The History of Rise Up - 1

Can a prayer gathering really transform into a movement that touches hundreds of lives? Join us this week for our first episode as Kim McIntire sits down with Holly Hoyer, Amber Sampson, and Kelly Keener to discuss the extraordinary origins of the Rise Up movement. Holly recounts how it all began with intimate prayer sessions in her living room back in September 2021, which soon grew into a powerful wave of spiritual renewal. Amber and Kelly share personal stories of how these gatherings changed their lives, creating a supportive and transformative community centered around prayer and scripture.

Discover the milestones that marked the Rise Up movement's growth, from a groundbreaking women’s prayer conference in August 2023 to an unforgettable worship night in Joplin that drew over 200 attendees despite freezing temperatures. We discuss the pivotal decision to open the conference to men, and how this expanded vision brought a new dynamic to the events. This episode reveals the importance of waiting on God's timing, and the unforgettable spiritual experiences witnessed at the altar, where many found renewal and healing.

As we look to the future, we explore Rise Up's exciting plans, including potential marriage conferences, expansion into new cities, and worship nights in struggling communities. Learn about upcoming events like a January worship night and a 2025 prayer conference at the Keeter Center in Branson. We also introduce various branches of the ministry, such as the Abide discipleship program and the monthly women’s prayer group at God's Resort. Hear touching testimonies of healing, forgiveness, and restoration, illustrating the powerful impact of faith and community in the lives of those who attend Rise Up events.

This is episode 1 so please subscribe and share and help our ministry to grow!

Chapters

• 0:09 The Rise Up Movement Evolution
• 14:24 Expanding the Rise Up Movement
• 20:28 The Power of Fervent Prayer
• 25:30 Deepening Relationship Through Prayer and Events
• 31:23 The Future of Rise Up Movement

Transcript

Kim McIntire: 0:09

Welcome to the it's Time to Rise Up podcast. I'm Kim McIntyre host. Thank you for joining us this week. If you're not familiar with our show, check out our website at itstimedoriseuporg For our social media links. You can check out our platforms. We are on YouTube, apple Podcasts, spotify and anywhere else you get your podcast. Please feel free to subscribe, leave a comment on our platforms and give us a thumbs up or a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. We're going to jump right on into this interview. Today we're talking about the history of Rise Up. This interview Today we're talking about the history of Rise Up. We have with us in the studio Holly Hoyer, amber Sampson and Kelly Keener. Welcome to the podcast, ladies. Hello, hello. We're glad you're here and we're super excited to find out how this Rise Up movement began. So we're going to start with you, holly. How did this movement begin? What's the foundation of this ministry?

Holly Hoyer: 1:08

This ministry started in my home in September of 2021. And I just invited some friends over with another lady, cindy Ritter, just to begin to learn to pray scriptures. So we just met that first time. There were several women that came and we just began to learn how to pray the Word of God. And then it has just grown and grown and grown from there.

Kim McIntire: 1:34

So really the foundation was prayer, Absolutely. How did it shift from being a prayer group in your house in 2021 to being now we're two years into a prayer conference that's held in Branson? So kind of talk about what happened between the beginning days in your living room to where the ministry is now and you can pick that up, and then ladies, feel free to jump in and add your thoughts too, and then ladies feel free to jump in and add your thoughts too.

Holly Hoyer: 2:05

Well, as we had it in my house, it just began to grow and grow and grow and we came to a time we were going to take a break and my friend Cindy said I'll host it now. She had a bigger living room and we began to do a Bible study at her house and it grew from there and different people came and then she moved to Florida and then moved to your house, kim, and so it just continued to grow, but it's shifted. At each home it's shifted, but in a great way.

Amber Sampson: 2:41

Yeah.

Kim McIntire: 2:42

I remember the last time we met in my house I think there were like 38 women. Some were in the entryway, some were in the kitchen, and we recognized this isn't going to work anymore. We need something other than a living room or a bigger house. So that's pretty incredible. Amber, what do you remember about the early days of just those prayer groups that were informal in houses?

