I've been able to update my blog while still out on the road! I hope this excites my readers as much as it does me. In all honesty, I've kind of missed keeping up on what God has been doing in my life.
God Time
I'm not going to lie, my God time hasn't been the best these past two weeks. Being on the road and constantly on the move has thrown a wrench in my ability to have a time set apart for God. I know it's something I need to grow in and get better at and over these past two weeks I definitely have. With the Pass it on Tour, we were staying constantly busy and starting early so the best time to have a quiet time was in the morning around 6:00. That in itself was a challenge to me, to get up that early! As soon as I was getting used to that setting, we packed up and left for Beaudesert with a completely different schedule! All in all, these past two weeks have been difficult for me to find a intimate time for God and I. Every time I am alone, God always reminds me of the church of Ephesus. "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first." I don't want to be evangelistic while forgetting my original love, that is Jesus. God time is one of the most important parts of my day and I need to make it a priority.
Filling the Gap
These past two weeks my team and I have filled the gap and interceded in more ways than just prayer. As the first week began, my team and I went on prayer walks around Tenterfield praying for families and the unity within. I personally set aside time to pray for the parks and recreational areas that the people of Tenterfield could go into them with a sense of belonging and peace. We also went into the schools and taught the Religion Education classes and made a connection with the students in the primary schools. These past two weeks have been very hands on!
Listening to God
I am now done with 9 of the psalms! It helps me in the morning with my quiet times to work with memorization because God speaks to me in the psalms every morning. There is so much more revelation when you meditate on them and actually let them sink into your utmost part. One of my favorite psalms from what I now know is psalm 8. It is very much praise to God and what He has done for us and what He has given us. So many times we're caught up in what God can do for us but we often forget that God is the God of the universe!! "When I consider your heavens the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have ordained, what is man that you are mindful of him? And the son of man that you visit him?" Listening to God has been extremely vital these past two weeks as we have been constantly evangelizing through the smaller rural communities.
Life Application
This past week I definitely stepped outside of my comfort zone. I believe being a leader is living a life of being stretched. Constantly being put outside your comfort zone so that you can grow. During the Pass it on Tour, I was given the opportunity to speak during the youth night at the tent in Tenterfield. There were around 200-250 people there that night and they wanted me to speak! WHAT!? That was waaay too many people for me to speak in front of! I've never taken a communication class or read books on how to speak publicly! So I prayed about it...and God told me to do it...So I told them I would do it! What was I thinking!? I was only obeying what God had told me to do. When the moment came for me to speak, I was able to speak without any hesitation and I became bolder as I continued to speak. I was being led not by myself but by the Holy Spirit and the night opened itself up to an amazing night of ministry afterwards. I never want to be in a place where God gives me an opportunity and I say no because of what I want to do.
Sunday 27 October 2013
Friday 11 October 2013
Weekly Journal #6
Disclaimer: I apologize if this week's blog is shorter due to an immense load and busy schedule as to prepare for the Pass it On tour that I leave for tomorrow morning! I won't be able to update my blog for 3 weeks unfortunately! We will be busy in the rural towns of Australia spreading the light!
God Time
Wow! I thought last week was intense with mission simulation! If last week was intense, then this week has been outstandingly insane! God has definitely been revealing what His vision is for me in the near and distant future. I'm starting to realize that God has already given me the gifts and tools I need to have to complete my calling. So far God has told me that 1) I need to start walking out as a leader 2) I need to develop a heart like the best worshiper of all time, David, and 3) that He wants me to start learning and seeking more into music theory! The last one is new so I'm really excited to see why God wants me to become more knowledgeable in music theory! I ask you pray for me that I have revelation and God reveals why he wants to sharpen my mind in this area!
Filling the Gap
Hmm, this has been a difficult one this week. We had Hannah Lenz speak on worship earlier this week and she touched on the topic of corporate worship. She brought up that in corporate worship, we are to edify and prophesy over one another and to worship corporately. She raised the problem a lot of us face though. If you hear a word from God, you have to ask, "Is it for me? Someone else? When am I supposed to tell them? AM I supposed to tell them or just intercede?" I have been interceding this week for the YWAM family that they have that discretion and understanding that Joseph lacked. Joseph may have heard God correctly and may have been chosen by God but without discretion, his prophesy brought negativity and destruction to his family.
Additionally, if any of you want to intercede for me or my school this week I would be so thankful if you could pray for us on the Pass it On tour! We need prayer more than anything. We need to bring the light to the dark parts of Australia and your prayers are our fuel. No prayer is unheard and I am already thankful for what God is going to break through these next three weeks on the road.
