It's that fun time of month again when I look back at prayer room correspondence and the inspiring people I've been in touch with and pull out just a few extracts to encourage myself and those that work hard for God and the 24-7 movement. Below are the words of men and women on three continents loving the presence of God in the prayer room. Reading fresh stories and experiences like these remind me why I do what I do. Enjoy...
On the first day of release the 24-7 Prayer Spaces Podcast has shot to the top of iTunes Religion and Spirituality chart. This puts it higher than Oprah Winfrey, Worship Central and many other fantastic Christian Podcast resources...
24-7 Prayer Spaces is the new prayer Podcasting project from the Guildford Boiler Room. Steve and I were up there yesterday with Pete G, Mark, Adri and Jenni helping them with recording, listening to the first one and recording the outtro for all future Podcasts...
The last few weeks I've been corresponding with an amazing group of people in Uganda. After they prayed 24-1 they started to reveal to me how God had sent them on an incredible mission. I've just finished writing up their story and have just posted it on the 24-7 International site. It's stories like these that give value to all our work. I love it.. xc
Over the next month the lovely Jonah Bailey is off on his travels and I am pulling together the content for the 24-7 International Website. I'm blogging about this coming month's task because I'd love all the 24-7ers among you to help me...
In the last week I have discovered that I make a popping sound when I speak. Almost like I'm blowing bubbles at the people I'm speaking to. How can it take me 26 years to discover this I hear you ask? Well in the last week I've been recording the audio version of 24-7's new Prayer Room resources so I've had plenty of time to grimace at the sound of my own voice: popping sounds and slight lisp included...
It is a privilege to be caught up in what God’s doing in prayer around the globe. Week in, week out I click on the link at the top of the 24-7 home page and marvel at the number of nations I’m about to contact and encourage. For a year now we’ve been saying that there have been over 60 nations touched by this wave of night and day prayer. We’ve not been more accurate because we’ve struggled to find time between catalysing prayer and resourcing people to stop and check. This week I decided to make the time and with a mug of tea and train journey to our London office ahead of me I started to count…
Can I have a drum roll please…
On the evening of our Birthday Lisa Borden looked out of her window in East Africa and Pete Greig looked up at the night sky in England and saw the same pale red moon rising. Yes, our God has a great sense of humour/sense of significance. On the eight birthday of 24-7 Prayer there was a total lunar eclipse: the rising moon turned red. Nasa have also noted that this is supposed to be the last total eclipse of the moon to be seen in Europe for the next 7 years. If you've read Red Moon Rising, the story of 24-7 Prayer, you'll understand why the red moon on our birthday made us smile. The story continues...
Happy Birthday to us! It's exactly eight years to the day since the 24-7 Prayer movement was launched from a nightclub in Guildford, England. Today we are eight years old :D Together we have catalysed four and half thousand prayer rooms covering 2922 days, or 70,080 hours, or 4,204,800 minutes of non-stop prayer! Isn't that amazing!!! xc
My weekend away with the 24-7 International Team was intense: full of fun, friends, great food for the tummy and food for thought. I'm sitting at my dining room table still pooped and needing a break, so the sunshine is beckoning and I'm about to take off to read a book on the Cathedral green. Before I do however I wanted to upload a few images of our weekend. I love being part of this team. It is a great honour to work with, hang out with and learn from such fantastic people... xc
Just a quick post to say 'Hi' and 'Bye'. I'm off to Scotland for the weekend to meet up with the rest of the International Team. Can't wait to see them all, it feels like it's been ages. Bit sad though because about nine hours after I depart my lovely husband arrives home after a week away. Monday we miss each other again as I fly back after he drives away for another week's work :( Oh well absence makes the heart grow fonder :) If you're of the praying persuasion please pray for safe travel, protected families and wisdom as the team gathers... xc
The mischievous Pete Greig sent this delectable photo of a rather 70s Ian Nicholson this morning. He has challenged each of us in the International Team to come to our retreat in Scotland next weekend with the best caption. Lisa Borden was quick off the post with "The French Metropolitan Police were shocked years later to learn that Inspector Clouseau had frequently doubled as a bible smuggler." Setting a rather high bar I think you'll agree. So click to enlarge and email or leave a comment if you think of anything - there is a rather fitting prize for the most humourous offering... xc
I've spent a lot of the last few days working on articles for the International 24-7 site. I'm really enjoying flexing my writing muscles and exploring different styles and topics. Here are few things I've been working on: The 24-7 Feast Talks are now online and available for download, a great report from an Italian Prayer Room and The Decline of the Nativity and other Christmas Stories. Brian Heasley also put a fantastic call for long term missionaries and there's a call to pray for China in 2008. Enjoy :) xc
This week I have been hunting for venue options and accommodation for the Feast 2008. I have a wish-list of locations but currently I'm struggling to make any of them work perfectly. Being a British resident and getting paid in Sterling is pretty sweet when you're heading abroad. It makes you realise how wealthy we are. Trying to make things affordable the other way round with people entering our nation and gulping at our prices is proving rather tricky...
