ABH HOP Day 6

I can’t believe how fast this week has gone by! I have been remiss in writing  any posts to keep you all “in the loop” about the house of prayer at Bolingbrook Hospital. I have been fighting off a very bad cold and unfortunately it got the best of me although I did make it into work every day. Today though I succumed and just stayed in bed until my assigned hours at the prayer room came up. (I feel loads better!!) The house of prayer has taken on a life of its own. I can’t even begin to tell you all of the comments that I’ve heard about this space and how much people have enjoyed it.

I can tell though, from the nearly full wailing wall that those who have come into this room have sensed God’s presence and felt comfortable crying out to Him from their heart. What an answer to prayer! This has become like an oasis in the desert of pain, illness, grief and struggle that a hospital can be. All the honor and praise goes to God for meeting each individual here and embracing them in his love.

Here are some quotes from “the wall”…

• “I want time to stop so I can be with you forever. I love you. Thanks for loving me!”
• Father God, Thank you for teaching me to be still and know that you alone are God. My steps are ordered and I am content with where have led me along this journey. I will praise you for who you are. May my praise be sweet to your ears. Love, Your Daughter
• I don’t want to do anything! I don’t want to read or write or talk or think, not even pray… I just want to be in your presence. Love, Me  PS. I bet you always dreamed of having me in your arms!

As the week progressed I wanted to do something nice for Sabbath or add something little to make it special. So yesterday morning I stopped at the grocery store and bought a dozen roses and wrote some thoughts about Sabbath to add. Reflecting on the “sabbath” of illness and how sometimes it is only during illness that we pause long enough to rest and let our bodies rejuvenate. We are so rushed! I often live my life from one event to the next without even taking a breath in between.

“There comes a moment in our striving when more effort actually becomes counterproductive, when our frantic busyness only muddies the waters of our wisdom and understanding. When we become still and allow our life to rest, we feel a renewal of energy and gradual clarity of perception. The Psalmist speaks of this: He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still water. He restores my soul… God does not want us to be exhausted. God wants us to be happy.” (Sabbath by Wayne Muller p. 26)

My prayer is this sacred space has given some “fresh air” to the employees, visitors, & patients who have entered these walls. I hope they felt a connection that will push them toward God in their everyday mundane life. I don’t know what will happen after I leave or if there will be someone who will champion a 24/7 experience here, but I know for this season there was a purpose and a reason that the room was here.

Thank you for each of your prayers and your supportive notes. This week has been hard in some ways - especially physically as I’ve gotten sick, but with God’s strength and your prayers we have made it through. One more day - I am kind of sad to know it will end and at the same time curious to see what the final conclusion will be and who will step forward to see it continue (even just another event).

Lord, as this week comes to a close tomorrow I just lift it up to you as a sacrifice. Hear the prayers of your children as they cry out to you. Father may all that has happened here be to your honor and glory and please finish the work you’ve started in the lives of those who have come here. God none of the credit do I take but I give it all to you. I long for my life to be used up for you. Please honor your promise that you will give them a heart to know you and please be their God and call them back to you (jer 24.7). Thank you — Amen

ABH HOP day 3

Morning… not a greeting but rather stating a fact - it is morning and I am not a morning person per se. These early morning vigils in the prayer room are difficult! Yesterday when I was frantically trying to find people to cover the over night hours people laughed at me when I asked if they wanted to come from 3-5am. This 24/7 endeavour requires sacrifice and perseverance. No one suggested it would be easy or something “fun” to do. I wonder who will volunteer for tonight… any of you in the area :).

I wonder this morning if God can speak to me through my stuffy, plugged up head? I’m so thankful that everyone who comes in this space has a personal experience with God and is not dependant on ME to make it happen! whew! what a relief because I am not up to it.

Some highlights from the last couple of days:

• The article in the Chicago Tribune came out yesterday. To read it please visit http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-pray_29apr29,0,118423.story
• A lady came into the HOP the other day who saw the poster in the lobby as she was coming in for testing. The volunteer told me that this lady had been at her newly purchased house on the west side of Chicago working (it was a “fixer-upper”) this past weekend when two guys armed with a gun came into her backyard and robbed her and her sister at gun point!!! They spent about 20 minutes in the house of prayer praying and praising God for life and protection!
• When I left last night I peaked in and saw one of our leaders in the HOP with a young girl sitting by the box of sand reading the sign talking about how much God loves us and how we are worth so much that he gave his life for us… just like a pearl. It was touching to see her patiently listening as the girl haltingly read and she explained what it meant.
• Someone else came up to me and said, “you were right, it’s hard to explain, but once you experience it - WOW!! it was amazing!”
• Another lady told me yesterday that being in that room really gave her time to think about things. She hasn’t been to church for several years and although she still believes in God she said it made her stop and think about how she spends her time.

