The biggest Miracle of my Life.

I had just left Orlando, Florida, after three years in full time ministry, to move to my new base of Chattanooga, TN. I remember walking the dogs one evening and sharing with God the deep ache in my heart. I made up my mind in the next three days, no matter what the cost, I was booking a flight home to see my family in Australia. It had been over a year since I last visited and I was heartsick.

The very next day, my friend Reggie, phoned me from Orlando excitedly saying "I wanted to tell you Nicki, I have been given two free tickets to Australia!" I was eager to share that I was going to Australia soon as well and he must come and visit me and my family, but he said, "No, I don't have a passport , I can't go." I was disappointed and amazed at the same time so I asked him if the lady who was offering them to him couldn't find anyone to give them to, then I would be happy to use them!

The next day the telephone rang and Mary asked if I would like the two tickets to Australia. I was shocked beyond words and cried with tears of joy. But I found out there were very strict rules for these tickets; I had to travel with another person and the tickets expired on a certain date in a few weeks. I soon found a friend to go with me then I telephoned the ticket operator and found out that I didn't have to leave so quickly, if I booked the dates before they expired I was still ok! So I ended up booking the exact dates I had planned in my heart.

Ame and I stopped in to Sydney to attend the Hillsong Conference. While in the presence of over 50,000 people singing, I felt like I was in heaven. My heart filled up and overflowed listening to such wonderful worship. What an incredible blessing!

Thomas Austin, born 7.2.1908

While I was in Sydney I stopped off to see my grandfather Thomas Austin. He was staying near to my relatives in a retirement home. At 99 and a half he was as sharp as a tack and still played the piano in his unique flamboyant way. I visited him several times but as I walked around the corner after the last visit I heard a voice speak clearly to my heart, "This is the last time you will see him." I knew who's voice this was and before the tears welled up in my eyes I ran back into his room and asked a friend to take a photo of us. I also asked if he would bless me and he did. This was a happy yet sad moment because I knew that by living so far away in the United States I was cutting myself off from many family gatherings and experiences I treasure so much. So I was able to say a final goodbye to my eccentric grandfather.

I flew to Brisbane and spent wonderful times with my family refreshing my spirit and filling up my tank with love. Three days before I was to leave for Los Angeles, I decided to visit my local church conference office to visit with some of my old youth pastors that meant so much to me growing up and were still good friends. While I was in the office Gilbert Cangy asked me to talk about my ministry of curating Prayer Rooms, at a pastors meeting, and after that he suggested I create a large Prayer Room for the conference coming up in three weeks - Move With The Power II. I told him I was leaving in three days and the ticket was so strict that I couldn't possibly change the dates. He literally put the telephone in front of me and told me to phone QANTAS and ask them. He offered to pay the cost of changing the ticket but he could not pay me for my work of building the Prayer Room.

I made the call and much to my amazement they said that I could extend my ticket if I wanted to pay $200. I was in a little bit of shock. I realized that God was opening a door yet there was one thing that was not quite right. I told Gilbert that God had been speaking to me lately about the difference between being a volunteer and being in full time ministry. He was teaching me that a worker is worthy of payment whereas a volunteer gives of their time and excess for free as a gift. My prayer ministry is full time work and there is no excess to give, because I give everything. God was telling me that to work full time for free was sinning against myself and not following Biblical standards. But Gilbert had no more budget. I listened to God and he told me to accept the offer. I wondered, "How can I work for free without mistreating myself?" I then had a brilliant idea that if I received a donation of $1000 to set up the Prayer Room, I would be getting paid after all. The pastors were very excited and I was at peace.

So I stayed another three weeks! The first week was running around setting up the prayer room. During that week my grandfather was in the hospital because of a fall. In a few days we knew that he was not going to make it and sadly he passed away. The funeral was scheduled for the last Sunday of the conference. I was so overwhelmed that God had kept me in the country just long enough to be with my family at this important time. I was able to support them and be supported. If I had gone back to the US a week before this happened there is no way I could have afforded to return. I would have been heartbroken.

The room was full of people praying.

