A HAIRE-RAISING EXPERIENCE

In the midst of the Ohio Conference Annual Meetings yesterday (5/4/12), Conference Superintendent, Mike McFarren, reported that Debbie and I were responding to God's Call by planning to go to China to teach English.

There was an audible gasp as some were receiving this news for the first time.

Mike invited me to come forward to share briefly about our experience.  [Unfortunately, Debbie (and her sister, Laurie) were getting us registered at our hotel and missed this experience.]

Bishop David Kendall asked me to share in greater detail.  Then he and Mike invited others to join them in a time of prayer regarding our situation.
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I am not fond of having a crowd gather around me for prayer.  I'm not sure why, but being put in that circumstance has always made me feel VERY UNCOMFORTABLE!
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Many came forward!  They were instructed to all pray - out loud - at once. 

Some might consider this confusing.  I didn't.

Think about it.  Would you rather have one person pray for you and a whole bunch of others agree?  Or would you rather have a crowd of people genuinely assault the throne of God lifting individual prayers on your behalf?

I'll take the crowd of prayers anyday!  I prayed along with the others and didn't really hear any of the prayers. 

GOD HEARD THEM ALL!

At a time when Debbie and I are feeling an intense need for prayer (now and while we're in China), God worked through our conference leadership to create a surge of prayer for us!

Our God is an AWESOME GOD!!!!