My hope is that people will come away not just saying “that was a great room” but that they encountered God in this space. It is amazing that each person has an individual experience and no two are the same. Maybe this prayer of David resonates with someone “Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Ps.27.7-8. I believe that God meets us in these sacred spaces.

One more quote this morning –

“Prayer brings incredible answers to deep needs. It can lead to genuine breakthroughs in calling people, villages, and cities back to God. But the most important thing that any prayer, or prayer room, from Alaska to Australia can provide is a place where people can be alone with their eternal Father, a place where you and I can study His features, find comfort in His love, learn to recognize His quiet voice, seek His advice, and pour out our childish hearts to Him… We actually become the answer to many of our prayers. And of course that is the greatest miracle of all.” (RMR p. 71)

HOP Day 2

4:01am - I’m surprised that I’ve already been here an hour! Time flits by in a sacred space… I am overwhelmed by the blessing of God on this simple gift of quiet space in the midst of this beautiful, new, bustling house of healing. This hospital has been open for a little over 4 months now so we have been through many “firsts” or “only hospital to…” and this House of Prayer is now added to that list. Yesterday as people came and went I heard so many people who were touched by the presence of God in this room. I can’t explain how it happens, but I believe that the tincture of passion, energy, & prayer that goes into making a space like this creates a place where God will linger and meet his children. I am awed and humbled to be part of this. One of our OB physicians was here first thing yesterday morning and as I talked to him afterward he shared how important prayer is to him and how he often prays for the babies he delivers just after they are born! He said he had seen a flier about this HOP a couple weeks ago and his “eyes lit up” and he wanted to be here first thing because he values prayer.

Another lady came by to see what it was about and when she read the paper outside the entrance she said she felt a presence just in the doorway - others came to me and said “I can’t go into the room without crying”. The writings on the prayer wall indicate that some have encounterd God here… Amazing!

One more thing - yesterday morning my cell phone rang and it was a number I didn’t recognize. I answered and it was a friend from highschool whom I rarely hear from. She said, “You are one of my only friends who I know still believes in God and goes to church and I just need prayer this week.” She is in law school and this is finals week and she is feeling the pressure of grades to maintain her scholarship. I was blown away!! I prayed for her on the phone and then I told her that we are having this prayer room this week and she would be a special part of it. Please, if you think of it, add your prayers for Kathryn - for her finals - but also that God would reach her heart.

We serve an almighty God! I can’t come up with words to express my thoughts…

For reflection:

-How can we make prayer and interactions with God a real part of our every day life? Where ”their DNA chooses Jesus (he breathes out, they breathe in)”?

-What will it take for a revolution of prayer to really take hold?

Call to Prayer

I want to reach out to you - my friends who I know are prayer warriors right now. As I’ve mentioned before I am coordinating a House of Prayer at Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital starting this Monday, the 28th. As we get closer to the event I am feeling the pressure and last night thought of Carolyn when I woke up at 1am not able to sleep. The night before I woke up at 3:30 from a horrible nightmare. So I just ask that you pray for me as this incredible ministry begins. I have never done this by myself before (always with others who are more talented & experienced than me) and although I have a great team of helpers no one has experienced it first hand.

The other part of the pressure (but is a HUGE PRAISE GOD!!) is that on Monday morning a reporter from the Chicago Tribune is going to be here doing a live story on the House of Prayer to run on Tuesday in the Metro section (hopefully front page). We are super excited, but I also feel that this is some additional pressure to be sure that it is done well.

Thank you for your support - I wish you all could be here to help! Please just pray that the room and stations come together and that the people are blessed who come through the doors. Many people from the community have volunteered to pray and with God’s help we will be successfuly in a full week of 24/7 prayer.

My Flame

I’ve been trying to figure out the most clever way to write a blog about my “flame” and what has happened in my life since Ignition. At this point I’ve decided to give up being creative and just let you all know how God is leading. This blog has been such an encouragement to me over the past couple of months so I first want you all to know that…

I’ve hinted in previous posts about things happening in the Chicago-land area with prayer houses and a more defined calling to prayer at my church here (Hinsdale, IL). All of this still needs much prayer and is moving at various speeds. At Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital we will be holding a week of 24/7 prayer starting April 28 in the hospital chapel which I am very nervous about but excited too. (Please pray and I’ll post more about that as it goes.)