Listening to God
If any of you are wondering, I am still continuing with my memorization of the psalms. As of this week, I have 1-7 memorized and God has already spoken through all of them so much. I now understand the full impact of knowing God's word! Not just reading it or skimming it but actually KNOWING it. It's like if you want to paint a picture to God, you have a blank canvas and a couple colors at the start. Over time, with discipline, you can start to add in more pencils, more shading, more dimensions just by enhancing your knowledge of the word and the tools to use to communicate with God! Just as my English gets better by speaking it, my language to God gets stronger as I continue to know what He's said. And when He speaks is it powerful!
Life Application
Well it's 11:53 PM on Friday night, eleventh of October and I have never expected myself to be where I am at right now. Outside, sitting on the stone next to the clothes hanging on the line, gazing at the stars while conversation of trivial and theological things take place behind me, writing a blog to family and friends that have always believed in me. I AM BLESSED! My outreach team went to a youth group this evening to fellowship and worship with middle schoolers and high schoolers! How cool is that? To share life with a couple of beautifully created Aussie teenagers! I just never imagined that my life would be here. I am so thankful and overwhelmed by the gratitude I have for all of those who believed in me and have supported me through all of this. Thank you
Once Again! I apologize if I don't update my blog in a while! I will be on the road for a prolonged duration and won't have access to internet where I'm going. I love you all!
God Time
Wow! I thought last week was intense with mission simulation! If last week was intense, then this week has been outstandingly insane! God has definitely been revealing what His vision is for me in the near and distant future. I'm starting to realize that God has already given me the gifts and tools I need to have to complete my calling. So far God has told me that 1) I need to start walking out as a leader 2) I need to develop a heart like the best worshiper of all time, David, and 3) that He wants me to start learning and seeking more into music theory! The last one is new so I'm really excited to see why God wants me to become more knowledgeable in music theory! I ask you pray for me that I have revelation and God reveals why he wants to sharpen my mind in this area!
Filling the Gap
Hmm, this has been a difficult one this week. We had Hannah Lenz speak on worship earlier this week and she touched on the topic of corporate worship. She brought up that in corporate worship, we are to edify and prophesy over one another and to worship corporately. She raised the problem a lot of us face though. If you hear a word from God, you have to ask, "Is it for me? Someone else? When am I supposed to tell them? AM I supposed to tell them or just intercede?" I have been interceding this week for the YWAM family that they have that discretion and understanding that Joseph lacked. Joseph may have heard God correctly and may have been chosen by God but without discretion, his prophesy brought negativity and destruction to his family.
Additionally, if any of you want to intercede for me or my school this week I would be so thankful if you could pray for us on the Pass it On tour! We need prayer more than anything. We need to bring the light to the dark parts of Australia and your prayers are our fuel. No prayer is unheard and I am already thankful for what God is going to break through these next three weeks on the road.
Listening to God
If any of you are wondering, I am still continuing with my memorization of the psalms. As of this week, I have 1-7 memorized and God has already spoken through all of them so much. I now understand the full impact of knowing God's word! Not just reading it or skimming it but actually KNOWING it. It's like if you want to paint a picture to God, you have a blank canvas and a couple colors at the start. Over time, with discipline, you can start to add in more pencils, more shading, more dimensions just by enhancing your knowledge of the word and the tools to use to communicate with God! Just as my English gets better by speaking it, my language to God gets stronger as I continue to know what He's said. And when He speaks is it powerful!
Life Application
Well it's 11:53 PM on Friday night, eleventh of October and I have never expected myself to be where I am at right now. Outside, sitting on the stone next to the clothes hanging on the line, gazing at the stars while conversation of trivial and theological things take place behind me, writing a blog to family and friends that have always believed in me. I AM BLESSED! My outreach team went to a youth group this evening to fellowship and worship with middle schoolers and high schoolers! How cool is that? To share life with a couple of beautifully created Aussie teenagers! I just never imagined that my life would be here. I am so thankful and overwhelmed by the gratitude I have for all of those who believed in me and have supported me through all of this. Thank you
Once Again! I apologize if I don't update my blog in a while! I will be on the road for a prolonged duration and won't have access to internet where I'm going. I love you all!
Thursday 3 October 2013
Weekly Journal #5
God Time
This past week has been a crazy ride! They definitely keep us busy here in Brisbane! We had one day of relaxation before the school put us through an awesome but extremely tiring mission simulation. We boarded a virtual plane to a made up country to work as an outreach team. The volunteers go to great lengths to make it very realistic for us. It was an intense journey! From teaching an English lesson to illiterate children or bartering in the marketplace for a better price or shoveling down waaay too much food to not offend our home family to sleeping on a tarp with three sleeping bags split between six of us, we had a crazy ride. It was a difficult but extremely rewarding experience.
Basically, my God time was a little less this week as it was very busy unfortunately. Once the week began and we started our Lordship section with Mark Parker, I was able to get back into my routine of quiet time with Jesus in the mornings and spending more time showering in living water every morning.