I finished curating the beautiful Prayer Room. Our aim was to have the conference covered by continuous 24 hour prayer. Soon youth pastors and leaders were streaming in from 11 different countries for the conference. Speakers were flying in from the US. That Friday night I got up on stage and talked about the power of prayer and asked if anyone would like to pray through the night and sign up for a one hour slot. If they wanted a spot they had to come to the front and write down their name. I had people racing to the front to sign up for 2am. It was incredible. The prayer room was full most of the time with up to 12 people praying at 4am in the morning! They were blown away by how a simply decorated room could hold such a powerful presence of God. They also loved the unique prayer stations and how they found it easy to pray for long periods of time in these new and creative ways.

On Sunday I flew to Sydney for the funeral of my grandfather who almost made it to 100. I was able to be there for my family, a few in particular, who were very distraught. The funeral service was actually lots of fun and a happy celebration of his life and love for God. I remember my four year old nephew commenting at the graveside, when my brother told him Grandpa was going to be with Jesus in heaven someday soon, "but that is the wrong way!" It is beyond our comprehension, but I believe as the Bible teaches us, that death is like a deep sleep (Ecc 9:5), we await the resurrection of Jesus' second coming, which to the dead will be the very next thing they see! My grandpa will then be raised to go to heaven with Jesus!

Drawing Prayers.

On their way back to Townsville after the funeral, my brother and nephew, and father and aunt all came to experience the prayer room which was such a blessing to me. But the enormous spiritual warfare was evident as I was being picked up from the airport a tire blew out on our car, and two other leaders from the camp had to leave because of immediate family members passing away. But God won out in the end in miraculous ways. He showed his glory, he showed his love and his compassion. On the last day someone put an envelope in my hands and it contained $1000 cash. I cried as I hadn't even taken the time to pray for the money, I had just believed it would be provided.

My nephew Ethan saying 'I love you' to Jesus.

The Prayer Room was a wonderful experience for so many and the idea of 24-7 prayer and interactive Prayer Rooms spread to many more countries. I was so grateful to God for this opportunity to do more creative prayer ministry, for the free tickets and the opportunity to see my grandfather for the last time. God delayed my leaving so I would not be heartbroken. He allowed me to bless my family. He showed me that he is not only taking care of my body, my food, clothing and housing needs but he is taking care of my heart.

He knows exactly what we need in this life. He knows us inside out. We just have to trust him. Listen to him, follow him and let him hold us in his arms.

Psalm 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."

I am planning to do it all again at Move With The Power III in Brisbane, Australia on August 12-16, 2011. These international conferences only happen once every four years! If you would like to be a financial sponsor please contact me. I also need extensive prayer covering as I make the transition to move back to Australia after seven challenging yet wonderful years in full time ministry in the United States.

For more photos see my facebook photo album Move With The Power II. Click here.

The Biggest Miracle of my life --- Mars Hill Graduate School!

The biggest miracle of my life is about to happen.

This summer, while building a permanent prayer room at a church in Indiana, a lot of people kept suggesting  I should do my Masters. My spirit stirred within me as a mentor suggested if I wanted to teach people more I needed to learn more… But where to study and what to study?

I wanted to do theology, to learn more about God, but as a women I realized that would leave me with the same career prospects as I have now! Full time ministry supported by donations because I do not have a call to be a pastor of a church. But I do have a calling to ministry - to see people healed and develop a powerful and intimate relationship with God. So the idea of Psychology - a large part of my undergraduate degree - planted itself in my mind. Could I, as a broken human being be used by God to help heal others?

Then came an email from Darchelle. "You have to come to Mars Hill Graduate School - you will not enjoy any other university as much as this one - in Seattle." A seminary - teaching theology AND Psychology. Sounded like a perfect match. So I went to visit for three weeks, to spend time soaking in the culture of the school, to hear the hearts of the professors and see the results played out in the lives of graduates as their ingenuity and fresh approaches to social justice impacted the community around them.

I went to classes and realized that the mission of the school was to transform YOU as a student. Not to give you a lot of knowledge to store in your mind to use later but to rework you into a more 'in touch' human being able to hold your own story so you can gently hold the stories of others. I fell in love. With this beautiful school on the harbor, close to the Seattle Space Needle. I love the core values of the school,  exploring the interplay between text, soul and culture.

(To read the rest of the story of the miracle, how God protected us from crashing, being taught by Rob Bell and how I am about to take the biggest risk of my life CLICK BELOW or KEEP READING.)

I am a woman...

I am a woman.

I have been set apart, anointed, filled with the Spirit, and chosen for a very special calling in life.

To be a disciple.