Amber Sampson: 3:08

Yeah, I remember the very first meeting I had wanted to go because Holly and Cindy were leading and they're just mighty women of God.

Amber Sampson: 3:28

They're just mighty women of God and I felt, like you know, I just felt like I was just inadequate and I didn't feel like I was, you know, good enough to rub shoulders with them and so which is just so funny to think about now so I was like you know, I didn't.

Amber Sampson: 3:39

I wanted to go, but I just kept hearing every lie to not go and finally, after a while, I was like, oh well, if I'm being fought that hard not to go, then I probably should be there. And the very first night changed my life, was walking through some really hard things and those women came around me and prayed and it shifted, it shifted our circumstance, and so really, I mean the whole thing has shifted my life completely. But it's been just so fun to be on the journey and, you know, just to see who had, the people who've come and been a part of it, and and then to see kind of what it is now that it's, it's, it's grown into. I don't, I mean nobody in there, nobody even thought for one second that something more would come of it than just a women's prayer group Right and then, my goodness, so it's been incredible.

Kim McIntire: 4:32

It certainly has, Kelly. What are your thoughts when you look back to the beginning of Rise Up?

Kelly Keener: 4:38

Well, I joined probably two years into the prayer group already meeting, and so I came when it was like really large at your house is when I started attending and so I felt like Amber. I was kind of starstruck by just the presence of the Lord and the anointing of the women that were there, and it made me hunger and want to be a part of it but also learn more, increase my prayer life and go deeper with the Lord.

Kim McIntire: 5:05

That's so good. I can see why God has honored it, because when you really think back to the beginning, it was just about hearts of prayer hearts that hungered for more of God and women that were real and raw with each other and allowed God to do mighty things in their marriages, in their families in their individual lives, so it was a safe space to gather.

Amber Sampson: 5:28

We knew we could lay our cares out, we could share confidential things, and then those women were going to come around you and pray and but you really even changed, yeah.

Kim McIntire: 5:39

When I look back, I think about I wasn't actually part of Holly's group at her house because I didn't know Holly yet. But I remember when it shifted to Cindy Ritter's is when I was invited to go and it was more centered on a Bible study, discussion and then prayer time where there was an opportunity to practice your spiritual gift in a safe place, which was totally new for me because I hadn't been exposed to anything like that. And so it was totally new for me because I hadn't been exposed to anything like that, and so it was really beautiful for me to just have that experience of a safe place to learn and grow in that area. But when it moved to my house, I felt like it shifted into deeper intercession, you know. So I see how, like at Holly's, it began like we're praying God's word, we're praying for revival, and then at Cindy's it began like we're praying God's word, we're praying for revival, and then at Cindy's it was really learning and growing through some teaching videos and practicing spiritual gifts. And then the shift to my house seemed to go more into intercession and you know, seeing people healed even I remember some people being healed and just it's been incredible, hasn't it?

Kim McIntire: 6:42

When you really look back over the past three years it's like, look what God has done. So let's talk about then. From my house to the next place, where did we go next? Kelly God's Resort. Yeah, talk about that a little bit.

Kelly Keener: 6:58

Well, it was just. It's tremendous the amount of ladies that gathered there and everyone with you know individual needs and desires, you know to grow closer to the Lord, to you know, take their ministry from there to home and it just not only did it change them, but it changed their families. So to see the group dynamics of being able to be there in a larger place, we could break down into smaller groups, stay in a large group. So all of those things really impacted me For sure.

Kim McIntire: 7:28

For sure, and the first conference was in August of 2023. What happened to get you guys from praying at God's Resort to being at a venue like the Keter Center in Branson? I mean, let's talk about that and I'm asking you. I know, but I want you guys to talk about it.

Amber Sampson: 7:52

Well, I think that, oh, I don't even really know where to start, but we were still at your house having prayer group when God called us to conference. Have a prayer group when God called us to conference, and so I think you know, when you're in these settings and we're able to, it's always been a safe space to practice your spiritual gifts. I'm glad you pointed that out because I've kind of taken that for granted. That's just what we do. But when you're practicing your spiritual gifts, you're learning to hear from the Lord, and so I think it was I don't know in my mind now kind of see it as like that's just part of growing in your spiritual gifts, I would say. But he called us differently, individually, and yeah, I don't, I don't even really know how to explain it, but he just called us and I remember the conversations we were the three of us me, you, me, holly and Kim.

