Only 10 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, our Lookout Valley is a sleepy little suburb of Chattanooga with about 6000 residents. One big supermarket, one High School and Elementary School, one Thai food place (that's great), and two Chinese (which are terrible). Six fast food joints, two bars, and one CBD store.
This is where I've begun to prayer walk this year.
Prayer walking is a type of intercessory prayer that involves walking in a particular place while praying. As we prayer walk, our prayers extend beyond your own concerns, focusing directly on the needs of others and opening yourself to see them with God’s eyes and heart.
Prayer walks are a means of asking God to give us a heart for your neighborhood, city, and land. It gives us a concrete means of doing something for the well-being of our town as we ask the Holy Spirit to pray through us as we observe the world around you.
Before heading out for a prayer-walk ask God to give insight into what other's needs might be. Your heart will be moved to pray for the things you see during the walk.
Full article from the CS Lewis Institute
Have you thought much about what YOUR "patch" is?
Whether it's the square footage of your apartment, your street or office, or something much larger, God invites us to be intentional about spiritually cultivating that place. We do this in work, service, engagement somehow; but also in prayer. If you haven't really thought about it, I'll bet it wouldn't be too hard for you to figure it out. I would love to know what it is for you.
At the end of last year my Novo team challenged one another to identify the "patch" that the Lord has invited us to spiritually garden. Many of us have spent years in foreign places. We find ourselves now in the USA applying a missionary perspective to the place we find ourselves.
Starting in January, each month we have chosen a different cultural topic (ie. Government, Education, Families, etc). In a posture of prayer, we take the month to listen and learn more about the places where we live/serve, go to some of those places and pray. During the month we will often create something, capture images, or write something. Then, on the 3rd Thursday (10:30AM EST) we meet by Zoom to compare notes, learn from, and inspire each other.
The Makers Space has started to grow beyond Novo colleagues. One of my Singapore artistic friends joining the calls from a little village in Germany where she lives now. If you're curious about it, and want to know more, please let me know.
Here are some of my "creations" that you might enjoy too:
Prayer Walking Playlists
Below are links to playlists on music streaming platforms.
The lyrics of the songs are prayers for others, or proclaiming who God is. All suitable lyrics for praying for places as you walk or drive through your "patch."