To encourage others to become disciples so they can teach more disciples so more people will know the redeeming love and transforming power of God. I am an encourager and an inspirer, a teacher, a creator and a worship curator.

Therefore I have been commissioned and mandated, not by a man or by a church but by God himself to GO into all the world, to preach the good news of Jesus Christ inviting people to be baptized into the covenant of his love for eternity.

With his mighty power working through me I can do more than I could ever dare to hope or imagine. I have and expect to see more miracles when I pray to heal the sick, make the blind see, the deaf hear and the lame to walk and the dead to rise. I will pray to heal the land, to heal families and to heal communities. I will pray for those who are addicted and cursed and oppressed to be set free. I have taught children how to pray against witches and demons and am not afraid of any weapon formed against me by the enemy because I know how powerful the blood of Jesus really is. And I'm not afraid to die, to be a martyr so I will continue to live on the front lines of spiritual warfare and take great risks.

He has taught me how to hear his voice. He is my teacher, my mentor and he guides me every day. The gift of discernment, the gift of prophecy and the gifts of the spirit are available to me. I can have dreams and visions. I will claim the fruit of the spirit and allow my nature and identity to be radically transformed by the Holy Spirit each day. He will teach me how to love and how to be loved.

I will wrestle with the angel of the Lord until I receive a blessing. I will not give up, I will stay up all night praying if I have to. I will fast and pray when the Spirit leads. I will stand up for the weak and choose slave free chocolate and fair trade products as often as I can and refuse to buy into the diamond industry and help to stop human trafficking, and I will recycle. I will live simply. I will fight for injustice and not let sexual abuse, domestic violence or spiritual abuse be hidden. I will find healing and help others to heal from brokenness.

I will become a missionary and look beyond myself and the dream of a white picket fence thereby wasting my future, spending my fragrant perfume on the beautiful feet of Jesus. I will be stretched, challenged and pushed to share my resources and be generous to the needs of others. I will share my food, recycle clothes and help to shelter those who are in desperate need. I work in homeless shelters, I build clinics, hug the neglected ones and I sponsor a child and a female underground pastor in China. But I will do more.

I know what it is to live in plenty and in want and it is God who gives me the strength to get through any circumstance I face. I have faith that the small and momentary sufferings I experience will only help me realize the strength of God and see his glory at work. Not only can I trust him to look after my food, clothing and shelter but he also grants me the deep desires of my heart. He promises forgiveness when I fall, gives me perfect peace through every possible storm of life and a joy that surpasses understanding.

I am an anointed women filled with the Spirit of God, so hear my heart, hear me preach!

This is written in response to any man, woman, church or religion who does not believe that God can speak to individuals and give them a unique calling to be disciples of Jesus Christ filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, that same incredible power that created the universe and raised Jesus from the dead! The Holy Spirit will flow through anyone that asks for it, men, women and children. This is His will, for his good pleasure. We have been created to bring him joy! It is time to lift the veil to reveal the truth and freedom that is found only in Jesus Christ.

By Nicola Carleton
www.BlissfulMinistries.com

For all the women blessed to be holding the hand of God in ministry - be prepared for the most incredible adventures of your life! Pass this on to all the women you know in ministry to affirm their calling. Pray and support each other because this is not an easy path to travel.

God has not left himself without a witness in doing good -- giving you
rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and
your hearts with joy. Acts 14:17

Adventure to Kenya

I was so blessed to be sponsored to speak at and build a prayer room for the Women of Faith and Excellence Retreat and Safari In Kenya a few months ago. Spending time in Africa was life changing and I fell completely in love with Africa. To see such happiness yet such poverty, such beauty yet such brokenness is heart wrenching. Africa is different to other places. Very different.

Masai Mara is Africa's greatest wildlife reserve and as we climbed up the escarpment we looked out over the plains scattered with thousands of wildebeest. The animals were waiting to migrate to the Serengeti when the rains came. But the rains had not come! The roads were sadly littered with the bodies of the dead cows from the nomadic Masai who had trekked up to 300 miles looking for grass to feed their livelihood. The Mara was very dry and the cows were very skinny, even the wild animals looked hungry, except the lions!