Amber Sampson: 8:51

We were all at your kitchen table, kim, and I'll never forget because I had already felt the call but I hadn't shared it except with one person. I don't know if I'd shared it with you or not, kim, at that point, but I'd shared it with another friend and Holly. She leans over on the table, arms spread just like what, if this is supposed to be a conference? And I just about fell out of my chair because I already knew that. But you know, I didn't know yet that the Lord was working on Holly at the same time, and so it was just really beautiful to watch that unfold.

Amber Sampson: 9:21

And so Holly and I worked for the same ministry in town and I called her one day and I said I need to talk to you, and so I went over to that space after work or after she was off work, and I said hey, this is what God has laid on my heart. And she's like well, where do we go? What do do we do? And so we just, um, started really just listening to the lord some more yeah and um, yeah, I think that I mean that's the biggest thing.

Amber Sampson: 9:53

I mean not to jump ahead or anything, but I mean really just listening, listening to the lord every step every single step of the way yeah.

Holly Hoyer: 10:01

And then it's been in every detail, yeah, every detail, even to the point where, when we were looking for a location to host the conference first conference I had done all this research. I felt like it was supposed to be in Branson. I shared that the team agreed. So I did all this research on different venues and we were driving down and I just began to share with them and Kim said, holly, we don't need to look at any other venue.

Amber Sampson: 10:33

She said I feel like the Keter Center's it yeah, because we were going to go there for lunch anyways and then we just began to dream.

Holly Hoyer: 10:45

I said, amber, get out your notebook as we were driving. And I said, let's just dream what it would look like. And the Lord was so faithful in all that it was like he just showed us that, yes, I'm in this, yes, this is where you're to have it, just in a powerful way, really.

Amber Sampson: 11:07

Yeah, I remember that day. Was it honestly just felt like a just a big old kiss from God? I mean that was a day I'll never forget. Just walking, I mean just from the time we drove up on the venue of the Keter Center College of the Ozarks, I mean the whole day just felt like the Lord's hand was just so almost tangible over it. I mean from just from start to finish. It was just an incredible, incredible day.

Kim McIntire: 11:36

Yeah, it really was, Kelly. I know you were at the first conference and you were there, kind of you were participating, but you weren't yet on the lead team. I don't believe you had been part of the planning up to that point. I don't think so. Maybe share with listeners just as a person who was there to observe. I know you were participating in prayer. I believe you were hosting a table, but what do you remember about Conference One?

Kelly Keener: 12:08

There's just so many things, just the atmosphere. There's something about when people get together and pray like it was prepared in prayer, so it wasn't like we just showed up and you know, our hearts were prepared because we were praying too. And I think, observing you know I had never been a part. I mean, I've gone to women's conferences, I've gone to marriage conferences and things like that, but this is the first time where, you know, again, practicing your gifts was a piece of it and it was celebrated. And so, in celebrating what God's done, so for me, just observing that and taking that back with me too, you know it was really special.

Kelly Keener: 12:57

I got to share with my family, and so my family is not really always church, they're not in a church and so being able to share that with them was really impactful and has really helped them. And to see where they've grown and they don't live close to here, so just to see how it's impacted their lives as well, For sure, I think. Also, just the praise and worship and the prophetic worship that we've had. I've never heard or been a part of that before. So for me that was just such an ushering of the Holy Spirit and it has definitely changed the way that I look at worship, the way that I look at my prayer life.

