"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” — Psalm 91:1

Medical professionals will tell you: the more water you drink, the more your body will crave it. The same is true for prayer. The more time you spend in intimacy with the Lord, the more you will desire to be with Him. Prayer leads to intimacy—and intimacy draws you into the secret place with God.

“As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after thee…” (Psalm 42:1)

Entering the secret place is attainable—but it does take intentional effort.

You will need to dig deep and keep digging, even when it feels like nothing is happening. Even when you don’t feel like it. Even when you feel nothing at all.

Recently, Brother Halderman came to speak to The Sanctuary about going deeper in prayer. He shared the beauty and power of waking up in the night or early morning to find time alone with God. 

You can listen to his inspiring sermon here.

The more you seek Him in those quiet, hidden moments, the more you will find Him waiting for you there. You’ll begin to look forward to those sacred meetings. Once you experience the secret place—those holy, intimate moments—you will never want to miss another prayer date with Jesus.

Nothing else will even come close.

So how about it? Will you put in the intentional work to find the secret place with the Lord? It may mean setting an alarm. It may mean asking someone to babysit. It may mean planning a quiet place ahead of time. But the reward will be greater than you can imagine.

In May, we celebrate mothers and the beautiful role they play in our lives. Recently, Pastor Josh preached a powerful message about the church’s role as a mother—nurturing, compassionate, intimate, and tender. Just as the church is called to reflect these qualities, motherhood reflects the nurturing and compassionate heart of God. In both the church and in mothers, we see a glimpse of God’s tender love and care for His people.

To all the mothers, grandmothers, and spiritual mothers in our lives: thank you. May God bless you richly this month, and may you feel the love and gratitude of those you’ve poured into so selflessly.

To our First Lady, Sister Dulaney, we honor you as mother of our church. It's not always an easy role to fulfill, but you carry it out with such grace. Your church family loves you!

We asked some of our church family to share their reflections or advice from their mothers. Some are classics and some we've never heard before! 

Q: What is something your mom is good at, or something you love about her?

"My mom is strong, not picky, and doesn't complain. So, I'd say she made me the person I am today. She'll do anything for her family and loves to help out in church. I've learned that much from her."  - Jasmine Locke

"My mom is good at taking care of me and being a Christian." - Kaitlyn 

"Mom was good at sacrificing for the kids." - Patrick O'Donnell

"My mom is a servant. She works hard to meet the needs of others and anticipates their needs without expecting much back. It's inspiring." - Becca Fritchey

"My mom is good at cooking and making me laugh." - Aleaha Locke

"Moms are good at cooking and fun." - Elijah

"They like to go shopping with us." - Noah

"My mom is good at gardening." - Mallory

"My mom is as good at cleaning as me!" James

"She does visiting her workout." - Milo

"She's good at encouraging." - Lacee Dulaney

"The best thing I ever learned from my mom is not advice she gave but the life she lives. She really cares about people, and seeing it taken to the level she takes it inspires me and convicts me quite often." - Josh Fritchey

"She prayed several wrong boyfriends away!" - Sonja Fritchey

"My mom was always a giver. It didn't matter if it was her last dollar, if she saw the need she would give it." - Emma LeClair

"My mom worked so hard. I don't remember one time when she wasn't doing something for us or for others."  - Misty O'Donnell

"She taught me, by example, the importance of starting your day in the Word and in prayer." - Charisse Dulaney

"She taught me to be resilient." - Amber Dulaney

"I love that my mom is always there to listen to me, give advice, staying up all those late nights when I needed to talk." - Ashlene O'Donnell

Q: What are some quotes or advice from your mother?

"It's more important to be beautiful on the inside than the outside." - Karaline Yoder

"Have you prayed about it?" - Sonja Fritchey

"Dios te cuide y te protega. Te amo. (God bless you, I love you) - Esperanza Nieto

"Live for God." - Erick Wood

"I brought you into this world and I can take you out." - Sherry Parks

"Don't go outside or you'll trip on a blade of grass and hurt yourself." - Patrick O'Donnell

"Did you use soap?" - Misty O'Donnell

"Don't be stickin' your finger in the cake batter or you're gonna get slapped." - Pastor 

The Sanctuary is happy to celebrate the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hodges! We wish this beautiful couple a lifetime of love and happiness. Your church family loves you and is praying for many blessed years ahead!