As Pete Greig perched himself on a tall stool and lent forward to catch the attention of the crowd with his story, a sense of expectation grew within me. I looked around the room at the many faces gathered for the 24-7 Feast and I felt like everyone was holding their breath as Pete began to speak…
I've been propelled into a lot of writing, editing and uploading of articles this week. Sadly not on this blog :( The lovely Jonah Bailey is off to the states for a month so I thought I'd help him out by slipping back into my old web jounro role and spread the love, hope and encouragement on the 24-7 website. Phew! I'd forgotten how much work it is to write, edit, format and upload an article...
I've just packed two suitcases and I'm thinking I may need a third! This afternoon I'm travelling from Chichester to London to stay with my lovely little sister before getting up at sick O'clock in the morning to travel out to Stansted Airport and fly to Seville, Spain. Aforementioned suitcases are stuffed with a mixture of my clothes and notebooks, name badges, bio-degradable bags and kids activities. I'm off for nine days of Interntional team meetings followed by the 24-7 Round Table followed by the 24-7 Feast. Few, I'm tired already...
This is probably the busiest week of my year. Saturday afternoon I begin my travels to Seville so the next five days are my last chance to iron out all the details of the 24-7 Round Table and Feast gatherings. I've gotten to the stage where the conference is invading my dreams, I'm waking up in the middle of the night remembering things I must do and I'm working hard not to give in to worry...
Roll on the weekend! I'm a little weary as I sit at my dining room table finishing off the last few items on this week's to-do list. Wednesday night was the 24-7 Reception, last night was an evening ILT Skype meeting both of which meant I haven't really seen Steve in a few days and I'm finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning...
Last night's 24-7 Reception was fantastic! It was meant as a great way to help people get more involved with the life of 24-7, and it did that very well, but it's unexpected product was to remind all of us why we give our life to God and prayer. Pete spoke really well just telling stories from the last week of the movement. So much is happening, God's on the move. The Jobe's let a sneaky peak of two of the five documentaries about 24-7 be shown and they were incredible! I've never seen anything sum up the distinctive of the movement better than those audio visual windows into the lives of real people. Thank you so much for your prayers xc
Today is an exciting day, not only am I getting to wear my smart kimono dress for the first time but I’m going to be wearing it whilst meeting loads of lovely people. This evening the City of London Boiler Room is hosting the 24-7 Reception…
Tonight I meet the Transiteer class of 2008, the bunch of people from the UK, US, Australia and Canada who've given a year of their lives to live in a Boiler Room and explore what it means to be true to Christ, kind to people and bring the gospel to the nations. I'm joining them on their first retreat in Ashburnham to chat to them about prayer...
Lottie and I are slumming it at Soul Survivor this week, flogging clothes and telling anyone who'll listen about 24-7 and how great God is. Copious amounts of mud, many excitable teenagers and mountains of hot chocolate and whipped cream have decorated our week...
Modern technology can truly take my breath away. Yesterday afternoon I was skyping with America (daaarrrling) when I began to realise how much I take this little piece of software for granted. As I lay accross my sofa with my feet up, Andy Freeman was chilling in a Starbucks in Reading and Jon Petersen was eating breakfast on the deck of his home in the Colorado mountains...