The biggest change for me though, is that I have accepted a call to go to Malawi, Africa and work with Adventist Health International as the Director of Finance and Systems for AHI-Malawi. Wow!! I can’t even type that out without being amazed!! Not at myself but at God who has orchestrated everything. For those who know me you may not be surprised, for those who don’t I’ll explain that doing full time mission work has been a dream of mine for probably 3 or 4 years. I’ve always been interested and after college (8 yrs ago) I spent a year in Zambia, Africa as a student missionary. This (along with short term trips) whetted my appetite and in 2005 while on a trip to Peru I realized that missions and service is my PASSION!!! Thus began my praying and seeking and waiting for God’s timing - and now it is 3 years later!

I will be living at Malamulo hospital near Blatnyre, Malawi (google Malawi to see where) but will be working with all three SDA hospitals in Malawi as well as the 18 rural clinics spread throughout the country. I will be living with my dear friend Cristy Shank who is an MD at the hospital and moved there in November of last year.

Sooo what does all of this mean?? I’m wrapping up things here and as I do that it is starting to settle in that I will not be part of Oasis here in Chicago or GODencounters now all over the country. However, these as well as Deeper and other experiences I’ve had have served to teach me so many things and give me invaluable relationships and encouragement that will be an enormous resource as I venture out. I’m already trying to think if there is a way I could do a 24/7 prayer event in Africa?? hmmm - not sure

In the meantime I feel like I’m in the midst of a hurricane where things are flying through the air and I’m supposed to keep up with them. I’m praying for continued peace and God’s leading as I move forward in a surrendered position. I’m still committed 100% to what is exploding here in the US after Ignition and with GE this summer - but it will be from a little further away. One of the best things is THE INTERNET!! With our cyber-community distance doesn’t really matter.

I am continually praising God and hope that you can join me in thanking God for his faithfulness and compassion. There is so much more I could say — my heart overflows.

Where do I start, Part 2

For those of you with endurance here’s a bit more of my story…

But that is only half of the story!!! The other half is more personal and I can’t really share many details here (mostly because I don’t know them myself). But I’ve been in touch with some people who run an SDA organization that manages international hospitals, colleges, & rural clinics. Doing mission work and being involved in something like this full time has been a dream of mine. In fact I just got off the phone with the president of this organization and listened as he shared the needs they have and opportunities available.

In the midst of all of this I am seeking and doing my best to surrender EVERYTHING to God – career, possessions, future spouse, young adult ministry, family, mission work, prayer rooms, questions, challenges – everything to God and listening to what becomes clear during this time.

A few weeks ago I told people at my Bible study that I wanted to be one of those people that did “something crazy” for God – like completely changed careers or did something that didn’t make any sense at all. Now I’m wondering what I was thinking… now that I have these opportunities literally drop into my lap I wonder why I said those things?? J But I will say that I’ve experienced the presence of God these past two weeks more than I ever have before. Today I asked myself – is this the “later rain”? is this the outpouring of the Holy Spirit where the young will see visions and the old will dream?

God is moving – I’m willing but admit my timidity at jumping on to what He is doing. I covet your prayers for the HOP’s that are springing up and for God’s continued leading. I am honored to be traveling this road with such amazing individuals as you all and am daily encouraged knowing that I am not alone in this path.

Where do I start?? Part 1

One of my biggest prayers over the past several months is to KNOW God and to experience his presence. With the prayer experiences at Ignition (http://ignitionblog.wordpress.com/2008/02/22/a-journey-of-prayer/ ) a whole new way of relating to God was initiated. Since that weekend I have to be honest, there has been so much happening I don’t have the energy or words to type them out. Also in sharing these things I am only praising and honoring God for answering my heart’s prayer and how he is continuing to lead. I am blown away.

There are two major tracks of things that have been happening – I will start with the more general… The Sunday after Ignition I, along with some friends, attended a community church where we heard Pete Greig (author extraordinaire) speak. The new associate pastor of my church, Lidija, and I rode together and on the way home we started talking about the idea of a prayer room and wouldn’t that be great if our church had one? Immediately Lidija thought of the house next door that is owned by the church and currently used occasionally for Sabbath schools. Excitedly we began dreaming and scheming for how this might work. I suggested we could have it open 24-7 with the help of local community volunteers and involve other churches. Lidija was exuberant (that’s an understatement – I thought she was going to jump out of my car) and I was excited though more reserved. J We spent the next couple of hours PRAYING about the idea and prayer ministry in general as well as what God had put on our hearts.

