I wrote an article on July 31st of 2017 about a journey I had been on. It was a journey to pray for one-hour uninterrupted for 30 days. The article was called  5 things that change when you pray for 30 hours. I succeeded in my goal, and since that day, I haven’t stopped. I have prayed for 395 consecutive one-hour sessions since I started in July of 2017.

So what changes when you pray for that long? Everything.

1. God gave me a new call – During the original 30 days, God had revealed something to me. He had called me to move to another context which resulted in my entire life changing. It was one of the best seasons of ministry I have ever had. We planted a multi-site with a remarkable church and within three years grew from 35 to 350. We were on our way to baptizing 100 people since we opened! Incredible leaders came on board to take over entire portions of my job. It was as good as it gets. While staring at my super fashionable pallet wall in my office, God spoke and said: “It’s time!”  Immediately I told God “No!” but He made it abundantly clear that it was what He was doing. I could join, or I could pass. There was a place, and there was a team He was calling me to. I had more than enough reasons to keep praying after hearing that.  I am not sure I would have heard Him had I not committed to pray.

What might God call you to if you would spend the time to pray consistently?

2. God broke me down and made me new – What followed was a grueling nine-month process of discerning my call, and interviewing for different positions. My conceptions about my skills and my reliance on Him were challenged. During prayer, He continued to test my identity. Who would I trust in to define me? I don’t know if you have ever interviewed, but it is an incredibly challenging experience. I love being a pastor, but everything is scrutinized: from your family to your skills to your character, to your integrity, to your dress, to your spiritual gifts and maturity. There are no places in your life that don’t matter…even what sports teams you like. 😉

I am not complaining. That is part of the job, but when you continue to place yourself out there, it is hard to take rejection well. And man, I was rejected quite a few times. Sometimes right away and sometimes it came down to two individuals, and I wasn’t the one they picked. It hurts, even if you weren’t crazy excited about a job, it still hurt that they didn’t want me. At least, that is how I viewed it. Prayer became the safe place that I recovered. The place where my identity was secured in Him. Often, I would ask Him “Who do you say that I am?” The entire time in prayer was reliance on Him. I realized that I was looking for other people to affirm me when in reality the only person that could be was God. I was not the right fit for those other positions.

In the end, through each rejection, God was giving me new confidence in him as I dwelled with him in prayer.

What challenges are you going through that God wants to use to make something new in you?

3. God grew my trust in him by humbling me– Once I got over myself (I admit this is a daily process), then my confidence was able to grow in him. You see, in crisis, I was focusing on my self. I was self-focused and at times selfish. I believed that this next calling was based on my skills and that I had to achieve it. That I personally, through grit and determination would find the right role and make it happen. That is how I had received every ministry role to this point. Why wouldn’t it be any different? In truth, God was clear with me from the beginning, there was a place, and he would show it to me. He merely asked me to take any step he showed me. Which I did, and then got frustrated when it wasn’t the place. This was God’s way I think of testing to see if I would be obedient and humble myself.

During prayer, he reminded me that he is the one who places people where they are best used by him. The position I was led to wasn’t based on my qualifications or determination. It was based on the Holy Spirit communicating to a significant number of people. It was based on other people’s prayers and tears and sleepless nights trying to determine God’s will. It never came down to me earning it. I had my ideas, but God had his. In prayer, he kept saying to me “Who do you say that I am?” It was an opportunity to continually place my trust in him as God! I learned to trust him, and follow him at every turn. In the end, such peace came from releasing control to him.

What kind of peace could you have in prayer if you submit to God’s will?

4. God unleashed incredible blessing on my family – I had just come back from Canada at a great church up there. It was down to two candidates, and I was waiting to hear back about their decision after a weekend of interviews. I was also one of two candidates at another church in Michigan (that is where I ended up). This was in March, and I was rather worn down physically and especially spiritually. I had stayed home from work because I was sick. I was a bit numb and tired. I came downstairs for some fresh air to see my wife and the boys. My wife came around the corner of the backyard looked at me and said: “So…I am pregnant.”

I was so taken aback because we weren’t trying to have a baby. I told her, “I can’t even process what you just said.” At the moment, it didn’t feel like a blessing. It felt like one more thing I couldn’t handle. Very quickly, I got excited. It was an incredible blessing to my family. I had to trust in God’s timing because it really had to be his. Throughout this process, God has poured so many blessings on us.

