Dayton, Ohio GEM CITY

I lived most of my childhood growing up in northeast Ohio. That is where I met my husband of 30 years. We returned to visit Ohio every year for quite some time to camp and learn about God's beautiful Word, then visit family members and friends that still call Ohio "home."

Ohio is a beautiful state and rich in historical significance. I cannot help but reflect that for as long as I can remember, I could sense underlying every major city, there was a strong heaviness; a deep, sad sigh that manifests as oppression and depression on the faces of her people. Dayton was one of those cities. She was especially grim, gray and dirty, even more so than Youngstown and Cleveland.  Graffiti covered what once were prosperous businesses. She stood alone in stark contrast to the green trees and fields surrounding her.

When I looked at the history of Dayton yesterday and saw how she was nicknamed the "Gem City," and "Little Detroit," I began to fall in love with Dayton. She is called Little Detroit because of the vast industry that mimicked Detroit. She is home to huge proportions of aviation and aerospace technologies, and is very heavily invested in the healthcare (3rd best in the nation for quality) and education. She obviously believes education is the key for her people. She was voted as best place for college grads to come get employment a couple years ago. If you want to buy a good house for a cheap price (vs Virginia or New York) you will find that in Dayton.

Dayton montage found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton,_Ohio#mediaviewer/File:Montage_dayton_1.jpg

We all know Detroit is a virtual wasteland now, eaten up by her policies and economic burdens. I do not want that to foreshadow Dayton's future. She is the GEM CITY, shining bright for Christ. Pray for Dayton, for prosperity as Gem City, to shine spiritually, socially, economically and physically: SOZO Wholeness manifested both on the streets and in the hearts of the people.

I have not returned to Ohio for several years so I look forward to entering her borders from the Ohio River side from West Virginia. We will be there Friday, July 25th. Please pray for the people God has ordained for us to minister to while we are there.

Love you
Carol