I know I’m late getting to this (can it be only a week til February?!) but wanted to share Open Doors’ important initiative for 2012: the “5 Minute Challenge.”

We invite you to join us in praying through the World Watch List countries. For just 5 minutes each week, learn about a new country, the people who live there and how to pray for them. It’s that simple!

 
By the end of the year, everyone who participates will have prayed for persecuted Christians in all 50 countries on the World Watch List, including the top five: North Korea, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Iran.
Just imagine the powerful impact that spending 5 minutes once a week could have!

 
I have a little well-worn copy of Brother Andrew’s (Open Doors founder) “Prayer Works” that is a testament to the power of prayer. Using examples from scripture and contemporary life, Andrew illustrates how God, when we approach Him in humility, faith and trust, with an understanding of His will, He really does move mountains. My favorite passage from the book describes the passionate prayer style of Corrie ten Boom:

“Lort (her Dutch pronunciation ) – You must do something! There’s no time to waste!”
~~~~~~
Many times… she would quote God’s own Word back to Him to remind Him of His promises… When she grew especially impassioned, she would grab her Bible and thumb through the pages rapidly until she found the exact passage she could use to prove her case. Then she would lift her Bible into the air, point to the verse, and say triumphantly, “Here, Lort – read it Yourself!”
~~~~~~
And after all, as she would often remind Him, she was not asking God for anything He had not already promised. So she never hesitated to tell Him what to do and to thank Him when He did it. “I knew You would do it!” she would say with a jubilant smile. “I just knew it!”

 
I really the love the image that description evokes! And the testimony to the dynamic effectiveness of prayer.
 
Can’t we all spare just 5 minutes a week? Sign up for the challenge HERE!