“What do you get when you take a group of nine Americans, a hand-painted map of Edinburgh and an empty room in a church basement? An amazing moment that started eight years ago” writes Sheena Littlehale.
“My first visit to Scotland was on a ministry trip to the UK in 2002 as part of a prayer team from my hometown of Portland, Oregon. That was such a significant trip for me as it was also my first connection with 24-7 Prayer and my first time in Edinburgh. Since then I’ve moved to England and have been in Scotland a total of seven times – more than any other place I’ve visited. Whenever I’m in Scotland God talks to me about things that He thinks and feels for that beautiful country, and I find that intensified in the capital city of Edinburgh.
As I came into Edinburgh that first time I wasn’t there an hour before God started giving me glimpses of the love He feels for that city. So you can imagine my delight when the opportunity came two years later to spend a week helping with a 24-7 Prayer Room that was running in partnership with Shine, an outreach YWAM, Salvation Army and some local churches were running during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
One thing that stands out in my mind about the Shine Prayer Room was a huge hand-painted canvas map of Edinburgh that was laid out on the floor in the middle of the room. Some amazing things were prayed as we stood, sat or laid on that map, pouring out our hearts to God on Edinburgh’s behalf. We prayed on it, cried on it and prayed for people who cried on it, knowing God would store up those prayers and release the answers in His perfect timing. Beauty for ashes. Joy for mourning. Praise for heaviness and despair.
Fast-forward another six years to August 2010. Nine of us Portlanders are back to do another Prayer Room for Shine. This time we were given the use of a room in the basement of a church just a few minutes walk from the Royal Mile (Edinburgh’s oldest street which connects the city’s castle with the Palace of Holyrood House). As we set up prayer stations we reminisced about the Prayer Room six years ago, the map, and how great it would be to have something like that now.
The next day, as we prayed and discussed the things God was stirring in our hearts, one of the YWAM staff told us she found a big canvas in an old box with what looked like a hand-painted map, and did we want it for the Prayer Room – to which we answered a very excited and emphatic “YES!”. And the next day the map was back where it belonged, on the floor of the Prayer Room and under whomever wanted to stand, sit or lay on it to pour out their prayers for God to move in Edinburgh and Scotland.
It seemed more than just mildly significant that God brought us back the same year as “The Big If” , Scotland’s Year of Prayer. As we set up, and later prayed at, the station dedicated to that year of prayer, I couldn’t help thinking about the deep impression God’s love for Scotland has made on me. “What If?” as the sign at that station read. What if it’s here? What if it’s now? What if all the prayers we, and so many others, prayed before were about to be released in Scotland? What if we see with our own eyes the unity of the Body of Christ so many people have worked and prayed so hard to bring about?
My last time in that Prayer Room I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed at the thoughtfulness of God. He took an old piece of painted canvas that sat in a box for six years and turned it into a poignant reminder that He neither sleeps nor slumbers, that He doesn’t forget, that He still loves Edinburgh more than I ever could. As I look ahead to next month when I will be there again for 24-7 Prayer’s international gathering Magnify I have such an eager sense of excitement to see what God will do in and through our gathering, not just for Edinburgh or Scotland, but in Europe and beyond.”
For more info on ‘The Big If’ year of 24-7 Prayer currently sweeping Scotland check out their website here. You can also keep up with Sheena’s adventures through her blog.
