Doug Creamer: Family
Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 9, 2017
Last weekend my sister was blessed to have her entire family, including grandchildren, at her home. My sister has seven children and they are scattered across the US. To get all of them home is a monumental task. Actually, they all got together for a week at the beach and then they came home for one night to have a huge party.
The party included her family and ours. I hadn’t really thought about it, but my whole family was together, too. There were lots of necks to hug and plenty of smiles and laughs to share. When you add all the good food it was one great family get-together.
One of my nephews is considering starting a business. He is working on a few ideas trying to determine where to put his efforts. Another nephew and his wife want to start a restaurant. They are both working in the food business, gaining experience while they try to figure out which direction they will go. Another nephew has his own web design business. He designs templates, which he explains is a very competitive market. We talked about where he was going in the future with his business.
Another nephew is working for a business that sells hip and knee joint replacements. He is in the operating room when his product is installed to be sure it works. Another nephew had recently gotten engaged to a wonderful young lady. They live in Puerto Rico. They love living by the water and taking care of the three cats that have adopted them.
One of my nieces is an elementary school teacher. We shared a few war stories and how our new school year has begun. It is nice to talk with a fellow teacher who understands the joys and trials of being a teacher. Another niece lives out west and is a midwife. She has helped to deliver almost fifty babies so far. What blessed children who were greeted by my niece upon their arrival into our world.
This particular niece has been a part of a new church plant in her area. They have over two hundred and they continue to grow. I asked what the secret was to their growth. She looked at me with a big smile. I already knew. She said their leaders pray for hours for their city, asking God to reach out and touch people.
The result is people whose lives have changed because they have encountered a loving God. People are attracted to a place where the presence and the love of God are almost tangible. The word has spread and people continue to show up. She is in a place where God is moving, but she reminded me that nothing happens without lots of prayer.
Why do we have trouble praying? Why do people want to flock to a place where they believe the Spirit is moving, but they do not want to pray for the Spirit to move in their own churches? Why don’t people show up for a prayer meeting? Why do we feel like we have to have snacks, fellowship, or even preaching and then only a few minutes of prayer? When was the last time you prayed for an hour?
We know that there is power in prayer. We know we can move mountains. We know that people can be delivered from drug and alcohol addiction. We know that souls are saved through consistent prayer. We know that marriages can be saved. We know that people can be healed. We know that racial barriers can be broken. So why do we keep turning to alternative methods of fixing things besides where the power lies…in prayer.
A while back the movie, “War Room” got many people excited about the power of prayer. What happened to that excitement? Prayer is hard work. It requires persistence. It requires us to stretch our faith, to believe that God really hears us and will act upon our requests. I still believe in the power of prayer.
I want to encourage you to rediscover the power of prayer in your life. God wants to move and bring about change. He is waiting for His people to cry out to Him. Personal and corporate prayer can birth the renewal and revival we all hope to see in our lifetime. I love my family and spending time with them, but I also love the family of God. Join together with your brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter what race or background they come from, and let’s join together in creating an unstoppable force through prayer.
Contact Doug at doug@dougcreamer.com
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