The what: The Global Week of Prayer is an annual, week-long day-and-night event organized by the 24-7 Prayer movement. From September 6–13, 2026, it invites Christians across national borders and denominations to engage in non-stop, unbroken prayer in physical and virtual prayer rooms spanning every nation on earth.

The why: to bring believers together in our region and throughout the world in a shared, humble “lean” toward our source of hope and unity—Jesus. We will exalt Him as we seek Him, believing for an awakening of the Church, revelation for the lost, and healing for the world. HE LOVES TO MOVE ON THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE! We get to partner with Him in the wonderful, glorious things He is doing and will do in our world. It is immeasurably more than we can comprehend!

The local how: Each region is invited to participate however they can! The Rock Hill Prayer Room (156 Oakland Avenue, Suite 220, Rock Hill, SC 29730) currently cannot offer overnight hours, but we will have extended hours during the Global Week of Prayer (6:00 AM–10:00 PM Monday through Saturday) as well as several special corporate events (see below). There will also be several online calls every day of the week hosted by different nations if you want to join and pray with the global community!

Read through all info in this post for key details, explanation of the schedule, and all corporate events, but for quick individual booking, use the link below.

Reserve your hour on the booking calendar →

Key

• ⬜️ Individual / Reservable — reserve the room for yourself or your group

• 🟩 CORPORATE PRAYER gatherings, led by members of our team — everyone welcome

• 🟪 RESERVED BY A MINISTRY — a partner church or ministry is covering these hours exclusively

• 🟨 The Well Church is partnering to cover as many of these hours as they can! However, anyone else is also free to register during those hours!

Monday, September 7th

• 🟩 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM — Morning Prayer: Women

• ⬜️ 🟨 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM — Individual / Reservable + The Well Church reservable hours

Tuesday, September 8th

• ⬜️ 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM — Individual / Reservable

• 🟩 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM — Art Workshop Prayer

• ⬜️ 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM — Individual Reservable

• 🟩 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM — Prayer & Praise

• ⬜️ 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Individual Reservable

Wednesday, September 9th

• ⬜️ 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM — Individual Reservable

• 🟩 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Worship & Prayer Night

Thursday, September 10th

• 🟩 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM — Morning Prayer: Men

• ⬜️ 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM — Individual Reservable

• 🟩 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM — Prayer for the Local Church

• ⬜️ 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Individual Reservable

Friday, September 11th

• 🟪 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM — Reserved by When the Remnant Pray

Saturday, September 12th

• ⬜️ 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM — Individual Reservable

• 🟩 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM — Wrap Up Worship & Testimony Night

• ⬜️ 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Individual Reservable

Sunday, September 13th

The Rock Hill Prayer Room will be closed. Engage in your local churches and rest in the Lord!

Look what the Lord has done!

What a blessing it will be to pray with others as part of the Global Week of Prayer. There will be so many stories of God’s presence and impact as people pray in the prayer room and elsewhere. We are overwhelmed by the goodness of God.

We are excited to invite you to gather for another time of sharing and testimony. We will meet in the prayer room on Saturday, September 12th, 7:00–9:00 p.m.

Together we’ll thank God through song, share stories of our time in the prayer room and in prayer generally, and make space to connect and pray for one another.

You are welcome to bring your kids as this is a family-friendly event; at this point, we do not offer childcare.

If you are coming, please let us know the number in your crew!

RSVP for the evening →

Join us on either night as we lean into corporate worship and prayer. These nights will be led by York County Prayer team members.

Prayer & Praise

Tuesday, September 8, 7:00–8:00 PM. Led by Andy & Lisa Tonkin. Let’s gather and praise God and pray corporately for an hour!

Open House Worship & Prayer Night

Wednesday, September 9, 7:00–10:00 PM. Led by Andrew & Lauren Paden, as well as many other worship leaders. This night will have rotating worship leaders stewarding 45-minute sets. The prayer room will be open for people to come and go, gathering in the corporate room or dispersing throughout the prayer spaces as worship pours out from our leaders. There may be times when the leaders feel led to open up the floor for others to share. This will be a “burn” style, tabernacle gathering kind of worship night. Come and go as you need!

Rock Hill Prayer Room · 156 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill

Art above done by different people in our community; third piece by Abby Smith

Tuesdays 1:30-3PM at the Rock Hill Prayer Room

Community workshop, open to all! You do not have to be an artist to come. The leaders of this workshop and this prayer room are Christians, and we do lean into exploring themes of our Creator God who we believe made us in His image to have a creative side, but you do not have to believe as we do to come. All are welcome. All ages, all backgrounds, all skill levels. We have fun! The relaunch workshop during the Global Week of Prayer will combine prayer and art. Join in! Led by .

What a privilege it is to fellowship with other believers regularly in the local church! Intentional communities with others are the vehicles that Jesus created to spread the gospel, grow disciples, and love one another.

From Pete Greig:

…the Church of Jesus Christ remains the greatest agency of human blessing the world has ever known: starting schools and hospitals, feeding the hungry, caring for the poor, inspiring the greatest art the world has ever known, healing broken families, redeeming cultures and reconciling warring tribes, establishing the foundations for scientific innovation and human flourishing, shaping entire civilisations, and above all, proclaiming today on this Pentecost Sunday the same, stunning good news of salvation for the nations in every generation through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Praying for the Local Church

Join us as we prioritize time to pray for the local church. We’ll pray in general, for specific churches by name, for pastors and leaders. We’ll pray for revival, for the first loves to reignite, for faithfulness to particular callings, and for unity across denominations and expressions.

Please consider RSVPing so that we can get a head count.

RSVP for the evening →

This evening is part of the Global Week of Prayer: September 6–13, 2026. The prayer room will be open from 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM for individual or group reservations to join this prayer campaign of unbroken prayer.

Keep an eye on this site for a forthcoming booking calendar and more information about many other corporate prayer, testimony, and worship gatherings during the week.

Today, after a sweet time of prayer in the prayer room, a lady came by. She had never been before. She was exhausted from years of hope deferred, years of sleeping on the sidewalk, years of walking, years of carrying bags.

She needed to come lay down her load, put up her feet, rest in a safe place, tell her stories, be listened to, be prayed for, let her tears fall freely, and be met with love and coffee and tissues. She needed unhurried time. And a bathroom.

(Can we fathom our days without ready access to bathrooms? Chairs? A place other than our backs for what we own? Can we fathom what it must be like to be categorized by others with one look, sized up in a glance at the dirt on our clothes?)

She spoke of bucket baths, the constant need for grooming, and how hygiene is a big priority to her. “But it feels like a full-time job out here.”

