Do you struggle to develop or maintain a consistent habit of prayer in your daily life?
As followers of Christ, prayer is foundational to our spiritual journey and yet it can be so easy to push it aside amid the distractions and busyness of the world around us. Maybe prayer seems too difficult, you just don’t know how and feel too inadequate to even begin. What if you had the opportunity to be immersed in a community committed to prayer, to experience prayer not only as something you do but as a lifestyle?
At the GFA Discipleship Program, prayer is integrated into the daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms of our lives. Every Tuesday night, we as a staff family gather to seek the Lord for our needs and intercede on behalf of our brothers and sisters around the world. One thing that is unique about our prayer meetings is that we pray together in small groups of 2-3 people. This gives everyone the opportunity to actively participate by praying audibly instead of just being a spectator.
Our mornings at the office begin with prayer and we stop twice a day for prayer and scripture reading. On the first Friday night of each month, we have an extended night of prayer. Throughout the year we set aside special times for sung worship, solitude, and fasting. Students also incorporate prayer in their home life, beginning each day with house devotions and ending their day with evening prayers.
Our desire through the Discipleship Program is for young adults to experience a vibrant lifestyle of prayer during their time in the GFA community. Students have the opportunity to not only learn about prayer through study but to be active participants, developing a deeper faith in the Lord.
In the following paragraphs Discipleship Program alumna share how their prayer life was impacted during their time at GFA.
One thing that I’ve felt the Lord has helped me grow in a lot is prayer. Before I came here, I prayed a lot too, but it just didn’t mean as much as it does now. I think it’s because my relationship with the Lord is more intimate and so I trust Him for greater things. He’s answered prayer a lot for me, even the little things amaze me so much.
2013 Alumna
I have definitely seen GFA staff be a people of prayer and worship. Not only at prayer meeting and when the bell rings, but also before doing something they pray. It has shown me that God is not just working through our prayers for the field, but also the little things we do at the office should be committed to God.
2015 Alumna
It has been so easy for me to get so caught up in my needs that need to be met instead of remembering those who are in worse circumstances than I am. Attending the prayer meetings at GFA has really helped me to put the principle of being others focused during my prayer time into practice. It has been really encouraging to see the answers to our prayers. I have learned that as we pray with others it strengthens our prayer life and gives a drive to form a consistent prayer life.
2016 Alumna
Want to learn more about what prayer looks like in the Discipleship Program?
Watch our recent video: www.gfa.ca/discipleship/learning-to-pray/
Are you longing to grow in a deeper prayer life?
Join GFA Discipleship Program for an intense gap year of living, serving and learning alongside other believers while making an impact in communities around the world.
Apply today: https://www.gfa.ca/discipleship/apply/