Project Hannah – Mature Single Women Prayer Warriors
To improve a situation, we take on projects of prayer. Here is a story for single sisters showing how God worked through the seemingly impossible
Matthew 18:19
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
I share the following story to inspire sisters who are older (more mature) single, who desire great breakthroughs in their life, want to impact their communities, see more mature single men become Christians and to have God take the scales off our eyes to let him fulfill how he wants to meet our desire to date, get married and have children. This is for women who want to overcome our worldly view of how we can choose a potential partner rather than sowing generously in our friendships and allowing Him to open our hearts widely.
A year ago, a few of us older single sisters were battling to be hopeful, to get “unstuck” in our relationship with God, battle through disappointment and discouragement. Be it unemployment, challenges at work and or the romantic part of our lives really blossoming. Despondent, similar to our dear sister Hannah, we decided to take on this challenge with prayer. Over the last 17 years, I like many others, have prayed diligently about these areas of my life. But I was frustrated as I saw that for one of the first times, I had not seen great impact in helping people become Christians personally as I moved into a new stage of life. I felt the hopelessness growing again in the area of God leading the man he had chosen for me to me. I was pessimistic as I counted the number of potentially fertile years of life. I didn’t want to miss out on what was a lifetime desire to be married to an incredible man of God and to have an amazing family of biological children.
Up against the wall, each of us wrestled on our own with our respective challenges. I felt like I had tried everything. I had fasted and prayed, I had prayed with other sisters, I prayed early in the morning, I prayed long tearful prayers, I prayed what I thought was faithful. I prayed through the scriptures, I begged God, I pleaded. But alas, I was at an impasse. My faith had reached a plateau and dare I say was flailing. I felt like, the older I became the less single sisters could relate to my life. I poured my heart into work and the more promotions I received, the lonelier I felt.
Humbling to admit, although I was thrilled about my friends moving forward in their lives I felt left behind, and that God had forgotten about my desires to be married and have children. God exposed my jealousy and envy that grew quietly in my heart as I saw my friends move from singlehood to marriage and children. I was indeed similar to Hannah. I saw my envy growing as my friend’s children grow up and get married and start having their own children. Can any of you relate? Crying with bitter envy, needing to repent of the idolatry of marriage, contend with my worldliness on how I viewed relationships and life I welcomed this team of women to pray with who had their own battles.
Like Hannah I needed to turn back to God. But let’s not forget, God heard AND answered Hannah’s prayers. He saw the pain. He heard her discouragement, which had led to bitterness. Hannah gets a bad rap, but she decided to turn to God through all of her hurts. AND God answered. Hannah repented, she turned back to God. I decided to follow the example of my ancestral sister and do the same. .
We decided to really believe Mt 18:19 and remember that our faith and prayer plays a big part.
Matthew 9:29
Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”
This time, I decided to take as many of my friends along as I knew many of them were dealing with similar challenges. Just happens that after being single in the kingdom for so long and taking advantage of all the amazing singles events nationally and internationally, you will have friends all around the world. Calling up friends from West Palm Beach Florida, Marietta (Atlanta), Georgia, Seattle Washington, San Diego, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Foster City, CA, Redwood City CA, and Lancaster Ca we committed to battling together. We decided to be show God our earnestness through sacrifice. As those who have traveled to 3rd world countries can attest, it is hard to truly sacrifice in the United States. We have such a pampered life compared to our brothers and sisters across the world. So the least we could do was chose a sacrificial time (early in the morning to demonstrate our sincere hearts to God) and to pray bi-weekly.
Over time we saw God blessing the ladies, affectionately known as the “Ladies of Project Hannah”. At the end of the year we recapped what God had done and I was literally in tears as I heard the good news being shared from across the states.
