It has been almost a year since I began the journey of understanding this person we call the Holy spirit.
Almost a year since I surrendered fully to him and stopped trying to control things.
How I wish I would have done it sooner.
I think about all the time I spent in China, and while I did see fruit, I feel I could have seen so much more! This person we call the Holy spirit, this presence of God is more than anything I could have hoped for.
I began to step out only recently in what I had been studying for the last year, and began to stop having an agenda when ministering to people, and instead have become a living vessel that understands that I carry the presence of the living God inside of my body.
Three weeks ago I got to take this presence of God into a prison cell for youth girls. I didn't prepare a speech or topic that I wanted to speak on.... I completely relied on the Holy spirit to show up, and I'm so glad that I did.
I asked the girls if they wanted to experience God, and the Holy spirit. We held hands in the circle and waited for my precious father to work. One by one they began to cry and experience the Holy spirit, I got words for them, and for one girl in particular named Jarissa.
Jarissa was the hard one of the group. The hardness of life was written on her face, and God spoke to me about her. I saw her full of Joy and laughter. I told her that and asked her if she wanted to feel God's presence, she said yes and she cried as I prayed for her.
I got to go back again yesterday, and did the same thing... There were about seven new girls, and just like the first time we went, they were uninterested, hard-hearted, and the cruelness of life written all over their faces. But I knew that God was going to work.
I did not complicate it, I'm done with that... I simply began the same way I did two weeks before.
Talked a little bit about God and his love, and then asked who wanted to experience this God. Of course they all did, and we held hands and again God gave me words for them. One by one they were touched by God's love, one by one they cried out pain stuffed deep inside. But, want to know the coolest part?
As I went around the circle praying for these girls, Jarissa went along side of me and prayed for them in spanish. CRYING as she prayed for her fellow inmates.
At the end as we had our time of sharing, each girl expressed how they felt the Holy spirit touch them, and Jarissa spoke last, here is what she said:
"Two weeks ago I had an experience with this person called the Holy spirit. When you prayed for me I could feel him with my body. Before this day, I would go to sleep feeling all alone, and I would often cry. But since then, I can feel the holy spirit is with me and I don't feel lonely. I feel like he is with me and I have so much Joy. I also am so surprised cause I feel like I love all of you girls (her fellow inmates) before, I didn't feel anything toward you. But now, I can go around and pray for you and feel genuine love for you, and cry for you... This is God."
There you have it... Change.
God has all the power, we plant a seed and he waters it and causes it to Grow. He brings the increase, the fruit.... I didn't speak to them with awesome and convincing sermons/teachings... I simply came in the smallness of who I am and pointed to the hugeness of who our God is. THIS is the power of the gospel. THIS is the power that changes.
I will never try another way.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
The mirror
We just finished a week of Mission adventures!
Mission adventures is a program where we bring youth in and show them what it's like to live the missionary lifestyle. For a week they come and have teaching and then go out and do ministry. It's a powerful time.
Seven years ago, I attended a mission adventures in Louisiana, to help with the relief of hurricane Katrina.
It was there that I committed to God that I would follow him wherever, and serve him as a missionary.
So for me this last week was like looking at myself seven years ago. I saw 13 young people give their lives to this calling. To go wherever daddy wants them to go. To love people and love God with their every cell. And it stirred me up again as well.
More and more I discover who I am and how God has created me to be. All the different parts of my personality and how they fit together specifically to do something that is very specific and unique. Unlike any other human being.
I know now more than I did seven years ago, what I am called to do, what gifts dad has given me and for what purpose. I pray that those kids see and learn those things about their personalities as well, and become everything daddy created them to be.
We got to build another house for a precious family... What a blessing it is to serve my father.
I thank all of you who support me in doing this. The bible says you share in my reward one hundred percent.
Mission adventures is a program where we bring youth in and show them what it's like to live the missionary lifestyle. For a week they come and have teaching and then go out and do ministry. It's a powerful time.
Seven years ago, I attended a mission adventures in Louisiana, to help with the relief of hurricane Katrina.
It was there that I committed to God that I would follow him wherever, and serve him as a missionary.
