This weekend we (all the interns and leaders) went away for the weekend for a prayer retreat in rural Oklahoma. It was led by a couple, Phil and Melissa, from Dallas who are part of the Burn 24-7. I was really looking forward to getting away and slowing down for the weekend; the past few weeks have felt quite busy and tiring.
On Friday evening we got there and ate together. Then we had a time of creative interactive worship - basically, no-one led. We sat and waited upon the Lord and people picked up instruments as they felt led by the Holy Spirit. Apparently nearly everyone had pretty awesome encounters with God, except me. I couldn't really focus on God, I felt really weird. It kinda made me angry and jealous of everyone else - God's beginning to bring stuff to the surface that's deep in me. It was hard seeing my weaknesses while everyone else was experiencing the wonders of God.
The next morning we had a similar worship time, and again i couldn't really feel anything, so i just tried to focus my mind on worshiping. It was a bit frustrating still. Then we were told that for the rest of the day (from 12pm til 6pm) we couldn't talk to anyone else apart from God. We just had alone time with God all afternoon - it was very quiet. So i walked around the nearby lake and spent time with God. It was really good just to be quiet and focus on Him - living in community with 11 other people, i find i crave silence every so often. Later I interacted with God around the Bible, and I also read a fair amount of "Intercessory Prayer" by Dutch Sheets - excellent book.
Later in the afternoon i got chance to talk 2-on-1 with Phil and Melissa. It was really awesome to be able to just bare my soul to them. They are really amazing, peaceful people.
During the weekend, I was reminded of what God had told me earlier in the week that God is taking me into a season of winter, of being barren and dying. For this season I won't feel emotion in worship - God wants me to learn to be led by Him leading my spirit. I'm gonna have to learn to trust God, and not my emotions. My flesh is being crushed, and I'm not gonna feel comfortable.
One prayer request i have is my visa situation. It currently doesn't look very easy for me to come back here, and i'm gonna have to be wise and also trust God as far as flights, etc are concerned. So, if you could pray for me, that would be wonderful.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Sacrifice, etc
it's been a while since i wrote - we've been pretty busy i guess.
We had Burn Shawnee a couple of weeks ago - it was real cool. It started with a group of people from YWAM in Hawaii who are raising awareness about sex trafficking. They told us a whole bunch of stuff about what's going on around the world, including in the US. It was pretty shocking. Then we prayed and cried out to God about the issue. God broke my heart for the people, especially children, who are bought and sold as sex slaves. While hearing this stuff i had to cry out to Him to bring justice.
Later in the evening i led a two-hour set of worship and prayer (from 1-3am). It was really good - i hardly sang any actual songs, but just sang out my heart to God and sang out Scripture and words He gave me. At the end of the 26 hours we had a youth rally, which was really great. We collectively entered the throne room and each saw something of the throne room. I saw a sea of diamonds, rubies and precious stones, with a rainbow over it. It was beautiful.
We've been doing some fundraising recently for our trip to Israel. We did a dinner at our church for people to come and find out about what we're doing so they could pray and donate. We also did a concert last weekend with nearly all original songs written by us interns. It was great fun, and we were able to tell more people about our trip. At the end we started praying and interceding for Israel - it was really powerful, and made me even more excited about going to Israel.
God has been speaking to me about sacrifice recently. Sure, i've sacrificed some to be here, but I know God has me here to weed out some stuff from me. God showed me that Jesus chose death with every step, and that's what we're called to - death to ourselves each day. I guess that means i should be ready for some not-so-easy stuff.
But i know this is important - i don't want to be able to prophecy and see signs and wonders without my character being formed.
I'm really grateful to be here - i have an amazing family here, which adds to my family around the world. I do miss my family in various places, but I'm glad i'm here
We had Burn Shawnee a couple of weeks ago - it was real cool. It started with a group of people from YWAM in Hawaii who are raising awareness about sex trafficking. They told us a whole bunch of stuff about what's going on around the world, including in the US. It was pretty shocking. Then we prayed and cried out to God about the issue. God broke my heart for the people, especially children, who are bought and sold as sex slaves. While hearing this stuff i had to cry out to Him to bring justice.
Later in the evening i led a two-hour set of worship and prayer (from 1-3am). It was really good - i hardly sang any actual songs, but just sang out my heart to God and sang out Scripture and words He gave me. At the end of the 26 hours we had a youth rally, which was really great. We collectively entered the throne room and each saw something of the throne room. I saw a sea of diamonds, rubies and precious stones, with a rainbow over it. It was beautiful.
