Why The House Of Prayer Is Such a Big Deal To Me

My first time at Radiance International - Times Square House of Prayer. The woman next to me gave me a prophetic word telling me I was "Radiant" and kept speaking that word over me.

When I gave my life to Jesus, I was solely drawn by the Holy Spirit and prompted to pray. Because prayer was the form in which I first encountered God, it also became my favorite way to experience God and learn from Him. I did not know at the time that this love of prayer was also because I was called to be an Intercessor- to stand in the gap on behalf of persons and communities, to pray the revealed will of God in the spirit realm.

So, I began to dream as a new Christian at the age of 17. What was my dream? To have a house of prayer. During this time, I had no idea houses of prayer ever existed or that people even loved prayer as much as I did. Most of the time people called me crazy or "special". People who had been in the church for years began to wonder how I knew so much revelation of Scripture. They didn't know that the Lord had downloaded so much scriptural revelation in prayer even before I read it.

So I talked to people about my dream. I would say: "I want a building where all we do is pray. I want different people to volunteer. I want it to be opened all the time and I want different types of prayer to arise." I knew even back then that there were different kinds of prayer and depths of prayer. I also knew that the reading of Scripture itself is a prayer, so I wanted all of those components in my dream ministry. I would pray: "Lord, I just want people to see you the way I see you. I want them to feel you the way I feel you. I want them to know you the way I know you.

But I was disillusioned.

I didn't know all of the trials and purifying fires I would have to go through for the next 10 years. I was in churches where I would get poured into, but then the pastors would be caught in sin, anything from adultery, to gossip, to slander, to stealing money, you name it. In addition to this, for some reason God would only grace a few people with prophetic insight to see what He had placed in me. My leaders never saw it and no one poured into me or mentored me. I didn't know God was hiding me and protecting me. I just thought there was something wrong with me.

Fast-forwarding to 2016, I now knew about Houses of Prayer. I knew that I wasn't crazy for wanting the presence of God and prayer. But I was tired of the churches I knew. I was about to give up on it altogether and find comfort in the "safety" of a Baptist church in Maryland. I wanted a normal life and I had a normal boyfriend who could give me that. I would quiet down my prophetic intercessory life and be confined to a church that didn't even believe in my gifts as a woman. What was the attraction to that lifestyle? Predictability.

Do you know another word for someone who craves predictability? Faithless. Do you know what is also behind predictability? Control. Do you know what is behind control and manipulation? Idolatry. So, I was going to sign up for a predictable and idolatrous lifestyle where I was my own god.

But thank God Almighty.... And let me tell you, it is HARD to thank him for this, because back in May, I thought I was going to die. But thank God Almighty.

My "normal" boyfriend broke up with me when I was sick (literally in bed), more depressed than I had ever been, and counting all of my losses. I had like $20 to my name and my whole world was shattered.

Do you know what happens when your world gets shattered? Jesus happens. My God responds to needs, and I was in real need of Him. He began to give me very high doses of faith, that truthfully I couldn't live without. If He hadn't done that, I wouldn't have gotten up in the morning.

A few weeks later, I saw two of my college friends were attending a Latter Rain Revival at a house of prayer I didn't even know existed. I decided to go. I didn't have a lot of expectations, but I knew I needed to be around people of faith.

What can I tell you? That whole week the Lord did a work in me that shook me completely. My church friends can attest to this. I have never been the same. The presence of Jesus was all I needed. Being around faith-filled Christians was all I needed to come alive again. I was wrecked by Lana Vawser's words and fired up by Darrian Summerville. I received so much download as a writer from Jennifer LeClaire and Shara Pradhan spoke so powerfully into my life. Without knowing me she said: "You know, the way you're feeling right now is not your fault. You had a recent relationship and this guy broke your heart to pieces. You thought you were going to marry him but he has some issues he needs to deal with. God actually protected you, because he's not God's best for you." Is that a whoa or what?!!

But that is not the end of the story. I am now a part of the Core Team of this House of Prayer. I am now going to spend the next few years of my life hosting the presence of Jesus, ushering others into His presence, hosting a place where everyone can pray, worship and encounter the King of kings and Lord of lords. This is why the House of Prayer is such a big deal to me; because God granted me my dream 12 years later, after the life I had made for myself was absolutely shattered. My life looks nothing like I thought it would look like. But I am so incredibly fulfilled. I am filled with His presence and have found the utmost joy in letting Him take full reign and control of my life.

I have learned the lesson. It is His way. And His way is uncomfortable, and mysterious, and unpredictable, but it is such an ADVENTURE. Giving prophetic words to people, praying for the sick and seeing them get healed, preaching the gospel in Holy Spirit fire and see others come to Jesus... this is life!

Radiance International Times Square House of Prayer has the dearest place in my heart. It is an honor to be on the leadership team and see so many encounter His presence every week. So if you need to be revived in your personal life or ministry, if you need an encounter with Jesus, my God responds to needs, and there's a House of Prayer that will welcome you just as you are in Times Square. Come out. Your life may just be changed.