.jpg)
I hope you’ve had a blessed week. As I sit down to write to you this week, I’ve been thinking a lot about prayer and our deep need for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. In our fast-paced, distracted world, it’s easy to go through the motions of faith while our hearts slowly cool. But God is always ready to revive what’s fading — if we are willing to seek Him. That truth came alive for me again this week as I reflected on a powerful story from the ministry of Ellen G. White — one that feels especially timely for us.
In the early 1890s, Ellen White was sent to Australia to support the church’s work there. At age 63, in poor health, and far from home, she could have been discouraged. But she knew God had led her there. One of her main tasks was helping establish a new training school — what would become Avondale College — located in the rural town of Cooranbong.
From the start, things were hard. The land was poor, money was scarce, and spirits were low. Even more concerning, many of the students and teachers at the school were spiritually lukewarm. Prayer and Bible study had become routine. There was an atmosphere of discouragement — even among the leadership. But instead of pushing harder or planning bigger programs, Ellen White and a few others began to do the one thing that always moves heaven— they prayed. Night after night, they gathered to seek God — not for blessings alone, but for His presence, His forgiveness, and His Spirit to move among them. These were not flashy or emotional meetings. They were honest, humble, and Spirit-led.
Then, during a week of prayer, it happened. A student who had long resisted spiritual things suddenly stood up during a meeting and, with tears, began to confess his sins. That moment broke something open. Others followed — students, then staff — all coming forward to ask for forgiveness, to make wrongs right, and to rededicate their lives to Jesus. The atmosphere on campus changed. Classrooms became places of worship. Songs of joy filled the halls. Forgiveness and grace flowed freely. Students who had been indifferent to God suddenly felt called to ministry and mission. Ellen White would later write that it was one of the most powerful revivals she had ever witnessed — all because a few people sought God in prayer and opened themselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
I share this story with you, dear church family, because I believe we are in need of the same kind of awakening. Not because we’re failing, but because God wants so much more for us than we often expect. He doesn’t want us to settle for religious routine — He wants a living relationship. He wants us to know the joy of grace, the power of Spirit-led change, and the sweetness of unity through prayer.
The power didn’t come from a preacher or a program — it came from prayer. Prayer that was consistent, humble, and expectant. What could God do in our homes, our families, our church — if we made room for Him through prayer?
With love, David Peñate
