Last week, countless hours of prayer and preparation put in by dozens of people culminated in a beautiful answered prayer: West Virginia’s first Policy & Prayer event.

My wife Brandy and I made it to the steps of the West Virginia capitol at around 6:50 PM last Monday. Worship was scheduled to start at 6:30, so it was well underway when Brandy and I approached. As we turned the corner we were able to hear the event long before we could see it. When we finally arrived, we were greeted by a joyful remnant and gifted worship leaders, none of whom were deterred by the dull drizzle and gray skies. Over the next hour, my wife and I pressed into what the Lord was doing. As I threw up my hands and leaped for the Lord, I felt a familiar warming in my chest. As the gray clouds gave way to the brilliant white sun, I sensed the Holy Spirit moving in our midst.

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The worship, while powerful, was an optional event that served as an appetizer before the main course. Policy & Prayer started 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. After some brief socialization, Brandy and I settled into our seats in the back of the Senate Rotunda. I readied a pen and, as IFA President and CEO Dave Kubal took the microphone, I set to work on noting and recording everything I could. I expected an informative day and I was not disappointed.

For context, I have lived in Virginia my whole life, only moving to West Virginia earlier this year. As such, I knew precious little about the political climate of the state I now call home. Therefore, Brandy (a lifelong Marylander until our marriage in July) and I hoped, if nothing else, to learn more about our state throughout this event.

West Virginia is on the right side of history.

Following introductory speeches by Dave Kubal and West Virginia State Prayer Leaders Ed and Donna Rollyson, the first speaker of the event stepped behind the podium. Delegate Jonathan Pinson shared a brief history of West Virginia. He said that the state was born with the promise and passion to stand on the right side of slavery, and to continue to stand on the right side of issue after issue throughout history. Hearing this, I thought about how, unlike my previous home state of Virginia, West Virginia has passed into law bans on abortion and transgender surgeries on minors. Clearly, Delegate Pinson was correct. Not only has West Virginia historically stood on the right side of history, the state even now continues to stand on the right side of the most polarizing moral issues of our day.

“West Virginia has the best voting system in the nation.”

After Delegate Pinson, intercessors got to hear from Secretary of State Mac Warner. Toward the beginning of his speech, Secretary Warner stated, “West Virginia’s the heartbeat of America. What happens here does reverberate through the nation.” Speaking about election integrity, he shared how the state has a long history of corruption. In the past, many elections had been bought in West Virginia. In response to this, Secretary Warner got to work once he took office, aiming to restore trust in the election process. According to him, West Virginia had 1.1 million registered voters when he took office in 2017. Six years later, that number was corrected to 700,000 after 400,000 incorrectly registered names were cleaned up from the voter roll. According to Secretary Warner, that’s 400,000 fewer opportunities for fraud. Because of this move and laws passed such as requiring voter ID, West Virginia has restored a great deal of trust in its elections, now setting national records in voter turnout. Summarizing all that has been done, Secretary Warner asserted that “West Virginia has the best voting system in the nation.”

As the Secretary of State took his leave, Delegate Pinson returned to the front of the room to talk about religious freedom. He began his speech by discussing his own religious beliefs. Delegate Pinson, also currently serving as a senior pastor, said, “It is impossible for me to separate my political beliefs from my religious beliefs because my political beliefs come from the Bible.” He shared how he made religious freedom his focus on office, helping his state to pass HB 3042, also known as the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act.” Delegate Pinson explained that HB 3042 allows West Virginians to challenge laws and ordinances that violate their religion.

The Best Way to Address the Devastation of Addiction: Faith

Following Delegate Pinson, Delegate Chris Pritt told us about addiction in the state of West Virginia. We’ve all seen the effect of drugs on society across America, but I had no idea that the problem was so pronounced in my state. Delegate Pritt shared his belief that faith is the key. In order to truly solve the problem of addiction, he claimed, we needed to pass legislation that would allow counselors, prison guards, and others to discuss faith with those who are addicted.

Andrea “Jade” Grounds, Case Manager at Angel’s Harbor, took the microphone from Delegate Pritt, sharing about her own experience with drug addiction and how the Lord saved her. As she began talking, she said, “The chains can break today, with God, through Him.” She detailed her many overdoses and near-death experiences, but the most powerful part of her testimony was her daughter’s birth. Grounds shared how she had become pregnant as a result of sexual assault and had made an appointment for an abortion. However, God had spoke to her and her abortion nurse while she was on the operating table! The nurse helped her get out of the abortion clinic and she now has a baby girl. The IFA intercessors leaped to their feet upon hearing this, applauding the decision and praising God.

Dealing with the “devilish attack on the family unit.”

The final subject of the morning was education. Senator Mike Azinger spoke first, tackling the indoctrination of children into the cult of transgenderism, which he referred to as a “devilish attack on the family unit.” He said that children, mostly young girls, are being indoctrinated by YouTube, therapists, and some teachers and school administrators into the trans ideology. West Virginia, however, stands out among some of its neighboring states, having banned transgender surgeries for minors. Despite this, the problem of indoctrination is still present. What is the solution for this? According to Senator Azinger, it’s a return to God and family.

West Virginia supports school choice.

Delegate Adam Burkhammer spoke after Senator Azinger about school choice. He explained the Hope Scholarship, legislation that gives every West Virginia parent the blessing of school choice. My wife excitedly looked to me while he was talking, thinking of how the Hope Scholarship would bless our future children. Once again, I was encouraged to know that my state was taking Christian education and parental rights seriously.

Trafficking is a major problem in the state.

After a prayer tour of the West Virginia capitol and a brief lunch, Policy & Prayer resumed with Ed Thomas, Mid-Atlantic Region Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator for Aglow International. Once again, while I was familiar with human trafficking, I had no idea that the issue was so serious in my own state. Thomas shared that, out of all fifty states, West Virginia has some of the worst anti-trafficking laws. In 2021 alone, the state had 39 human trafficking cases. There is a serious need for prayer in West Virginia as victims, usually young girls, are trafficked.

Dave Kubal spoke after Thomas, explaining the governmental authority believers have been given, as well as the purpose of Policy & Prayer. At the end of the event, Donna Rollyson delivered closing remarks. The staff handed every intercessor a key, which Donna said represented the unlocking and opening of doors through prayer.

To close out West Virginia’s first Policy & Prayer, we stood in a circle, holding hands and lifting up our powerful little state in prayer. And as Brandy and I began the grueling five-hour drive home, we didn’t leave alone. As Donna proclaimed, we were dispatched back to our small community and church alongside the Lord’s angels.

Thus ended West Virginia’s first Policy & Prayer, as well as my first time experiencing an IFA event as an intercessor and not a staff member. I learned that my state has its fair share of unique problems, but I also learned that those problems are not permanent. God is at work in West Virginia, moving through faithful leaders, believing lawmakers, and devoted intercessors. I am proud to be a West Virginia resident. Thank you to Ed and Donna, to IFA, and to my heavenly Father for continuing to work in my state!

What is God doing in your IFA state prayer group? Share your own testimonies below!

(Photo Credit: Intercessors for America)