Kim McIntire: 13:36

It has definitely radically changed that, for me that's so good and I think that's really our heart. I think the heart of Rise Up is we want women and now men, because it's shifted since 2023, but really just that desire for people to experience deep places of prayer, deep places of worship and just encouraging people growing your intimacy with the Lord, because he wants that more than you do, he wants that more than we do, and I feel like that, for people who haven't experienced a prayer conference like this, it's really stepping into new ground, new spiritual territory. So thank you for sharing that perspective, Kelly. I appreciate it. So that was in August of 2023. And then the Lord, just like he does, gave a new vision for something. And why don't you talk about that, holly? What was next after the conference in August?

Holly Hoyer: 14:39

Well, we just felt like there was more and the.

Holly Hoyer: 14:43

Lord wanted to do more, and so we began to quickly plan a worship night located in Joplin, in our hometown, and God's hand was on that from start to finish. When I look back at every detail of that, it was a bitter cold night, the Chiefs were playing a playoff game and we still had over 200 people show up to worship when it was literally sub-zero temps. But the faithfulness of God, the presence of God, the prayer lines at the end were so long, it was just absolutely precious and beautiful. And so really, when I think back, it's just like God speaks and we just act immediately. We don't even second guess it or we don't give the enemy time to even linger in our mind. We just try to be obedient, immediately To segue from that, though, too.

Amber Sampson: 15:47

When the Lord's not speaking, when he's being quiet, we know to just hold back, wait, wait for Him, because he's directing this, he's directing everything, and there have been times along the way where we've been processing and planning or waiting to hear what's next. Where do we go, what do we do, that it's pretty quiet, but we know that he's going to speak. We know that this is his plan, is to progress this movement, and so I've learned so much in this time of rise up, of to just to wait, wait on the Lord, and that's just as important as stepping out when he says go.

Kim McIntire: 16:29

Yeah for sure. Was it at worship night? You know it shifted from a women's prayer conference to becoming a men and women's prayer conference this past August in 2024. And was it at worship night that you feel the Lord began to whisper that to your hearts?

Holly Hoyer: 16:52

Yeah, I think so. I think I saw just a real hunger in the men as well, but it didn't really hit me at worship night. It was closer as we were planning the conference, the second conference. We were literally days away from the tickets going on sale, yeah, and we were at the midnight hour and I just felt like so many women were coming up and saying, oh, my husband wishes he could go. And someone else would say, oh, my husband wishes he could go. And so I would say, oh, my husband wishes he could go. And so I remember I just stopped one day and I was like Lord, are we supposed to have men at this conference as well? And I shared it with you guys and we were like, yes, and so we were looking at gifts for women. I mean, it was truly a midnight hour turn, a complete left turn for us, for sure.

Holly Hoyer: 17:47

We just were obedient and it worked out beautifully. Oh, it was beautiful.

Kim McIntire: 17:52

What I love about the structure of the conference is that it's everyday people who are willing and bold enough to share redemption stories, things that most people wouldn't want to get on a platform to talk about and when I say that I'm thinking of my friend Kelly, who's sitting across from me right now. But the way the Lord takes these stories and just uses them really it's so true. We overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony and I feel that that's the power of the conference. You know, I mean it's bathed in prayer. The prophetic worship is powerful and anointed, but when someone stands up and gives a redemption story of God redeemed my life from the pit, but this is who I am in Christ now there is so much power in that and I see the multiplication effect. I've had people come up and say I may want to share my story someday and I'm like we'll pray about it because we're already asking the Lord who next who's supposed to be sharing their testimony next. But I love the structure of its prophetic worship, its prayer, its opportunity to have spiritual surgery. When you took the platform, holly, in August, and said if you need spiritual surgery, come into the altar, and I don't remember if I've ever heard anyone say that. The altar, and I don't remember if I've ever heard anyone say that, but people had spiritual surgery that night and left different than they walked in, and it was just.

Kim McIntire: 19:31

Even for me, I feel like that was one of the most impactful moments from this past August, and having men in the room also just changed the dynamic. So, kelly, let's talk about that. So after worship night, you know we're planning for the women's conference. The Lord starts speaking into our hearts about this isn't just a women's conference anymore, and so we announced that it's for men as well, and we had a really good representation of men. From your perspective, what do you think made it different than the year before? Like, what did you see specifically that you saw? You know, I mean it was awesome in 2023, but I feel like God did even more in 2024. And I think the men had something to do with that.

