So grateful...

Godliness with Contentment is Great Gain. (I Timothy 6)

This summer has been a summer of peace, joy, and learning to rest in God.

As we enter into the fall, and I prepare to move in a few short weeks, I have been reflecting on God's goodness. It is so easy to focus on the few things we want and don't have, rather than be grateful for all God has given us. I have made up in my heart to be thankful. I am learning the secret of contentment and my heart has been overflowing! Gratitude breeds a clearer perspective, and expectation fresh hope.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (1 Chron. 16:34)

I am especially thankful for those I have been able to connect with this summer while being home. You have taught me much about hospitality, sacrifice, brotherly love, and friendship. I really like you, and my life and ministry are enriched because you are in it! Special thanks to....
Pastor Carolyn Jordan for inviting me to come speak at her church Grimes AME.
Sherrell and David Williams for throwing me a send off!
Al Arrington for driving me from Kansas City back to the east coast.
Rhema Christian Center and First Baptist of GlenArden for taking me deeper in the Word and always welcoming me.
Pastor Denise McDowell for inviting me to Vertical Leap!
Tabatha and Dennit Goodwin for their hospitality.
Ken Williams for your wisdom.
My family for being so gracious.

I could go on and on about the dinners, lunches, meetings, new friendships...Thank you for making my time at home special and for sending me off to do God's work in Atlanta! It is your support that enables prayer to continue 24/7 and the lives of young people to be touched by the gospel. Thank you for your part!

IHOP Atlanta here we come...

This is an exciting time for me! I recently graduated from four years of ministry school this past May at the International House of Prayer University (IHOPU), in Kansas City.

After much prayer the Lord has made it clear that He is calling me to full-time ministry! He has called me specifically to the place of Intercession, Evangelism, and Discipleship. I am excited to be moving to Atlanta to serve full time as an intercessory missionary at the International House of Prayer Atlanta! Along with spending several hours a week in prayer, I will be working with our new church plant ministering to UGA-Gwinnett students. Pray for young adults lives to be rocked this semester with the truth of God's love!

 For a quick blurb on IHOP Atlanta click here:

If you have any questions, prayer requests, or would like to contact me, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and financial support! Together we are seeing God glorified and lives touched with the gospel...

Update of Inner City Prayer Ministry

Welcome Back!

Many exciting things are happening here with me at IHOP-KC, from getting ready to graduate Bible School, to being a part of a church plant among latinos, to laboring in prayer for the lost in our city and the nations of the earth.

As a vocation I am giving my life to full time ministry through intercession and acts of justice.

Today I want to highlight some videos and photos from Hope City, a prayer based ministry I've been involved in since 2009 in the inner city where the homeless, addicts, and poor can find a place of hope and function in the Body of Christ.

Worship at Hope City Prayer Room in Inner City Kansas City (I'm on the drums!)

Please continue to lift up in prayer all the Lord is doing here in Kansas City. Together may we see real lives impacted and changed by the power of the gospel. Blessings!

Extending My Hand to the Afflicted and Getting Saved

"If you extend your hand to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul .." Isaiah 58: 10 - 11

Good Day to you from Kansas City! I'm back at IHOP-KC finishing my last semester in IHOPU and engaging in life as an intercessory missionary. These days I'm spending about 10 hours a week down at the prayer room in the inner city called Hope City. There I pray primarily, serve the house by playing the drums, and help wherever needed.

Recently, I have been struck with the fast that God has chosen (Isaiah 58), which is to share our bread with the hungry and not hide ourselves from our neighbors.

It happened like this: It was day three of a three-day fast here and I went down to Hope City to drum and pray. Many know with any fast, by the end you are pretty "raw." Meaning, the prop of food is gone and nothing is there but raw, or the real, you. So there I was on a Wednesday night in the inner city rubbing shoulders with people from the community. I felt uncomfortable, tired, and bothered. The novelty was gone. Why am I doing this again? I left the comforts of my little community and sheltered life to come down here on a Wednesday night for what? Nothing like fasting to show you what's really in your heart. Little compassion and a struggle to love, but a heart that deep down wants to.

For this reason PRAYER is a must. I MUST touch the heart of God in the place of prayer so that my heart can be filled with love, that I would overflow in love for those around me. Living a life of service sounds well and good, but unless I have God's love pulsing through me I have nothing to give. I don't want to give them me, because I don't love well. I want to love them with the God-kind of love which knows no bounds (isn't easily bothered, is kind, etc). For this reason I must pray.