So for me this last week was like looking at myself seven years ago. I saw 13 young people give their lives to this calling. To go wherever daddy wants them to go. To love people and love God with their every cell. And it stirred me up again as well.
More and more I discover who I am and how God has created me to be. All the different parts of my personality and how they fit together specifically to do something that is very specific and unique. Unlike any other human being.
I know now more than I did seven years ago, what I am called to do, what gifts dad has given me and for what purpose. I pray that those kids see and learn those things about their personalities as well, and become everything daddy created them to be.
We got to build another house for a precious family... What a blessing it is to serve my father.
I thank all of you who support me in doing this. The bible says you share in my reward one hundred percent.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Finding freedom in their cells
Yesterday was amazing! I went to the girls juvenile prison to share my testimony and the gospel with these young girls.
I knew that I wanted the Holy spirit to show up, he has become the focus of all I do.
So I went in not knowing really what I was going to say, just share what God has done in my own life, and then let the holy spirit do the rest. :)
So I finish telling my story, which most of these girls in that place could relate to. And then I shared who God was and what he could do in their lives, just like he did in mine.
I invited them to talk to God with me right there. We all joined hands and began to pray... Immediately God gave me a word for a girl named Jarissa. I've rarely seen her smile, she has a very hard face all the time... Almost impenetrable.
So I speak the word, "Jarissa, I saw you laughing... just laughing and full of Joy. God is saying that the enemy has stolen your joy, but he made you to be joyful. You will find that joy and happiness as you spend time in his presence."
I open my eyes, and she is sobbing. So I go lay hands on her to pray for her.
At the end of meeting she told me, "You know, I have heard that God loves me alot, but I never believed it. As you were talking I asked God to show me that he loved me, that he saw me.. I told him if he did he would show me... Right then, you began to speak to me. Out of all these girls,
you saw me. Then you were praying for me, and I felt the Holy spirit for the first time, all over my body, just like you talked about."
Every girl shared about how they were touched, I got to pray with each one of them... Each one of them spilling tears as they shared that they could see themselves in what I was talking about, and how they wanted to know this Jesus who helped me find my freedom.
Jesus is freedom.
I knew that I wanted the Holy spirit to show up, he has become the focus of all I do.
So I went in not knowing really what I was going to say, just share what God has done in my own life, and then let the holy spirit do the rest. :)
So I finish telling my story, which most of these girls in that place could relate to. And then I shared who God was and what he could do in their lives, just like he did in mine.
I invited them to talk to God with me right there. We all joined hands and began to pray... Immediately God gave me a word for a girl named Jarissa. I've rarely seen her smile, she has a very hard face all the time... Almost impenetrable.
So I speak the word, "Jarissa, I saw you laughing... just laughing and full of Joy. God is saying that the enemy has stolen your joy, but he made you to be joyful. You will find that joy and happiness as you spend time in his presence."
I open my eyes, and she is sobbing. So I go lay hands on her to pray for her.
At the end of meeting she told me, "You know, I have heard that God loves me alot, but I never believed it. As you were talking I asked God to show me that he loved me, that he saw me.. I told him if he did he would show me... Right then, you began to speak to me. Out of all these girls,
you saw me. Then you were praying for me, and I felt the Holy spirit for the first time, all over my body, just like you talked about."
Every girl shared about how they were touched, I got to pray with each one of them... Each one of them spilling tears as they shared that they could see themselves in what I was talking about, and how they wanted to know this Jesus who helped me find my freedom.
Jesus is freedom.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Passion
I finally after all these years feel that I understand what I'm called to do.
I understand that I'm still in the learning stages, and so it won't immediately look this way, but the more I step out and obey, the more it should look this way.
I have a heart to pray for the sick and the injured, and faith that they WILL be healed right in front of my eyes. My heart is to reveal to those who do not believe or who are unsure, that they have a father in heaven that loves them and is real.
I believe that God is giving me this prompting to go out and to trust that as I lay hands on the sick, they will feel the holy spirit and they will be healed.
I can't express how excited it makes me to know that God will show up as I prayer for strangers, atheists, agnostics, Christians, seekers.... Basically everyone I can get my hands on! :0)
I believe that this is in every single one of us Christians, if we would believe and go do it. I don't want anyone to think that I believe I have some special gift or anything like that. This is in all of us that want to follow it!
