The Power to Love

December 9, 2010 by Leave a Comment

December 8, 2010

Highlight of tonight’s H.o.P.E through pictures!
Thank you for these photos, Mr. Davis!

Taking time to celebrate:
Annie braved the cold weather to come to H.o.P.E and thank everyone for praying for her son. She received the good news that he’s reaching out to God.This mother’s heart is so glad for this!

Tonight, Dr. Derek Morris invited everyone to reflect on how someone had showed them love through a particular act of kindness this week. They were also invited to reflect if they themselves had performed any act of love for someone in their own lives. The focus of the prayer? A plea for God’s power to respond to His call that we love one another.

Praying for brothers and sisters:
Mr. Jensen is an important part of the H.o.P.E team as our Audio-Visual Coordinator. He is a living testament of God’s mercy and goodness, and he was a recipient of many prayers during his illness. He is concerned for his brother. We prayed for his brother who couldn’t join us tonight, but not before saying a big thanks to God for how He is blessing Mr. Jensen! People also prayed for Mrs Pascale’s brother and they weren’t the only ones who had siblings in trouble, so people in the congregation were given a quiet moment to pray for them or for someone else’s brother or sister.

Praying for Leaders

“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” Ephesians 6:19

Dr. Vatel invited the people of H.o.P.E to pray for Dr. Morris and Mrs. Morris as God is launching them into ministries that will further affect and touch the lives of spiritual leaders around the world. Dr. Claudio Buonfiglio ,along with his wife Isabelle, runs a busy practice during the week, but both have dedicated as many Wednesday as possible to the House of Prayer. They represent the many people who have appreciated the weekly evening gatherings and the Morris’ dedication and leadership. Claudio and Isabelle said prayers of blessings and protection for Derek and Bodil on behalf of the people of H.o.P.E.

Trusting in the Holy Spirit’s Power to inspire…


Passion for God, Passion for People and Passion for Service!

Filed Under: Dr. Derek Morris, Dr. Sabine Vatel, Forest Lake Church, God, holy spirit, Pastor Derek Morris, Pastor Sabine

How can we give thanks when times are hard?!

December 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment

November 24, 2010

Donna is no stranger to the H.o.P.E: she is beloved by many of the people who have come to really appreciate her and her music on Wednesday night. She was up front for an entirely different reason: Her young adult son had had some scary news regarding his health. Yet his faith and his family’s faith remains strong. For now, Donna needed the prayers of her H.o.P.E family and they responded in unison. As they surrounded her and mothers in the congregation held her in their arms, it felt like the best place to be on Thanksgiving eve!

Around the Fall, the Israelites celebrated a holiday not unlike Thanksgiving. The season is associated with the harvest and God’s provision. There was another reason to be thankful. The Festival of Tents or Tabernacles was for thankfulness. It was instituted in Leviticus 23.

The purpose of this Festival or Feast was celebrate God’s faithfulness to them while in they were wandering in the desert. They lived in temporary homes in the light of a more permanent one in the Promised Land.

How can we give thanks when times are hard? Even while we are in temporary dwelling place, we celebrate because God is faithful and is preparing for us something much more lasting. I heard once that Psalm 27 was recited during that time. My favorite passage of the Bible is Psalm 27:4. It has new meaning now beyond a simple longing to see the God. And then there is verses 5 and 6:

For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.

We “made music” with Calvary’s Light and they sang of peace and flowers that one day won’t fade. We gave our thanks for what God will do.

An unexpected prayer request came from a Jenny. During her Bible Study with Pastor Ron earlier that day, she revealed that she had just found out that her doctor had told her that nothing could be done for her. He told her that she would die from cancer. She spoke of her faith in God and said that she wished she had spent more time being thankful.

It’s never too late with God. That’s the beauty of Him. So she gave thanks for her family, her fiance, for her friends and for Jesus. And she said thank you for the breath of life in her tonight, and another chance to say that God had been good to her. We sang a scripture song borrowing the words at the end of Psalm 27:

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.

Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

-Pastor Sabine

Filed Under: cancer treatment, covering prayers, Dr. Sabine Vatel, healing, house of prayer, Thanksgiving Day