Sharing the Journey

Christ our sufficiency is ever present!

By Janet Page

Beth and Lorie* came running in for the final 10 Days of Prayer meeting. Out of breath Beth said, “Remember my son? The one whose conversion we’ve been praying and fasting for? He called me last night and said, ‘Mom, I have been reading.’” 

“Good, I am glad! I am paying a lot of money for you to be reading at that college!” she told him.

Beth had joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church when her son was headed into his teens. He’d never taken to her new religion and was living a worldly life.

“Mom, you don’t understand,” he explained. “God spoke to me and told me I was to love Him more then you or my girlfriend. And that I was to read the Bible.”

Next, Lorie jumped into the conversation. “Let me tell you what happened to me this morning. I had asked you to pray for my mother’s conversion. She was very upset when I became a Seventh-day Adventist and told me to never talk to her about my new religion. This morning she called and said, ‘I called my priest, and I told him that the only people I see with joy and peace are Seventh-day Adven­tists, and I am going to become one.’”

Beth and Lorie were so happy, and everyone in the room joined together praising God for what He had done. Through the Holy Spirit, there is power in united prayer!

Have you ever been involved in 10 Days of Prayer and Fasting? Now don’t panic. When people hear the word fasting they usually get a fearful look on their faces. Fasting can be done in many ways. The point is to fast the way God leads you.

Balance is important. You can find counsel on fasting in the Bible and Ellen White’s writings. In this issue there is also an article on fasting.

On the back page of The Journal, you will find an announcement of the world church’s 10 Days of Prayer called Operation Global Rain. It runs from January 4-14, 2012. So, why 11 days? Church leaders wanted to include the Sabbath, which is the 11th day, and make it a special day of celebration for what God has done. Be sure you read Atonte Myers’ article “Not Yet Time for Pentecost!” It is about her experience with a 10 Days of Prayer event that changed her and her church.

About the cover, Sarah Asaftei’s three-part se­ries “You Have the Power ... To Make Your Husband Live in Misery” begins in this issue. It is so true, isn’t it? As pastors’ wives, we can either kill our spouse’s pastoral ministry or help make it powerful!

I first realized this when I was converted several years ago because of people praying for the Holy Spirit in my life. My husband, Jerry, was a spiritual man and good pastor. But as God changed me, it affected my husband and caused his experience with Jesus and his ministry to grow. (Church mem­bers were praying for him too.)

Please let me know what God is doing in your lives. Your experiences are powerful and so en­couraging. And remember to send your prayer re­quests ([email protected]). We pray over them daily.

Praying that you will join us in the 10 Days of Prayer. I believe we are on the threshold of God do­ing mighty things for His people!

* Beth and Lorie are not the real names.