After a long time, I told her to pick a space and settle in for a while. She chose the Be Still room. I gave her a Bible, and she took it and her journal and sat in the chair at the Everlasting Father station with the door open. I checked on her 30 minutes later, and she was intently reading her Bible and taking notes.

In that chair I saw a beloved daughter. I saw myself given another set of life circumstances. I saw desperation and extreme weariness, seasoned with the tiniest dash of hope. And though I have not experienced her struggles, my own made me recognize and resonate with her, and by the grace of God, compassion seized my heart.

I am overwhelmed by the need I continually see in front of me. Needs in my city, needs in my own household, needs in my heart. If it were not for the ancient River of Living Water that flows freely, abundantly, and unceasingly from His throne, I don’t know what I would do. Truth is, I don’t know what to do most of the time anyway. But I know Who does. And I know my Source is unlimited. Always enough. It often can feel like the opposite, like there’s never enough to meet the need, but it is NOT TRUE.

I don’t know where she will sleep tonight. The shelters are really not very safe for these women. She told me hard stories of survival that I can’t process well without Jesus. She cried with such a genuine hunger for Him; she wants to follow Him, she wants to know her purpose, she wants to resist the temptation she faces endlessly on the streets, she wants to be led by His Spirit and not fear. She is not the only one we know in this situation—there are so many others we know who need stable housing. It is overwhelming; how can we possibly know how to respond to it all? And yet, Jesus is with us.

Will you pray with me for this woman?

I am in Liberia. I wake up early before the sun. I tiptoe through the living area, slowly opening curtain after curtain. The shut-up room is pregnant with the African night’s thick air. No movement. With each curtain sliding and window opening, a fresh, salty breeze bursts through leftover remnants of last night’s downpour. I cannot wait to sit on the porch, but I cannot get out. I am stuck. Iron protection covers the door. As much as I try, I cannot get the lock to turn. The years of salty air have corroded the simple mechanism that comes between me and freedom. My fingers hurt from the effort to turn the lock until I admit defeat. I make my cup of tea. I set up the two white plastic chairs, sticking them right in front of the rebellious door. I do feel the breeze. I do get pale light filtering in. Yet it is not the same. As I stare at the key in the lock, God’s word dances to my consciousness.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

My fingers quickly follow my thoughts as I turn to Revelation 3, where my eyes take in the context.

The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this: “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” - Revelation 3:14-22

The sealed letter is opened, revealing burning words as church after church is exposed. I have often read the letter to Laodicea with eyes towards my own homeland, the States. Where we surely live as if we are rich and have no need of anything, even if we don’t recognize or admit it. We are not hot, we are not cold, our tepid souls stagnant, consumed with self-comfort and want. And this is the church, Christ’s body. As much as I can look outward, I must start with my own heart. I confess I’ve been a Christian all my life, and the temperature of my soul seems unknown. I am rich. I am rich in the literal sense—with a bank account exceeding my daily needs and more, with many other outward signs of wealth. Yes… I do own a boat. Are these outward pockets of wealth simply hiding my wretchedness?

In this trip across the world, I have been praying for sight. To behold. To see God and what He is doing on earth in my time and place. Could I be the one who is wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked? Perhaps that is where I need to start. To acknowledge that no amount of wealth or fame or worldly glory can change that.

There is another way: gold refined by fire, white garments clothing my body, oil anointing my eyes. Yes, Lord, I want all of these. Will I give up the rest for this? Perhaps, like the rich young ruler, we all must come to this question. Would we exchange this worldly wealth for the treasures of Heaven?

I recently heard that to purify gold and remove the dross, the craftsman would subject the gold to blazing heat until all the impurities are removed. How would he know when this process has happened? When the gold becomes clear…reflective. Refinement occurs when the reflection of the creator is seen on the gold. Gold refined by fire, a reflection of our creator.

That. That is what I desire.

Behold, He knocks. And like the stubborn door of my morning, sometimes the doors of our hearts feel rusted shut. Sometimes we feel helpless and weak in our own ability. My husband Andrew wakes up, and in the seconds it takes me to boil some water for his coffee, I turn to see the door wide open, chairs outside. How did he do it so quickly? Sometimes we need the strength of another to open these stubborn places.

Perhaps my need for brother Romeo and this beautiful church family in Africa is greater than their need for me. I certainly know that as Christ’s body in America, we need the strength of each other to make way for Christ to come in and to sit with us, to dine with us, and to bring victory over every door of bondage. Yes, Lord Jesus, come. And yes, church.. it is our time to turn that stubborn key and swing wide these ancient gates to let the King of glory come in.

Andrew and Lauren partner with Pastor Romeo Peters in Monrovia, Liberia, in a relationship-centered, grassroots ministry that is still in its early years. Pastor Romeo oversees multiple churches and is the founder and proprietor of Lord’s Dwelling Place Christian Academy (LODEPCA), which provides a safe, Christ-centered education for children from preschool through high school. At the heart of the ministry is a deep love for “the least of these,” especially orphans, as they meet practical needs, foster a secure and nurturing environment, and provide clean water through a community well. With a God-given vision for the future, Pastor Romeo believes this is only the beginning of what the Lord will accomplish. For ways to get involved and to learn about a unique, timely opportunity, click here!

Last night with Andy Squyres and Jacob Early was no exception. We gathered in a small urban warehouse in uptown, and it was the most refreshing, reviving, such-a-joy-to-be-human kind of night.

I discovered Jacob Early a few years ago with his song Resting in the Lord (he became a fast favorite in our home), but it turns out I have connections with his wife Amy that go even further back. If you haven’t heard his song Faith More Precious Than Gold that he did with Mission House stop reading and go listen to it now, it is everything. Try not to cry.

The night started with Jacob in his quiet, unassuming way sharing a few songs. He seemed to me a gentle giant (he is 6’7’’ — it’s always fun when we get to see someone taller than Matt, who is 6’6”), and his songs had a sweet, worshipful tenor that was so pleasant and refreshing.

Next, Andy took the stage; his frame seemingly small at first in the wake of Jacob. Then he peered out to the onlookers, his eyes full of hope and rich with years of anguish. He held nothing back as he served his heart to us and to God with only the strings of his acoustic guitar as accompaniment. Immediately we were transfixed. We were all taken to moments beyond that room. It was mesmerizing, and I highly recommend that if you have an opportunity to see him play in person, you make it happen. His lyrics hit in a way that is hard to describe — he captures so well the tension of pain and disappointment held in the balance of longing and wonder and a faith that won’t die. He is hilarious and honest. We wanted to support him more than just the ticket price, so we snagged one of these for the prayer room.

The videos don’t really do the moments justice, but I’ll share another anyway:

Andy and his wife Amy were lovely to chat with — when people have endured pain and gotten through still clinging ferociously to God, there’s just a quality about them. You can see it in the eyes and feel it in the kindness. Make sure you listen to Andy’s new EP, Praise Songs!