Kelly Keener: 20:20

I agree, I think the men being there most of the men were there were there with their wives, and so that's impactful in itself. I think the expectation in the room because we were a part of it last year, so we got to taste and see, and so I think the expectation we knew the Holy Spirit was going to meet us, we knew that he was going to move, we knew we were going to see things that we weren't going to see anywhere else at any other time, that this was an appointed time for us to be there. And so I think that anticipation for our spouses too, for the men who were there there was maybe some single men, but I think most of them were spouses and I think we being so excited for it, they had an expectation and I don't think I mean speaking to my husband, I could speak for him, you know.

Kelly Keener: 21:10

Go ahead, marcus won't mind, he won't mind, he knows I'm going to anyways. But I think for him you know, hearing about it all year, you know what happened from last year to you know he had an expectation too, you know, and I think he was nervous, even he was so excited. He was nervous because he was like this is something he's never been a part of. We weren't raised in being able to practice your gifts. So that was really new. That's really new to us, you know. And so being a part of that for him was really his first opportunity outside of church, and so that was very special for us.

Kim McIntire: 21:48

It's so good. It's so good. We also want to mention that this isn't associated with a specific church. Holly, why don't you talk about that?

Holly Hoyer: 21:56

Yeah, when this all started, I felt like the Lord really just put it in my heart that this is to cross denominational lines and to bring the body of Christ together, and so it's not affiliated with the denomination or really any church affiliation other than you know. We believe the word of God. And it's true, but it's just really a move of God. I just call it a move of God. The rise up is just a move of God and we're trying to hear from God and follow God and bring the body of Christ together.

Kim McIntire: 22:38

Yeah, I think there were 14. How many churches were represented? You'll have to remind me, amber.

Amber Sampson: 22:46

I'm trying to think off the top of my head. I believe it was about 28 churches represented.

Holly Hoyer: 22:51

Yeah, I thought it was 27 or 28.

Amber Sampson: 22:53

Yeah, it's right around there.

Kim McIntire: 23:00

Wonderful. Yeah, it's incredible. That's so good, that's so good. Okay, well, let's talk about our passion for prayer. I know we've talked about that a little bit, but I feel like all four of us are very passionate about prayer and I feel like that's what we're hoping catches, like people catch that fire of fervent prayer. So let's talk about why we believe it matters that people grow in prayer and how does it change our lives. I mean, that may seem obvious, but I think we should just put it out there and I'll start. Since I've grown in prayer, I have witnessed God do so many things that I know were impossible apart from prayer, and so it just encourages me to continue growing. And I feel like the conference is kind of that. Just it's sort of like when you have revival and you go and you get revived for the year.

Kim McIntire: 23:51

You know if your church has a revival once a year, I feel like conference is a revival for prayer just that it stirs something up and it just reminds you of the power, because I think we take so many opportunities at conference to pray together. Does anyone want to add anything to that? Just if anything comes to your heart or to your mind about your passion for prayer.

Holly Hoyer: 24:14

I think it's kind of like a wildfire that you know jumps the highway when you're around other people that are on fire for God, that have a passion for prayer, a passion for God's Word, then all of a sudden your flame is, you know, jumping the highway and it fans the flame in someone else that maybe has had it but it's went dormant Right, and so it's just been fun to see people grow in their prayer life, been fun to see people grow in their prayer life, just really just be transformed by the prayers of the saints really?

Amber Sampson: 24:49

Yeah, for sure. I think for me it's one thing. I guess for me I would say just growing in my relationship with God, in that, you know, I don't just talk to God but I listen for Him and try to make room for that. Or maybe I'm just, maybe I don't really feel like talking today, so I'm just going to read my Bible today, or maybe I'm going to just spend time in worship. I'm not very structured in that time, but I'm just like what does you know how does it feel today? And so I think that's been something that's really grown in me is just building a relationship with the Lord, and you know what does that look like today?

Kim McIntire: 25:29

That's so good.

