Passion for Prayer

T.W. Hunt has been such a blessing in my life over the years, but spending a weekend with him during our prayer conference was a wonderful highlight that I will cherish for many years.  T.W.  has a unique passion for the Lord that translates into his prayer life.  While around him throughout a day, his passion and his prayer life are a contagious experience.  I found myself wanting to stop and pray even more than usual.  I was quicker to name the blessings of God, as they were like neon signs in front of me.  I was also overwhelmed with the people the Lord put in our path, it was if evangelism was the obvious result of a life that was so focused on Christ.   I must confess that I would only hope that one day I could be a person of influence like the man I was blessed to pray, worship, and witness alongside of this weekend.

The prayer conference was indeed life-changing for many and I rejoice with each one.  I hope that the fellowship of First Baptist Church Harlingen will not lose the impact of this past weekend for many generations to come.  We rejoice with the many who filled the altar during both services on Sunday morning following the challenge that God brought through T.W. Hunt.  We believe that each person will continue their commitment to step forward in the battle and assume the role of intercessor and pray for the powerful moving of God in our nation and world.  

God bless each one as we stay true to the commitment to pray daily in the power of the Holy Spirit; and may we all become people of great influence as we grow more passionately in love with God.

Praying passionately,

Bro. Wade

Praying in the Rain

With the start of school comes our opportunity to prayer walk our school campuses.  What a blessing to walk around the campuses of the schools in our communities; praying for the many needs during the school year.  Each year our family prays together, but this is the first year that our children all seemed mature enough to prayer walk with Jennifer and I (at least for them to pray and walk at the same time).

Listening to our children pray for their teachers, their principal, the custodial staff, the kitchen workers, their fellow students, and the attitude of the parents was such a blessing to me and Jennifer.  We pray that the prayers of our children will change their hearts and ultimately their actions as they have the opportunity to serve the people they have now prayed for today.

We are so excited to think of how our children will be lights in a dark world this year.  We praise the Lord for the testimony of the many children in our church that love the Lord so much.  We are also thankful for the testimony of the teachers and administrators in our schools that live for Christ each day.  We pray that each one will be used by the Holy Spirit to touch many hearts and lives this year, thus impacting our community with the power of God.

Today may have been a rainy day, but it was a glorious day watching the people of God passionately pray for their community and to do so in a public way by prayer walking (some driving) around the schools.  May God richly bless those who were servants through prayer.

Tomorrow (Monday - the first day of school) I plan to spend a lot of time at the schools greeting parents, praying quietly for many, encouraging the many servants, and loving the children with the love of God.  I cannot think of a better way to spend the day, than to allow God to pour his life out through me in the context of our community.

Joining you in passionate prayer,

Bro. Wade

Answer to Prayer

I am truly a walking answer to prayer. I have fully experienced the power of God's people praying and believe I am healed today because of it. I have been grateful to be a prayer warrior for others in similar positions, but being on this side of the prayer equation reminds me just how powerful prayer can truly be.

Jennifer and I have been amazed at the number of people who have been praying for us. We wish we could say "thank you" to each person, but it is not physically possible. We were amazed to hear of the many churches in Harlingen, the valley, Texas, Arkansas, and around the world who took the time to pray for us this Sunday morning. The many pastors and teachers who took the time to lead their churches to pray for our family have humbled us by their compassion and love.

Sometimes we never know how much we are loved until we are in a time of need, and our family has truly felt loved. Thank you for loving us enough to pray for us. Thank you for caring enough to intercede for us with the heavenly father.

a Living Answer to Prayer,
Bro. Wade

Praying for Students and Teachers

What a wonderful day today! Rarely do I have the privilege of preaching a sermon and then offering immediate ways to respond to that message, but today was one of those days. Following the morning message that challenged us to pray passionately, we saw every name of our children (kindergarten through college) taken by families in our church. Those students will be lifted in prayer and supported throughout the school year. Some have already contacted their student to encourage them, to inform them of their prayer support, and to get to know the student. What a joy to watch these children and young adults enter their campuses tomorrow with the prayer support of so many in their church family. May God hear our prayers and bless those for whom we pray.

The second opportunity was of course our annual campus prayer walk. All day people gathered at the school campuses throughout the valley to prayer walk. Our family enjoys walking together (actually the children ride bikes or scooters). This year the Hood family prayer walked with the Blakeslee family. We took turns watching the children while others prayer walked. Church members, joined by other believers, prayed all day in response to the campus prayer walk. Thank you for your visible commitment to the Lord, and the community in which he has placed us.

If you have not yet participated in these great opportunities to pray, I encourage you to join us now, by praying alone and together with others for God to be glorified in the lives of his children.

Praying passionately and immediately,
Bro. Wade

Responding to Hurricane Dean

Please join me in:

1. Praying for those who live in the path of the Hurricane. Their lives will be drastically changed. Let us pray for the Lord's protection of those who need it today and in the days soon coming.

2. Prepare to be used by God to minister to those in the path of the Hurricane. We are already preparing to go where needed. Please pray about how God will use you to bless those who will need our help.

3. Continuing to pray for the path of the hurricane to pass over the least populated areas and to cause less damage than expected. Remember God can do more than we can ask or imagine.

May God hear our concert of prayer,
Bro. Wade