Mara West is a safari retreat center with wonderful views overlooking the 'Out of Africa' valley where individuals and groups come not only to see the animals but to give back to the Masai community. We were welcomed into a community Boma and gave out soap, toothbrushes and clothes. We ran some health clinics and donated bibles, mosquito nets and washable pads. I have mentioned before these incredible life changing gifts to girls so they don't have to miss school and drop out. While we were there we helped Iris paint a clinic with bright animals and helped out some of the local schools. At the Olopikidong'oe Masai village school two girls shared with me how scared they were and asked me if there was female circumcision in Australia. I said 'no' but I knew that some people in western countries still performed it on their young girls illegally because of these traditions.

In different communities Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) takes different forms and is highly painful, unhygienic and causes problems for them for the rest of their lives as well as for their husbands and marriage. The girls were scared to go home during the cold December break as this is the time when most girls (12-14) are circumcised and a few weeks later married off for a dowry because the parents can not afford school or to keep girls around. I realized that for all the girls in this area it was an issue they had to learn about from a young age. The school does an incredible job in empowering them and they performed for some poems about how proud they were to be Masai. Poems on Youtube: The Story of the Masai and Masai Girl.

Two of the girls Trelline and Jane, wrote and recited this poem.

We have been doomed, doomed, doomed and indicated that our work is -
One - taking care of animals
Two - looking after young kids
Three - hooking milk and
Four - fetching water and firewood
Back at home parents take us as investment making us to suffer and boys too benefit.
We rebuke this idea and say YES WE CAN.
Now in our offices we lead, lead and others follows? Why?
Professors and doctors - ah 100%, teachers and pilots - ah 100%, engineers and trainers - ah 100%
We now rebuke, rebuke and rebuke
One - female circumcision
Two - unequal opportunity
Three - early marriages
We now say when the going gets tough - the tough get going.
Bravo, girl, bravo.

The girls are taught they can say 'no' and some are brave enough to run away if they are forced. Some of the girls are needing sponsorship to stay in school so they avoid circumcision and early marriage. When they return home they are warmly welcomed and their families are proud they have received an education and encourage other girls to be like them. It is sad to see beautiful traditions in unique cultures slowly change due to the influence of the western world around them but luckily the Masai have resisted and retained much of their original cultural ways. The good thing is a negative tradition like FGM can be changed in a healthy way that improves the lives of everyone in the village.

This tradition started in the not too distant past - by Muslim men possibly, who wanted to keep their wives faithful while they went to war and it then spread throughout parts of Africa. Yet why is FGM now encouraged to continue and performed by women? Because women in Africa do most of the work - they build the houses, get firewood and water, care for the house, cook and care for children. They find little else in their lives they are able to control. The answer lies with the empowerment of women so they can make better decisions for their lives and their families. It is a wonderful opportunity for the churches to become places of healing, teaching and empowerment especially for the women. Yet there are some churches in Africa where FGM is not talked about and even some pastors are giving in to the cultural norms and sending their girls out to be circumcised. Circumcision for girls can also be seen as a spiritual attack by the enemy to attempt to destroy lives, physical and emotional health and marriage, the beautiful symbol of God's love.

Some traditions can certainly be changed with the beauty of their culture staying in tact so their identities still remain strong. God celebrates each unique culture, and they in turn worship and glorify God in their own unique way. Churches have changed culture and traditions for years; this is both a blessing and a tragedy. People are transformed when they decide to follow Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit. Yet they still glorify God with their culture. We must be very careful how we as missionaries start to influence and change people's traditions and culture. For centuries we have devastated cultures through either our ignorance or ethnnocentricity. Are we replacing their old traditions with our (just as old) western traditions like wearing suits and ties and singing 18th Century English hymns? Imagine if we told the Masai to stop dancing and to stop wearing beads? What a tragedy. Here is a short video of Masai Church. It brings both sadness to me and joy that they still worship with the beauty of their culture yet you can see the influence of western church practices that are not necessarily even biblical. An interesting discussion raised in the book I am writing on discipleship speaks to the question of what church should look like in different communities around the world.

