Pray for the Event       Prayer Walk     Milwaukee     Testimonials Be still and know that I am God.                                                  -Psalm 46:10 Comments from Prayer Walk Milwaukee Participants – 2005 Post Walk Leader’s Comments PASTOR DAVID JOHNSON – ROUTE  1 This group, made up of people of varied ages including one person in a wheel chair, ministered to and prayed for people they met along the way.  A cross country meet was in progress, so they prayed for the young people who were involved in the meet.  This team prayed for a Call to Prayer and Worship and for local and city needs.  A man from Iowa joined the walk and wants to conduct a prayer walk in his city when he gets home. JOHN MICHAELS – ROUTE 2  Six people walked and prayed together and had a great time of fellowship. PASTOR HECTOR AND MANUELLA MORALES - ROUTE 3 A spirited group of 17 people prayed and sang in Spanish while traveling their route.  They talked to people along the way and invited them to A Call to Prayer and Worship.  They plan to continue prayer walking, talking, praying and reaching out to others.  The time they had together went too quickly. ENRIQUE HEARD – ROUTE 4 <>We somehow got off our trail, but praise the Lord, as we met off track at Lake Michigan and spent time praising God for the body of water.  And, that people thirsty for the Living Water.  And, we prayed that God would bring people to thirst for Him.  We also were off the track, ran into an Art Fest that was happening on the East Side of Milwaukee and we prayed over this land that was filled with artists, gallery owners, etc.  Thank you so much for putting this event together and your work in Christ.  I want to be a prayer walk leader next year! BISHOP MIKE – ROUTE 4 Bishop Mike’s noticed the beauty of downtown Milwaukee’s buildings and mentioned that heaven will be more awesome than any of these sights.  They prayed against murder and gang strongholds and for God’s power to move in the city.  They prayed for A Call to Prayer and Worship.  They stressed the importance of Christians staying grounded in the vine of Christ so we can branch out and touch lives.  One of the people on the prayer walk who has difficulty walking found that walking was no problem during this event. JOHN PETERSIK – ROUTE 5 <>John joined with a group from Westbrook Church and commented that it was awesome to see the beauty of God as they walked.   MARIA DIXON - ROUTE 6 The one reoccurring event for my group was that when we stopped and rested, which was about 3 different times on the trail, we prayed w/our youth pastor and while we were praying, every one of us felt God's presence w/us.  Additionally, when we were praying and giving thanks, the wind - all 3 times - picked up and blew by w/mighty gush.  <>I originally had signed up 5 youth and myself, however the day of the walk, I had 3 youth turn out.  My husband, who is the youth pastor at our church, stayed w/in distance of us driving along side of us in our vehicle w/our 4 year old daughter.  Eventually, our daughter came out and walked a portion of it w/us - praying as well.  When we finished the 3 mile walk, we all went out to eat and everyone was asked if God spoke to them or revealed something to them and my daughter was the first to say that God told her to "be good all the time" and to tell others to "be good all the time".  She pretty much stuck to that phrase while we were sharing.  Since this was the first time that these particular youth put their faith into action, all they mentioned was the experience of God's presence with the wind picking up when we stopped and rested.  I would like to report that a burning bush appeared to all of us and we all heard the voice of God, however that did not happen.  Although, I must admit that feeling God's presence was awesome and an experience I hope the youth do not forget.  I know I won't.  Thanks for this opportunity! ROUTE 8- TONY ROSSI The turn out was not as good as I had hoped for, but the five that we did have just spent a wonderful time praying and singing and worshiping God.  I did have a strong vision of unity for the city and that God is going to really bind together and strengthen his body.  I believe and it was prophesied that revival would start in our city and spread through the entire nation. God Bless you for all of the hard work you have done, and i will continue to keep the night of worship and the city of Milwaukee in all of our prayers.  ROUTE 10- PHIL HELWIG Phil Helwig  reported that his route was covered with prayer. ROUTE 11-MICHAEL SELLENHEIM On our route (11) we had 10 walkers – starting at Hoyt Park on 92nd  Street at 9am and finished at Greenfield Park -121st & Greenfield at 11:15am. It was an awesome experience.  We started with prayer and some scripture.  We’d walk a ways (about a mile or so we’d stop to regroup) then I’d share some more scripture, and we’d pray as the spirit led, and continued…. We did some singing as well…. The focus was on Christ and His power to transform.   Several group members felt a call to get involved with doing more community outreach i.e sharing the good news in music, word, and meeting people’s needs –i.e. for the Katrina Huricane victims and refugees coming to our state for relief.   “How can we minister to these people – not only in physical needs – but spiritual as well”. As we planned for the prayer walk in communications and prayer at our church in Waukesha, the prayer walk triggered two ideas (one of which was implemented). 1)  The church had an outreach event over Labor Day weekend in Roberta Park in the central city of Waukesha.  