Leaning In
Prayer is a vital part of the Christian life but can feel intangible or intimidating at times. We want God’s direction in our lives, but how do we listen to him? How do we recognize his handiwork if we haven’t spent time with him?
When Will came to HP Pres, he and his wife were searching for a community in pursuit of intimacy with Jesus — one that celebrates freedom and is open to all of whom God says He is. He found that mindset at HP Pres and shares, “There is a championing of prayer, worship, and for the Holy Spirit to move here. Prayer has been an awesome place to grow alongside my wife, Allison. The more we’ve leaned in, the more we’ve been given space to grow.”
Having participated in prayer courses before attending HP Pres, he didn’t hesitate to jump into the prayer teams here. Serving on the Sunday mornings, Will is one of many volunteers praying alongside people in each of the services. He shares, “I’m excited on Sundays that I get to pray with people. It’s such a privilege to pray and listen for God’s voice with others.”
Over the years, Will’s prayer life has grown and been challenged, shaping his relationship with God along the way. He shares, “The more I have leaned in with the Lord about prayers that feel scary and ask the question ‘what if God doesn’t show up?’ I’ve actually seen him do more.”
God’s power is not limited to our experience. We know that he “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). Through prayer, we get to experience God’s direction and witness the power of his plan. The more time we spend listening to his direction, the more we can see God’s handiwork in the world around us. Will shares, “Through prayer, my view of who God is and what he can do has become more real to me and bigger to me than it was previously.”
There is always more for us to learn about our faith and our Creator. Whether it’s praying for the first time in a long time or stepping into a volunteer role to lead others in prayer, we each can take a step towards our Father in heaven.
Request prayer or volunteer on a prayer team by visiting hppres.org/prayer.
