I just got back from three days at Cannon Beach, where I was attending the annual “Prayer Summit.” The first was in 1989, and there has been one every year since, except for a two-year break for COVID in 2021 and 2022. I have been to every Summit that has been held, that is, 34 “Prayer Summits” that I have been to.

I would have gone back to farming in 1989 had it not been for the spiritual renewal I received at the first one. As a result of that first Summit, I became a Pastor devoted to prayer, and JBC became a church devoted to prayer. Every Summit since then has been good, but nothing equals that first one for me in terms of life change and spiritual growth.

Several “coincidences” resulted in me being at that first Summit, but none of them forced me to do anything I didn’t want to do. God opened some doors and made choosing to go relatively easy, but I still needed to choose.

God is constantly opening up doors and making it easy to choose to do things that will produce spiritual growth in us. We must look expectantly every day for those events and times that are the perfect environment for growth.

My Mom made me go to every VACATION Bible School event near us, and I went to Summer Camp every summer. My Mom used to say that events like those that got you away from everyday life and focused on the Lord were always life-changing with a capital C.

Many Christians seldom choose to go to retreats, camps, seminars, and classes because they are too busy, but the real reason is that they are not passionate about growing in their faith. If you want to grow close to Jesus and bear much fruit for Him, take advantage of every opportunity to get away to an event that focuses on Him.