The outreach included food, games and 100 Back-Packs with school supplies given out to families in need, in addition to spreading the Gospel.    The church body involved did a prayer walk around the Park prior to the event at 6am. 2) Secondly – our Youth Pastor is planning a prayer walk (hopefully this fall) – at Frame Park in downtown Waukesha – to pray for the people in the city. These are exciting times within a world of chaos.   I really appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this event.  I would be willing to lead this route again next year. Finally,  we closed the Prayer Walk at Greenfield Park on 9/10 with scripture and the sharing of a poem I obtained (off the web that is related to the link below).  My aunt sent me this two weeks prior… I think you will enjoy this.    Please pass this on to Lois, Dick, and anyone else as appropriate.  Call me with any questions.   Blessings to all of You at BASICS!  In the Love of Christ,  - Mike Sellenheim <> ROUTE 12-RICKI GORAL Impressed on heart with Luke 13.  In our nation, in our state, in our city…we need to enter into DEEP relationship with the Lord.  From being casual with the LORD to stand firm for the Jesus.  Turn from lukewarm to drawing near to the Lord and asking for mercy and crying out for repentence. ROUTE 12 - BETSY MADSEN Betsy and her friend had a precious time of prayer together.  They found it relaxing.  She said, “Being outdoors is a good motivator to pray.”  She’d like to prayer walk again in the future.  Three different groups walked on this route. ROUTE 13-JENNI LOSLEY Her group of 8 had a blessed time on the prayer walk. ROUTE 14- DICK AND LOIS STEFANOWSKI Three people spent a blessed time of prayer in quiet, beautiful wooded surroundings praying for A Call to Prayer and Worship, the spiritual lives of people in the Milwaukee area, government leaders and for people they met along the way.  In addition,  special “life lessons” were learned.(See separate page titled “Life Lessons.”) How special it was to fellowship with God and each other…to be free in Christ without any specific agenda…to pray as the Spirit led.  It was wonderful to sense God’s presence, to delight in his creation and “drink in” the beauty of an autumn day. ROUTE 15- MILAGROS MENDEZ Thank you for let us be part of the Prayer Walk, we have pictures and a video.  It was a beautiful day, God's presence was all over that place, we prayed freely and have the oportunity to invited some of the people that we saw on the trail for the Call to Prayer and Worship this coming Saturday. Surely, we want to do this again next year.  We want same Route 15 next year if it is possible  Love, Ministerio Maná, Pastor's Wilfredo and Milagros Mendez ROUTE 15- ALLISA HYPKI It was great to have the opportunity to lift up the event at Miller Park the following weekend.  It was really awesome to see other people from different churches and backgrounds all there for the same purpose -- to call out to God and lift up his name.  It was something I noticed too -- I think I mentioned to you that we ran into another group on our route.  Our approaches may have been different -- they had signs and flags and music playing, whereas we were quietly walking together and interceding for the city -- but we were all there for the same purpose.  They were kind enough to offer us water from their supply before we continued on our way.  I was surprised to find out that people knew we were coming and why we were there.  We ran into a couple people who were walking the path while we were out there, and they wished God's blessings on us as we prayed for the city.  It was cool to see people from the community knew we were coming and were glad to see us there.  I personally felt confidence in God's answer to our prayers.  "If two or more are gathered...."  I felt that what we were asking of him, in unity with all the others on different sections of the walk, was in line with his will.  Jesse also felt that the prayers we lifted were in agreement with everyone else on the walk and that God will work through the prayer walk, but that it would require continued commitment from all of us to help make it happen.  He saw racial relations as the greatest need area in Milwaukee and the newest form of the spirit of division which has gripped Milwaukee for some time. Personally, I felt there was significant answer to prayer after attending the call for prayer and worship at Miller Park last Saturday. In many ways what we were praying for on the walk also continued as a theme of prayer at Miller Park. Specifically, I think there was answer to prayer that I found most evident in the strong presence of spiritual unity during the time of worship. I felt blessed to be around so many fellow Christians- both friends I've known but also new faces a had not met. Whatever fears or concerns there might have been in regard to race, denomination, or spiritual barriers were removed. God's presence of love and unity was strong. I found it personally moving to be with fellow believers giving sole glory to our most high God in setting usually reserved for cheering on the Brewers or some other type of idol. Even more importantly, I was thankful to see several individuals receive Christ as there lord and savior for the first time. Praise God for this! ROUTE 16- DAWN GREEN Dawn Green, wheel chair bound, and a friend were pioneers on a new leg of the Oak Leaf Trail in Franklin.  They had a blessed time praying together PASTOR CHERISE  MCKINNEY – CITY STREET ROUTE Pastor Cherise McKinney and her group of 3 people prayer walked on the city streets from Center to Burleigh, Sherman to 51st Street depending on the Lord to direct their prayers.  