Kathryn Snider – ENI/Caribbean Rep – leading “Let the Children Cry HOSANNA!” annual intergenerational prayer rally in Kingston.

What’s your POSITION for 2017?

Because I enjoy taking public transportation, I was happy to take the large yellow JUTC bus to and from work which allowed our adult children to use our vehicle to take a nice holiday adventure with their friends to the Blue Mountains. However, the joy I had started the day with was wearing thin as rush hour commuters pushed to get on the # 52 bus which was headed to my neighborhood. I decided to forgo the pushing and patiently wait for a second bus thinking my wait would reward me a prized seat. With disappointment, I ended up having to stand in a crowded bus aisle for over two hours just to reach my stop. It would normally take approximately half the time if I had my own vehicle.

For most of the journey I tried to find the most comfortable way to stand, hold on to my bags and, most importantly, how to hold onto the bus railings so I wouldn’t fall as the bus turned corners and made sudden stops.

“When will this end?” I thought over and over. “I’ve never had to stand in a bus for so long, can I make it?” “If I were to faint would anyone even notice, or would all the bodies just hold me up?!” “Maybe we’ll do things differently next time.” I had lots of time to converse with myself, watch other people and periodically look out the bus window to see how much farther we had to go.

While I was looking out the bus window near Half Way Tree, I discovered that, because I was standing, I could see over the buildings that lined the four lane road. The view was beautiful. It was amazing! I could see almost to the coast and the light from the setting sun highlighted the plains to the east of Kingston. I was seeing a view that had always been there, but had been unseen and undiscovered to me even though I travelled this exact route almost daily for over 3 years. The discomfort and the inconvenience was forgotten as my position had now rewarded me with a beautiful view and revelation from the Lord.

 As I enter 2017, the Lord keeps reminding me of this experience by quietly asking, “What is your POSITION for this year? Will you endure the discomfort of being POSITIONED in me to allow me to show you something new? “

I don’t know about you but I have a specific place in my apartment where I like to meet with God – a small hallway at the top of my entry stairs. I call it my cathedral because the ceiling is high and my voice echoes when I sing. But honestly, I still struggle from time to time to daily be in that place. I knew I was to daily POSITION myself in prayer and in relationship with Him. In this position I would receive revelation and vision, seeing things I had never seen before and somehow this is very important for this season.

How have you positioned yourself for 2017? Is prayer and time alone with God a daily priority? Do you have a place where you meet with God daily? Is this sometimes a struggle for you? Position yourself in Him. Position is everything. With the right position we will see things we have never seen before.

JAMAICA REPORT

We continue to faithfully run 2 World Shapers Prayer Clubs. One meets at a school in downtown Kingston, Mel Nathan Prep School, and the other at Liberty Academy on Hope Road. Carol Daugherty faithfully assists me at Mel Nathan.

At Mel Nathan we meet during the second half of their lunch hour. Amazingly, the Kindergarten children are some of the most faithful attendees. This year we are looking at meeting with the kindergarteners in their classroom before meeting the grade school children.

At Liberty Academy the majority of the students are a group of grade 3 girls. They love prayer club and they love to pray. We meet on a Friday afternoon during the school’s club time.

In both clubs we are doing a Unit on the I AM statements of Jesus found in the gospel of John and using His statements as declarations for the nations of the world. I start the club meetings by having each child quietly take their seat and begin to pray for anything that is on their heart. I encourage each of them to talk out loud to God all at the same time. Then I will ask 3 students to stand where they are and give us a “prayer topic.” This can be anything thing they’d like to pray about – something personal, something in their family, church or the nation. After this child gives their prayer request, everyone prays again at the same time for this specific prayer request. I’ll end the prayer by saying, “Let’s agree with (child’s name) by saying together 1.2.3…”YES!” (Our way of saying, “AMEN!”)

Kathryn