Answers to Prayer: Our Shared Community “God Story”
Since 2015, we have recorded 50 pages of answers to prayer in our community. Some testimonies have been extremely significant in the One Church - One Day journey, becoming part of our “shared community story.” We consider them to be “stones of remembrance” as a unified church and stories of God’s faithfulness in Lane County.
Thundering Agreement Launch story | May 31, 2015
Click here to read the One Church - One Day launch story, and the miraculous way God responded in the sky!
Lightning fills the Eugene skyline on May 31,2015. (Chris Anderson photo, Register Guard, 6/2/15)
Arson & Ambush 2018
“Please don’t stop praying through One Church - One Day.” - Government Leader, 10/17/2018
LEADERS PRAISE GOD’S MIRACULOUS PROTECTION OF FIRST RESPONDERS
Early on Wednesday, October 17th, firefighters were called to a Springfield house fire, while a gunman waited to ambush them. By all accounts, the incident should have been a significant tragedy that headlined national news, but no one was seriously injured. Leaders give glory to God for the miraculous protection:
The gunman set his home on fire around 4 AM, and waited with multiple guns in a neighboring driveway for the unsuspecting firefighters.
While the first responders took cover and called for backup, bullets flew, covering the fire engine’s windshield and garage doors.
In all, 14 shots were fired from the semiautomatic 12- gauge shotgun, and three evacuated-homes burned to the ground, while another suffered damage.
Before 8 AM, a fire department leader called the One Church – One Day Team to give all glory to God for how He answered our prayers by sparing first responders:
“I talked to the captain & he thinks it is nothing short of a miracle. Each of the firefighters were struck by buckshot, but none were critical. Bullets either stuck in their turnout gear, bounced off their helmets, or just left a bruise because it went through the windshield. Blessings & thanks for the protection all around.”
A Jesus-following fireman drove the truck that morning and accidentally left the driver’s side door open. It was the door that took his bullet.
A few hours later, another government leader said,
“... This could have been a significant tragedy. Please don’t let One Church – One Day people stop praying for first responder safety.”
The following day, dozens of pastors signed a ‘thank you’ card and delivered it the fire station, expressing our thanks for their service & assuring them we pray for first responders and their families daily.
Together, we are in awe of God’s mercy to protect our first responders. We are thankful for the God-honoring and prayer-coveting leaders who oversee our city. We are humbled by the way God is answering our prayers. We are sobered by the potency of God’s unified people, standing as watchmen over our city in continuous prayer. We recognize the weightiness of our call to pray. We resolve afresh to heed Jesus’ words to “pray and not give up,” along with our government leaders’ request to not stop praying through One Church – One Day.
Thank you for praying. All Glory to God.
Operation 365
Request: “As a part of “Operation 365, pray for 75 more homeless veterans to find & stay in homes, healing, jobs and well-being by the end of 2015. 290 have been housed.” June 2015 - Jan 2016
been housed since January 1st, the beginning of Operation 365) “ - Dec 2015In June, we started praying in agreement with the government initiative to house 365 veterans in 2015. As of mid-January, a total of 404 veterans were housed and cared for in 2015! The City Manager, Jon Ruiz, called it “a satisfying achievement,” as it “has shown an unprecedented level of collaboration & coordination among service providers, municipalities, non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations and individuals.” We consistently pray for collaboration and clear communication within the government, and between government officials, the social sector and businesses too!
Civic Stadium Fire
Request: “Pray for the personal safety of those serving in our police & fire departments.” July 2015
“I have to tell you about Civic...” The impact of hundreds of people praying for our police and fire departments is being re- alized, and the fire at Civic Stadium provided an opportunity to see God’s help and intervention. As he reflected on his 30 years in the fire department and the recent fire at Civic Stadium, a strategic team member said, “I have never seen an incident of that scale handled so well or efficiently. Exactly the right people made exactly the right calls. There were no injuries reported, not even a minor injury recorded in the logbook, and that never happens. That is highly un-natural ... that is supernatural!”
Every Child Lane County Launch
Request: “Pray for Christ-followers to care for children at-risk & to support families who care from those children.” November 2015
In November, the Family Strategic Team crafted this prayer request. They prayed this request together, and planned to send it out in the December Guide. The next day, a member of the Education Team sent out a text: “My wife and I have prayed and are going to take in three foster kids. We need your prayers, your support, and the following things . . . ” (paraphrase). Before the prayer request was shared, God answered in this specific instance. More so, a much greater collaboration is currently forming with churches, nonprofits, businesses and government leaders, and DHS to answer this very request to create safe families for at-risk children and help God’s people engage and meet the great need in the foster care system. Keep praying for God to move His people to care for children and youth at risk; it’s happening!