5 Barefoot Lane, Palmyra, VA 22963

January 2006

An Open Letter to Church Family:

Five and a half years ago, my relationship with the Lord changed forever. Dr. Steve Harbin and Walking With God Ministries International led a Revival Crusade at Groveton Baptist Church, just south of Alexandria, Virginia. A church that had once packed the 500-seat auditorium was struggling to maintain 200 active members – most of whom were over the age of 50. Does this scenario sound familiar?

On the second night of the crusade, I heard from God. We had been immersed in passionate corporate prayer, seeking God’s will for our church, writing out our sins, and nailing them to a wooden cross at the front of the church. God’s call was clear: “Mary, you are to pray on the altar of your church daily, until I call you home or call you elsewhere.” I did not question such a direct and clear commandment from my Lord – I simply obeyed.

Every morning for the next 4 ½ years, I went to the church sanctuary one hour before any activities began – 8:00 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, 6:30 a.m. on Sundays. I asked the Lord to provide me with prayer partners, and several began to join me each day. We prayed for the protection and empowerment of our leadership, for changed hearts, and for revival in our church.

Things changed. By the summer of 2004, a passionate group of young people came to the church to begin a young adult ministry. We became part of a prayer network that encircles our nation’s capital, praying for spiritual awakening in America. We prayed for the Luis Palau Festival that will be held on the National Mall in September 2005. We joined the Metro Area Multi-Church Prayer Meetings – which are held quarterly in a downtown Baptist church. We joined 50 other churches to work with Convoy of Hope to bring food, services, and salvation to our impoverished neighbors. We volunteered for “Christ on the Mall,” supporting a day of Christian music, preaching, prayer, witnessing, and free Bibles on the National Mall every 4^th of July. We were no longer “playing church.” We were on mission with God to our community.

The blessings were not confined to my church, however. For 20 years, I had struggled with Multiple Sclerosis, walked with a cane, and felt constant vertigo. In May of 2002, I joined Walking With God Ministries for a prayer retreat. As we gathered for our final prayer circle, Dr. Steve Harbin suddenly said, “Mary, I have a word from the Lord for you – do you want to be healed?” The moment I said “yes,” I felt a wave of pure, divine love sweep over my body from head to toe, releasing me from the numbness, vertigo, and crippling effects of MS. From that day forward, I have been completely healed.

My story is just one of several miracles that my church family experienced. When a church begins to pray and earnestly seek God, blessings begin to flow. The Lord has now called me “elsewhere” – to a growing congregation near Charlottesville, Virginia. I am to pray here as I prayed in the Washington, DC, area.

The worship series that your Pastor is making available to you, “Walking With God Revival Crusade,” could very well transform your lives as it did mine. I pray that each one of you will take advantage of this series of worship experiences led by Walking With God Ministries International. May you experience what I experienced: new life, purpose and fruitfulness through the power of intimacy with the Father.

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (NIV, 2 Chronicles 7:14)

In His joy,

Mary J. Wright, Intercessor

Effort Baptist Church