New Mexico, New Years and Worship Art

It was my birthday and I had to go to work! I had only one day off in Tennessee (my home base) after creating the prayer room in Jamaica so I had just 24 hours to repack for the next job.

But I was actually excited for three reasons:
1. I was to fly on a plane to New Mexico. (My favorite state).
2. I was going to meet up with a bunch of people as crazy as me.
3. I was to help create and build more prayer rooms! (My favorite thing to do!)

And there they were waiting to pick me up as I got off the plane. Two rather scary looking guys - Eddie and Skye. I soon found myself surrounded by a group of extremely passionate Christ followers who had huge hearts and great faith. These weren't the average Christians. Here was a group of six people who had sold out completely to be modern day disciples of Jesus. They were part of a group called Cultiv8ers who set up prayer rooms all over New Mexico and beyond at the request of churches or youth groups. They just pack up and go and create a prayer room at any church! What a blessing but what a lot of work! www.cultiv8ers.com

I met Eddie's wife Amy and remembered meeting her at a conference two years ago and selling her the book 'Red Moon Rising' by Pete Greig (which is the best book ever written on prayer and gets people so excited to start prayer rooms and change their perspective on prayer - I highly recommend this book). Funny how things turn in full circles! So why was I now in New Mexico? To help these guys build a prayer room for New Years Eve and to be encouraged and just to hang out in beautiful NM (which included a couple of visits to the Navajo).

The New Years Eve Party was incredible - we painted a huge community art project - everybody was guessing what it would turn out to be and had to wait until we put it together on the wall like a jigsaw to see that it was a huge lion. We had food and worship then I spoke about how we are each designed to respond to God in worship through our own unique creative ways. We were created and designed to bring him joy and we need to find out how we do that best. We then had a beautiful communion service at midnight and then lit candles to launch the first 24/7 prayer room for 2009 at Corrales Church.

For the next three weeks people faithfully attended the beautiful prayer room. During that time I took Bible Classes at the academy teaching them how to create 'worship art'. For one class I was inspired by a 24/7 artist to take the secular song from Saving Jane to analyze the lyrics and see how it was our own journey of struggling to listen to God.

You Say by Saving Jane

I've been calling and calling for you
But you answer and I shut my mouth
I've been searching and searching for you
But myself I don't want to be found

You say I am, You say let go
You say Believe... But it's not that easy for me
You say wait
You say right now
Don't you see you're already one foot in the ground
you say...

I've been wicked and wild and wrong and i've wondered
the price of my shame
I've been hiding my face for so long, it's a wonder that
you know my name..

You say come home
You say I'm here
You say there are some things you just can't control
You say let me
You say Believe
Why do you search for the answers you already know
You say...

I am the way and the light and the Truth
Don't be misled by the flight of your youth
Faith in the things you can't see to believe
What if you had faith in me...

You say rest here, this is your home
Don't you see that you knew I was here all along
You say...

It was a great experience taking the four wheelers out to the magnificent canyons, a road trip to Taos and Santa Fe, walking at the top of Sandia Peak and eating snow, seeing the tumbleweeds roll in the wind, enjoying green chili and honey on all my food, playing the Wii. I want to say thank you to Cultiv8ers for making me feel so 'at home' and to the Aruaz-James family for allowing me to use their home and car while they were away - at exactly the time I arrived there and they got back the day I left - small miracles. I hope to go back soon.

The reasons that I love New Mexico:
The people. The art. The chili.
The crystal clear blue skies.
The snow falling on Sandia Mountain.
The adobe houses.
The sunsets.
The work God is doing.

If you would like to see more photos of the prayer room and art we created in Albuquerque New Mexico please go to my facebook photos at New Mexico Prayer Rooms.

The time has come for me to ask for sponsorship to continue this ministry. After five years in full time ministry and three of those years earning less than $2000 per year (I have only had enough money to cover gas but have always been blessed to have a place to stay and enough food...) I realize now that I desperately need support from the Body of Christ, through your prayers and financial giving. I am seeking $2500 per month so that I can continue to teach and inspire people to pray by creating prayer rooms.

I'd like to send a special note of appreciation to those individual's who have felt led to support my ministry with a gift of $1 per day for the next year. Your generosity has been such an encouragement and blessing to me.

If you would like to support this ministry financially (either with a one-time gift or monthly support) please contact me (all donations are tax deductible in the USA). Checks can be made out to FLASH Ministries (the non-profit 501c3 that is sponsoring my ministry). Please include 'Prayer Ministries' on the subject line and send it PO Box 495 Ooltewah, TN, 37363 USA. Donations by credit card are also accepted. Those in Australia or overseas can email BlissfulMinistries@yahoo.com for further details.

Thank you for blessing this ministry and helping to change the culture of prayer in our churches and communities by making prayer fun and enjoyable and enabling people to spend time in the healing love and transforming presence of Jesus.

I hope to encourage and inspire you to find or create your own special sacred spaces in your life, home, church or community and would love for you to share your stories with me. I am on facebook under Nicki Carleton. If you would like me to come out to your church, school or retreat or if you would like more information about prayer rooms please contact me or www.24-7prayer.com. This is now the worlds largest prayer movement in history so I invite you to be a part of this incredible story.

Blessings,

Nicki Carleton
I believe!
Blissful Ministries