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France in Five Days, God’s way
April 16, 2007 By Lyn St. John
I have recently come home from a whirlwind trip to France and I do mean whirlwind! I left on a Thursday afternoon and came back home the following Monday night. During the trip I was in five different airports and was on five different planes (beware of cheap prices to Europe going out of any of the New York/New Jersey airports—it could mean an airport change). Also it seems that flights in and out of Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris will be completely full, so chose an aisle seat if you can.
The question I have been asked the most is if I saw the Eiffel Tower. Allow me to tell you about the sites I saw and then I will answer the question that everyone is asking.
The Real France I actually stayed in Melun which is a little bit south of Paris. As we were heading to Melun and the hotel, I loved watching the scenery go by. To me there is nowhere that is as beautiful as Europe. It looks different than the States, but it felt like home to me. On the way to the hotel I learned that most of the towns are still the old stone buildings and any new buildings are actually given a stone façade so they will match the rest of the town. It is wonderful!
On Saturday I learned that French people are friendly and hospitable, despite the stereotype. They also have a burden to see that children and young people are not lost in the shuffle of immorality that is easily found in their country. For our meeting, 77 Sunday school teachers and workers came from across the country to learn how to teach children how to pray because they want something deeper for their children. During a time of prayer and listening to God one of the ladies present shared what God spoke to her. She saw people with their hands lifted up and drops falling on them. The Lord also gave her a scripture (I Timothy 4:16) which spoke to each of us as teachers. During this time I believe God met the needs we brought to the seminar. We received renewed vision and a fresh burden for the children God has entrusted us with.
Spiritual Landmarks On Sunday I got to see some of the sights, but not the kind of sights most people think about when they think of France. It was the sight of a church full and overflowing, in the midst of revival. It was the new building that has been purchased by the church in Melun because they have outgrown their current facilities. Not even the Eiffel Tower can compare to the delight that goes along with the purchase of a new building.
I saw masterpieces that I would compare to any of the art in the Louve. It was the site of masterpieces only God can make, as nothing can compare to the site of children praying and seeking God’s face. Absolutely nothing can compare to the joy you see on someone’s face after they receive the Holy Spirit.
Some Conclusions During this whirlwind weekend God confirmed some things for me. The first is that my heart is in Europe, I can’t wait until I go back again to minister to the children there. The second is people who are working with children are looking for something deeper to teach the kids they have been entrusted with. The third and most important is that Kid’s Prayer is not only for North and Central America or even Africa, but Kid’s Prayer is for all the children in the world.
Oh and I did see the Eiffel tower—in the gift shop by the gate that my flight home departed from.
(Editor’s Note: For more information about what was taught during the teachers seminar please visit www.kidsprayer.com.)
ninetyandnine.com
© 2007, Lyn St. John
------- Lyn St. John has been involved in teaching kids prayer since 2003 and has since become active in the children’s ministry at New Life Center in Bridgeton, MO. Due to a job change she can now live, eat, and breathe kid’s prayer 24/7 as the Kids Prayer Coordinator for the World Network of Prayer. When Lyn actually has downtime she loves to read or hang out with friends and she does plan to get back to France to see the real Eiffel Tower someday. |
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