Reminders:

• Art workshops are on pause for the month of July! We will see you in August!

• The Speak Up writing workshops are still happening at the Rock Hill library on Tuesdays at 9:30 AM and at the Mercantile on Wednesdays at 9:30 AM.

• The prayer room is open for reserving! Check this link weekly for hours. We’ve had several groups utilize the space with the new World Cup stations up (even someone came in from New York recently!) and are excited to share some testimonies soon!

• Be sure to check here for the next Table date, and if you aren’t on the Table mailing list already, jump in to be notified.

Key dates:

• The Rock Hill Pilgrimage — York County Prayer and the team from the Charlotte Prayer Room are hosting a weekend of going deeper together in the Lord! For an idea of our time together, see here (final schedule to be sent to registrants in August). We are intentionally capping it at 12 pilgrims to protect the intimacy of the weekend, so reserve your spots before they fill up.

• The Global Week of Prayer // September 6 - 13. We will be joining with the nations in a week of nonstop, 24-7 prayer. Read about it here and stay tuned for how to participate locally.

• The National Gathering // September 30 - October 2 // Chicago — The theme of this year's National Gathering is Breath. “The rallying cry of 24-7 Prayer has always been rooted in Ezekiel 37, when the prophet calls on the Spirit, depicted metaphorically as breath. Breath is what we need when we're weary, tired, and burdened. Breath is what restores life even to those who seem to have died. Breath is the rest of the psalmist characterized as Selah, and breath is the roar of the prophet over a valley's dry bones. Breath saves, sustains, restores, and gives life.” Join us for a restorative time! More info here.

Prayer request:

Ecclessia Cladding Company has been incredibly generous to York County Prayer in allowing us the use of their prior office space all these months. We are so blessed by them! However, we’ve known from the beginning that the prayer room we currently have is not our long-term space. This is for many reasons. Their lease is up in February of 2027, and it is not ideal for their company to renew this particular lease. In addition, as much as we love the space (the trees! the sunrise! the location!), it is not ideal for our purposes. It is in an office building, and understandably, the owners prefer that the doors are closed and locked as soon as business hours are over. This makes it harder to have evening and weekend hours and events! It also isn’t accessible, so several of our friends are unable to climb the stairs to enjoy the prayer room. Also, our corporate times together have been very tight, and we’ve had to cap them off due to space limitations. We dream of being able to have just a little bit more room when we gather for our worship, prayer, and creative moments. We have been praying for what the Lord has in mind next; we want to be in step with whatever that might be! If you have any ideas or leads, please do let us know, and please be praying with us! The space has been such a blessing and a hub for so many in our communities; if you have not yet had the chance to experience I highly recommend you do so before February of next year! Spend time alone in there! Bring the kids! Bring your small group, church staff, or ministry team! There are so many ways to enjoy the space; lean in while we have it these next eight months.

To the King! To the Restoration!

Some days just sing. Everything is vibrant and pulsating with life. The breeze hits the gardenias—in bloom this week—just right, and the scent of all that is good in the world comes round right to you.

The other day I found out someone I’ve been praying for for years—years—often with tears, has come back to Jesus with a hunger for the Word. I put my head in my hands and cried, this time tears of thanks and awe.

It all matters. Words matter. Prayer matters.

Don’t give up.

I recently heard a testimony from a man who died but then came back to life. He shared about being out of his body and seeing people pray for him after his accident. Their words were like structures, cathedrals reaching up to heaven and making a way for answers to come back down.

I know there are many times when the prayers aren’t answered the way we want. I don’t understand it all. But He is good. And our words and prayers matter—I know this. I can tell a lifetime of stories on this.

This week we got to experience a holy interruption, one of those “suddenlies” you pray for as you carry on in the mundane of your long road of “constantlies.” And it was all Him. We couldn’t have planned it or produced it. But we could have missed the opportunity to take part in it by not showing up, by not saying yes to the little things.

“Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” - Psalm 37:3-4

Reminder about a few things coming up…

1. Communion America Summit (TONIGHT!) hosted by Awaken the Dawn // May 28 - 30 // I’m thankful for these folks and their raw passion; we can’t go to all of this, but we’re going to go to what we can.

   

2. Celebration Night at the Prayer Room // Sunday, May 31 // Shaping up to be a sweet night. Join us. Register! Bonus, you get to meet the gem that is Chris Westhoff!

   

3. Speak Up Writing Workshops // We now have them every Tuesday (Rock Hill library) and every Wednesday (the Mercantile) from 9:30 to 11 AM. They’re special. Come!

   

4. Art Collective // Every Tuesday at the Prayer Room 12:30 - 2 PM. God shows up.

   

5. Online Prayer Vigil in campaign against human trafficking // Saturday, June 6 at 7 PM // join us as we pray for an end to this and protection for the vulnerable as we approach the World Cup.

   

6. Debbie Baumgart’s Saturday “Crafternoon” Class // Saturday, June 13 from 2 - 4:30 PM // Come and learn how to make your own treasure book/journal. All supplies are included. $25. Reach out for how to RSVP with Debbie.

Hope to see some of you soon!

What am I listening to lately?

Songs.

Mourning to Dancing, Jenn Johnson (also Happy is just so sweet)

Whole Heart, Eliza King

She Waits, SMYL

Reckoner, Jon Guerra

In the Stillness, the new collab with Stephen George Williams & Taylor Leonhardt

Albums.

Prizefighter, Mumford & Sons (can’t pick a favorite song, still months later loving it all, but Conversations With My Son has so so much in it, and that outro…!)

In Returning and Rest, Doyina (a different sound, take it in like you would a Terrence Malick film)

As I write this, the Shaw family is on our way into the mountains for a backpacking trip. We love to get away into nature together and go off grid for a few days. Our son Isaac is home from college for a short window before going off to work in Michigan for the summer (he leaves around the same time our daughter Isabel also takes off to work at a camp in Texas for five weeks), so we want to lean in all together under the stars and around a campfire. Looking forward to a rich time.

(If you’ve ever been curious about backpacking, but don’t know how to get into and need guidance, my husband is an amazing resource—he has a wealth of knowledge and a treasury of gear. He can recommend best spots and seasons to go and help get you started proper. We’ve even dreamed into leading backpacking pilgrimage trips together—opportunities to traverse wild landscapes of both nature and the heart. Magical things happen around a campfire and on tough climbs to rewarding vistas! If you’d be interested in something like this sometime with us, let us know.)

Ruck The Way

Speaking of hiking, I wanted to bring your attention to another offering happening this Saturday, May 16th (in addition to the day-long Restore retreat at the Charlotte prayer room, and the Table in the evening at the farm; see list of events with updated links here, including more information on our Prayer Room Celebration Night on May 31st).