Also part of the conversation was the fact that Lidija had planned a prayer brunch for the next Sunday and had been praying for a “partner in crime”. As we talked and found our similar backgrounds she became more excited and finally asked me if I would help in some way. I offered to lead Lectio Divina and bring some food. I don’t have the capacity to explain all that happened at the prayer brunch but the 12-14 of us gathered there experienced the presence of God. Through joy and tears and God’s grace we caught a glimpse of what prayer could be like for this church. I mentioned the idea of a prayer house and shared my passion to see it happen.

Monday night, (the next day) Lidija was prepared to present the concept of the HOP to the church board. She had already gotten the full support of the senior pastor and the head elder so was optimistic about the rest of the board. They were excited and thrilled with the idea and voted unanimously to give us (‘young adults’) the empowerment to put together a plan and see it happen. In fact they would like a proposal back to them by this coming Sunday when they are meeting again. They are also in a position to bring some financial investment to this project which is an amazing answer to prayer.

On Tuesday (all of this has happened in the last 10 days – did I say that?) we had planned in January to meet with the pastoral staff to talk about young adult ministry. Aristede who also attended Ignition was there as well. As we prayed and talked and shared our hearts for young people it was clear that this opportunity to connect them with a tangible prayer house and experience would do more good than anything else.

Meanwhile at work I had mentioned a couple of brief comments about this house of prayer that is coming together at Hinsdale to the executives at the hospital where I work. Kathy, the CNO, told me that she has always liked the idea of having a “wailing wall” in the hospital for patients and family members. I shared with her about the HOP at Florida Hospital (that she had heard about) and how I thought it would be great to have one here. Well THIS MORNING at a clinical council meeting we were talking about spiritual plans for the hospital. She brought up her idea of a “wailing wall” and the concept of 24-7 prayer and said, “Elisa can share more about it and even has a DVD about it”. After I shared some of what the vision could be and everyone thought it sounded good she said, “Elisa, would you take the lead on setting this up for the week surrounding the National Day of Prayer?”

 I’m afraid to ask what tomorrow will bring…

A Journey of Prayer

This type of event always becomes very personal to me and really is a “God Encounter”. It seems that whatever challenge I am going through in my personal spiritual life God meets me there and brings me just a step closer to him. This was no exception. As I stumbled to the prayer room at 4am on Sabbath morning I felt frustrated. My deepest and most real desire is to KNOW God more fully and to pursue him in my life yet I feel like I am “looking through a glass darkly”. I just can’t figure out what to do to get it clear. In my sleepy mind I hoped that the prayer room would somehow work some magic so that my eyes would be open. Maybe this time I would taste again what it was like to be in God’s presence and how to carry that into my mundane life.

As I read and prayed over the prayers on the walls I felt like I was amidst a chorus of people praying the same prayer in my heart: “God reveal yourself to me” “God show me direction in my life” “God I want to see you work”. Somehow I felt like it was adding to my own angst and I found myself in tears just asking God to answer these prayers as well as my own unexplainable desire. I attempted to express my feelings in a crude drawing of a tall gray wall dividing me on one side from everything beautiful on the other – love, sunshine, green grass, & flowers – the blessings of God.

These feelings led me to the prayer rugs where the words on the wall encouraged me to unroll myself in surrender before God in the same way as I unroll the rug and kneel on it. What a beautiful picture of surrender! As I huddled on the rug in the dark of a blanket covering me, I admitted to God that I felt very dark and separated from him. Although I wanted to surrender and prayed those words I didn’t really feel it in my heart but know that sometimes I must just say the words even when I don’t FEEL it. I sat there in my darkness for a few minutes waiting – and I heard God speak to me specifically. He said “come to the cross, I’m waiting right here for you.” I was a little startled because I realized I had subconsciously been avoiding the cross in the corner of the room. I thought it looked nice (I had helped set it up) but for some reason had skirted around it in this journey. I moved to the cross and just reflected on Jesus’ sacrifice and prayed that it would become part of me as I ate the cracker and drank the juice.

I would like to say that something miraculous happened at the base of that cross; it would be so exciting to tell you that my hunger for God was been satisfied, but it hasn’t. No bells went off or choirs sang. Somehow though it was a glimpse of Him and a very personal reminder that He hears my prayer and that the God of the Universe met me in that room.