People on the Prayer List Becoming Christians
Emi Suzuki, from Seattle, saw her spiritual mom, Jay, who had fallen away about 10 years prior, get restored and get reconnected with her husband who she had been separated from. As God would have it, Michelle Wright, from Marietta, lived close by Emi’s spiritual mom who had moved to Marietta, Georgia. Michelle helped her get connected with the ministry in Marietta, who helped her regain her faith. Jay’s husband and parents now comes to church regularly and really like it. Jay has been in at least one Bible study and is on her way to helping other women know God.
Without mentioning the efforts of prayer the sisters were taking on, Charles in the Seattle ministry shared with me that in 10 years of being in Seattle he had never seen what he was seeing. More men open to studying the Bible than there were enough brothers to study with them. When asked when he started seeing this increase it was about a month or 2 after Project Hannah commenced. As you can imagine he was grateful t find out about the women’s prayers and his faith was built to see God the drought end.
A colleague of Emi’s reached out to her on Facebook after not being in touch for 10 years. She connected him with a sister from Project Hannah, Vanessa Rossel who happened to live 15 minutes from him in West Palm Beach. He came out to church, had incredible conversations with brothers, studied the Bible and received the word with gratitude. He made a decision to make God Lord of his life, and changed in ways that his friends are still in awe about. He is your brother in Christ as of 4 weeks ago.
Vanessa was also able to connect Heather Lin’s cousin she met as the singles from the International cruise connected with the disciples in Florida. Heathers, cousin and his wife visited the West Palm Beach ministry and they began studying the Bible.
Many older single men have come out to church and we continue to pray for them to develop an intimate relationship with God.
Spiritual Breakthroughs
The discouragement and despondence we felt in the past has been replaced with hopefulness, faithfulness and determination. And more importantly, turning back and helping our sisters through a new effort Project Esther. Esther didn’t forget about the rest of the Jews just because she was in a safe place. And in keeping with Luke 22:31-32 says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your sister.” The ladies in Project Esther have committed to giving back to our sisters so we can see women nationally and internationally that may be having similar challenges to what God helped us overcome, be strengthened in their faith as well. The second year of Project Hannah has consistently had about 22-30 women calling in weekly to build new friendships nationally and internationally as we take our requests to God. A parallel effort of Project Hannah is under way for the sisters who live on the East Coast, Midwest, South and West Indies to accommodate their time zones.
Prayers Answered – God Does Immeasurably More than we Can Think or Imagine
Brandy Baxter, from the Bay Area, after being unemployed for 2 years was hired as a public relations manager. And after 12 years of never dating steady in the kingdom, was connected with a brother from Alaska, Barry Valentine. A few of us from Project Hannah met Barry on the Disciples Today Singles Cruise >>> , and put forth our best effort at playing match maker. Barry and Brandy started dating 3 months ago.
Heather Lin, another sister from Project Hannah who lived in the Bay Area, after multiple disappointments of unreciprocated interests started dating 11 months ago.
God heard Ada Mancilla’s prayer and blessed her with an incredible job as an architect in Laguna Niguel. Upon moving to Orange County she was courted by a brother who exceeded the “prayer list”. She has been dating for 11 months and is part of a very evangelistic mission team of singles in Newport Beach – both answered prayers!
Emi Suzuki moved down to the Bay Area and after reaching out to her mom for 18 years to no avail, her mom has come to various services and events with disciples and has commented on the peace and strength she sees in the disciples.
As God would have it, I met a brother on the Disciples Today Singles Cruise in November 2011, Kerry Ramroop . He asked me to be his girlfriend on the beautiful island of Tobago in February. Then, with the help and input of friends of Project Hannah and spiritual guidance of friends in his country and my ministry, he coordinated, he a surprise visit from Trinidad and proposed to me August 22! He is immeasurably more than I can think or ask for in a man and I know he will lead me and our family to heaven.
To God be the Glory! All we have to do was repent and BELIEVE! God has a plan for each of us.
The following scriptures have taken on new meaning.
New International Version (©1984)
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
For those interested in joining us in prayer please contact Eula Mckinney by email at emckinneyla@yahoo.com
