If you’ve known me for some time, you’ll know that some pretty significant life moments have happened at gatherings of the 24-7 Prayer tribes. At IAM5 in 2005, the fifth Birthday celebration of the movement, I started dating this funny, kind and interesting young man called Stephen Harding. At the International Leader’s Gathering, (2006 in London) I hung out with our international family as Miss Carla Trundle for the last time (can’t believe I organised a Wedding and a conference at the same time). Then in 2008 I had one of the doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo (said in a spooky sing-song voice) moments when I asked God whether he wanted me involved in 24-7 Prayer for the long haul and someone turned around the next day with one of the clearest answers to a question God has given me… it was like they’d read my journal… obviously they hadn’t… and the answer was ‘yes’ (I’m still here).
I anticipate with relish every international gathering because I always arrive expectant. What will I be challenged with? How will we be encouraged? What is God going to say to us? I guess it’s not just me… others have met their future spouses, been called to move countries and to change the direction of their life in big ways and small. As we have met, worshipped, prayed, discussed, ate, drank and made merry, new friendships have been formed and dreams birthed.
Right now a lot of my working week is taken up by preparing for our next get together. ‘Magnify’ is the next 24-7 Prayer International Gathering and it’s happening from 16th – 18th September in Edinburgh, Scotland. Practically what that looks like is lots of phone calls, emails and brain-storming sessions to arrange speakers, worship bands, décor, tours of the city, ceilidh’s, 24-3 Prayer Rooms and more. But with each administrative task a great big welcome is being formed, a moment is being shaped when people from the UK, US, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Switzerland, South Africa, Brazil, India, New Zealand and many more nations will make their way by plane, train and automobile to be with each other and God. It makes every long working day and unexpected challenge incredibly worth it.
I don’t want anyone to miss it.
Do you want to come?
All the info for Magnify can be found by clicking on the banner above. If you’ve not been to a 24-7 gathering before you are very welcome. There’s always a mixture of new faces with the usual suspects and it’s a great place to be if you’re interested in kick starting the prayer life of your church, new forms of Christian community/Boiler Rooms or how we can tackle injustice throughout the earth. Is there someone you think would benefit from being there? Why not join me and blog, tweet, post on FaceBook or YouTube and spread the word. I’d love the invitation to go as far and wide as possible so I’ve made this little page on the 24-7 site to give everyone access to banners, thumbnails and flyers. Download and go wild.
Prayer has taken us to some incredible places and I can’t wait to see where else there is to go... See you in Edinburgh.