Try Prayer Walking

 

Like Tweet Forward This month walk with me in learning about Prayer Walking 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." YouTube* Spotify Playlist Amazon Music   A Guide to get started Here's a link to download a 5 page Prayer Walking Booklet. Jim and I now have a regular date (once a month) to explore Lookout Valley with others. This booklet helps participants feel more prepared. I'll also repeat the workshop from March again in July. Here's another booklet that might inspire you to enlist saints who may feel set aside because life is keeping them stuck at home: Prayer Walking for the Homebound. I made a set of 30 printed photos to inspire them as they pray with visual reminders of the familiar places in our community. Lord guide and go with us as we begin to visit believers in Lookout Valley who are shut-ins. For Ashley, a young mom in my church, who will be going with me, may this be a special time of ministering and mentoring. Inspire us all to pray more earnestly and offensively for the places where we live. Give us eyes to see the spiritual needs, and wisdom how to meet them. AMEN. Family News Tyler's been in Asia making us all homesick. Cameron called me today from Austin, TX where he lives. He confirmed again: the Singapore photos Tyler's sent our family chat even got him choked up. The Asia Adventure started out in Singapore staying with the Wuus. Sally and Franklin are the closest Singaporean Aunt and Uncle he has. Our 3 Wuu godchildren finally learned that Tyler was a REAL person, and not just a photograph. Twelve years after he left for University,Ty revisited important places from his childhood. He's been in Thailand with an Army friend for a week, and off to 7+ weeks in Taiwan. He'll get some Chinese language cultural immersion with some divine appointments we're all still marveling at. He'll get to play wing man to @yvonnejiann @taiwanocc and some other missionaries in Taipei. Then hel'll be back to Singapore again to be a tourist with another <3 Army friend. We have all LOVED being this being his base camp for a year. His last Global Nomad adventure will end when he moves back to Columbia, SC for an MBA in International Business. Graduate School starts the end of July. Rejoice with us that his "Year of Discernment" ends with clear direction from the Lord. Jim and I just enjoyed a weekend with his Creasman cousins in Savannah, GA for the memorial of on of their dear cousins Janet. For this only child from California, Jim is thrilled with these opportunities to grow closer to his family here in the Southeast. I always look forward to hearing how God is working in your life too! Kimberly Creasman Home: 648 Magnolia Vale Dr. Chattanooga, TN 37419 Jim: 310-698-2588, Jim@creasmans.com Kimberly: 310-658-1500, kimberly.creasman@gmail.com Novo Mission, Inc: 1240 N Lakeview Ave #120, Anaheim, CA 92807. Donors may sign up for EFT, or designate your check by adding: "preferenced for Creasman-acct 5651" *The YouTube QR code above takes you to mine and Jim's recent favs. I have playlists of other genres of worship music that are suitable songs for prayer walking. You can search of them in my YouTube account. Search for them in YouTube @KimberlyCreasman.  More stories online: Bloom Where You're Planted Financially partner with ministry through Novo Mission. More from the booklet on Prayer Walking This land is our land. We may not own the actual property, but in a Spiritual sense, we are caretakers of the patch of earth where God has planted us. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”  ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ You have God’s authority. In the Spiritual realm, you can be a warrior. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”  ….we are children of God,—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…. Romans 8:15-17 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare…. 1 Peter 2:9 You join God in having an effect on the unseen. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Ephesians 6:10-13 You bring blessing and prosperity to the city you live. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.…seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 14 You bring a tangible presence of God. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.      2 Corinthians 2:14 "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe (The Bible, New Testament. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10)

Prayer Walking Playlists - An Easter Gift from me.