We've been doing some fundraising recently for our trip to Israel. We did a dinner at our church for people to come and find out about what we're doing so they could pray and donate. We also did a concert last weekend with nearly all original songs written by us interns. It was great fun, and we were able to tell more people about our trip. At the end we started praying and interceding for Israel - it was really powerful, and made me even more excited about going to Israel.
God has been speaking to me about sacrifice recently. Sure, i've sacrificed some to be here, but I know God has me here to weed out some stuff from me. God showed me that Jesus chose death with every step, and that's what we're called to - death to ourselves each day. I guess that means i should be ready for some not-so-easy stuff.
But i know this is important - i don't want to be able to prophecy and see signs and wonders without my character being formed.
I'm really grateful to be here - i have an amazing family here, which adds to my family around the world. I do miss my family in various places, but I'm glad i'm here
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Israel trip and Burn Austin
Hey
firstly, i want to let you know that i'm going with the internship to Israel from January 8 to February 6. We will be spending some time in a Palestinian refugee camp with a lady called Karen Dunham, who works there. Not only will we help serve their practical needs, we will get to share the powerful message of the Kingdom of God and believe for salvation, healing, and deliverance!
We will also be going into the training grounds for future terrorists. We have the opportunity to go into the schools where these children’s future is hanging in the balance, and take the Gospel to them.
We will also be visting prayer houses and praying and interceding for the Middle East.
I'm believing that God can provide the money for me to go - i need about $2200. He has provided for me before, and I'm sure He will again. I'd appreciate your prayers for this.
Last weekend, we drove down to Austin, Texas (about 7 hrs away from Shawnee). We went down there to join in with their Burn. We had an awesome time of worship and intercession for the city. I also had an amazing experience of God's holiness. I was lying facedown and couldn't say anything other than "Holy" for about 30 mins! It was crazy. We then prayed over each other. We then went out and prayed on the streets of downtown Austin. It was Halloween, so the streets were packed with people dressed up. We prayed for people, and did a prayer 'fire tunnel' - people didn't really know what it was, but we got to pray over loads of people as they ran through.
God really gave me a heart for the city and the people. They all seemed so hopeless, so numb.
It was a pretty awesome trip, and i was able to read over half of "Mere Christianity" on the journey there and back - it is an amazing book.
Life continues to be good. I started giving guitar lessons at the church i help at, which is fun. Tomorrow night Burn Shawnee begins - should be awesome, and we have some people from YWAM's Human Trafficking Awareness Tour coming, which will probably break our hearts again.
God's doing so much, I hope reading this encourages you
firstly, i want to let you know that i'm going with the internship to Israel from January 8 to February 6. We will be spending some time in a Palestinian refugee camp with a lady called Karen Dunham, who works there. Not only will we help serve their practical needs, we will get to share the powerful message of the Kingdom of God and believe for salvation, healing, and deliverance!
We will also be going into the training grounds for future terrorists. We have the opportunity to go into the schools where these children’s future is hanging in the balance, and take the Gospel to them.
We will also be visting prayer houses and praying and interceding for the Middle East.
I'm believing that God can provide the money for me to go - i need about $2200. He has provided for me before, and I'm sure He will again. I'd appreciate your prayers for this.
Last weekend, we drove down to Austin, Texas (about 7 hrs away from Shawnee). We went down there to join in with their Burn. We had an awesome time of worship and intercession for the city. I also had an amazing experience of God's holiness. I was lying facedown and couldn't say anything other than "Holy" for about 30 mins! It was crazy. We then prayed over each other. We then went out and prayed on the streets of downtown Austin. It was Halloween, so the streets were packed with people dressed up. We prayed for people, and did a prayer 'fire tunnel' - people didn't really know what it was, but we got to pray over loads of people as they ran through.
God really gave me a heart for the city and the people. They all seemed so hopeless, so numb.
It was a pretty awesome trip, and i was able to read over half of "Mere Christianity" on the journey there and back - it is an amazing book.
Life continues to be good. I started giving guitar lessons at the church i help at, which is fun. Tomorrow night Burn Shawnee begins - should be awesome, and we have some people from YWAM's Human Trafficking Awareness Tour coming, which will probably break our hearts again.
God's doing so much, I hope reading this encourages you
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)