Bott Radio Network

National Area Leader Sue Stoltz traveled throughout Illinois attending several National Day of Prayer events and praying for the leaders in that state. She was able to meet with many Christians uniting in prayer and was encouraged to see how many people were crying out to God to “Heal Our Land.” On May 6th, Sue met with the leaders in Lake County, Illinois, north of Chicago before the National Day of Prayer. The next morning she joined over 300 people at Lake County’s Fifth Annual Prayer Breakfast with speaker Jim Ryan, former Illinois Attorney General. Ryan recounted how prayer has helped him through many of his personal travails, including his own battle with cancer, the near death of his wife and the tragic deaths of a daughter and son. Ryan said he has heard some commentators have suggested that the United States is a secular nation but he disagrees. "We are a welcoming nation. We are a religiously diverse nation. But it's just a misstatement of fact to say that we not an overwhelmingly Christian nation, and we have a strong Judeo Christian culture," he said. Ryan also emphasized his strong pro-life stance and his opposition to abortion. "We need to change course because we are on a dangerous course," he said. At noon Sue and the Illinois State Directors for NDP, Stan and Debra Pratt, traveled to Freeport, Illinois, to attend the Stephenson County Courthouse event led by Debbie Leininger. Mayor George Gaulrapp of Freeport gave a prayer for the city and the Chairman of Stephenson County Board, John Blum, prayed for the county. Leininger and her committee have been working on local events since 1992 and now have every city in five counties covered and hosting NDP events. Outside the Illinois State Capitol on the state house steps over 100 people prayed for their state and leaders. NDP Capitol Coordinator Bernie Lutchman stated that despite the weather report for them to have rain, they had sunshine until after their event.