Forward The most significant four days of the year. If the busyness of life has kept you from dialing in to the significance of these next few days in our calendar year, this email is an invitation to remember! It's Thursday of the Passion Week. The night Jesus had his last meal with his friends. My favorite section of the whole Bible is what he did and had to say to them that night. John chapter 17 is the best! Jim is thinking the same things today. An hour ago I popped in on him where he was working, with a "What's up?" and he'd read this to me. It's too good not to share with you as we head into the weekend! These few days changed EVERYTHING.  "...not for people to go to heaven but for people to discover that God's new world has begun, and we can be part of it.  I hope it is now clear why the reurrection of Jesus is so central and vital -- as Paul insists again and again, especially in 1 Corinthians 15:17. 'If the Messiah wasnt raised,' he writes, 'your faith is pointless, and you are still in your sins.' If the Messiah is not raised, the covenant is not renewed, creation is not renewed, and...he is not even Messiah in the first place.... He was inaugurating a whole new world, a new creation, a new way of being human. He was forging a way into a new cosmos, a new era, a form of existence hinted at all along but never before unveiled. 'Here it is,' he was saying. 'This is the new creation you've been waiting for. It is open for business.'" N.T. Wright Simply Good News, p 100-1. (I loved this so much, I made a recording for you of the whole devotional and put in dropbox here.) Isn't being a follower of Jesus the best way to live? Fondly, Kimberly Creasman   Oh! P.S. Here's one more thing. A hint about the next news from me. Something that goes along with my "blessing rocks" from the photo above. Proclamation Praise Prayer Walking Songs on YouTube I've been creating Prayer Walking playlists of various genres of worship music, on different music platforms. The link above is the most complete playlist so far. Why? Becuase they are Mine and Jim's favorite ones! so ENJOY! Or, you can help me make them better!  I'd love your help in adding more songs. So far, I've created playlists for Gospel, Kids, LOUD, Traditional/Old School, Modern Folk Hymns. And putting them on Spotify, Amazon Music. Send me YOUR favorites. Here's my criteria, no matter what the genre: Lyrics are an intercessory prayer or a proclamation praise. A prayer to God. If not a prayer, then it is proclamation about who He is. The focus of the prayer is not on what he does for me, but for all of us/creation Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe

Ramadan 2023, Gillian Ferwerda

My new friend in the Maker's Space* has prayed for the Muslim world during Ramadan. Gillian wrote this as she prayed. Used with permission.

The fasting hunger -

Like empty spaces

Between ladder rungs;

You cannot place feet

Where there is nothing.

See the Son of Man:

Fullness of God and

Fullness of mankind,

Flesh of your own flesh;

Who knows your hunger

But fills all in all;

Who opened wide the

Heavens and now stands,

Stands high your Ladder.

On him the angels

Ascend and descend.

On him and in him

You are invited

To heaven’s fullness.

Let him take your feet

And carry you high.

(April 2023)

*The Makers Space is a private FB group that is growing out of what was an artist group meeting to practice creativity with activating prayer. There is now a small Novo Mission team from that original group for whom this is no longer our "side-hustle" ministry, but the main focus of what we do full time. Where we have our boots on the ground, and serving other mission teams in need of some creative juice. If you are interested in perhaps joining our Makers FB group which meets by zoom on the 3rd Thursday of the month, contact me!

I've been drawn to "The Lord's Prayer" a lot recently.

Today I was listening to A Beautiful Church (the podcast from Chattanooga House of Prayer). In the episode, Adam Whitescarver and MickiAnn Harris unpacked The Lord's Prayer which the Catholics call the Our Father. 

Since my trip to Spain last month, I've been practicing this prayer using a rosary ring. I've been wanting to write up instructions for how I do this, for my sensory friends who like to keep focused in prayer by touching something. I've been mulling over what we have in common with Catholics, and what are the sins or blind spots on both sides of the reformation divide.

Have I written anything before on this prayer? I searched my computer and found a devotional I wrote in 2015 and had completely forgotten about! Looks like I never posted it before here.