We got word from Chris Furr of Ruck The Way (he comes to us from Scotland) that he will be in our area this weekend! Chris and his ministry partner Gabe Smith will lead a Ruck the Way pilgrimage in Charlotte at our very own McDowell Nature Preserve from 9 - 11 AM that will include light hiking & refreshments, guided spiritual reflection, and fellowship. This unique opportunity to hike with them is free to anyone who registers here; kids welcome. I think this is an amazing opportunity. For more information on Ruck the Way, tune into their podcast here. We may join in for this if we’re not too tired from our backpacking trip! Otherwise, we will see you at the Table Saturday night.

There’s this thing that happens when you fast. It’s a moment where you begin to feel the emptiness, the raw cravings, the groans of deeper hunger. The immediate reaction of the flesh is to look to fill, to look to cover what feels like exposed nerve-endings, to look to find escape from the discomfort.

The Lord taught me a mental trick to get through it. He said, “Lana, that’s when you know it’s really working, that something is happening. When you begin to feel that—embrace it. Thank Me for it, because there is deep work taking place in your physical body and in your spirit.”

When we fast, a process called autophagy occurs. This is when the old, dead, diseased cells in our body are eaten by healthy cells unto regeneration and cleansing. That’s just on a physical level. Spiritually, much more is taking place than we can comprehend: dead, diseased things lose ground. Life takes over.

The Lord recently showed me the same mental trick for suffering. We can focus on the pain of it—everything within us begging for a way out—, or we can reframe it. We can thank the Lord that a deep work is happening inside. That we are being transformed.

Don’t we long to be changed?

Even better, in suffering we find a deeper fellowship with Him; we can thank Him that we get to know Him even an inch more.

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings…” - Philippians 3:10-11

It is all the abundant life, every bit of it. And not a stitch of it is in vain.

Something I want to highlight:

The Charlotte Prayer Room is putting on a one-day silent retreat next Saturday, May 16th, from 9 AM - 4 PM. Details in our event list for the month.

A few songs I’ve been listening to lately (old and newish):

Highs and Lows, (I like the acoustic version by Hillsong Young & Free)

Happily Hidden, by Pat Barrett and John Mark McMillan

breathe again, by AMXNRADIO and Joel Houston

River of Gladness, by Ethan Nathaniel (this whole album actually)

A sermon I recommend (spoiler, it includes a testimony of our family):

“Connected: Moving Past the Surface” by our friend Pastor Cory Barnes.

A few things to have on your radar this month and beyond:

1. Generations Prayer Night, tonight (May 6th) at 7 PM at Lakeshore Christian Fellowship. We will pray around the themes of repentance and reconciliation, among other things. This is a multi-church/ministry initiative. More information can be found here.

2. RESTORE, May 16th, 9 AM - 4 PM. Join a small group of others for a personal retreat of silence and rhythms of solitude at the Charlotte Prayer Room. If you long to be guided in prayer, scripture meditation, and listening to the voice of the Father, this is for you! Text 980-666-8021 to reserve your spot; there is limited availability.

3. The Table, Saturday, May 16th at 5:30 PM at Shiloh Farm. All information can be found here! We have a place for you at the Table, and we’d love you to join. Let us know if you’re coming!

4. Communion America Summit, put on by our friends Awaken the Dawn, May 28-30, at Judah Church in Charlotte. All details can be found with the registration link here. We’re so blessed to have this locally!

5. Prayer Room Celebration Gathering - Sunday, May 31st we will have a Prayer Room Celebration night, sharing stories and giving God praise for all He’s done amongst us in the space and adjacent communities since we opened last September. Whether you’ve been able to lean into the Prayer Room, the writing workshops, the art collectives, the corporate prayer/worship nights, the Table, the sunrise prayers, the Selahs, the pilgrimages, or not—YOU ARE WELCOME. Come celebrate with us (through worship and story) and hear how God is on the move. Details and RSVP.

6. 24-7 Prayer Pilgrimage East - June 4 - 7. The Charlotte Prayer Room and York County Prayer, in partnership with 24-7 Prayer USA, are curating and hosting a weekend for you to experience sacred rhythms, spaces, and fellowship. In order to preserve the intimacy of this event, we just have twelve spots available. More details (and the registration link) will are here.

As usual, the Prayer Room hours for this week can be found here (check weekly for the hours). We are exploring the option of onboarding an intern or regular volunteer this summer to staff the prayer room and provide consistent, regular hours! Spread the word and reach out if you know of someone who might be interested in a prayer room internship/volunteer opportunity. More information on that coming soon.

We were able to record and upload the video from the other night, where I shared about:

• My trip to Israel

• Conversations and experiences I had

• How God asked me to pray

• God’s heart for Jews and Muslims

• What it was like to be there during wartime

• Many other things!

I went to Israel because I feel the Lord sent me and gave me His heart to pray for the people there. He told me He wasn’t asking me to have opinions on politics or the government, but to focus on love for people. I went because He wanted me to sow my tears into the region, and to declare His Kingdom, which is one not like the kingdoms of this world. You can read more about the story behind it here. Though I’ve always wanted to see sacred biblical sites, what this trip ended up being and what’s come because of it has been no easy ask. But I wouldn’t choose anything other than to obey Him.

Before you go to the video link, there are a few discrepancies or things I want to note from my talk:

1. I talk about “being there 11 days” — what I mean is that I was away from home for 11 days, including all of my travel to and from, plus days in Israel and Egypt.

2. I know that there are various interpretations of Romans 11, and I welcome hearing from anyone who would like to share theirs with me! For now, I feel compelled to contend for the fullness of that chapter by praying for the descendants of Jacob, who was renamed Israel (so I’m talking about people here), and for those descended from the ones who were first given the covenant and the promises, from whom our Jesus came, to see clearly their true Messiah. Because they are still waiting, as I witnessed up close and personal!

3. I reference Rev 20 (around 13:40), but mean Rev 22.

4. Orthodox Jews (15:00) don’t pray all night; they pray 3x per day. On this flight, many of the men were getting up at different times to fulfill that, so it felt like someone was praying at all times throughout the night. The plane was VERY active with the men doing their prayers!

5. I mention the Jewish woman on the plane talking about persecution of her people since “the beginning of time,” but what was said was “all throughout time.” (She was referring to what’s been called in history, “the longest hatred,” with ancient Roman and Babylonian exiles, Haman in Persia, medieval European crusades, Spanich Inquisition, blood libels, expulsions from England and Spain, Russian pogroms, and Nazi extermination, etc.)

