Written By: Heidi Peterson
How it Began
On my way to work in 2008, I drove up a hill leading to the exit ramp onto Denver's main drag, I-25. Open fields were sprawled around me, but looking to my left, I could see dozens of cars zooming down the highway. I had just filled up the tank of my car minutes ago, and it was the most expensive tank of gas I'd ever purchased. Prices were approaching $4.00 a gallon then, which was shocking at the time. This was quite a difference from the $.99 a gallon price I remembered prior to 9/11 happening in 2001. Something was going awry in our country; it hit me in that moment. I felt like high gas prices were not the only thing Americans were about to face. There was more to come. Thoughts of the United States and examples of how we had been rejecting God in recent years crossed my mind. I said a prayer to myself in my heart that afternoon, "Lord, if this is what it takes to wake our country up, if we are being judged, let it be so. Even if I and other believers have to be uncomfortable for awhile in order for my country to repent and seek you, so be it." Click here for image: http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/drive-on/2012/03/19/gasx-large.jpg"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 NIV
Feeling the Squeeze
It didn't take long to discover what else was in store for the United States. Kirk and I had to leave our home in Colorado in order for Kirk to find a decent full-time job. Instead of many jobs to choose from in Denver, there were only a couple, none of them near us. We had no children yet and I was up for exploring, so I told him to look anywhere in the country. He was offered two jobs in Charleston, South Carolina. That is how we ended up in the South. The Great Recession hit just as we were moving. This allowed us to get a good deal on our first house, but rumors about stocks plunging and the housing crisis made this accomplishment bittersweet. We wondered what was in store for us down the road. Click here for image: http://wemoveitusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/moving2zd3.jpgIn August, 2008, we found out I was pregnant with our first baby boy. We were elated, but in my heart I hoped I was not bringing a baby into a world that would be painful to live in, one where we could not protect him from danger in the coming years....
The Anointed One
I had never heard of Barrak Obama until I happened to watch a portion of "Oprah" one afternoon prior to moving from Colorado. I never watched that show on a regular basis, but for some reason became interested. Obama seemed intelligent, and it was obvious Oprah was very impressed with him. She asked if he were thinking about running for president. He avoided the question. Oprah made him promise that if he decided to run, her show would be the first place he'd annouce it. I don't remember his response. All I remember is that smirk, one I would see often on TV in the coming years. Click here for image: http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2007_12_opob.jpgOf course, Obama did decide to run for president. At the time, I worked in a dental office where I was the only conservative. My co-workers were elated about Obama, just as they had been when Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House. They attended the Democratic Convention in Denver. I already felt dread about the idea of an Obama presidency, although I couldn't express why. Before I left, my co-workers gave me a guidebook on Charleston and an Obama doll they had bought at the convention. They bought it as a joke. Sometimes I come across it in my guestroom closet, Obama's fake plastic face smirking as I look for other miscellaneous items. Someday, I'm going to make some money on ebay off that doll, a replication of the first African American president in America.
It was time for the 2008 elections soon after moving. Kirk and I were at odds on who to vote for. I felt very strongly that John McCain needed to win. Kirk fell for Obama's charisma and voted against his long-standing Republican views. We argued all the way to the polls, and cancelled out each other's vote.
The night Obama won, Kirk stayed downstairs to watch his victory speech. I walked upstairs with a heavy heart. Putting my hand on my 3-month pregnant belly, tears streamed down my face. We were in trouble, my family along with our country.
A Dream is Conceived
In the years of Obama's presidency, Kirk and I started our small family, bringing two precious boys into the world. God allowed us to survive the economic crisis and keep both of our jobs, although I only worked 1-2 days a week. Being a mom was my most important profession. Many around us lost their jobs and houses, and I saw first-hand how grocery prices climbed. The only problem was, our paychecks remained the same.
I don't remember when the idea came into being, but like a broken record, it kept popping into my mind. "There needs to be prayer at the US Capitol for the 2012 elections." I would pray about what God wanted me to do, but no details were given. Nonetheless, I couldn't let it go. When I'd get busy and forget for awhile, it would pop into my head again.
"But Lord, am I supposed to organize this? Where do I start? Where do I get time to work on it? " There was silence until the summer of 2012. I watched some Charles Stanley sermons on "changing the tide" in our country and following God's path for the your life.