Kelly Keener: 25:30

I definitely agree with that. I think it deepens your relationship and who Christ is to you. So, as you're praying, as you're spending time with him, you're getting to know him so much more. You know it's the friend you talk to every night on the phone, right, and so the more you talk to him, the more you know about him right, the more you listen for him the more you feel him, the more you recognize his voice, and so to me, it's that deepened relationship.

Kim McIntire: 25:59

Yeah, deepened relationship, yeah, and in our vision statement I believe it talks about, we desire for people to go into deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ, and I think we all agree prayer is a key part of that growing in intimacy, because you're not going to grow closer to anyone that you don't talk to, right, just like you said about talking to a friend. So well, let's talk about what's coming in the future for Rise Up, like do we have any events scheduled yet? What's in the works?

Holly Hoyer: 26:32

We're in the works currently of a worship night that will probably take place in January. We're just getting the details of that put together, but what is solid is Rise Up the prayer conference 2025, and that'll be August 1st and 2nd again at the Keter Center in Branson.

Kim McIntire: 26:53

Yeah, yeah, it's exciting to think about. It is exciting, yes, and we have some branches of ministry that are happening with Abide I'm sorry, not Abide, I gave it away before. Abide is part of the Rise Up ministry. It's a branch of the ministry and it's a discipleship piece. You can find out more about it on our social media and our email, so I will give that information later. But we have also a Thursday night prayer meeting that's getting ready to start back up. Who would like to share about that?

Amber Sampson: 27:31

Prayer group for women will start next Thursday. We're going to gather the fourth Thursday of the month at 630, and we're going to meet at God's Resort. For those that don't know, god's Resort is a local nonprofit ministry that helps people with transitional housing, and so they have like a sanctuary space and they let us use that for prayer, which is really cool. So we'll gather there for prayer and then we'll take a break for November and um, and then we'll take a break at the hot for november and december and then we'll um gather back together in january and um. So it's gonna be, it's gonna be fun and um, yeah, it's. It's just exciting to.

Kim McIntire: 28:14

We haven't been together throughout the summer, so I'm excited to get back together god's resort was so gracious to our ministry to open their doors for us after, because we didn't have a place big enough to fit everyone, and they were just amazing and generous Generous for sure, that's a great word to speak over that ministry. They're generous. We have used that facility for over a year. They are actually having an open house October 4th, 5th and 6th. I just wanted to mention that you can find that information on their Facebook page, the God's Resort Facebook page, but they would welcome anyone in the community to come in and hear more about their ministry and we just want to take a moment on the podcast to say thank you to God's.

Kim McIntire: 29:02

Resort just for allowing us to use your space and being so gracious and generous. We love God's Resort. They are changing, they are making a difference in Joplin, and so, jay and Julie St Clair, thank you for everything you and your team are doing in Joplin. And so let's talk a little bit about just the roles that we have within Rise Up. Holly, talk about what your role is in the Rise Up movement.

Holly Hoyer: 29:32

Well, I just do my very best to hear from God and lead us in a way, but I don't like to think of it as, like I'm the leader at the top. I just like to look at it as we have a great team and on that team there's different branches and different, you know, giftings where people flow in. But I just try to hear from God, I try to you know steward everything well, from finances to our team and unity, and so that's really my job.

Kim McIntire: 30:07

She's our fearless leader. She's humble, but she's our fearless leader For sure. Amber, talk about what your focus is in this ministry.

Amber Sampson: 30:16

Well, I'm focusing in on logistical pieces and promoting events, promoting the things that Rise Up is doing, so podcasts, the Abide class, conferences, worship nights. So, yeah, I'm excited, excited about it.

Kim McIntire: 30:35

she's the details girl she is, she does all the brain work thank you, amber, thank you amber, how about you, kelly benevolence? Yeah, I'm kind of a little bit of every.

Kelly Keener: 30:52

I mean support I'm a support role but benevolence too. We want to make sure that um individuals that want to come to the conference um can come and um make sure that they are um taken care of and and blessed, and so hopefully um we'll be able to um bless some people um next year at conference and make sure people that maybe wouldn't be able to go can go. That's right. Yes, that's so good.

