Dear Praying Friends, 

We are so excited about the upcoming Deeper Still Tampa Bay Retreat Oct 29th - Nov 1st! The DSTB team would so appreciate your prayers for the brave men and women who will attend. 

We are more than confident in the Lord that has already gone before us and will be with us the entire weekend, but we are not ignorant of the enemy and his schemes. He will do all that he can to keep these participants from following through on coming and will try and hinder them from receiving all God has for them during the retreat.

For this reason, we are on guard, armor on, and gathering the troops to pray with us for this retreat and especially for these participants. We desperately want to see them released from every bondage to then be able to fully step into their destinies in Him free from the guilt, shame, and pain they have been carrying.

We are asking if you would be willing to spend 15 minutes during your “Prayer Watch” to pray for us and these participants. You are welcome to choose more than one watch! Please make sure to hit submit at the end of the form after choosing your watches. 

During the retreat, our WOW prayer coordinator will be communicating specific prayer needs to our Watchmen as they arise.

If God impresses you with something to share during your prayer time, please do not hesitate to contact deeperprayertampabay@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you and share what you are praying with the intercessors on site!

Your prayers will make a huge impact on our retreat and an eternal impact in the lives of our participants. We cannot thank you enough!

Below is an overview of our retreat schedule and the topics we address ↓

 

PRAYER WATCHES 

After reading the descriptions below, please check the corresponding watch(es) at the bottom of the page that you would like to cover in prayer.

Complete by clicking "Submit". You will receive an email on the first day of the retreat (April 16th) to start us off. Thank you so much!

Watch # 1 | Thursday Day & Evening | Team Preparation/Set Up/Prayer March

Our Deeper Still Team spends the day packing up our cars, driving to the lodge and setting up.  We need a lot of strength, energy, grace and organization.  Thursday evening we eat dinner together.  After dinner we spend the night preparing ourselves for the retreat.  We do a prayer march around the grounds.  We also pray through the lodge and over each bed.  We then spend time in worship, ministry to each other, and our facilitator gives an exhortation and final instructions.  As a team we need to be bound together in love, unity, faith and purpose.  We also need protection and health throughout the retreat.

 

Watch # 2 | Friday Evening | Participants Share Their Stories

For many, this is the first time anyone has asked to hear their story and the first time they have had the courage to be vulnerable about their hidden secrets and shame. For this time, we are all comfy and cozy on couches in small groups. Our team members lead out by sharing their stories first, then we allow the participants all the time they need to share their own stories. We need stamina and strength and supernatural energy as this usually takes several hours for everyone to finish. This is a big step towards freedom. As one participant said before, "I have never even told my story to myself". 

 

Watch # 3 | Saturday Morning @ 10:00–12:30PM | Teaching on Isaiah 53

We cover the sufficiency of the cross and what the suffering, stripes, and blood of Jesus did for us.  We also lead them through a prayer time of forgiveness and breaking shame. They need to fully step into forgiveness during the exercises/ prayers- forgiveness for self, for others and all who were involved in and surrounding their abortion experience. We especially ask prayer for attentive spirits and for a fresh revelation of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for them on the Cross-He paid it all- in full. 

 

Watch # 4 | Saturday Afternoon @1:15–2:30PM | Grieving & Reconciliation/Restoration of Mother's and Father's Hearts

During this time, we walk the participants through a tangible way to grieve for their aborted child(ren) and to experience reconciliation with these children knowing they will see them again one day in heaven.  We also have a time of personal prayer with them, placing on them the “Mother Mantle” (a symbolic robe) or “Father Mantle” (a symbolic sword and staff).  This is to reaffirm their “office” and call of Mothering and Fathering in the world.  This section is particularly emotional as their hearts connect with this healing.

 

Watch # 5 | Saturday Afternoon @ 2:30–6:30PM | Tearing Down Strongholds/Breaking Unholy Attachments 

During this time, we minister individually with the participants.  We take them through prayers to bring down spiritual strongholds that still hold them captive.  We also offer a prayer time for spiritual encouragement.  This one-on-one time gives each participant very personal attention. These hours are physically, emotionally and spiritually taxing, so we ask for strength, stamina and alertness for the team and the participants. We need keen discernment and His wisdom and revelation as we walk through these times of prayer with the participants.

 

Watch # 6 | Saturday Evening @ 7:30–10:00PM | Celebrating Freedom/Crying Out for Restoration 

By Saturday evening, the participants have shed off so much weight that they are ready to rejoice and dance (with a little modeling from us). They not only have a new found freedom but they now have a new level of faith to ask the Lord to restore all that the locust has eaten. Just 24 hours earlier, they could never have imaged this night, but they worship Him from a heart that He has freed from condemnation and shame and it is a beautiful evening dedicated to bringing Him the worship He deserves and the enemy tried to rob from them, and Him! for so many years. 

 

Watch # 7 | Sunday Morning @ 8:30–11:00 AM | The Memorial Service

This memorial service is more beautiful than we can describe, but through it our participants can make a final exchange. They receive a garland of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  In addition, they can finally memorialize and honor the children with whom they have now been spiritually reconciled. There is a beautiful time of sharing what the Lord has shown them with regard to their children. These are truly Holy moments. Abba Father showers His sons and daughters with His love so tenderly and beautifully. We then close with a brunch together before everyone heads back home. 

 

Watch # 8 | Sunday Afternoon through the following Sunday | Rear Guard

The week following the retreat is also a vulnerable time for both participants and for the team, but maybe even more so for the team.  It seems like we are the first line of defense standing in front of the participants, so the enemy seeks to launch a counter-attack.  We are not ignorant of his schemes though, nor are we afraid of him.  But we do need others to pray defensive prayers on our behalf and for our families.  Please ask the Lord to bring us to your mind throughout the week, and as He does, just lift a prayer of protection and victory for us and our families.

 

SIGN UP

 

Thank you so much for covering us and the participants in prayer! We look forward to sharing a retreat report with you soon!