When I think of Harvest, I think of a true house of prayer for all nations, where prayer is an apparent  priority.  HCC is a healthy and exciting place to worship, fueled by a vision built on biblical truths.  

I have been a Christian for ten years and have steadily been growing in my faith and knowledge of the Word.  However, for some time I have thought my prayer life to be weak – not in terms of frequency, but in boldness.  My family and I moved to Charlotte in June 2007, but prior to that, my husband, Mark, traveled back and forth from Toledo, OH for about three months before the girls and I joined him.  During that time of separation, I began quietly praying for our future church home.  I can remember specifically praying for a church with a thriving men’s group and a place where we could revive and freshen our prayer life.

At the time, I had recently finished reading the Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.  His book talks about prayer being the most central of all the spiritual disciplines because it “ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father.”  God was speaking to my heart that I needed to learn new depths in prayer.  Luke 11:1 says “Lord, teach us to pray.”  I was seeing more clearly that prayer must be learned and I wanted to pray effectively.

When we pray rightly, things happen.  How true that when we seek God’s will and listen, our desires begin to line up with His desires for us.  God answered my prayer with Harvest Community Church and presented opportunities to experience deeper prayer growth.  

Mark and I joined a small group where prayer requests are shared to foster encouragement and build authentic relationships.  We also began attending Impact on Wednesday nights to pray as a church body for specific needs.  This has been eye-opening to experience corporate prayer, where brothers and sisters in Christ gather together into one mind believing that prayers bring change.  

A small prayer group began in the Fall, using Power of a Praying Wife as a learning guide.  We met for one hour once a week and just prayed.  My prayer life was impacted twofold through these prayer meetings.  First, I learned that I had to change areas in my own heart before I could effectively pray for blessings upon Mark.  Second, I believe God used this to help me open up in praying aloud in a small setting, as I have always struggled with open prayer outside of my home.

In December 2007, I had had a long, tiring day and as I was climbing into bed at midnight, God clearly put the faces of two ladies into my mind.  I knew these ladies only in exchanging pleasantries on Sunday mornings.  But I knew God was prodding my heart to start a new prayer triplet.  We pray together every other week and I now know a new kind of peace and comfort that comes from having intimate prayer partners.

I am learning to focus less on myself and more on God so that His power can flow through me into others.  I am learning to quiet myself and listen.  Prayer keeps me in tune with the source of my strength and moves me where I need to go.  I desire a life of greater prayer and HCC is where God has planted my family and I.  We are thankful to be serving and growing where God’s Word is firmly rooted and taught with grace and passion!

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