• I had an impressive church who partnered with me as I transitioned and supported me throughout the interview process.
• I accepted a role more significant than I thought possible with a staff that is phenomenal and a vibrant ministry.
• The house we had bought three years ago in Ohio sold for $30,000 more than we bought it for.
• The house sold in two days.
• We loaded our entire house on a truck in less than an hour because of awesome volunteers.
• We were able to stay with church members during the interim in Michigan…they even had a hot tub!
• We had so many people offer to help and watch our kids and hang out and cook dinner and have fun and give us gifts. Ridiculous!
• We had the exact amount from the proceeds to put down a payment on our new house and closed about as fast as humanly possible.
• We had over 25 volunteers move us into our new house, tear out bushes that felt like they had been there for a century, paint our upstairs, and clean our house.
• Jenna wanted to move to part-time as an engineer at a small company that would still allow her to work on her career and it is close to home. She got that…exactly….two blocks from our new house.
• The kids have a home and have childcare in place.

I could go on and on and give more specifics…now here is the truth. I am not one who looks at all these things and says “See if you follow God everything works out perfectly!” I didn’t believe that, and I still don’t. In fact, here are some of the painful blessings God gave me.

• Leaving a good thing, no a great thing behind. The worship and ministry in Massillon are vibrant.
• Letting something you started, go. I bled for that place and now I have to leave it.
• Picking up your entire life to follow God. It was annoying and painful and a lot of work.
• Living in Michigan…seriously. I am a Buckeye to the core. It must have been God’s call, cause I would never choose to live here on my own.
  • That blessing of a child, will be born in Michigan. I feel a small part of my soul dying. It’s probably a good thing.
• Asking my wife to quit her job and her life and go with me.
• Being rejected for roles.
• Laying yourself bare in front of people.
• Moving farther away from family.
• RISK
• Leaving comfort and familiarity.
• Losing great friendships…facebook texting yada yada but it isn’t the same.
• Having countless difficult conversations with people who love and trust me and showing them that God is bigger.
• Saying Goodbye

Following God isn’t going to be easy. However, when you are obedient, God pours out blessings on you. That might look like things, but more often it is grace and peace and joy. We are full of joy. Praise God!

What kind of blessing does God want to unleash on your life through prayer?

5. God put me in a new place of service – In the end, I accepted a role as the Lead Pastor of Life Church. I firmly believe that God has placed me here. Am I the most qualified? Absolutely not, not on paper, not in years of experience, not in worldly matters. But in God’s view, absolutely yes. Because he said so. I mean that. God places people where he wants, and our role to simply be grateful to be in the game. God has placed me in a place to love this church. To love the staff and to lead. To have supreme confidence in what God is doing through Life Church and to go after it!

As I was leaving Massillon Ohio, I had two friends who said something significant in their own ways. John Grandy, a fellow minister with a shepherds heart, said this to me. “Nathan, you are ready for this role. You have been praying and seeking God like a lead pastor should, and now you will be one. You have what you need because you have humbled yourself before God.” My youth director Robbie Plants, who is a cross between a camo teddy bear and Larry the Cable Guy said. “You don’t need to change because the role has changed. Go and be who God made you. Don’t lose what he has shown you because you think it is what is expected of you.” He might have added some colorful language there. He loves Jesus, I swear.

In prayer every day, God reminds me of the role I play. That I am to love like a father would, and lead with patience and confidence. And to preach with passion! I fit into a staff that augments my weaknesses and needs my strengths. I thank God for the church and their willingness to take a risk on what God might do. What might God do in you?

What kind of service will you live into because you prayed?

• Complete 30 uninterrupted one-hour sessions of prayer within a 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day time span.
• The prayer time can be a mixture of prayer, worship, and journalling as long as it is uninterrupted. (Journaling is helpful to see the transformation!)
• Share when you have completed the challenge!

Simple right? Not so much. This is a true challenge and you will get what you put into it. Here are some helpful tips, read 5 things that change when you pray for 30 hours. The challenge is at the end. Go after it. And see what God can do!

This is my prayer worship list for August.