Mara West is a beautiful camp where you live in tents and are surrounded each night by wild animals and a gazillion stars while being protected from the lions, elephants and leopards who wander through camp by a Masai Moran Warrior. Some mornings I would watch the sunrise down over the Mara from the porch of the 24-7 Prayer Room. The tent was surrounded by zebras, wildebeest, antelope grazing and monkeys playing. The prayer room was based on the illustration of the Blood Covenant to reveal the love of God for us from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. Livingstone first described the African Tribal Blood Covenant as never being broken (it was an agreement for life) and is almost identical to the Hebrew Blood Covenant as found between David and Jonathan and Abraham and God. The prayer room showed how the marriage vows/covenant of today is symbolically identical to the African and Hebrew Blood Covenants. When we believe in the New Covenant which is symbolized by the marriage of Christ to the church it reveals the incredible love God has for us because he will never break this covenant. The benefits of agreeing/believing in this covenant are incredible and the promises are profound. For more information visit my website www.BlissfulMinistries.com.

I danced with the Masai, kissed a giraffe, visited an elephant orphanage, crossed the equator at an altitude of 9100 chilly feet, saw and learned about Africa's largest slum Kibera and visited Kendu Hosptial where I fell in love with baby Douglas who is HIV+ but hopefully in two years with the right nutrition will be HIV-. We spent a day in Lake Nakuru National Reserve where we saw rare Rothschild's giraffe, white rhinos and flamingos. Then off to spend time with the kids at Mary and Ivan Budilica's Mission in Action orphanage. It was so beautiful to hear as we put them to bed 'can you please pray with me' and 'me too', 'me too'. I had the opportunity to preach at Maxwell Academy in Nairobi on Hearing the Voice of God and inspired them to build a permanent prayer room in the girls dormitory which they love.

Unforgettable.

Whats Coming Up?

For those who would like to go on safari there is another expedition run by Bob and Joy Butler that is going for 11 days from March 30 to April 11 2010. My mom is going! Enjoy!

If you would like to donate to any of the above causes please email me.

If you would like to see 1st album pictures of the trip to schools and hospital in Kenya or pictures of the 2nd album 24-7 Prayer Room, Art of Kenya, and the Animals on Safari click here.


Please Pray:

• For FGM to cease and also the other attacks of the enemy through blood, cutting, witchcraft and the destruction of marriage and family.For more girls to receive sponsorship to go to school in Africa.
• For the slums (estimated worldwide that 600 million children slum dwellers by 2015) for programs for missionaries and for help for the kids.
  
• For Christians to stand for peace when violence erupts in their communities and for war to end in African countries. Some directly caused by the sale of diamonds.
• Pray that Christians will choose not to buy into this corrupt industry. For the communities in Africa to openly talk about issues such as HIV, sexual abuse, battery, multiple wives, wife inheritance, the empowerment of women, for poverty to end, for people to learn how to pray and hear God's voice and that true discipleship will become a way of life.

Nicki has just been interviewed on a worldwide radio station called Crossroads (www.3abnradio.org) It will be scheduled at various times in the coming months. It is an hour long! Please pray people will be listening, challenged and inspired! She is talking about prayer rooms, hearing God's voice, her Africa experiences and discipleship.

Nicki is also needing to raise support for 2010. She continues to live her life as a disciple, listening to God's voice and following him to the ends of the earth sharing the gospel and setting people free through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit. She needs the help of the Body of Christ to do this as she lives only on donations. If you would like to donate with direct deposit or send a check please visit her website at www.BlissfulMinistries.com

She is currently writing a book titled: A Pocket Guide for Travelers - Everything I Wished I Knew Before My First Mission Trip. It mixes travel tips and cultural awareness with discipleship guides. It challenges the way mission trips are currently done and calls for Biblical discipleship to be the way we evangelize and do missions overseas. Please pray for wisdom and discernment as she writes.

I look forward to the coming adventures of 2010 and I pray you do too! Have a life changing year, drawing closer to God every day, listening to his voice and being abundantly blessed by a God who adores you.

Nicki Carleton
I Believe!

How did a Missionary end up in Hawaii?

I thought I was on my way to California to create a prayer room for a school's Week of Prayer but when they didn't call me back to finalize I suddenly found myself looking for a new school. A new Facebook friend, Shilhi Seibel, encouraged me to come to Oahu and put on a prayer room at Hawaiian Mission Academy. There was no funding for it, but we would watch God make it happen. And so He did.

God helped me find a really cheap flight from Tennessee to Oahu and a week later I found myself in beautiful Hawaii. The chaplain was excited to make the prayer room happen and said that if it opened the next week it would be perfect timing for the week of prayer... That meant I had to get a prayer room together in three days. The next few days were a blur of getting lost in a big city, surviving on little sleep and trying to create a prayer room from a $150 budget. And there it was on Monday ready to go thanks to the help of some incredible volunteers and students.

