If you’ve ever felt torn between a call to the house of prayer and the need to make ends meet, you’re not alone. Even in Scripture, this was a challenge — and God had strong feelings about it.

In Nehemiah 13, Israel had returned from exile to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. God used Nehemiah to launch this project, but when he returned after being away for a while, he was not happy with what he found.

I've been a full-time intercessory missionary for 6 years, and I was a student in the house of prayer for 4 years before that. In that time of giving myself fully to this calling, I've had plenty of moments where I felt like other blessings or opportunities were passing me by.

I don't know a single intercessory missionary who hasn't experienced pushback from friends and family over their calling. It's not an easy thing for most people to understand.

On August 27, 1727, a prayer meeting started in Herrnhut, Germany, that lasted for over 100 years and went on the change the world.

Its story begins when Protestant refugees from the Catholic country of Moravia, the legacy of reformer John Hus, came to Germany and settled on the land of Count Zinzendorf. The community was soon attacked by division and disagreement, and the 27-year-old Zinzendorf cried out to God for reconciliation and revival.