Impact Report August 2025
Recently, we had the great privilege of praying, fasting, and hosting the Warrior Men’s Retreat. It was incredible! God really astounded us! We especially loved how our friend Duane Donner described the retreat and the vital lessons the Holy Spirit downloaded to him. We believe his below takeaway from Warrior will bless and encourage you.
“I spent this weekend at a men’s conference at Lake Martin with a little over 100 men. The essence of this “Warrior” retreat hosted by Triumph of Hope was geared towards “Awakening men to seek after God’s best and highest purpose for their lives”. It was a powerful experience with a combination of testimony/talks, prayer, praise and worship, reflection, and a call to confession, repentance, and surrender; with the hope that all attendees would experience personal revival in their walk with Jesus and be freed from anything that may be holding us back from experiencing the fullness of God in our lives.
As I prayed and reflected about my own life and what might threaten or hinder my relationship with Jesus, I felt the Holy Spirit gently nudge and remind me of the risk of idols. An idol is anything we put in the place of God in our hearts — anything we love, trust, or obey more than Him. It can be a physical object, but more often it’s a desire, ambition, relationship, or pursuit that takes God’s rightful place as first in our affections and allegiance. Some “idols” may be subtle, even good things that could shift into ultimate things if I am not intentional about protecting my heart and soul in these areas. Here are a few things that God showed me that I need to be aware of quietly taking the throne of my heart.
Given my stage of life — decades into business leadership, a growing ministry vision, a deep desire to leave a generational impact, and an active role in family and marriage (34 years of marriage, 3 grown children and 8 grandchildren) — some “idols” may be subtle, even good things that could shift into ultimate things if I am not intentional about protecting my heart and soul in these areas. Achievement & Legacy – Measuring my worth by what I have built, the size of my influence, or how well my company/ministry will carry forward my name. The risk here is that I find my identity in accomplishment versus who I am in Christ. “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36)
Achievement & Legacy – Measuring my worth by what I have built, the size of my influence, or how well my company/ministry will carry forward my name. The risk here is that I find my identity in accomplishment versus who I am in Christ. “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36)
Control & Self-Sufficiency – Desiring everything in my life from business succession to ministry growth to family decisions to align with my vision, plan, and timing. The risk here is that instead of fully trusting God I am trusting my vision and plan. “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)
Reputation & Influence – Valuing the respect, recognition, and perception others have of you more than God’s quiet approval. The risk here is having my decisions subtly shaped by “how it will be received” rather than “is this what God is calling me to?” “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? … If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”(Galatians 1:10)
Family & Security – Prioritizing the protection of family comfort, wealth, or lifestyle over the harder calls of obedience. The risk here is avoiding risky steps of faith because they might “disrupt” my family and what feels settled for this stage of my life. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…”(Matthew 10:37)
Ministry as Identity – Deriving my joy or self-worth from how well our ministry is received, how big it grows, or how many leaders we influence. The risk here is that the work of God becomes a substitute for the presence of God. “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” (Revelation 2:4)
Challenge Question: What important and good things in your life may be competing with Jesus for priority in your heart? If God took any of these things away tomorrow, how would your heart respond? Am I willing to put God in His proper place high above everything in my life? I pray the Holy Spirit will give us the strength and power to identify and remove/reorder potential idols in our lives so we can receive the fullness of what God has for us and live “The life that is truly life” in Christ Jesus!”
Click here to watch the Weekend in Review video recap of Warrior.
Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting with a 40 Day Corporate Fast and Study
The Lord led us to kick off a 40 day fast, starting July 8, 2025. (It turns out that July 8, 1741, was the day Jonathan Edwards preached America’s greatest sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. This sermon’s call to Repentance arguably had the greatest influence on America’s first Great Awakening.) The Lord highlighted to us the need to: pray for our nation; pray for American men to daily step into their spiritual leadership role; pray for the Warrior retreat; and pray for the Church to become more effective witnesses for Christ. This 40 day corporate time of fasting and prayer, has brought many people closer to Jesus in their faith walk, and ushered in breakthrough to many others. It has been humbling to walk in the Holy Spirit’s conviction and to hear stories of lives transformed through repentance during the fast. Along with the 40 Day Corporate fast, we launched an incredible book study on Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince. History truly belongs to the intercessors.
Upcoming Events
Made for More with Special Guest John Bevere
Did you know that YOU Were Made for More? God is awakening a divine and desperate hunger in His people. At the very core of our being, we are spiritually awakening to the fact that we were made for more but how do we get there? Come find out at Triumph of Hope’s Made For More Event: a two-day conference featuring guest speaker John Bevere, co-founder of Messenger International and best selling author of The Awe of God, the Bait of Satan and many more. Join Triumph of Hope and come hear John as he brings a timely message for this generation.
Driven by Eternity Women’s Bible Study in Birmingham, AL
Register and join us on September 4 for our women’s fall Bible Study in person in Birmingham, AL. In this 6-week study, the Lord is going to tear away the veil, and open your eyes to how your daily choices matter, and how they shape your eternal existence.
Resources
Download this quarter’s eBook “Renewing the Mind” and check out our latest prayers for special celebrations and everyday life on our new “Prayers” page.
Watch August’s most watched More Than Conquerors episode “Supernatural Living Made Simple” below ⬇️
Click here to register for the weekly More Than Conquerors prayer call. Once you register, you will receive an email from Zoom with instructions to join every Friday as well as a reminder every Saturday morning from 8:00am-9:00am CT.
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