6. Not all of us 120 women were in Paul’s cell at the same time—we took turns!

7. The Orthodox Jewish man’s cap is called a “kippah.”

8. The reason it took 10 hours to drive through the Sinai Peninsula was because of all of the precautions and checkpoints we had to go through.

9. I mentioned that the Egyptian gas workers wanted to show us solidarity; I meant in our group’s plight to get out of a region in war.

10. A further note on when I talk about the variations in Islam: The Qur’an is in classical Arabic, not modern Arabic, which makes it harder for many Muslims to fully understand. A significant number of Muslims, while they recite lines from it in prayer, do not read the Qur’an with a translation, so they often do not know what it is saying.

11. Someone asked me if we actually saw the missiles—YES. I have videos from outside our hotel, and below is just one heading toward Tiberias. We saw them, we felt them, we heard them, we smelled them.

Many Thanks

Thank you to my husband, who supported me from the very beginning and all the way through—not just with his prayers and excitement for me, but with very practical heavy lifting on the home front (before, during, and after my trip). Thank you to the York County Prayer team, who rocked it back home in being present in the prayer room—leading workshops and gatherings, praying with people, staffing, cleaning, watering plants, taking out trash.

Thanks to those of you who were able to come out and hear about my trip. Thank you to Old Town Church for the use of your building for this event, and to and Emily who helped things run so smoothly.

Thank you to the countless others of you who were praying for me while I traveled, including Lakeshore Christian Fellowship, who rallied and had many at the altar praying for us. Thanks to all of my friends and family, so many of you, who gave generous gifts to support my trip. Thank you to the countless ones of you who sent me scriptures and encouragement while I was there and when I got back. Thanks to my parents, who were such a support to me. Thanks to many in my 24-7 Prayer family, especially on the broader national team, for how you prayed for me and cheered my safe return. Thanks to the women and leaders I was on the trip with; so many of you were such a gift. And thanks to those who are interested, even if mildly, in what this trip stirred in me!

Much love to all of you guys…

Video HERE.

Timestamps:

00 Welcome / Thanks

1:35 How I’ve come back

3:04 What the trip was going to be vs. what schedule ended up being

3:35 Hard in the world; How to pray?

4:42 Different thoughts/feelings around a topic like Israel

5:35 Scriptures to set our hearts on hope before worship

6:50 Why I went to Israel

7:35 Lauren Lienhard’s share: an encounter she had while reading scripture/praying

13:01 The Bridal Paradigm / Psalm 45

14:46 Slideshow of trip begins / Plane ride - Orthodox Jews

17:19 Flying over the Holy Land

17:57 Food

18:28 Cessaria / Theater / Palace / Prison / Amazing Grace

20:22 Mt Carmel - Elijah / singing Let it Rain

21:35 Druze Community

23:18 Drive to Galilee / Village of Magdelena / Mt Beatitudes

24:12 Sea of Galilee / Where Jesus reinstated Peter, walked on water, etc

26:19 David’s Harp Hotel / Shabbat / Mezuzah

29:13 Rabbi’s family leading us through Shabbat

32:44 What are they waiting for (Messiah)?

33:58 Sat morning / Beginning of attacks

35:45 Sirens / Bomb shelters

41:16 Dream: “songbirds surround”

41:59 Evacuation plan / Drive to the Dead Sea

43:35 Jordan River / Wilderness Jesus was driven into

44:05 Dead Sea

45:09 Drive to Taba / Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba)

46:02 Crossing the Sinai Peninsula

46:46 Egypt / Coptic Christians / Muslims

48:07 Sinai Peninsula / Prayers / Mt. Sinai

50:25 Crossing the Suez Canal / Africa / Dancing

51:46 Nile river cruise / Feasting & dancing - me getting called up!

53:53 Muslim culture / Variants in their expression of faith / Ramadan

56:41 Egyptian culture - Late nights / Driving

57:45 Pyramids day / Egyptian friends (the Asaads)

58:29 Sudanese refugees / Testimony of salvation (dream)

60:27 Closing / Roommate who lives and works in Jordan

60:55 Heart and spirit of Jesus

6140 Global Prayer for peace with 24-7 Prayer

61:57 Prayers for the Jewish people

62:45 What are we feasting on?

*There may be a surprise at the end, but for context, you really need to watch the whole video!

I’ve been home nearly two weeks, and one thing I know is that it’s going to take a while to unpack everything. I honestly don’t know where to begin. I haven’t really had the words since getting back. My primary language upon returning home has been tears. My heart knows what my mind hasn’t fully caught up to yet. The only things that have felt sufficient have been music, poetry, and praying in the spirit.

I know I was supposed to go on this trip to Israel. I don’t know all the reasons. I know I experienced God in a new way—that alone is worth any cost. I saw and experienced things that opened me up. Fileted and tenderized my heart. I don’t understand it all, but I say yes to Jesus.

If there’s one thing for sure I’ve learned on this trip, it is that there is much I do not know. If there’s one invitation, it is to humility.

I saw a thread all tangled, matted, and twisted. It was a mess, with complicated, impossible knots. The temptation was to chop it off, like those with long hair have had to do on occasion with an impossible dread—to just cut it and not deal with it is much easier. But I saw the Lord patiently and tenderly working at it, with joy and kindness. The work was painstakingly slow, but His thread was worth it. I sensed His invitation for us to join Him in love toward the very complex, multi-faceted issues surrounding Israel and the Middle East. This requires listening, love, and not thinking too highly of ourselves or our understanding.

He loves!

I would love to share my stories with you and answer any questions. I would love to together worship our very good God and enthrone Jesus in the midst of all the turmoil and questions. I would love to rend our hearts to His, and pray as He leads. May we be like little children.

Eat before coming. Kids are welcome, though parents will be responsible for them. If you have to step out with a young one who’s getting antsy, there is a lobby and a nursing room available.

Date: This Saturday, March 21, 2026

Location: Old Town Church, 47 Oakland Ave, Rock Hill, SC 29730 (right across from prayer room—if you haven’t been yet, we will give a tour directly after the event)

Time: 6:30-8:30 PM

“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. ‘Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!’ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” - Psalm 46:9-11

This week, March 16 through 22, 24-7 Prayer communities around the world are meditating on this Psalm and mobilizing for a Global Week of Prayer for Peace. Dozens of nations will set aside focused time to intercede for an end to suffering, violence, and war in the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine, and in many other under-reported areas.

Here in York County, we feel God’s beating heart for the world and for those who do not know His perfect love. Among other things, we want to pray:

• That the eyes of hearts would be opened to Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and to His peace that is available at all times (Ephesians 1:17-18; Isaiah 9:6; John 14:27)

• For wisdom for those in authority, and contend for peace in the nations (1 Tim. 2:1-2)

• In remembrance of those who suffer (Heb. 13:3), praying they would be relieved and especially feel God’s nearness (Psalm 34:18)

• That the gospel will go forth powerfully (Matt. 9:37-38)

You can read more from 24-7 Prayer global and access their full prayer resources at 24-7prayer.com/peace.

