It has been said that “FAMILY” is the birthright of Saskatchewan and part of our destiny. The burden for family has been carried by many in this province. Much prayer has centered on the fragmentation of family in the core of our cities as well as on our reserves. Our history as an agricultural society, blended with strong family values of First People has contributed to a sowing of generational sacrifice for the family.

The historic apology of Prime Minister Harper on June 11th, 2008 provides a legal, spiritual covering on the national level for the healing that needs to take place at a family and community level. We heard the forgiveness extended to this land to release from the generational sins of the past. This is critical to receiving the blessing we need to restore the authority of the family, the identity of our young people and a reawakening of faith to revive relationships.

At the recent Watchmen Gathering in Moose Jaw, June 12 – 14, family was a strong theme. The Joseph anointing on our province which has been stated before was presented in a new way by David Demian. Joseph was the dreamer who was captive in prison but when the time was right for his release, he became the redeemer not only of his family but also a nation. The dreams of this province are not dead though we have seen our young people move, our farms and small businesses suffer. As Joseph’s dreams were crushed when he was imprisoned, our dreams which were crushed are rising again. As Joseph went through a period of testing and humility, we have been tested and humbled. Besides the financial anointing on Joseph, he was also used to remove the guilt from his family for what had been done to him. God did not change the evil but used the evil for good.

The seeds that have been sown in past generations, seeds of integrity, faithfulness and labor of those who laid down their lives for this region, these seeds are now flourishing and we are the fruit of what has been sown in the past. The righteous seed and the link to the generations is what our fathers have sown for much has laid dormant in the ground. We heard His heartbeat mingled with the throb of the land, a corporate groan arising for release, restoration, reawakening. The song arose wanting God to be our King, the Name above all other Names. One of the secrets of end time harvest is unity of the Body. The body must die to their own desires to obey the Head, Jesus.

Children were welcome at the gathering enjoying dancing, art stations and “learning to hear God”. One child’s drawings brought the word that Jesus took our pain. She said a window had opened to the heavens and a wind had come. As a prophetic act that we are all one Body, one Family, we each wrote our name on a leaf and hung it on a family tree at the front. The Body of Christ is a family who Father God is breathing life on.

In the final moments of the gathering, a door with a map of Saskatchewan was brought forward. Our province is shaped like a door and as a door we are responsible to open it wide to God’s purposes. This day, we sensed that the door has been opened to healing, closed to pain and closed to hiding. Our God has come, has filled our hearts with gratitude and wonder at His plans for Saskatchewan. Truly, this gathering had a surprise element of crossing over into staking our ground and occupying. We ended our time together with a family picnic, for family that prays together must play and eat together. Saskatchewan, you will not leave a gap. You will fulfill your destiny linking the forefathers with the children, both the First Peoples and the immigrants. It is a family destiny.

Joanne Lepp

& Saskatchewan House of Prayer team