I need to get my creative juices flowing this morning, I have a mamouth editing task ahead of me. The Global Day of Prayer send out a ten day prayer guide in the run up to pentecost and last year yours truly spent about a week editing it to make a little more understandable for the younger generation. Yesterday, next year's manuscript arrived in my inbox and they need the edit by Friday. Only hitch is I was expecting it last week when I had a lot more time to do it. Now I need to try and complete my edit in a day and a half. All prayers greatly appreciated. Jazz, check... cup of tea, check... an alive mind, check... lets get cracking.
My new MacBook has a comic book program to help you create your own story boards. Messing around with it today and chatting to some Mexicans with a similar idea I'm beginning to think it could be an excellent format for a "How to set up a prayer room". What do you think? Visual story boards to help people create prayer spaces? Click the image on the left to see what my simple program can do... xc
If you're praying today bung a few up for us. The International Prayer Team are meeting at my home in Chichester for our first face to face meeting since the formation of the team. We'll be getting our teeth into topics like prayer cover for our leaders, comin up with the most kick ass resources 24-7 has ever given away and how we equip and support the catalysers in the movement. Quite exciting, still haven't decided what we're having for lunch! xc
Last Monday, the day of the long slow death of my iBook, I had the pleasure of joining 25 dudes and chicks from the US, UK, South Africa, Germany, Netherlands and Bulgaria to chat about what’s happening worldwide in through 24-7 Prayer. These little opportunities are often a God send because even the though the interruption to my working week may be inconvenient, the reminder that God is on the move is inspiring…
Mwahahahahahaaaa! Our dinning room has transformed into a 24-7 office of ladies! It is covered in computors and cake. Ah, it's a pleasure to do the work of the lord. Smiles is working on coming up with a second set list, currently she's purusing the sweat fitness compilation. I don't know if my diaphram can keep up. Any suggestions for some party tunes? xc
As I walked through Chichester Cathedral last Saturday lit by the sun through the stain glass windows, smelling the incense in our prayer room and amazed at the number of children speaking, thinking, writing or drawing their first ever prayer to God. I was struck that there were many significant moments in many life stories happening around me...
The first time I stepped inside Chichester Cathedral I slipped quietly into a chair to listen to a lunchtime recital. As the string quartet soared I gazed around at the high ceilings, the stone pillars, the great windows and the smiling faces. I was 18 and I was enchanted...
Faith and finance, operations, mission, leadership and gathering together have been the topics of the last two days. The meeting of the 24-7 International Leadership Team is going phenominally well. The team is really growing and developing and friendships are being forged over a glass of wine and a hearty meal. It's amazing how much more you can achieve by sitting down together and chewing through the challenges. Please continue to pray for us as we have another day and a half together and lots to cover on prayer, communities and the nations. Lots of love xc
The 24-7 International Leadership Team spans four nations over three continents, as you can imagine face-to-face meetings are a rarity so that makes the next three days a real delight. Everyone's flown in: Lisa from Tanzania, Brian for Ibiza, John from the US and Billy, Andy, Pete, Ian and I are motoring through the UK for some precious time in each other's company. Lots to discuss, a great many doors are opening and invitations are being extended our way. If I may be so bold, would you please pray for us? We need safe travel, protection for families, provision for everyone's trip and stay and more than anything else wisdom to make good decisions... xc
Since Sept 1999 the idea of temporary tabernacles of 24-7 Prayer has spread through more than 60 nations in 4000 known incarnations in schools, universities, police stations, churches, workplaces, outdoors, in planes and at festivals...
I am elated, I am skipping around the house singing Jackson 5 tunes and shaking my behind, a sure sign that something has gone well :D I just finished the first Skype meeting of the new International Prayer Team I'm forming for 24-7, and it went stonkingly well...