There are several ways to join us this week.

ALL WEEK

Book a spot in the Rock Hill Prayer Room.

The prayer room will have printed prayer points available throughout the week. Come for an hour or more—alone or with others—and pray for peace, and for Jesus, The Prince of Peace, to reign and be revealed as you move through the space.

Prayer Room Schedule for This Week

Reserve for Private Prayer

ALL WEEK

Pray along with Lectio365, the guided prayer app from 24-7 Prayer.

Starting today, Sunday, March 15, this week will be scripturally anchored around praying for righteous peace and the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Download the app for Apple or Android devices.

MONDAY

Attend the Night of Prayer for the Muslim World at the Bob Jones Vision Center in Fort Mill, SC.

Monday, March 16th, starting at 6:00 PM.

This event coincides with the Night of Power during Ramadan, when Muslims around the world are praying, fasting, and asking God for dreams. The harvest in the Arab nations has been vast, as Jesus has been appearing to many in their dreams. Let’s partner with what God is doing and what He wants to do! May the Savior be known!

The evening begins at 6 PM with a Mediterranean-themed potluck meal, followed at 7 PM by a testimony from Mahreen Shamim, a friend of the prayer room who grew up Muslim and found Christ in college. From 7:30 to 9 PM, there will be worship and focused prayer for the Kingdom of God to expand among Muslims locally and worldwide.

Prayer materials will be available, and people of all ages are welcome. Bring a main or side dish to share.

See the full details on Facebook

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY

Join the 24-Hour Global Prayer Meeting.

On Tuesday, March 17, starting at 2:00 PM Eastern, 24-7 Prayer Global is hosting a 24-hour Zoom prayer meeting—led by leaders from different countries around the world. This will be a special and powerful opportunity to join with voices in many nations! You can join for one hour or more.

Sign-up details will be available on Monday at 24-7prayer.com/peace.

WEDNESDAY

Join us for an Evening of Local Corporate Prayer at the Rock Hill Prayer Room.

Wednesday, March 18, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM.

Using scriptures, we’ll pray together through specific prayer points for peace, revelation, and godly intervention—in the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, world leaders, and the global Church.

Details & RSVP

This event is open to the public. Adults and kids who are able to participate in prayer are welcome (no childcare provided).

SATURDAY

Lana’s Trip to Israel Debriefing (with special prayer time)

Event Details and RSVP Here

Lana Shaw will share about her recent trip to the Middle East, beginning in Israel and ending in Egypt. We will then cap our participation in the Global Week of Prayer with a time of corporate prayer and worship, with special emphasis on praying for the Jewish people to see Jesus as their Messiah (Romans 11) and other scriptural prayer points.

I was up early, sipping my coffee and listening to the morning Lectio. It was January 8th, and Pete Greig’s voice was encouraging the listener to move into the year fresh, leaving behind any ill-fitting words (put on us by others or by ourselves)—words not from God.

He asked, “What is the Lord speaking over you for this next year? What are His words?” We were then led to meditate on the scriptures that talk about Jesus giving us a new name, a personal name.

Jesus, what is my name? I felt my spirit ask.

The response was surprisingly immediate. So clearly I heard an answer.

“Hadassah.”

Hadassah? Did my brain just make that up?

Again, very distinctly in my spirit, I heard, “Look it up.” I knew it was Queen Esther's Hebrew birth name, but I didn’t know what the name itself meant.

I looked it up. Hadassah means "myrtle tree.”

That might seem obscure, but to me it was a direct ping in my heart. My mind immediately went back to about a year before, when I was at a friend’s house for a “soaking” night. A soaking night is where we gather to be in the presence of the Lord, often through prayer, worship, and stillness. These are often very restful nights, and usually after about an hour or so of being dispersed throughout the house to commune individually with Jesus, we come together and pray for one another. On this particular night, as the women were praying over me, my friend said, “Lana, this might sound weird, but I asked the Lord if you were a tree, what kind would you be? And I heard Him say, ‘myrtle tree.’”

I remember thinking, “that’s cool,” but then not giving it much afterthought. There were so many other things prayed over me that night that seemed more relevant at the time. And yet the Holy Spirit didn’t let me forget! The memory came rushing back the second I saw the meaning of Hadassah.

Okay, Lord, I’m listening. What do You want to say to me about Hadassah and the myrtle tree?

I began to journal all I could about both, looking things up and finding profound resonance in the deeper meanings. The Lord took me on a little treasure hunt that day, revealing gems and connecting dots. It was an incredible time as He continued to speak identity and purpose over me. All of that would have been enough. I had no idea what was about to come.

Let me pause here and back up to about a month prior. In December, I was on a prayer walk, asking God what word He had for me for 2026. Some of you may remember that our family always asks the Lord for a word for each of us for the year, a word to help give us focus. Once again, I heard very clearly and distinctly on that walk the word “prepare.”

(In case you might think I hear from the Lord this specifically all the time, let me say this is not often the way of things. There are many times when I’m asking Him to speak into something, but get absolute silence. There are times when I’m praying over a problem and have no strong sense of what the Lord is saying about it (other than, of course, the profound direction and guidance we always have from the scriptures). Sometimes He will drop clear words into our spirits, other times there’s just an unction, and very often His written Word is enough as we wait upon Him.)

But this time, I heard it clearly, and immediately my mind went to the image of the women in the Old Testament who would spend months in bridal preparation before going before the King.

“Now when it was each young woman’s turn to go before King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with [sweet] spices and perfumes and the beauty preparations for women.” —Esther 2:12

When God spoke the name Hadassah over me, He reminded me of the word He gave me for the year, “prepare,” and that the very image that had come to my mind on the walk that day was exactly what Hadassah also had to do. And that physical picture of preparing with oil is exactly what we’re commanded to do spiritually in Matthew 25. Soak in the oil of His presence and intimacy so we will be ready and known when the Bridegroom comes.

There is so much He is showing me about why He gave me the word ‘prepare,’ and how it is not only for me but for the Bride of Christ. The layers of reflection and revelation will have to be for another post. But He’s had me in Psalm 45, Revelation 22, Matthew 3, Isaiah 40, Matthew 25.

All glorious is the bride in her inner chamber, her gowns are intertwined with gold…

The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths in the desert…

And then, on my 48th birthday, He took me to Psalm 48.

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress…We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness. Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments! Walk about Zion, go round her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.