The Prayer Room created quite a bit of excitement as many of the Bible classes went through the Prayer Room for their Religious Studies. It was a new concept for most of the students but more and more kids came in , especially at lunch time just to hang out. After the first week, the kids wanted it open for another week. So we convinced the principle to extend it and that was wonderful. Here are some of the experiences:

• Julia shared that she had a close friend she was very concerned about who had not contacted her in over six months. She prayed and released her concerns over to God at a prayer station. Three hours later the friend called her. Julia was very excited at how fast God had answered her prayer.
• One girl had a car accident on the way to school and used the prayer room to praise God that she was not physically hurt. It was also a safe place to debrief and let out her tears as she was very shaken up emotionally.
• Colleen wanted God to speak to her and show her a sign in answer to her prayer. She asked that God would make her teacher say a specific phrase when she walked into her next class. The teacher said the exact words and she was so excited when she realized that God really wanted to talk to her and answer her prayers.

During this time of prayer revival, a student unexpectedly lost one of their parents so all the closely knit students were very sad and going through a time of grieving. This was close to exams so after the third week the teachers got together and begged the Principle to keep the Prayer Room could remain open for a total of five weeks until the end of term to minister to the kids through this difficult time.

As the needs of the school changed I created five new prayer stations for grieving and created a sacred space where it was safe to cry and express the pain of loss, praying for their own family members and sharing love and support for the grieving family.

Some comments from the room:

"The prayer room was amazing! You felt God's presence right away once you entered the room. The stations left you thinking and at peace. The room was all together powerful and touching. It was a-never-forget-experience!

"This week I really needed to go into the Prayer Room. I felt so overwhelmed with all that was going on in my life and also my best friend's. When I went in I let them all out to God and let Him take care of them. Peace came over me. God was in control.

"I love the prayer room, it felt like it brought me closer to God. And it helped me open up more to God.

"The Prayer Room touched me!! I felt God in the room... At first when I helped out setting up the Prayer Room I was unsure about this... But once it was finished... I felt like only me and God had a chance to communicate and I loved it!! I cried... I wish we could keep the prayer room permanent.

Praise God for the seeds that were planted at HMA. I pray that God would continue to speak to these kids and that they would keep listening with discernment, learning to pray big bold prayers while watching their lives and communities transform.

Another major event I was blessed to be part of was the Unveiled 2009 Womens Conference. As I love teaching in new and unique ways that are creative and interactive I chose to do my workshop a little differently. I wanted to show how the Old Covenant and New Covenant were illustrated profoundly by the Hebrew Blood Covenant Ceremony and mirrored in today's Wedding Vows revealing the incredible depth of God's love. So I found a young married couple, Faith and Neil who took part in the Blood Covenant Blessing Ceremony where we acted out symbolically the Hebrew Blood Covenant and talked about how each step paralleled today's wedding vows. It was almost as if they were renewing their vows. This was an incredible experience and many ladies were so touched afterwards as they saw how God was the Bridegroom and we are the Bride. It also reveals how much God wants us to enter into the New Covenant with him so we receive the Holy Spirit, become his children and receive all his blessings and eternal life. This is an incredibly deep understanding of the extravagant love of God and how nothing can separate us once we have entered into the New Covenant except turning our back on God.

Working so hard for those six weeks was spiritually and physically draining to me so after the Prayer Room finished I slowed up a tiny bit and was able to see some of the beautiful sights of Oahu. I found a beautiful beach that I would go to early in the morning and read and study the Bible. I also made some wonderful friends and we would go hiking on the weekend to the waterfalls and snorkeling at the beach. I must admit Hawaii is a lot like I imagine heaven will be. I felt very spoiled by God that he would allow me to minister in such a spirit refreshing and breathtaking location.


If you would like to see more Photos of the Prayer Room at Hawaiian Mission Academy. Click Here.

For more photos from the Unveiled 2009 Women's Conference and the Blood Covenant Blessing Ceremony. Click Here.