Kim McIntire: 31:20

Oh, I'm so thankful.

Amber Sampson: 31:21

And what about you?

Kim McIntire: 31:22

Yeah, oh well.

Holly Hoyer: 31:23

I'm leading the prayer team.

Kim McIntire: 31:25

Yeah, I am very blessed to lead the prayer team and, oh my goodness, they were faithful. And when we were talking about prayer a few minutes ago. They met every Monday and prayed for an hour for conference, for the people who would attend, for the speakers, the worship team, the finances, the venue, just everything.

Holly Hoyer: 31:45

And.

Kim McIntire: 31:45

I have to say, everything that we prayed about, god did, and he didn't just do it, he did it above and beyond. And so we have an incredible prayer team and I lead that group on the first Mondays, just kind of casting vision, too, for the future. Like, what can we be praying for? That's impossible, because those are the prayers that God really loves to hear. He's the God of the impossible. So, yeah, and I'm leading this podcast this year for Rise Up and I'm excited about that.

Kim McIntire: 32:15

All through the year we're going to be interviewing different people. Testimonies are coming from conference. We have some key leaders in the community who are involved in nonprofit ministry that are going to come and share about the work they're doing in the community. We're going to just really make it a priority to glorify God through the podcast and to just magnify people and missions and ministries that are working to build the kingdom of God and to bring heaven down to earth, because that's God's will. So we're excited about our guests and we're excited about the future. What are the future dreams for Rise Up? Like, what's the vision for the future? What do we see coming in the future? That's not happening now.

Holly Hoyer: 33:07

I would love to see a marriage conference. Yes, for sure. I would love to see maybe two conferences a year. I would love to see it, um, rise up, take root in other cities and just begin to grow. I would love to see rise up, travel and maybe go into a city that's, you know, struggling and we just come in and have our worship night and prayers and testimonies and encourage pastors. Yes, so it's endless.

Kim McIntire: 33:38

It's endless, yeah, and I know that it's God's heart, you know for marriages to be stronger, families to be stronger, churches to be stronger, and that's our heart too. So we're going to—I believe there are so many directions God's going to be taking us, and we were told, we were prophesied over that this was a ministry with many branches, that would be far-reaching, and so we may not know what all of that looks like yet, but we're definitely excited for what God's going to be doing in the future.

Kim McIntire: 34:09

And I'm going to talk about Abide, future and I'm going to talk about Abide. You can find this information on our social media platforms, but we website itstimetoriseuporg. Thank you, amber. And it's a class for people who struggle to pray, struggle to read the Word, maybe struggle in just their walk with God, and we have some classes opening up in January. So if that is something that your heart is drawn to and you know that is something that you need, then please check that out, because we believe God's going to do amazing things. He's already done amazing things. We've had classes going now for about a year, but now we have more leaders leading and we're going to be able to reach more people, and so I'm super excited about that. Are there any other thoughts that we want to share? Today, ladies, we don't want to leave any stone unturned.

Holly Hoyer: 35:04

Maybe we should close out with just a few testimonies of what God has done at either Conference 1 or 2 or at the worship night or even at the prayer night, because we've had some powerful things there. But I was just reminded of a testimony in Conference 1 where a mom came from out of state. She flew in and she came with her daughter that was local but she was estranged from another daughter and so she invited that daughter and her granddaughter that she hadn't seen in years. And they came and God really met them at that conference and, I believe, began a restoration process in their family, process in their family, and so God was so faithful to meet us in so many ways that it really I'm just undone, when I think about the faithfulness of God to fly a woman across the country into that conference with estranged family relationships and leave on the road to recovery and restoration.

Holly Hoyer: 36:15

It's just a beautiful thing what he's doing. But that just popped into my memory and I just wanted to share that. I'm sure there's others that you guys can think of.