And I DO want to follow it, with all my heart... All day long just go and pray and talk with those that are hurting and in need of our fathers love.
I've been doing this for the last couple weeks in my spare time, going out on the streets and praying for people. It's something that grows each time I do it. The experiences get more and more intense and amazing. People experience more and more of the holy spirit.... To the point that some of the cry within the first few seconds of prayer.
The world is hurting and desperately need to know that they have a father who cares for them.
My heart is to show that to as many people as I can possibly meet in a day!
Compassion will take you over if you let it. Love will lead your life if you dare to let it consume you.
Let it.
I understand that I'm still in the learning stages, and so it won't immediately look this way, but the more I step out and obey, the more it should look this way.
I have a heart to pray for the sick and the injured, and faith that they WILL be healed right in front of my eyes. My heart is to reveal to those who do not believe or who are unsure, that they have a father in heaven that loves them and is real.
I believe that God is giving me this prompting to go out and to trust that as I lay hands on the sick, they will feel the holy spirit and they will be healed.
I can't express how excited it makes me to know that God will show up as I prayer for strangers, atheists, agnostics, Christians, seekers.... Basically everyone I can get my hands on! :0)
I believe that this is in every single one of us Christians, if we would believe and go do it. I don't want anyone to think that I believe I have some special gift or anything like that. This is in all of us that want to follow it!
And I DO want to follow it, with all my heart... All day long just go and pray and talk with those that are hurting and in need of our fathers love.
I've been doing this for the last couple weeks in my spare time, going out on the streets and praying for people. It's something that grows each time I do it. The experiences get more and more intense and amazing. People experience more and more of the holy spirit.... To the point that some of the cry within the first few seconds of prayer.
The world is hurting and desperately need to know that they have a father who cares for them.
My heart is to show that to as many people as I can possibly meet in a day!
Compassion will take you over if you let it. Love will lead your life if you dare to let it consume you.
Let it.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Love perfected
This week has been very amazing. God has been revealing his heart more and more to me about love and compassion.
I have been going out and praying for people almost every day since I started last week, and it's been challenging and amazing! I've walked the streets in Rosarito and have gone to the red light district in Tijuana. I'm learning more and more how to be bold and go against my flesh and my fear to give the love that Christ gave to the world.
He lives in each on of us, and we are called to do the things that he did. I believe that the more that I step out in what he gave us authority to do (like healing) the more I will see him manifest through me.
Sometimes I think he is just waiting for people who will be radical, and will step outside of themselves to see the people that they pass by each day. The more that we are faithful in that, the more we see his power.
I have heard it said that the evidence of faith is that the mountain moves. Right now in this process I am at the place of simply having the faith to go out and speak to the mountain despite outcome. I am getting past the fear and apathy that has poisoned me all my life.
The most exciting thing is that the more I do it, the more supernatural things have been occurring.
People we've been praying for have immediately begun crying as we lay our hands on them, claiming that they feel something inside while we're praying, and they can't explain it. I am so excited because I know that they are experiencing the father.
The more that I have been stepping out, the more I am personally experiencing the father. He is showing me his heart for me as I am loving on the unloved.
I dare say that I am experiencing what it means to lose your life in order to gain it.
I have been spending a lot of time in the word, and like never before the words are piercing deep into my soul and breathing life into every part of me that had been blinded or cold.
I'm waking up and I'm coming to life.
I never want to stop.
I have been going out and praying for people almost every day since I started last week, and it's been challenging and amazing! I've walked the streets in Rosarito and have gone to the red light district in Tijuana. I'm learning more and more how to be bold and go against my flesh and my fear to give the love that Christ gave to the world.
He lives in each on of us, and we are called to do the things that he did. I believe that the more that I step out in what he gave us authority to do (like healing) the more I will see him manifest through me.
Sometimes I think he is just waiting for people who will be radical, and will step outside of themselves to see the people that they pass by each day. The more that we are faithful in that, the more we see his power.
I have heard it said that the evidence of faith is that the mountain moves. Right now in this process I am at the place of simply having the faith to go out and speak to the mountain despite outcome. I am getting past the fear and apathy that has poisoned me all my life.