If you would like Nicki to come to your academy to create a unique Week of Prayer experience, preach or teach a Childrens Prayer Workshop at your church please email: BlissfulMinistries@yahoo.com

Interesting Fact: For the first 21 years of my life I had Social Anxiety Disorder - an intense and constant fear of people. After meeting an awesome doctor, I experienced the feeling of happiness for the first time. I escaped an obsessive boyfriend and went to live in London where I finally found independence and could say with a smile, "I belong here". Healing comes in so many forms. Seek healing in Jesus from all your past issues and wounds. There is freedom to be found. I would love to find people who would like to become monthly sponsors and/or, intercessors - praying for the needs of this ministry so I can continue to teach and inspire people to pray and find healing through an intimate and powerful relationship with Jesus Christ. I am grateful that God has provided for my needs and even for the desires of my heart, I am constantly amazed by his provision. He is a God who spoils and gives above and beyond. I have not regretted living this lifestyle with the adventures and faith and dependence it is teaching me. For a while it may seem easy and possible to live on almost no income but for the long term there definitely needs to be money coming in for travel, bills and health insurance. If you would like to support this ministry financially (either with a one-time gift or monthly support) please contact me (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. Abundant Blessings, Nicki Carleton I believe! Blissful Ministries

Prayer Rooms Update

If you are in the location of a prayer room and would like to help or participate in a conference or mission please contact me.

NOVEMBER: Malawi, Africa
Three week Prayer Room and helping at an evangelistic meeting.

OCTOBER: Amsterdam, Kenya

Women's Mission and Safari, Masai Mara, Kenya
October 9-15
Building a 24-7 Prayer Room

Attending the International Gathering for 24-7 Prayer Leaders Europe
October 1-4

SEPTEMBER: Ireland, UK and France. Building Prayer Rooms, speaking at Newbold and Cologne Colleges.

AUGUST: New Mexico, USA
Mission trip to the remote Tarahumara People in the Copper Canyon Mexico. Sharing the gospel.

JULY: Hawaii, Oahu
Preaching and working with prayer teams at different churches to change the culture of prayer at their church. Blood Covenant Blessing Ceremony at Manoa Church.

JUNE: Hawaii, Oahu
Childrens Prayer Rooms and Prayer Workshops, Visioning for a Permanent Prayer Room at Honolulu YWAM base, Preaching on Hearing the Voice of God.

MAY: Hawaii, Oahu.
Five week Prayer Room at Hawaiian Mission Academy.

Avondale Prayer Room

Being blessed with the opportunity to go home to Australia and create a prayer room at Avondale School has been one of the highlights of my year. The special place we created with chaplains Mel Lemke and Leighton Heise was one of the most spiritually impacting prayer rooms I have seen so far. I pray that you are blessed and inspired as you read their story. Upcoming trips to Mexico and Kenya. Enjoy.