It’s hard to put into words, but the further I go into the Father’s heart and intimacy with Jesus, the more I find myself praying for Israel and longing for her to come into the fullness of Romans 11. My good friend talks about a vision she had one day while in deep travailing prayer; she was given a vivid picture of that beautiful council in Acts 15 (like she was visiting it in the spirit) where the Jewish apostles and elders gathered to discern the heart of the Lord regarding the new Gentile believers who had also received the Holy Spirit, and how to navigate this new paradigm. She saw these precious Hebrew fathers in the faith seeking the Lord on behalf of the Gentiles. And she saw a wedding ring, and the finger of the Lord traced it, and she heard, “Full circle!”

She felt His invitation for us who have been grafted in to now love our brothers back and press in to seek the Lord on behalf of our roots, on behalf of Israel, so that they may see their Messiah Yeshua!

Getting back to my personal story… it was on a Thursday that I heard the Lord speak ‘Hadassah’ over me, asking me to write down all I could about both her early life and her calling later as Queen Esther, along with the symbolism and characteristics of the myrtle tree. The very next day, on a Friday, I received a text from someone I didn’t know, the leader of the Global Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. She had gotten my name from another ministry leader who had recommended me. She wrote:

I have an opportunity that is a significant blessing, a scholarshiped trip to Israel with a group of women leaders from around the world. Unfortunatley, it is time-sensitive as the trip is happening next month. We had a cancellation and need to get the details sorted for the person taking the slot. If you’re interested, please call me right away.

I had to read it about three times to make sure my eyes were seeing correctly. Is this real? I called her immediately with my questions, getting all the information I could, and told her that typically, my husband and I take our time with decisions like this, but that we would prayerfully look it over and get back to her right away. We got off the phone, then she sent me the link to all the information. I blinked when I saw the name of the trip:

“Awakened and Empowered: The Esther Mandate.”

She later texted me, “I really feel it’s you, I hope you can come, I’ve been praying, and I sense God has an appointment for you at the Wailing Wall.”

I could give so many more details about how God confirmed this trip. And even the backstory of how He had (and has) been preparing me for it. Matt and I felt complete peace to say yes, and it wasn’t about the offer of a free trip (as many of you know, I was offered a free international trip last fall, but I turned it down, hard as it was to do, because for whatever reason the Lord didn’t give us peace about that one). I don’t fully know all that He has in mind, but one thing I keep seeing as I pray into it is my tears being sown into the physical land, tears as seeds, like in Psalm 126. I feel it ties into my word for 2026 and into the the Spirit’s yearning to prepare and unify the Bride, so together we may cry to our Bridegroom, “Come!” My friend calls Israel “the wedding venue,” and like Psalm 48 invites, I want to “walk about” the land in prayer, considering and going through her citadels, where God has “made His love known.” Full circle!

Regardless of all that He is up to with this trip, on a personal level, it’s definitely a dream come true—to visit and see with my eyes the places I have read about in the Bible for most of my life. To walk where Jesus did and to be on the soil where He was born, where He died, where He was resurrected, and where He will come again. It is just like the Father to be about layers of deeper purposes while at the same time giving us the desires of our hearts. He is so much bigger and better than we know!

I invite you to pray for me (and with me). I leave in a few days and will be gone until March 6th. Already, there’s opposition, as tensions are increasing in the Middle East and storms brewing around New Jersey, where I fly out, but my peace remains unshakeable. I desire to be in the center of God’s will, come what may. If you would like to partner with me on this trip, especially through prayer covering (some of you have asked about financial, see note below) and be added to a WhatsApp group, let me know. I will do my best to give updates there in real time as I am able!

*The bulk of this trip is COVERED—airfare to Tel Aviv, lodging, meals, activities, etc—but of course with any travel, especially international there are many additional costs involved, including my airfare to our departure city, Newark, as well as fees, tips and spending money, so any seeds you want to give will be joyfully received. You can give through 24-7 Prayer YC and earmark it for the Israel trip, or you can Venmo me directly. Thank you so much to those who have already given to this trip to bless me on my birthday!!! Blessings!

**Someone reminded me recently that my music recommendations are appreciated! I love music of all kinds. Lately, I’ve been loving the new worship album Blue Tent Live by Amanda Cook, and I’ve also enjoyed a new-to-me Liberian artist called Mon Rovia (check out Field Song—there’s a huckleberry reference!—and Bloodline). But for this post, I have to recommend the song New Jerusalem featuring Jon Guerra.

(Prayer room hours for this week can be found here.)

Who is like the Lord? And what is He like?

Clothed in majesty and splendor, girded with strength, arrows sharp and true. He rides forth for the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness.

Behold His glory! But take not His humanity from Him; He earned it true. He is the most beautiful of all the sons of men. Like the Tabernacle—goat hair on the outside, all gold within. Humble and lowly, splendid and mighty. To bow low is to be crowned. He showed us the way; He shows us still. Will we let Him love us? Marry us? Will we bow to Him and let Him be our Lover-Lord?

He drips with the oil of joy; His robes hold the fragrance of myrrh, aloe, and cassia. Lovely-smelling spices, though their root words show another layer of meaning:

myrrh - symbolizing suffering and death; semitic root “m-r-r” means “bitter.”

aloe - Arabic root “al’uluh” meaning “bitter and shiny.”

cassia (cinnamon) - Hebrew word “qadad” meaning “to bend, to bow, to strip.”

The manifold wisdom of God!

To walk in humility, to strip ourselves of rights as He did His,1 to prefer others, to embrace suffering, to let the pain have its way in us. To face the bitter with God, not allowing the enemy to reframe it and tempt us to become bitter. This is how the bitter experiences become sweet. These fragrant oils are pathways. They carve us; they cut deep hallows, giving us the gift of caverns inside to contain more of His compassion, gratitude, joy.

Let the carving happen. Let yourself be filleted. It will hurt beyond what you think you can take, but what you long for is upon you! You are becoming.

Becoming like the most beautiful One. Rejoice! His joy is set before you.

“For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, thinking little of its shame…” - Hebrews 12:2 (my own translation from the Greek, as I think the word “despise” is not the best translation!)

Read Psalm 45 here and ponder our Jesus!

It is hard to caputre all the things God has done in the short time since the prayer room has been open. And it is just the beginning! Above are pieces of some of the responses that have been passed onto me in the pictured texts, but the bulk of this post will be a testimony written from a dear friend who none of us knew before she found her way into this space; now she is an integral part of our prayer room, Speak Up, and Tables communities. Our dear Noel. Read her powerful story below.

It has only been a few months since I first walked into the Prayer Room in Rock Hill, SC, and already I have seen the changes in myself and in my faith.

That day was difficult because, although a small light of hope had been growing in me, I was also filled with doubt, fear, and uncertainty. I felt I had been spiritually dying, even though God had done so much for me in my life. I was wrestling hard with the warfare of life, spiritual and otherwise. I had survived much, but still had to learn how to thrive.