The urge became stronger to do something. It wasn't enough just to vote this year; God wanted something more. Click here for image: http://thespeechatimeforchoosing.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/white-house-night-shot.jpg
One night after a particularly moving Charles Stanley sermon, I opened my Bible randomly hoping God would reveal something to me. I opened my Bible to Haggai, a book I was not as familiar with. I read a story of the rebuilding of God's temple in Jerusalem, and it reminded me of our country. The people had gotten complacent, ignoring God, but He wanted them to turn back and rebuild His house.
"Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem like nothing?...."Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord, 'and work. For I am with you." Haggai 2:2-4 NIV
I was energized; there was hope for our country if we seeked Him!
I looked online for an event to pray for our nation around the elections and found a couple things, but nothing matched what God had laid on my heart, until I found David's Tent (www.davidstentdc.org). Chasing the Vision
Tears came to my eyes when I saw the promotional video. The DC House of Prayer had gotten a permit to put a tent behind the White House for 40 days leading up the the election, where there would be praise and worship 24/7 to our true Founding Father, the Lord Almighty. I had to get the word out, and I had to pray Kirk would let our family go be a part of this vision that had been on my heart for so long. See David's Tent DC video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6jIRmbr7uMKirk supported me, and a couple days ago we drove eight hours with our young boys to the heart of our country, Washington DC. It was a beautiful time of year, and the fall colors refreshed our souls. We were ready to tackle this adventure to praise God in our nation's Capitol! I told my older son, Brody, who is 3 and half, about our plans before we left. A few times he asked, "Is God going to be there? Is Jesus going to be there?"
"He will be there," I said. "We won't be able to see Him, but he'll be in our hearts."
Originally I had planned to visit David's Tent the evening we arrived in DC, but it was dark and we were beat when we got there, so we decided to call it a night. Sliding between the sheets in our hotel room, I prayed God's will would be done for our country, and that he'd keep us safe during the next day's adventure to the White House.David's Tent
Our family took the shuttle to the Metro station and though confused at first, managed to figure out what line to take to the White House. The Metro was crowded, and the thought crossed my mind, "God created each one of these people, and He loves them all deeply. Do they know?"When we stepped off the Metro, it felt like we were in another world after being in Charleston the past five years. People were busy and they were walking quickly, intent on getting to work or their next appointment. We navigated through the busy streets until we came to a walkway. In the distance I saw a big tent. Could that be it?
The boys found some crunchy leaves to stomp on; we let them get their wiggles out. As we walked toward the White House it became clear that we had seen David's Tent. We were almost there.
"Run Brody! Run to the tent!" Brody took off running full speed until he could touch the tent. Slapping the side, he yelled, "I'm here! I'm at the tent!"
As Kirk and I got closer, we realized there was a very soft song playing and people were praying inside. We sheepishly found an aisle and sat down, our boys calmly listened to the music. For a while, we all sat peacefully enjoying the music. I felt God's presence there; I knew He was pleased that His people were worshipping Him and praying for our nation. We sang some of the songs; the woman singing had a beautiful voice, like Sarah McLachlan.In my heart, I prayed that God's will would be done for our nation, and thanked Him for letting us be a part of seeking His will for the 2012 elections in the Capitol.
Eventually the boys got restless, and they had to go outside the tent to let some energy loose. We talked to the girls at the information tent, who informed us there had been visitors from all 50 states and 13 countries. God had called people from all over the nation to praise Him with one voice for our nation!We prayed once more in the tent and then the boys had enough sitting still. After getting a glimpse of the White House and walking once more through DC to the Metro, it was time to get back home.
On the Metro, our younger son, Cole, sat on Kirk's lap a few rows behind Brody and I. A few minutes into the ride, Brody asked, "Where's my kitty?" I opened the diaper bag expecting to find his beloved stuffed friend laying inside, but he wasn't there. My heart broke as I realized he must have dropped his lovey somewhere in DC. I usually made Brody leave him in the car, but let him bring him this time in case he was nervous in the noisy city. He had slept with and been comforted by his kitty for the past couple years. How would he live without him? Brody laid his head on my lap and fell asleep until we got to the station.
In the shuttle on the way back to the hotel, I told Brody that his kitty was lost. He wept bitterly into the side of my arm for a few minutes. When we got back to Charleston, I asked Brody if he remembered where he last had kitty. "At the White House," he told me, "with the beautiful music." I realized that Brody had left part of his heart behind in our nation's Capitol, and he was ok with that. We bought him a "replacement" the next day. He immediately found a kitty in the stuffed animal aisle and proclaimed, "here's my kitty!" He picked up loving him where he had left off with his old best friend, although he will never be forgotten.
Now What?
