on the other side of the world - where people have never heard of Jesus, and where–in some cases–they live in slums and sleep in refuse that is physical, economic, social, emotional, environmental, or spiritual in nature.
We are moving in because Christ did it first (Eph. 5:1). We are praying for big things because we serve a big God (Psalm 8). We are confident that He will go before us (Isa. 45:2), that he will never leave us (Heb. 13:5-6), and that he will be with us right to the end (Matt 28:20). Through prayer and action, we pray that those we live among will experience Christ’s love themselves in a life-changing, life-giving, totally contagious kind of way (John 10:10) - for God’s glory.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9
When I heard the heart and vision of MoveIn, a little over a month ago, it became an evident partnership that 24-7 Prayer wanted to support... We have a very similar heart for prayer, mission and how to reach our cities. I've copied the vision of MoveIn below for you to read. You could also find more info at www.movein.to
We're hoping for around 2000 young people (19-29) at People's Church from Toronto, Ottawa and beyond on Friday night to hear the vision and be challenged. Saturday will be geared towards those seriously considering taking the 'MoveIn' step themselves. 12 days of off-site 24-7 prayer surrounding the conference started May 1st, but we're also doing 3 days of prayer ONSITE, in the People's Church parking lot, to cover this weekend in loads of crazy prayer and give space for people attending to also go pray through how God is speaking to them. The prayer truck theme will be to pray down God's Kingdom in our cities- There are around 40 profiled communities to pray through as well as many other things to inspire your 1hr prayer shift in our 3 day U-Haul sacred space...
If you're from the Toronto area (or not and want to come anyway), PLEASE come join me!!! There are still many slots to fill and we need all the onsite prayer support we could get. I'm also looking for some 'mother/father/mentor' type people to be there praying for and with our generation as we learn to rise up to the call of Christ in our cities.
Please email me for more info or to sign up for your shift in the prayer truck.
Daria.tomiuk@24-7prayer.com
The MoveIn Vision:
John 1:14 says, “The Word [Jesus] became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Or, as The Message paraphrases it, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”
MoveIn is about copying Jesus’ example (Phil. 2:5-7) by literally moving in to the neighbourhood.
We have discovered that something amazing happens when a group of Christians intentionally moves into a neighbourhood to pray (Acts 1:14) and be. In doing so, they have chosen to become part of the neighbourhood. Rather than visiting or serving and then going away, they will share in their neighbourhood’s joys (Rom. 12:15), and in its troubles (Rom. 8:17); and they will have an opportunity to be right in there as salt (Matt. 5:13) and light (Matt 5:14) - as the hands and feet of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27; Matt. 25:35-40) - with a cup of cold water in one hand (Mark 9:41) and the good news (Isa. 52:7) in the other.
We are encouraging all young Christians to ask themselves to move where they move on purpose and to challenge their default motivations. Sadly, it seems to have become the norm for Christians to move into a neighbourhood not because of the need or because of a calling to reach it, but because it is convenient. Furthermore, neighbourhoods that are inconvenient or unsafe are avoided.
It is time for Christians to move into neighbourhoods because they are not safe - to move into neighbourhoods that are messy and have high crime rates, high poverty rates, low standards of living, and a disproportionate representation of Christ.
“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” Paul, Romans 15:20
It is also time for those who move into suburbs and other lower-needs neighbourhoods to do so on purpose - prayerfully, seriously, communally.
As we ‘move in’, we pray also that we would be part of the fulfillment of the prayer for more people to go where the “labourers are few” but the “harvest is plentiful” (Matt. 9:37) on the other side of the world - where people have never heard of Jesus, and where–in some cases–they live in slums and sleep in refuse that is physical, economic, social, emotional, environmental, or spiritual in nature.
We are moving in because Christ did it first (Eph. 5:1). We are praying for big things because we serve a big God (Psalm 8). We are confident that He will go before us (Isa. 45:2), that he will never leave us (Heb. 13:5-6), and that he will be with us right to the end (Matt 28:20). Through prayer and action, we pray that those we live among will experience Christ’s love themselves in a life-changing, life-giving, totally contagious kind of way (John 10:10) - for God’s glory.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9
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