Filling the Gap
As we have been progressing through this week, many people (including myself) are being fed a handful by Mark Parker on Lordship. This man is truly a man that doesn't care what others think of him! He's not afraid of being truthfully offensive. He cuts to the chase and his words are sharpened with the spirit to cut off any heart issue any one of us may be having.
I've honestly just been interceding for my classmates! I've been praying that pride, independence or rebellion not be an issue and that they can see that Mark is doing what he knows needs to be done. Tomorrow is a big day as we are preparing our minds and hearts for a mock tabernacle participation. Giving the Lord what He is due is not easy and I pray for everyone of my classmates.
Listening to God
This week there was a very impressionable time when I heard God speak to me.
The first time was just last night when we had a night of corporate worship. I was given the awesome opportunity to play the keyboard to facilitate worship and let me tell you, the Holy Spirit was tangible. If I could bottle what happened in that room last night, the world would be so different! There was such a supernatural joy and excitement that it couldn't be of this world. Nothing in this world provides that much peace, that much freedom, that much worth. In the quietness of my heart, God spoke. "This is only a drop of what heaven has to offer. Tonight you bring heaven to earth but there will be a time when I bring you, on earth, to heaven." I hope this encourages a lot of you! It definitely has me.
Life Application
In a previous post I said that I was beginning to be given a heart like David. Well God has definitely been showing me extremely practical ways to start transforming. I believe He has told me I am to memorize parts of the bible. To be exact, God has told me to memorize the Psalms. I know... I thought the same thing! But all I am to do is obey and lean on God's strength, not my own. I'm very pleased to say that as of today, I have memorized four psalms already.
It has been extremely practical and helpful to know just four psalms. From moments of worship when I can quote a psalm when my words fail me, to speaking life into people by declaring what God has to say, I am beginning to understand just the tip of the iceberg. I feel God is going to use these psalms in mighty ways in my life!
I hope everyone is doing well back home and I pray for a constant renewing of your mind. Grace is sufficient for today, walk in that.
This past week has been a crazy ride! They definitely keep us busy here in Brisbane! We had one day of relaxation before the school put us through an awesome but extremely tiring mission simulation. We boarded a virtual plane to a made up country to work as an outreach team. The volunteers go to great lengths to make it very realistic for us. It was an intense journey! From teaching an English lesson to illiterate children or bartering in the marketplace for a better price or shoveling down waaay too much food to not offend our home family to sleeping on a tarp with three sleeping bags split between six of us, we had a crazy ride. It was a difficult but extremely rewarding experience.
Basically, my God time was a little less this week as it was very busy unfortunately. Once the week began and we started our Lordship section with Mark Parker, I was able to get back into my routine of quiet time with Jesus in the mornings and spending more time showering in living water every morning.
Filling the Gap
As we have been progressing through this week, many people (including myself) are being fed a handful by Mark Parker on Lordship. This man is truly a man that doesn't care what others think of him! He's not afraid of being truthfully offensive. He cuts to the chase and his words are sharpened with the spirit to cut off any heart issue any one of us may be having.
I've honestly just been interceding for my classmates! I've been praying that pride, independence or rebellion not be an issue and that they can see that Mark is doing what he knows needs to be done. Tomorrow is a big day as we are preparing our minds and hearts for a mock tabernacle participation. Giving the Lord what He is due is not easy and I pray for everyone of my classmates.
Listening to God
This week there was a very impressionable time when I heard God speak to me.
The first time was just last night when we had a night of corporate worship. I was given the awesome opportunity to play the keyboard to facilitate worship and let me tell you, the Holy Spirit was tangible. If I could bottle what happened in that room last night, the world would be so different! There was such a supernatural joy and excitement that it couldn't be of this world. Nothing in this world provides that much peace, that much freedom, that much worth. In the quietness of my heart, God spoke. "This is only a drop of what heaven has to offer. Tonight you bring heaven to earth but there will be a time when I bring you, on earth, to heaven." I hope this encourages a lot of you! It definitely has me.
Life Application
In a previous post I said that I was beginning to be given a heart like David. Well God has definitely been showing me extremely practical ways to start transforming. I believe He has told me I am to memorize parts of the bible. To be exact, God has told me to memorize the Psalms. I know... I thought the same thing! But all I am to do is obey and lean on God's strength, not my own. I'm very pleased to say that as of today, I have memorized four psalms already.
It has been extremely practical and helpful to know just four psalms. From moments of worship when I can quote a psalm when my words fail me, to speaking life into people by declaring what God has to say, I am beginning to understand just the tip of the iceberg. I feel God is going to use these psalms in mighty ways in my life!
I hope everyone is doing well back home and I pray for a constant renewing of your mind. Grace is sufficient for today, walk in that.
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