Last updated January 6, 2019.

My name is Caitlyn. I am a 2016 graduate of the International House of Prayer University in Kansas City, MO, and I’m currently a full-time missionary staff member at The Prayer Room Missions Base in Arlington, Texas.

I was born as the oldest of four kids into a Christian homeschooling family, and I first opened my heart to Jesus at age three. I loved Jesus, and I even remember certain moments, very early in my childhood, when I know I heard His voice. I had an insatiable curiosity about salvation, heaven, hell, Jesus’ return, the antichrist, resurrected bodies, etc. However, I spent much of my childhood insecure and closed off, “good girl” on the outside but giving in to the darkness on the inside.

My spiritual “renaissance” came in my high school youth group. After several years of God tenderly softening my heart, in December 2005 I encountered Jesus as a passionate warrior lover in the Circle series by Ted Dekker. I fell in love with a Person I finally saw in flashing Technicolor brightness. In June 2006, my youth group went to our first Jesus Culture conference, and over the next year, we experienced a powerful taste of revival. Healings, prophetic words, and freedom in worship became our new normal, and as I experienced the power of the Holy Spirit, I became more and more obsessed with God.

After I graduated high school, I went to Azusa Pacific University to study theatre. That was where my prayer life began to grow deep. I would spend hours every week in the little prayer chapel, worshipping, interceding, and fellowshipping with God. During that period, something he had marked me with during the youth group revival began to resurface in force in my heart. He had called me Mary of Bethany, and confirmed it through one crazy prophetic encounter after another. He was drawing me deeper into the secret place to utterly waste my life on Him.

As the time of my college graduation grew closer, I suddenly didn’t have peace about pursuing an acting career in Hollywood. My heart was being drawn towards prayer, worship, and ministry. I had heard of IHOPKC during high school, and over the years I had listened to many of the worship cds and a few of the teachings. The idea of a 24/7 prayer room where I could waste my life like Mary of Bethany at the feet of Jesus captived me. I would frequently daydream about moving to Kansas City for the One Thing Internship, but I was still convinced it wasn’t “practical”.

Finally, two years after graduation, I took the plunge, and in July 2012, I was packing my car and driving alone to Kansas City for the One Thing Internship. I drank in all of the teaching on the Bridegroom heart of God and the end times. I practised prophesying and watched God speak through us. I hit the streets to touch people in Jesus’ name. I learned to fast and to sustain prayer. All of the interns became like family.

Towards the end of my internship, God burned a passion into me for missions and the prayer movement and the forerunner ministry, all leading up to the glorious return of Jesus Christ to the earth. There came a point when I knew that the only thing I wanted to do was come back to this place to study His Word and be an active part of the watching, praying generation that God will use to usher in His Kingdom.

After OTI, I spent eight months at home working and catching up online with the semester I missed, then returned to Kansas City in August 2013 as a sophomore IHOPU student (click here for IHOPU FAQ). Over the next few years, IHOPU gave me so many precious opportunities. In the Forerunner School of Ministry, I was studying things like theology of Israel, the Song of Solomon, eschatology, hermeneutics, supernatural ministry, leadership, and teaching and preaching. I travelled to Chicago, Pasadena, and College Station on ministry trips to encourage local believers, evangelise, and help fuel prayer and worship. I even got to sing, play keys, and even lead a bit for a student worship team.

In my senior year, I served on an externship at The Prayer Room Missions Base (TPR) in Arlington, Texas. (Click here for TPR FAQ) I fell in love with The Prayer Room, I knew God was inviting me to come back and staff as a full-time intercessory missionary.

I graduated from IHOPU in May 2016, spent the rest of the year at home in California working and developing financial partnership, and in January 2017 I finally, officially MOVED TO TEXAS to join staff at TPR. My primary commitment is as a worshipper and intercessor in the prayer room itself. I lead worship at least ten hours a week, and I serve as a “gatekeeper” ushering and section leading for the room. I also serve on the senior leadership team as the Forerunner Equipping Center coordinator, which right now includes our Immerse internship, School of Supernatural Ministry, Forerunner Music Academy, and kids’ Daniel Academy. In total, my week consists of 30 hours in the prayer room and 15 hours of service, including admin, meetings, and teaching.

I am so grateful for my journey. From my earliest days of fascination with the end times, to my encounters with the Holy Spirit as a teen, to catching a vision for the global prayer movement at IHOPKC, to stepping into full-time prayer and worship ministry at The Prayer Room, God has been so faithful in His leadership over my life. I am more in love with Him than I have ever been, and I am wholeheartedly committed to wasting my life at His feet like Mary of Bethany to see His dreams come true — that “from the rising of the sun to its setting [His] name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to [His] name, and a pure offering.” (Malachi 1:11)

May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.

Catch me up in Your story
All my life for Your glory
–“All Is For Your Glory” by Lisa Gotshall