SCRIPTURE READING This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. - Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) MEDITATION These five verses of the Lord's Prayer present a powerful compact primer from Jesus himself, but it easily can become thoughtless and rote. Growing up in a Christian family, reciting this prayer was common practice both in church and as a private discipline. I have not done it much lately. I need to. We first address the one true and holy God. Before the example of Jesus, Jehovah God had been feared and worshipped but never related to as a Father. We acknowledge that he powerfully reigns over all the universe. But because of the liberty he has given us and the mess we have made, his Kingdom has not come in fullness yet. His will is not yet done, and it should be. So we ask and wait in hope. We can also ask for the small things, expecting him to provide for our needs. We must admit our failures and forgive those who fail us. In walking with him, we can know he will not lead us to temptation. He will keep us safe from the enemy of our souls. He is a good and gentle Father. Years ago I used to use a drama sketch regarding this prayer. It was written by Tom Long of Friends of the Groom in Ohio.  In it, God talks back and surprises the person who is ritualistically saying the prayer. God keeps interrupting her. Midway through, the woman complains, "Here I was, doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups." And God answers, "Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know. That's what I'm trying to get across to you. You called me, and here I am. It's too late to stop now. Keep on praying. I'm interested in the next part of your prayer." She reluctantly prays the next part, knowing that God will certainly have something to say about the forgiveness part: "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." And God reminds her of the friend she's holding a grudge against: "What about Sue?" You see, God knows what you need, or need forgiven, or need to do, even before you tell him (Matthew 6:8). But we need for our sakes to say it. In Andrew Murray's classic book from 1858, Lord, Teach Us To Pray, each chapter ends with a recap prayer. The first chapter includes: O my Lord! Strengthen my faith so in the Father's tender love and kindness, as often as I feel sinful or troubled, the first instinctive thought may be to go where I know the Father waits, and where prayer may never go unblessed. May we, too, understand the Father's tender love and kindness, and may we be willing to go to him in prayer, trusting in his eternal goodness.   QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION Have you ever memorized this prayer that Jesus gave us? Take five minutes today to shut out the distractions around you and read it again, trying to memorize one line at a time. If you can recite it at the end, say it by memory one more time.   As you say it, don't rush. Listen for what your Father in heaven has to say to you on each of the subjects. It will not necessarily be audible words, but you will experience his presence. Thoughts as reminders, or conviction, or other gentle suggestions will come to mind. Pay attention to these and respond to them in your heart.   The Lord's Prayer is a great way to talk about Jesus with people who don't know him. Many pre-believers are familiar with the prayer. Look for a time this week to talk to someone about it. You could simply tell them you've been thinking about The Lord's Prayer this week, and ask if they are familiar with it, or if they have ever sensed God speaking to them. You do not need to convince them, just get them thinking. God's Spirit can do the rest. Even if there is no initial positive response, you've let them know that you're a praying person who they can talk to about spiritual things.   ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kimberly Creasman and her husband, Jim, served for the past 17 years in Southeast Asia. They are now taking a transitional home assignment year in Los Angeles. Jim is a spiritual mentor and executive coach to Christian leaders with a passion for Asia, and Kimberly, a creative artist and performer, is now focused on her writing and speaking. Their two sons graduate high school and university this summer. If you'd like to learn more about the ministry of CRM, you can visit our website at crmleaders.org or check out our blog.

Copyright © 2015 CRM Empowering Leaders

The Elite Eight here for March Madness - 8 Pastors who had served on staff with Jim in the 80's and 90's.

Like Tweet Forward Novo Mission, Inc: 1240 N Lakeview Ave #120, Anaheim, CA 92807. Donors may sign up for EFT, or designate your check by adding: "preferenced for Creasman-acct 5651" Financially partner with ministry through Novo Mission. Kimberly remains full-time staff, but we no longer take a salary. Your charitable giving through NOVO supports strategic projects, larger personal ministry expenses, and Kimberly's health insurance. "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe (The Bible, New Testament. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10)