Avondale School Prayer Room. I still call Australia home... so it was delightful to see my family again, smell the eucalyptus trees and feed the kangaroos. The adventure started in Sydney visiting cousins while building a prayer room at Avondale School. The chaplains of the school, Mel Lemke and Leighton Heise are seriously championing the love of Jesus Christ to these incredible kids. and they were preparing for a history making week of prayer. It was so much fun to build the room with so many eager volunteers from the school and community. They already knew what an interactive prayer room was so they were more excited than I was - if that is even possible! Miracles happened and we ended up with two classrooms to use. Now we started dreaming big and decided to put a tunnel between the classrooms so the students would feel like they were walking through space... Now to build this seems like a rediculously difficult task but Leighton was up to it - with an electric drill, lots of chicken wire, fairy lights, black material and fluorescent painted balls. The tunnel was designed to illustrate to the kids that the power that created the entire universe was now living in them, through the power of the Holy Spirit and when He works through them they can do more than they could ever hope to dare, dream or imagine. Eph 3.20 The rooms started to come together in a beautiful way and we sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit even before we started. Each time I do a prayer room a new issue moves my heart and this time I strongly sensed a need to offer a place to heal from sexual abuse. I knew I needed a cocoon to deal with a station on 'Fear' and didn't have time to make one. Now I wanted a very specific cocoon. One I could imagine in my mind - one big enough and cute enough for a small person to sit in. Now these are not just lying around in anyone's closet - in fact I had never even seen one before. But I asked one lady if she knew where I could possibly find a cocoon - and she knew exactly where one was and it was delivered that afternoon to the school - exactly the same as what I had imagined. When you don't have much time God can lead you to just the right person! Healing Sexual Abuse, Fear, Letting Go of Past Trauma, were all stations that were new so we created a beautiful 'cocoon' room where kids could enter in and privately pray. This was such a lovely space. We also encouraged kids to go to the school counselor if they had any further questions. I know without a shadow of a doubt that there was inner healing taking place in that room. God yearns to transform us and give us a new hope, a new identity and a new nature, releasing us from our past. For many I know the first steps took place in that prayer room. Just about all the Bible Classes came through the room giving them a taste of the prayer room. Once they have experienced it and knew how sweet it was they would want to come back. Lunch times started to get busier and busier with most of the 45 prayer stations occupied. An Olympic medalist came to speak during the Week of Prayer, outlining his addiction to sport and other things and sharing how nothing could satisfy him until he found Jesus. He brought in his outfits and medals and left them at the addiction wall. This was very powerful for the kids to see - that success and fame does not necessarily lead to the happiness they desired. The kids also wrote hundreds of letters to persecuted imprisoned Christians around the world and were personally delivered to Voice of the Martyrs representatives that were visiting Avondale College the following week. The room provided a wonderful opportunity for the community and school to experience Jesus in a completely new way. I was honored that my relatives and church friends came to support and experience the room for themselves. My favorite memory was when a senior boy came up to me and declared, "This is incredible - I want to come and work with you next summer!" I know that reaching teenage boys with the intimate love and power of Jesus needs a bit of creativity! This is who I aim to reach so its nice to know it works. It was also nice to see the younger kids come through - even a class from kindergarten experienced the room! The school counselor revealed some healing times and break-throughs with a few kids she had been trying to work with for a long time. Many kids heard God speak to them and just about all of them felt His presence in the room. The kids and teachers loved the experience. Here are some comments: The Prayer Room is awesome. As soon as you walk in you feel that God is there. Thankyou. I Think the Prayer Room is great, like I feel God through me. The prayer room is so amazing I've never felt so close to God. Thank you so much for this prayer room. I really encountered Jesus and felt loved in there with Him. Lord bless you and may His love be with your heart always. Why was this the most spiritual prayer room yet? Maybe they just keep getting bigger and more extravagant? Maybe the spiritual leadership of the chaplains made it that way? Maybe it was because many kids at the school were not Christian so they had a more inquisitive mind and no predetermined opinions about whether God would speak to them or not? Maybe these kids were just more open to receive God's touch? Maybe it is because God showed up! For me it was an honor to be part of this glorious experience! If you would like to see more pictures from this Prayer Room: Click here. If you would like to see more pictures of Children's Prayer Rooms: Click here. The Rest of the Trip After Sydney I made my way up to Brisbane to have a small operation and while recovering spent time with my close family. Praise God I have not been sick a day since the operation and can now breathe normally for the first time. I then went up to Townsville to visit Brad, Naomi and my 3 nephews. While I was there I put together a Children's Prayer Workshop for a local church. My favorite memory was my eldest nephew Ethan saying "I don't want to go to church" but then when the workshop was finished he stated,"can we go back again every week? I love church!" I believe we can make prayer and experiencing God fun for all ages not just kids! I also had the opportunity to speak at a Worship Conference talking of how experiential and sensory teaching is so powerful in symbolizing the deep aspects of God and allowing Him to become real (more life changing than just analyzing or talking about Him). If you would like Nicki to come to your academy to create a unique Week of Prayer experience or teach a Childrens Prayer Workshop at your church please email: BlissfulMinistries@yahoo.com

Making History. My immediate financial needs are for a mission trip to the Tarahumarra People in the Copper Canyon in Mexico documented in a 2008 National Geographic. Three of us including the artist Bill Baker are going to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and pray with and see what God has us do for these beautiful people. Bill has visited over 50 different countries to some of the most remote places of the earth to share the gospel. Please pray for us - for physical and spiritual protection as we make this trip from the 6 - 13 August through one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Then in October I will be traveling to Kenya to put on a prayer room for a Women's Retreat, Mission and Safari in Kenya - if you would like to come too please contact myself or Joy Butler at joymariebutler@gmail.com. After this I have been invited to Malawi for a three week evangelistic mission. Both these trips will need to be sponsored so I am looking for people who would like to partner with me, people who would like to become a monthly sponsor or an intercessor - praying for the needs of this ministry so I can continue to teach and inspire people to pray (and have an intimate and powerful relationship with Jesus Christ) by creating prayer rooms. 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