News from Read Aloud International

Flagstaff Bible Marathon May 2-5, 2012

Flagstaff City Hall

What a beautiful story we told as a Jesus loving, Bible believing, God's word proclaiming community. This year's 6th annual Flagstaff Bible Marathon is now in the history books! Here are some highlights.

On Wednesday May 2^nd, just after the start of the Marathon at noon, Julene Hoener, 86 years young and our oldest and most faithful supporter, read the Bible aloud and made page two in the Flagstaff Daily Sun.

Paul and Sarah Larson organized the prayer tent for the National Day of Prayer. How cool is it to pray for our families, our city and our country from the steps of City Hall under the American flag!

Dr. Robert Perry drew our first Marathon mural on a canvas 8 feet high and 16 feet wide. It is a picture of George Washington praying on one knee, his horse beside him and the San Francisco peaks in the background, proclaiming, "Freedom is born in the Lap of Bible Literacy".

A new city official who had never seen the Bible Marathon came out to encourage us. He told us, "This event is the most important thing that happens on this property all year. I hope you keep coming back year after year!"

The Christian Motorcycle Association showed up again this year in their leathers, I mean their church clothes, and they proclaimed God's word loud, loud, loud, just like their motorcycles! They say, "loud pipes save lives." Maybe we, as a faith community, could learn something from that saying.

Saints from the Sunshine Rescue Mission and from Hope Cottage came and, once again, read and volunteered to help staff. We thank them for their service. It is an honor to read God's word with them.

The Boy Scouts  of America brought their fathers to be part of the Night Watchmen on the Wall. We thank them for standing in the gap and for standing for honesty, loyalty and respect. The last thing we heard, they were headed to Denny's to discuss the Bible passages they read. What a great organization here in Flagstaff.

The Flagstaff Community Christian School children walked to the Bible Marathon from their new school in the downtown area and not only read God's Word aloud, as they have in every Bible Marathon, but they praised and worshiped God on the front lawn of City Hall with drums, rattles and flutes. Their "Joyful Noise Band" rocked the city! They also danced like King David and held up banners that said, "Celebrate Jesus!"Celebrate, they did in the perfected praise of children.

The boys at New Horizons helped set up on Wednesday morning from 6 am to noon. They read aloud from 10 pm Friday night to 6 am Saturday morning and then they helped tear down on Saturday from noon to 2 pm. They walked as men standing in the gap and they walked as Night Watchmen on the Wall proclaiming God's Word out over of city. Well done! It was an honor and a joy proclaiming God's word with them.

Terry Allen, from the Flagstaff School of Music, came and closed the Marathon with a round of Psalms put to music. We have invited him back next year to play Psalms at our opening ceremony and then to come for a few moments nightly to put more of the Psalms to music as they were originally intended. We believe it is in God's heart that we truly celebrate His Word and that we understand what the word "celebrate" means.

One of the most significant moments in this year's Bible Marathon and a moment of defining our passion for the Bible Marathon was represented in our last reader and in the last chapter of Revelation. This young boy had been struggling with both the desire and the ability to read the Bible. This was the moment he asked for and as he came to the microphone, his eyes found the words and he read aloud with great articulation and clarity. His mother, who was overlooking his shoulder had tears in her eyes, thanking God for the miracle of God's Word in her child.

After the reading was finished, the boy's mother, with tears still flowing from her eyes, just stood with us and praised God and thanked Him for the breakthrough. The air was thick with rejoicing in heaven!

And as we continued praying and praising God out in the open air of our city, under the American Flag and on the steps of City Hall at the close of the Bible Marathon, the words on our mural came to mind, "Freedom is born in the Lap of Bible Literacy."

"Bring the children," is what I heard in my spirit. "Bring the children and celebrate My Word. Teach them, model for them, read to them. Don't just tell them...show them your love for Me and My word." Amen, Lord!

We couldn't possibly name all the people who participated and helped to put on this year's successful Bible Marathon. It is truly a community event with churches and businesses and individuals from all over Northern AZ contributing in some form. Pray and ask God for direction as to how you and your family can participate. Read, pray, staff, sing, celebrate, set up tear down, and give. There is something for everyone.

Once a year we exalt God's word above everything. We pronounce Him our God, our Father and Faithful Savior Jesus. Once a year we pull out all the stops and have a 3 day party with His word and the National Day of Prayer! For 6 years in a row now we have charged the atmosphere with His Word and He is changing Flagstaff. We are hearing reports of angels and lights and other Godly phenomenon from young people. We believe them! Jesus is moving on this mountain! Thank you for making the Bible Marathon what it is. Remember to share the love... read the Bible aloud. Think of it as putting the blood of the passover lamb on the lintel of your doorway! See you next year!

a division of
Read Aloud International

 For information about
the history of the Bible Marathon or instructions
for starting a marathon
in your city, see
Bible Pathways
International

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