Idaho Conference Celebrates 10 Years of Prayer Retreats

Ten years ago, the first prayer retreat was held in Idaho Conference. Since then, attendees and organizers alike have learned a lot.

Randy Maxwell, Washington Conference vice president for administration, was serving as an Idaho Conference pastor when he had the desire to start a prayer ministry. This led him to plan the first of many prayer retreats at Camp Ida Haven. Over 10 years, the Lord has taught Maxwell more about prayer and its importance to our relationship with God and others. 

Idaho Conference invited Maxwell to return to speak at the 2024 Prayer Retreat held Nov. 8–10. The first night was titled "Revival for One" and Maxwell opened with the story of Joshua after Israel entered into the promised land. Joshua faced the problem of how to conquer Jericho. As an angel visited him, Joshua bowed and worshiped.

Maxwell challenged attendees to face trials with worship. After the message, attendees went into a season of prayer in which they were encouraged to lay everything down and to present themselves to God on holy ground. To close, Maxwell prayed a beautiful prayer asking that the weekend be filled with communion with God. 

In the second presentation, Maxwell continued his discussion on a revival for one, going deeper into the need to be connected to God. He used the stump on Rogue River in Oregon as an illustration. It's known as the living stump, and it gets its nutrients from living trees that surround it. Maxwell compared the stump to believers. Life can batter and break believers, but they live because they are connected to Christ. Prayer is the connection. 

In another session, Maxwell emphasized prayer as a way to maintain focus as Jesus' return grows nearer. He also touched on intercessory prayer and applied the process to irrigation. Praying for others can make one a vessel, through which God can nourish and supply the needs of others who may not be walking with Him. 

Another point Maxwell made was to make sure that the time spent with God is quality time. Pray with creativity. Don't rush through time with God.

The whole weekend was devoted to God and attendees were moved by what they experienced. 

Trish Alba and her husband were first-time attendees from Buhl. She said, “We were invited by a church member to attend Prayer Retreat, but we weren't sure we wanted to lodge with strangers." They decided they would attend if they could take their RV. Alba called Joyce Yeager, Idaho Conference prayer ministries coordinator, who encouraged them to bring their RV and attend. Alba and her husband did come, and they had an even better experience than they had hoped.

Melissa Nippers, another first-time attendee, said that she was truly blessed by the experience and that she wanted to take the tools she received to inspire her home church to be more prayerful. She plans on being at the 2025 Prayer Retreat.

Other attendees were repeat guests. Tim Daugharthy has attended Prayer Retreat eight times. He said the retreats have really improved over the years. He shared that there is a lot more prayer now than in the earlier ones, and he is blessed every time he attends.

Danette Tester shared that she believes she has attended every Prayer Retreat, and she wouldn't miss Prayer Retreat unless she absolutely had to.

To be able to devote a whole weekend to prayer is a monumental experience. If you missed Prayer Retreat 2024, find Maxwell's presentations at idahoadventist.org/departments/prayer-ministries.