Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Rockbridge Prayer Overnight

Three weekends ago, I had the chance to participate in an amazing time at Rockbridge Young Life camp in Rockbridge, VA, at which people gather for the expressed purpose of lifting up the Young Life ministries throughout the Virginia Commonwealth region (every part of Virginia except Northern Virginia). Our time

What, fasting? you might ask. Yes, indeed: about 900 people from across the Commonwealth joined in a period of about 20 hours during which we did not eat any food, drinking only water, juice, and coffee.

I loved having the chance to be there, as I feel like the heart of the Father was very evident in the leadership of the conference. Scott Hamilton, the regional director, delivered a roaring speech evoking the spirit of Abraham Lincoln who, in the midst of the American Civil War, called all people across America to a day of fasting and prayer for the guidance and direction of the United States. I, personally, was moved by Scott's talk, as it really fanned the fires of desire in me to truly pray in the name of Jesus Christ not only for the success of Young Life ministries, but for people who do not know Jesus Christ. It was really as simple as that, that I was affirmed incredibly in the desire God has stirred in my heart to pray for schools in Virginia, ask for the lives of the students in those schools to be submitted to Christ, and to seek Christ in whatever circumstances he leads me to.

I'm confident that this was an act of the Spirit, but there were so many people in the club room where we congregated that we had to seat people in chairs on the stage behind the podium where Scott stood, perhaps yet again evoking the heart of Lincoln, who often delivered his speeches in towns and cities at meetings, surrounded in front and behind by people listening on.

"I feel like I'm speaking at a town hall here!" Scott commented at one point as he looked around him at the throngs of people present for this day to ask that God's kingdom would come and that God's will be done in the hearts, minds, souls, and bodies of young students in Virginia.



Scott Hamilton delivers a speech to an overflow crowd at Rockbridge Alum Spring Young Life camp during Prayer Overnight.

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