I'd appreciate your prayers today as I'm feeling a little lost with a couple of projects I'm working on for 24-7. I've felt a little devided between the two, slowly making progress in both but unable to sink my teeth into one or the other. This week both projects are potentially stalling and though, thanks to some time with the Boss, I'm not panicing equally I don't seem to be making headway either. Need some serious breakthrough... more specifics soon. xc
I spent 7 and a half hours on trains yesterday travelling too and from London. Thanks to a train breaking down in a tunnel I was an hour and half late for a meeting to discuss an exciting new partnership for 24-7 this year. Thank fully they were lovely gracious Christians and were very nice about my lack of control over Southern Rail...
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the two days in Guildford last week calling all our 24-7 supporters. I spoke to loads of lovely people and was quite surprised how many of them I knew, the Christian world could balance on the head of a pin. I loved hanging out with 24-7ers from around the country, hearing about Emma Rose's incredible recovery for M.E. (THANK YOU GOD!!) and sucking on about five lollies. I went a little overboard as they were the candy of my childhood and I was enjoying the blast from the past...
Today I'm gathered in Guildford with some fantastic 24-7ers gathering around Skype programmes and phones calling all the lovely people who give money to 24-7. We haven't spoken to them in a while and rather than writing a long letter to be stuffed through their letter box along with the latest campaigne flyer or take away menu, we thought we'd give them a call and say "hi"...
For seven years I've bounded into the 24-7 International office at Revelation Church in Chichester shrilling "Good Morning" to the Fusion, Pacso and Revelation guys and gals before settling into a day of catalysing prayer around the globe. It's been a happy, social existence ensconced in the Church and community that gave birth to this movement. Sadly, my happy bounding will be coming to an end this week...
Feeling pretty melancholy today, a great friend and a fellow 24-7er has just come down with a mystery illness. The symptoms are a little frightening and no diagnosis is in sight. All I can think is "Not him, he's brilliant, he doesn't deserve anything weighing him down". I've been praying and I don't want to give the enemy too much credit but I'm pretty sick and tired of the health and finance issues 24-7 continually faces...
I am really proud to be part of 24-7 Prayer and of all the people I'm working with. I spent most of last week in long meetings, working hard and setting budgets and priorities for the movement in the coming year. I would feel entirely confident showing anyone where we put our money and how we're working hard to spread Christ-centred, mission-minded prayer, renewing the Church and empowering communities. You can tell I've been thinking about it, I'm coming over all jargony!
Yesterday I elluded to a third thing that's making me happy at the moment. That third thing is the feedback I'm getting from 24-7 Prayer Rooms around the world. A part of my job is to resource, support and build friendships with people (like Sini, left) praying 24-7 and I often get to be the first to hear what God's been doing. Here are two reports I've written up for the 24-7 website, I hope they encourage you as much as they encouraged me...
There’s something about hardback that makes a book feel special. Maybe it’s the weight in your hands, maybe it’s the high quality paper, whatever it is there is an ooo aaaaa factor to a book with spine. Yesterday Pete presented me with the one of the first hardback editions of his new book God on Mute and I have to say it’s impressive…
The lovely Justin Blake reminded me that today is exactly seven years since we launched 24-7 Prayer by lighting a candle in a Guildford nightclub. Seven years! It's been quite a ride. In honour of such a significant occasion Charlotte, Helen and I have made the following video... Download birthday_serenade.3GP
This morning I have to confess I was feeling quite overwhelmed by the challenge of resourcing prayer in 24-7 so God planned a little encouragement for me. That ray, nay beam, of sunshine came in the form of Patrick, Rosie, Luke, Jesse and little Johnny Butler. A fantastic family that have just returned to England after 12 years working as missionaries in Paraguay...
Please forgive my blog absense. This week I am feeling very motivated by my mandate to spread prayer and thankfully have regained my previous work ethic (something that's taken a severe blow since being married) and I'm beavering away thinking up new resources and re-writing bits and pieces. I'm actually really excited. God's been good too, we've ticked three things off the prayer board here in the office. We're praying God's prayers it seems and He's having fun answering them :D xc
Here's a snap shot from the 24-7 International resorce centre. I stumbled in bleery eyed this morning after an early morning sofa delivery (they're so pretty!) to Charlotte's exclamation of "Snap!". Today is grey hat day, though Charlotte's is a little more excentric than mine...
