Prayer is Powerful!

As I have taken new risks in my travels as Ms. Wheelchair America I have faced many fears and I have realized the power of prayer more than ever. In the book of James Chapter 5 verse 16 it says "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." I am a witness to the truth of this verse!  My experience this year has lead me to understand that if we want to be peaceful, powerful, and effective human beings than we need a covering of prayer and we need to be praying.  For a long time I have been stir crazy about the promise God spoke over my life a long time ago, that I would be an International Worship Evangelist.  It has been 16 years since this promise was implanted in my heart. I encountered the Lord in a radical way in 1998 on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University and began to get involved with a church called New Song.  At New Song I was filled with the Spirit, set free from the sin and hindrances of shame, insecurity, and self-hatred.  For about 10 years I was being mentored, discipled and trained for my calling.  But there came a time that I felt it was time that I transitioned from training to calling in 2006.  The door opened a little for me to lead worship and function in hospitality and do some local evangelism, but a messy church split closed all those doors, and I went through a time of being a wishy in the wind. When I won the crown of Ms. Wheelchair America it opened the door for my calling.  With these new opportunities to travel and impact audiences with my story I began to see my calling unfolding.  Yet my frustration grew that my home church was still not a place that I felt I could offer my gifts and talents, so I decided I would leave church and do my own thing.  I began to experience anxiety and nightmares.  One particularly bad night I asked God, what do I need to do to find peace.  He said in my spirit "Get back under the covering of prayer and leadership at church."  2 days later I met with my Pastor and re-submitted my heart to their covering.  I asked the elders to pray over my upcoming travels and they did.  Ever since I have taken this action step I can see God at work so much more in my travels and my life.  My peace has returned and I can see prayers being answered where ever I go.  I am still believing for a greater commissioning towards my calling and I anticipate great things as I wait in faith!