As I was walking up the stairs to the prayer room, I kept asking myself, “Am I doing the right thing?” The day before, I had engaged in a long conversation with God. He showed up through poetry as I wrote feelings I knew I needed to explore. Still, I wondered, “Where do I start? What if I fail…at being?”

When I opened the door to the space, something happened that is difficult to put into words. A stream of light was coming in the very moment I walked in. It was unnaturally bright, and as it hit my face, I smiled and exhaled. I looked around in disbelief. How is this possible? I saw the couches, chairs, books, journals, and another room around the corner. I was in disbelief at all I saw before me. For years, my heart had been aching to touch a wailing wall, and there it was! My eyes took in a painting station, a forgiveness station, and all the art throughout the rooms for reflection on walking with Christ. The poem I had written the day before seemed to mirror the intention in those paintings hanging so beautifully on the wall. Without thinking, I just sat on the floor and began to write with my hand on the wailing wall.

My hand was moving, and I sensed my heart opening. Words about forgiving those who have wronged me, even as I have been forgiven. I felt I was being reborn in the image God intended for me. Intention is a powerful word, and it was so evident in this space. Intentional words of reflection, intentional design, and intentional prayer. Prayer began to come forth from me in a fierce way. Prayers for my mom, who was about to go through surgery. Prayers of thanks for all God has done for me in my life, in both my darkest times and in all that has brought me so much love and joy.

What felt most significant on that first visit was that after years of therapy, group and self-recovery efforts, it was all there. So many things I had been encouraged to do in my journey to recover from trauma were right there in the stations of the prayer room! Each one had another prompt toward healing and freedom. The mirror in the Identity station offered time to let go of the image I had held onto of myself, and helped me begin to see the Christian woman He designed without shame. And the windows throughout! My degree is in environmental design, and I could write a book about the importance of large windows. The way everything was placed felt Spirit-led. I instinctively knew: the Holy Spirit dwells here.

A friendly and warm face popped around the corner, scaring me, which made me laugh out loud. I learned her name was Lauren, and she and others in the community there would become dear friends. I cannot thank her enough for her authentic and meaningful prayer that day. And a full belly laugh as well! That was another huge breakthrough, prayer hands on me without feeling uncomfortable or afraid. Trust. I trust this. I trust this process. I trust in salvation. I trust I was led here. I trust these hands and these words. I trust. My intellect taking a back-seat, my body relaxed, and purpose and truth in me being watered like parched seeds.

What has come since that day continues to be a journey, and I have slowly let things go that have needed to go. My life is cleaning up, habits are changing, and I have been reminded of the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:3-5)

These words really feel true in this space.

When I reflect on my walk, it has not been perfect. When I think of the ways I coped, they were sinful. When I think of some of the ways I tried to heal, they were wrong. When I think of all I have lost, I am humbled. When I think of the times I hurt others with words, I am shaken. And yet all of those wrong ideals led me here, to this moment, in this place, to realize I am worthy.

What a world this would be if everyone could use a Prayer Room like this to navigate their healing and to strengthen their commitment in daily life. Here, those on the edges or who have felt forgotten can find community and safety. Here, people who thought they were not artists or writers are finding a new way to communicate with God. Here, people can come for soul care—it’s offered in the space itself, as well as in the people who volunteer here, as well as in the activities that take place. And I wish that more would use it! It is for everyone. I could imagine women going to a spa day to decompress, beginning or ending that session with time in the prayer room to spiritually center. Or people who are about to travel gathering in this space to pray for protection and safety first. Church staffs or business teams taking time to seek wisdom for the seasons ahead. That is the world I see: one full of hope when I open those doors each day.

People in my life have noticed a significant change in my daily attitude and how I deal with stress, anxiety, and flashbacks. My desires have changed. I now no longer want to rely on things that don’t align with my faith. For years, I felt I had to hide my faith; honestly, doing that was not only inauthentic, it was soul-depleting. I know I am not alone in feeling that way. But then a spark ignited! The flame started small, and I found myself with others who not only wanted to nurture my faith, but who show me how to orient my whole life by it. Then there is the Speak-Up community… I could write a novel on the foundation it’s being built on and the importance of that community with so much positivity and HOPE! I cannot thank God enough for what He has done. I know there will be a day soon when, without thought or no hesitation in marvelous supernatural glee, my hands will be up and wide open, and my arms will be reaching for the sky in praise. For now, quietly…I am beaming from the inside and learning each day the gifts we can receive when we come together and give thanks to our Lord and Savior. AMEN!

If you haven’t spent time alone or with others in the prayer room, I can’t recommend it enough. You just may have to do it the old-fashioned way: see it to believe it. If someone had tried to describe it to me, I am not sure it would have done it justice.

I recently read somewhere that a family calls the time between Christmas and New Year’s the “un-week.” I liked the sentiment—naming it in a way that acknowledges the allowance of a week with no expectations, no appointments, no pressure. Pajamas and puzzles and books and games and walks—all day, if you please. Many seem to take a collective exhale from the frenzy of the season leading up to Christmas, and there’s this unspoken permission to hunker down, hobbit-like, as the year melts into its finish line. Slow, yet gone before you know it—a sunset into the ocean.

Sometimes, the “un-week” gets filled, as it’s also a time of trying to see family and gather with loved ones who are on break or in town. Ours has been a mix.

Regardless of how your week shakes out, I pray you take time as 2025 comes to a close. Take time to notice the “sunset” of this past year. To reflect on its pains and joys. The way it has sung and the way it has stung. All of these are important to do with the Lord. A great tool for this is to do a yearly examen; here is one that is helpful.

Our family also asks the Lord what He wants to say to us about our new year. We each ask for a word to help give us focus. We set before Him all the things we do or are involved in, and ask if we are to continue in these things. We take time to really listen.

It’s not always easy to make the time for these things, but it’s always worth it. My prayer is that you will be able to do so this week! And if it helps, we have a few days (Monday and Tuesday) when the prayer room will be open. Give yourself (which will also be a gift to those you influence, whether family or community) the gift of undistracted hours in this space to seek the Lord.

We will also be gathering corporately to spend five hours in intercession and listening this Tuesday night (8 PM - 1 AM). Register to join us here.

On Tuesday, we will also share a post here of some testimonies that have come from the prayer room since opening just four months ago. God has done great things! And the great things are often the little things—I love how He works. If you are looking for ministries to sow into with your year-end giving, the prayer room could greatly use any gift. Thank you to all those who have given and have kept it stocked and running!

We bless you and pray that the rest of your 2025 is rich; that your eyes may be open to the wonder of it all—the “sings” and the “stings”—and that you may be fully present for its glorious setting.