Here we are, almost at the end of July, and SO MUCH has happened in the past two months!  There have been so many answers to prayer, so much God activity, so much precious family time… Here’s a snapshot of the summer so far:

Fire on the Altar

As I mentioned last time, the main focus for the summer is our Fire on the Altar internship – a 7 week intensive discipleship program.  I’m honored to be stewarding/leading this program with two others on our staff team, Shannon Williamson and Sue Williams.  We’ve been praying for and planning for this since November of 2013, expectant and excited, and let me tell you – it’s been beyond our highest expectations!!  Sue described it this way after the first week – “It’s like all of our work and planning has built a scaffold, into which the Lord has put an enormous mansion!!”  The heart behind the internship was to provide teaching and practical equipping in the context of the classroom, prayer room hours, small group mentoring, fellowship & outreach.  At LOWPC,  we are uniquely positioned as a hub between the Church, marketplace, and community, where the centerpiece is exalting Jesus 24/7 through united prayer, praise and worship for global harvest.  That global harvest starts right here in our own back yards.  we’re seeing a company of believers raised up, having first encountered the heart of God, to then go be hands and feet to share the gospel of the Kingdom.

We started June 30th, and each day has been unique and powerful.  Content has come together with continuity that only the Holy Spirit could inspire.  We’ve invited many members of our staff team and some outside speakers to teach over these 7 weeks, none of whom consult each other while planning, and yet it all fits together and flows perfectly.  We’ve had powerful times of corporate worship and prayer as we spend 2 hours each day together in the prayer room.  We’ve enjoyed deep fellowship in large and small groups, living life before the Lord together in this season.  I marvel at the privilege it is to have a front row seat to 17 students encountering the Lord and having their lives transformed.  Each one’s story is indescribably precious, unique, and powerful!  We’re just over halfway done with three full weeks to go.  I could tell you story after story and write pages upon pages about these past four weeks, but in an attempt to be brief, here are some specific answers to prayer and some prayer requests for the next three weeks:

Answered prayer:

• We have 18 students who signed up for this – most full time and a few part time.  We were specifically praying for men to sign up, and we got them!!  This crew bonded quickly and has become such a family!  We have multiple generations here, from a few high school seniors all the way through to a retired mama.
• There has been abundant financial provision for many students and massive favor with employers to allow each one to be here.  One example: in the first week and a half of the internship, the Lord provided over $1500 for one student towards her school expenses for the fall, allowing her to participate in the internship full time instead of part time!  Another student was planning on attending the internship from 9-5 and then working from 6pm to 1am, but was simply released to be on call for the 7 weeks.
• Each student is having revelation and breakthrough growing in the knowledge of God, their identity in Christ, intimacy with the Lord and hearing his voice in prayer, the power of their lives and stories in the sharing of the gospel, destiny, calling, purpose… They are not the same as they were 4 weeks ago!!

Prayer requests:

• Pray for strength and endurance for all of us – it’s been an intense 4 weeks and naturally we’re getting tired.  Pray for a continued capacity for the students to engage with what the Lord is teaching them.  Pray for the staff team who are balancing various levels of involvement in the internship with continued other responsibilities.
• As we move towards the end of the internship, we’ll be discussing “what’s next after FOTA?”  Life is never quite the same after an intense season such as this.  Pray for grace on the transition for students and staff.  Some will be going back to school or work and some are in major times of transition in their own lives.  Pray for wisdom, vision, direction, and clarity.
• One huge advantage to doing a program like this “at home” is that most of us are still going to be here, and the relationships will continue!  Please pray that connections made this summer will indeed grow deeper in the weeks and months to come!

Family Time

Over the past month and a bit, I’ve been blessed to spend time with all of my immediate family and much of my extended family too!  My parents were here from Asia from mid-June to mid-July, and my sister and brother-in-law came for a week from Texas.  I treasure the time I get with my family who live thousands of miles away!!  While everyone was here from “the ends of the earth” ;), most of our extended family on the Peters side was able to gather for a few days of fun and fellowship.  Activities included daylight and midnight lake swims, an adventure to Wild Waves (a waterpark south of Seattle), celebrating birthdays, BBQ and lots of good food, bonfires hot dogs and smores, playing with puppies, deep conversations, and generally enjoying each others’ company.

Prayer request:

• Please pray for the Smith/Marsh side of the family (most of whom are in Nebraska) as we are grieving the sudden loss of our beloved grandma/mom, Harriet.  She went to be with the Lord yesterday after suffering a heart attack or stroke (its still not clear which).  While she now in glory, the rest of us are shocked and somewhat reeling.  Please pray for comfort and strength for her children, grandchildren, and other family members as we remember, honor, and celebrate her life.

David’s Tent Olympia – September 2014

Looking ahead to September, I’m excited to announce David’s Tent Olympia!!  In 2012, a group lead by Jason Hershey organized 40 days of night and day worship, called David’s Tent DC, on the south lawn of the White House in Washington DC.  They literally built a tent, set up a sound system, and called worshipers from all over the nation.  The goal was simply to exalt Jesus through worship because he is worthy to receive it!  166 teams came from all 50 states, including a team from LOWPC!!  They did it again in 2013, and are are planning on also doing it this year!

In partnership with David’s Tent DC, houses of prayer across the Northwest and many churches, we are planning a 14 day David’s Tent in Olympia from September 15th to 28th.  We are the first state to join with David’s Tent DC to organize worship at our own capitol!  LOWPC is taking the lead in administration and organization, and will be hosting the tent in Olympia.  Things are coming together well, and we’ve had great response so far as we’re networking with houses of prayer, churches, and ministries across the state and region.

Please pray for…

• Jesus to be exalted in our capital with no other agenda because he is worthy of all the glory!
• All of the details come together.  Christy Tucker, our gifted administrator at LOWPC, is taking most of this workload now.  Sue and I will dive in as soon as the internship is over to help however we can.  Some of us will likely spend most of the two weeks IN Olympia.
• Finances – the budget for David’s Tent Olympia is around $5000, and we’re looking for businesses, churches, and ministries from across the state to partner with us financially.
• People – logistically, the 2 weeks are broken up into 2 hour chunks, and we need worshipers to come and worship!!  We’re about 8 weeks out, and we need 168 2 hour time slots filled.  🙂

THANK YOU!

Thank you for supporting me in prayer, friendship, and finances!  In doing so you’re partnering with what the Lord is doing here in Bellingham!  I’m constantly encouraged to watch and see how the Lord truly supplies my every need, according to his abundant and glorious riches!  I’m doing well in a busy but rewarding season.  If I may add one more prayer request to this list, it would be that I continue to grow closer to the Lord in the midst of much activity, ever leaning in to hear the whisper of his voice, and then have the courage and strength to obey what he says!

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Col 1:11-12)