The most exciting thing is that the more I do it, the more supernatural things have been occurring.
People we've been praying for have immediately begun crying as we lay our hands on them, claiming that they feel something inside while we're praying, and they can't explain it. I am so excited because I know that they are experiencing the father.
The more that I have been stepping out, the more I am personally experiencing the father. He is showing me his heart for me as I am loving on the unloved.
I dare say that I am experiencing what it means to lose your life in order to gain it.
I have been spending a lot of time in the word, and like never before the words are piercing deep into my soul and breathing life into every part of me that had been blinded or cold.
I'm waking up and I'm coming to life.
I never want to stop.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Yesterday was the first day that I went out and evangelized and healed in the name of Jesus.
Let me just say that I was met with such a pleasant surprise by the Holy Spirit.
I had been preparing that I would go out for several months without seeing immediate fruit of the work. But, Holy spirit had other plans. We prayed for about 20 people and saw amazing things! One mans back was healed and the pain completely gone!!!
I have videos of all the people we prayed for, and I'm going to make a small video for you guys!
God is good! And when we step out in faith we get to see what he wants to do in us at all times!
Fear is our biggest enemy, and the biggest reason we don't see the spirit of God fall. We all want to see his spirit fall, and we pray to see the spirit fall, but we refuse to obey his commands to go and heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach the gospel.
Revival starts with our obedience! When we step out despite our fear, we set ourselves up in a place of dependancy on the spirit, and boy he loves that!!! He is just WAITING for us to have faith and trust him that way!
Faith is proved by the mountain moved, but faith is also proved by us going out and speaking to the mountain in the first place! Lets not let our past experiences determine the word of God!
Let us not love our own lives even unto death! Lets start being known by our passion as Christians, and letting fear have such a grip on us that we forget WHO we belong to.
I am learning how to be more bold. How to not let this world or fear or danger determine my faith in my pappa. It's time to put myself in positions that are uncomfortable so that PAPPA can show up!
LET HIS NAME BE GLORIFIED!
Let me just say that I was met with such a pleasant surprise by the Holy Spirit.
I had been preparing that I would go out for several months without seeing immediate fruit of the work. But, Holy spirit had other plans. We prayed for about 20 people and saw amazing things! One mans back was healed and the pain completely gone!!!
I have videos of all the people we prayed for, and I'm going to make a small video for you guys!
God is good! And when we step out in faith we get to see what he wants to do in us at all times!
Fear is our biggest enemy, and the biggest reason we don't see the spirit of God fall. We all want to see his spirit fall, and we pray to see the spirit fall, but we refuse to obey his commands to go and heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach the gospel.
Revival starts with our obedience! When we step out despite our fear, we set ourselves up in a place of dependancy on the spirit, and boy he loves that!!! He is just WAITING for us to have faith and trust him that way!
Faith is proved by the mountain moved, but faith is also proved by us going out and speaking to the mountain in the first place! Lets not let our past experiences determine the word of God!
Let us not love our own lives even unto death! Lets start being known by our passion as Christians, and letting fear have such a grip on us that we forget WHO we belong to.
I am learning how to be more bold. How to not let this world or fear or danger determine my faith in my pappa. It's time to put myself in positions that are uncomfortable so that PAPPA can show up!
LET HIS NAME BE GLORIFIED!
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Re present the Christ.
SO tomorrow starts the big day!
After lunch I will go out on the streets and see what God does! I am so excited I can barely contain myself!
I am excited not to put a limit on what God can do through me. I am excited for the people I will come in contact with to feel the love of God. I am excited to be BOLD!
I think this world has not yet fully known all that God can do with someone who doesn't let fear, laziness, apathy, complacency, or a miss-understanding of his heart get in the way of his power and love.
I want to be that person.
It's time to GO big or GO home.
After lunch I will go out on the streets and see what God does! I am so excited I can barely contain myself!
I am excited not to put a limit on what God can do through me. I am excited for the people I will come in contact with to feel the love of God. I am excited to be BOLD!
I think this world has not yet fully known all that God can do with someone who doesn't let fear, laziness, apathy, complacency, or a miss-understanding of his heart get in the way of his power and love.
I want to be that person.
It's time to GO big or GO home.
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