On Sunday, October 9th 2005, the Prayer Ministry Team gave the entire congregation the opportunity to send up prayers, attached to helium-filled balloons. 275 balloons were released, and tied to each one was a prayer request and scripture verse. The attached card also displayed our contact information, inviting whoever might find it to contact us, so we could share in any prayer requests they might have.

Someone in Westminster, South Carolina, 225 miles from here, found one of the balloons the very next morning. The attached prayer request was to pray for our youth group. We were excited to learn that someone we didn't even know was sharing with us in praying for the youth of our congregation.

Four months later, in February 2006, we heard from someone much closer to home who found the prayer card at just the right time for him. Rodney Redmond called our church to make an appointment to come talk to our pastor, Mike McKnight, to share with him how Epworth UMC had become an important part of his testimony, through the balloon release of "Heaven Bound Prayer".

The following is that testimony in his own words:

From: Rodney Redmond of Cataula, GA, general manager of The Mustard Seed Christian Store in Columbus, GA
To: epworth@epworth-pc.org
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 9:57 PM
Subject: Balloon and prayer card finds man desperate for a message.

Thank you for allowing God to use you to send a very timely and needed message to me.

On January 22, 2006 one of your balloons and the attached prayer card found me on a trail in the woods behind my house in Cataula Georgia. I had been struggling with a decision my partners and I had made in early December to close our business after 35 years (The Mustard Seed Christian Store) because of very bad business conditions and a gloomy forecast for Christian stores nationwide. The date to tell my staff and make the news public was approaching and I did not have peace. I woke up this day before 6am in distress and began praying. I prayed for my family, my partners, every member of our staff and began telling God I needed peace, wisdom and direction. I was overwhelmed by the task ahead and all the emotions it was creating in me. I was frustrated, angry and confused. I had no doubt God called me into this profession 20 years ago and now with the impending end I felt He was not hearing my cry. I actually spoke aloud and accused God not listening. My wife had just left for work and did not know I was in distress and had been praying. I learned later that as she was leaving our driveway that day she prayed and said; " God you know my faith is simple, but Rodney is different, he needs a sign, you know .... like a fleece."

I got up to read my scheduled devotion and these words jumped off the page at me: " Use prayer to vent vertically. Tell God your frustrations. Cry out to him. He's never surprised or upset by your anger, hurt, insecurity, or any other emotions. So tell him exactly how you feel.......You do not have because you do not ask God." I was convicted! I began praying and asking God for peace in my mind, spirit and for wisdom and direction. I also wrote it down and dated it, " Asking God: peace, wisdom and direction."

I decided to take my dogs for a walk in our woods before work to clear my mind. It began to rain as soon as I let the dogs out of their kennel but I decided to walk our 1/3 mile loop trail anyway. At the very end of the walk I saw the blue card in the center of the trail and knew it was a message for me. I was trembling as I picked it up. I was unable to read the prayer request because it was wet and soggy, but I could read the preprinted scripture: " Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24. I prayed again and thanked God for answering my prayer.

I don't know where the card was between October 9th and January 22nd, but it was in the right place at the right time and was exactly the message I needed that morning in the rain, and I can tell you it was not there 3 days earlier! You prayerfully sent the card up into the sky, God sent it back down as a fleece for me, to remind me that he is listening and heard my prayer. Thank you for the part you played in God giving me the peace I asked for.

Sincerely,
Rodney Redmond