The new You See Bones, I See An Army hoodies and Ts are finally here so Charlotte (in her high pitched enthusiasm) decided there was no time like the present to get them on the 24-7 site and make a little money to support the prayer. Today would be the first day it's felt like a proper January and we're prancing around in vest tops! Check out the 24-7 site in the next few days and buy one, make my pain worth while :D xc
Ireland was fantastic. A lot of hard work, much prayer and great chats over a pint of guiness in the local pub. I can't believe how much work we got through with the back drop of gale force winds and a turbulent but wildly beautiful Irish sea. A great picture of the 24-7 movement itself. I especially enjoyed the addition of another lady on the International team, Lisa Borden is a legend and though the guys have always been fantastic and I've never felt intimidated or exclued it's great to have a fellow female to hang out with. Especially one with such great taste in music.
It’s amazing how quickly the new International Leadership team for 24-7 has clicked. We’re here in Ros Trevor, meeting in a room over looking the wildness of the Irish Sea. We’ve prayed, shared honestly, worshipped, discussed and decided how we’re going to steward the crazy family/movement God has called us to serve…
By the time you read this I'll be in Ireland getting ready to kick off the first gathering of the new 24-7 International Leadership Team. I'm excited and nervous all at once because it's such a big change and quite a milestone in the internal realignment of the family. Please pray for us, we have a lot to do and pray for, as well as getting getting to know each other. Don't worry Lisa I'll bring home plenty of Chocolate... xc
Before I dive into the mamouth season just past and the dawning of the New Year still to come I wanted to add a little aside. I've been musing for months now about prayer within 24-7. My musings turned into an article for the International Site, you can read it here. Hope it provokes thought. Love to you all xc
Hehe, I've had a rather fun afternoon writing blurbs for all the products on the 24-7 Shop. Give it a few weeks and you can admire my craftmanship. I did get a little carried away though when slightly hinting that buying a 24-7 hoodie to help fund the movement would get you filled with the Holy Spirit. Charlotte made me re-write that one :( xc
Before I try to formulate some thoughts on my fabulous hen weekend I just thought I'd start the day by sharing a smile. The lovely James Ferret emailed me a video of the lovely Kelly Greene displaying her unique skills at the end of this year's 24-7 ILG. Need something to brighten up your monday morning? Download kelly_the_cheerleader.3gp
Yesterday was the fruit of nine months of Transit. Yesterday I stood up at my Church and told God’s story, the story of the Bible, in 32 minutes. I feel like I’ve discovered a new passion! I loved seeing people come to life as they realised how awesome God is. I owe a massive thank you to Tim and Ralf (our Transit legends) for being incredible teachers and to Charlotte, Smiles and Stephen who kept me calm in the face of nervous exhaustion. Wanna hear the talk? You can download it here… Download gods_story_sept06.mp3
Can't be bothered to tax your eyes? Download mini_milestones.mp3
The last week has been full of mini milestones in the lives of my friends and community. From the Wedding of Tristan and Hannah to the immanent birth of Baby Laegal, life is skipping along at a beautiful pace. Both events sum up my thoughts of the three days of meetings I've just had, exploring the restructuring of the international 24-7 movement without choking the life, or wildness from what's happening around the world...
When I last gazed out of the rear of the plane, all I saw was miles and miles of sand, dry rivers marking the landscape like veins running into the horizon. I am a few thousand feet above Africa and wanderlust has awakened inside me. I am on a great adventure…
At 3.15am tonight I am off to one of the countries on my must-visit-before-I-die list! Charlotte will be picking us up in the gangsta mobile and taking us to Heathrow begin our epic journey to South Africa! Please pray for Pete and I! I'm really excited but there's a definite feeling that this is a really significant trip and I really want to make the most of it... xc
“Transit has been really amazing for me. I’ve been treated as an adult, I’ve got pages of things I’ve learned, I’ve come so far, been broken, cried tears, been challenged in my comfort zones and astounded by God’s love for me.”
Hannah Lees, UK
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