On Sherman Blvd, they were prompted to pray against a spirit of wickedness, on another street to pray against perversion. They also prayed against the spirit of rage.  They ministered to people along the way sharing their testimonies and pointing people to Christ.  Pastor McKinney’s mother said they experienced some rejection from those who live in darkness who turned away from the light of Christ that they offered.  This group plans to continue prayer walking and ministering to the lost on the streets of Milwaukee. WALKER’S COMMENTS Life Lessons On a beautiful, sun drenched September day, my husband, a friend and I set out on a prayer walk following the wooded Oak Leaf Trail in Southern Wisconsin.  We were excited about our morning adventure and our quest to be in the presence of God…to meet Him in the beauty of His creation…to worship Him through praise and prayer.  Our hearts raced. Our eyes drank in the beauty of our surroundings.  We heard the wind whispering through the trees, and were delighted to watch colorful leaves twirling in the breeze as they danced their way down to the earthen floor below.  We wondered what the Lord would teach us as we met with Him here.  Little did we realize that He was to show us wonderful life lessons that would touch us deeply.  As we placed our feet, one step at a time, on the solid, dark  asphalt winding path that lay ahead,  we thought of  life journeys and the way we strive to move forward on the firm foundation of God’s word, the Bible.  We stopped to praise the Lord for being our leader and guide, for His love and provision for His people.  Unable to see a great distance ahead due to the twists and turns of the trail, we were reminded of our own journeys that twist and turn. How important it is to follow God’s path. When we can’t see ahead, He keeps us safe and secure as we trust Him.  We thanked the Lord for his protection and direction. <>Looking on either side of the trail, we saw towering trees of all varieties, shapes and sizes … trees that were healthy, vital and alive, each dressed in their Fall splendor. The beauty surrounding us took our breath away.  We thanked the Lord for this exhilarating feast for our eyes and this example of God’s ongoing creativity, orderliness and attention to detail. Every natural thing appeared to be functioning according to it’s time…it’s season.  There too, we saw lifeless branches…trees whose sap no longer gave life… deadness among the  living.  Oh, Lord, we prayed, let us and all people be like the thriving trees, those who take their life from You, bearing fruit in season for Your glory, not dead wood of no further value to You. As we followed the trail, we came upon a narrow path that veered off through a meadow and led to another wooded area.  The path was narrow…almost hidden.  “Where did it lead…Who follows this path? ” we wondered.   Straining our eyes, but staying on the main trail, we were able to glimpse the final destination of the “path less traveled.”  There before our eyes, lay a large pool of stagnant water, covered with green pond scum.  How quick God was to show us a contrast as we crossed a wooden bridge covering a babbling brook filled with cool, clear water spilling over to refresh the surrounding area.  How like Him to remind us that Christ will give us living water that leads to salvation, health and well being now and forever. May people…young and old…taste of the living water, I thought! Thank you Lord, for this picture that will be long remembered. <>We sang a song of praise as we came to an open meadow, the sun shining, bringing warmth to our perspiring frames.   Our inner beings were warm too with Sonshine in our hearts. We continued in communion with the Lord and each other. God had a lesson for us waiting in the meadow as we walked along the trail and felt the firmness of the ground under our feet.  Once again a “path less traveled” intersected ours.  We had a choice to make – stay on the trail, or be enticed to see what was beyond the intersecting path.  Just as in life’s journey, how often we’re tempted to wander, to consider the possibility of unknown delights, some of which can lead us away from our first love, Jesus.  Our eyes scanned the meadow, finally focusing on what was before unseen…brambles… sticker bushes…poison ivy plants.  “We get the message, Lord,” we said, almost in unison, passing the path less traveled, voting with our feet to stay on the trail.  We continued on, praising God for his protection, thanking Him for His faithfulness and goodness not only to us but to others as well. Time seemed to stand still while walking through the woods.  In the quiet, it was as though we were in another world, absorbed in the joy of His presence. It took us by surprise to suddenly hear the sounds of traffic nearby.  Our everyday world was soon to come into view and our all too brief, energizing respite with the Lord would come to an end for this day.  But before we returned to the real world happenings of the day, God had one more life lesson to teach us. He drew our attention to the power lines that crossed the sky overhead and caused us to imprint the following impression in our minds.  How important power is, we agreed.  How we need power for so many activities of daily life.  But more important, we shared with each other, is for all people to plug into the power that only God can give to illuminate lives, to bring light into darkness, to show us the way. It is God alone whose power we are to trust in.  It is God alone whose power brings fruitfulness in ministry and joy in the journey.  Praise Him!