Amber Sampson: 36:24

Yeah, excuse me, I'm reading through a list of testimonies and I should have been more prepared and highlighted one or two to share tonight, but one I'll share. There's kind of some of the highlight is my anxiety my anxiety. Many people have been healed of anxiety. Is that the way you would say it? Healed of anxiety at conference or worship night? But this individual wrote in and this was at conference last year, in 2023. The Lord helped me to speak forgiveness over my past, myself and trauma I didn't know. I was still holding on to. My identity is in Christ, not my past. My past does not define my future and we've had people share testimonies from worship night. That was where a lot of the anxiety testimonies came from, was from the worship night and I know you know some testimonies from conference of this last year, kelly.

Kelly Keener: 37:26

Well, I'm thinking of a lady who lost her daughter several years back. That Friday night was the anniversary of her death, and so her mother was there at the conference and she was struggling a little bit. And after the conference was over, friday night, we were just talking about the conference and on the floor there was this little bead it was a butterfly bead and it was picked up and given to her and like, does this mean? You know, this is weird, does this mean anything? And she said, yes, when my daughter died, a butterfly come and landed on me and it's the reminder that she's in the arms of God. And so, you know, just think of what Lord had to orchestrate to have that little bead under her seat all night.

Kelly Keener: 38:22

So you know, that to me was just. You know, god sees us, he sees us and he blesses us and he, just he takes care of those needs. And so that was one I have a personal testimony of, just with my husband and I. You know, we've been married 30 years and you know you think you don't hold on to certain things or you think you move on. And on our way home, I remember telling my husband hey, I don't know if I've ever told you this. But I forgive you. I want you to know you're released, and that was really big for us Because you think you've taken care of things.

Kim McIntire: 38:58

But sometimes, as wives, we hold on to things a little longer than we should, and so for us that was beautiful that the Lord brought that to us and that we were able to take care of it and not carry it anymore. That's so good. Thank you, lord. Yeah, I mean, there's so many layers. I heard healing testimonies physical healing, emotional, relational healings and God was just doing so many things and I just left with a supernatural joy.

Kim McIntire: 39:26

I mean just a supernatural joy and just in awe of what God did, and I left just asking the Lord. Lord, give me this continual state of heart that I'm in awe of you. Because I mean, really, if you can ever get to a place where you're in awe of God and I'm speaking to myself I'm not trying to preach to everyone, but maybe I am If we can ever get to a place where we are just in continual awe of God and I'm speaking to myself I'm not trying to preach to everyone, but maybe I am If we can ever get to a place where we are just in continual awe of God, I can't imagine what we would see and experience because our eyes would be wide open to like he's magnificent, he's majestic, he's over all, he is worthy of our fear and our praise in the best of ways. So we cannot wait for worship night, we cannot wait for conference next year, because this, I know it just keeps getting better. I mean, you leave and you're like this was amazing, this was incredible.

Kim McIntire: 40:31

God did so much and yet the next event he does more. So we would just encourage everyone start praying now. If you have conflicts, I've already had people say they have conflicts next August and I say pray about it, Because if the Lord wants you there, he will work out the details and he will make a way for you to attend. Work out the details and he will make a way for you to attend, and we believe that we're already praying for next year. So thank you so much for spending your time with us today. We would ask you again to subscribe to our podcast. Feel free to leave a comment on our platforms, Give us a thumbs up or a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and we're going to close out with Amber sharing our social media links. Where can you find us on social media? You can find us at Facebook and Instagram.

Amber Sampson: 41:20

Facebook is, you can simply type in Rise Up and there'll be a picture with a couple little triangles that says Rise Up and then, if you need to type the URL, it's, you know, facebookcom. Forward, slash the official itstimetoriseuporg and then our Instagram handle is a little more difficult, but it's the underscore official, underscore rise, underscore up. There's so many rise up handles out there, we had to get creative. But you can also find a lot of insight and information on our website. Stay up to date with the events and different classes that are coming at itstimetoriseuporg.

Kim McIntire: 42:08

Okay, that's amazing. Well, the next podcast is going to be an interview, so we would encourage you to stay tuned and join us for our next episode, and we just thank you so much for joining us today. God bless.