The First Commandment (loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul) naturally leads itself to the Second Commandment (loving your neighbor). I cannot love apart from God's help.

God would have that we would not close our hearts to the needs of those around us. He's saving me again and again in the place of laying my life down. Let's lay down our lives together, because really deep down no one wants to just live unto themselves. What a wasted life!

On another note: March 1-3 is the Stand Conference here at IHOP KC. It's a conference Contending for the destiny of the black community. To find out how you can be involved either here in Kansas City or through the webstream visit: http://www.ihop.org/stand/

My preach: A Cry for His Presence

A few weeks back, I and the two other IHOPU students serving here at the International House of Prayer Atlanta were asked to preach the two Sunday services. It was a blast! I absolutely love the community here, and was grateful for the opportunity extended to teach. 


Here is Part I:

Here is Part II:

We are now rounding out our last days serving here as "externs" at IHOP Atlanta. The "externship" is a new  one semester program set up for fourth-year IHOPU students to serve "externally" at another house of prayer. We are indebted to this house of prayer for teaching us what it looks like to love well, both God and people. We have gleaned so much, and I am grateful for the opportunities I've had to grow in leadership and for the truths imparted to me.
Here is a sneak peak of a promo we made for IHOPU explaining the "externship" program:

Many blessings and thank you for helping to make the work of night and day prayer possible!
Your sister, Lauren

THE CALL DETROIT

I was able to join over 27,000 intercessors this past weekend at "The Call Detroit" which was a 24 hour "shut-in" at Ford Field of prayer and fasting for the city of Detroit and for our nation. We went daring to believe that God could turn around a city that many have forsaken.

It was a powerful time.

 No Cost. Just Sacrifice. The Call Detroit 11.11.11

Intercession Monday morning

So my last post was a "mock" worship with the word prayer set over the life of Barnabas for a class presentation.
This post is an actual prayer set here at IHOP-Atlanta. I lead the 10am intercession meeting every Monday. You can get somewhat of an idea of what the prayer room looks like and what it is I do.

In this prayer time I was praying for two things. 1. "GBF" which stands for Global Bridegroom Fast. The first Mon-Wed of every month IHOP-Atlanta, IHOP-Kansas City, and believers across the nations set apart to fast because of longing for the Bridegroom (Jesus), or to receive a longing for the Bridegroom. 2. I prayed for "The Call Detroit," a 24/7 prayer vigil this weekend on 11-11-11. I prayed that God would raise up youth that are consumed with the surpassing value of Christ, and are ministers of reconciliation/justice.

Here is a quick video of a prayer time I called, called "Rapid Fire Prayer." It is when people in the room come up to prayer generally 10-20 seconds for a prayer topic.

Thanks for stopping by! Many blessings from the International House of Prayer-Atlanta!

Life of an Apostle: Barnabas

Week Three here at IHOP-ATLANTA (http://www.ihop-atlanta.com/) and I am loving it!
My vision for the house of prayer is being greatly strengthened, I am growing in my leadership gifting, and falling in love with those I'm running with more and more. It is truly a privilege to give my life to night and day worship and prayer to the only One worthy of it, Jesus Christ. Sometimes I think about how 24/7 worship and prayer could be viewed as too much, excessive, or too radical, except for the fact that Jesus alone is worthy of it. It is the only reasonable response to His Beauty and Worth. That is how it happens in the Throne Room of heaven, day and night they do not cease to praise Him. God is raising up a generation of lovesick warriors and worshippers who will sit at Christ's feet like Mary of Bethany, hearing His word and beholding his beauty, and this part will not be taken from them (Luke 10:42). His Beauty necessitates a response.

I am in my last year of ministry school at IHOPU (International House of Prayer University). I am continuing to take classes though here in Atlanta for a semester through the e-school. Monday we had to turn in a group project concerning the life of an apostle in the early church. My group chose Barnabas. Thought I would share it with you as well. Let me know what you think!

To better explain the video, the first is a "worship with the Word" experience around the life of Barnabas. I chose 5 different scenes in his life that we spontaneously sang around, in an antiphonal style. It is supposed to be humorous, but also truthful regarding snippets of this powerful apostle's life. The second video is a brief oral presentation concerning some of Barnabas' journey in ministry.
May you be blessed!