In this memorable moment, Greg has and exciting discussion with Jeri Hill, wife of the late Evangelist Steve Hill who was part of the Brownsville Revival that touched tens of thousands of people in Pensacola Florida. What many people don’t know is the integral moments and life decisions that led up to that memorable moment. God had a plan, and His hand was moving through the lives of Steve and Jeri Hill mightily and powerfully.
Remembering those beginning days of the Brownsville Revival, Jeri talks about what the Lord was doing in her heart and in Steve’s heart challenging them beyond what they though possible. God was showing them “more than what we could ever imagine ourselves to be and to be .” Jeri continues to talk about their choices to live this way each and every day. “Live in righteousness. Live in the will of God. Live committed.” This is what the Lord was doing, not just in Steve and Jeri’s hearts, but in everyone’s hearts.
What is so profound to learn is that the day that the Brownsville Revival started, Father’s Day 1995, wasn’t planned in anyway. As Jeri shares, Steve had only planned on being there for just that one service. “That was the only date he had open because he was scheduled to go all around the world in different places. Even two weeks from the Revival, he was supposed to be in the Czech Republic.” Even though Steve and Jeri was only planning on being there for one day, Jeri sensed the Lord was up to something. As she told Steve, “I really feel like the Pastor is going to ask you to stay.” Steve had already made up his mind NOT to stay as the family had just welcomed a new baby and they had a family vacation already planned. Even though the family had plans already in place, Jeri held these plans with open hands before the Lord, “whatever you want God, Yes, you know, be a soldier and just do it”. Just as Jeri had felt the Lord impressing on her, Pastor John Kilpatrick did in fact ask Steve to stay. With the new invite to Pensacola, Steve and Jeri had planned on being in Pensacola, FL for one week. God had other plans in mind. As Jeri plainly puts it, “Steve would have never stayed if people were not getting saved and not getting right with God”.
Not only were Steve and Jeri surprised at what the Lord was doing, everyone was surprised. Greg recalls his own memories of that unforgettable day as well, ‘[Steve] was like a firebrand. We were praying for him and he was praying for us. It was so powerful, and we still didn’t connect. We had no idea. He did, but we had no idea what was going to happen…till it happened’. That first message Remembering the Wonders of the Lord, was what began it all. Steve shared his message and then continued to tell everyone present that he was going to pray for them. Greg remembers the first time Steve prayed for him and laid hands on Greg, “[Steve] starts praying, and its progressive. As soon as he barely touched my head, just barely touched my head and said, ‘More Lord’, it’s like an angel shoved me back under the Power of God. I went down under the Glory of God and just been changed ever since”. Moments after Steve started praying for people, he instructed everyone to get their children, as the children were in a nearby classroom in the same building. Steve gathered all the children into a circle. A little girl that Steve prayed for was Greg’s daughter, Amber. Greg remembers how he was impacted the moment Steve prayed for Amber, “as soon as he touched her, it was like all the air went out of me. And all of a sudden, shooo, like a new spirit came into me.”