The Power and the Glory (Congo Bound)

As I sit here on this Saturday morning, I have to wonder how it all came to this. How I went from being a smart kid with the sky as the limit, to the girl who threw it all away by laziness and apathy, to the young woman who got a factory job to try and piece it all together, to the fiery revivalist and passionate lover of God I am today. All the steps of this journey have culminated in this moment...

I am going to Congo.

That's right, my first steps outside of American soil will be on some of the most wartorn in the world. I've already been asked to reconsider by some in my family.

"Don't you realize how bad things are over there? Are you really going to make your dad have to bury another kid?"

 My answer was quite firmly, "He won't have to." They couldn't understand how I can be so sure of my safety, but I've learned that the safest place to be is in the center of God's will. So what if I'm shot or hurt? God will heal me. So what if I'm killed? God can bring me back. Not that it will be necessary. This is only the beginning of my journey, and as much as I love God, it's nothing compared to how much he loves me. I am his beloved daughter, and if any decent dad takes care of his kids, how much more so the greatest dad there ever has been or will be. He didn't die just so I could go to heaven, He died so that I could have life, and life TO THE FULL. I serve the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, the same God who wrought the plagues on Egypt and brought Lazerus back from the dead. I serve the King of Kings, ruler over all, who has the keys to Death and Hell firmly in his grasp. I have placed my trust in him and his leadership, and I feel that he is leading me to Congo. These people need me and Jesus! All they know is darkness, fear, and uncertainty. Why would I want to go anywhere else? Most people don't realize that I'm called to war zones. I am called to the hardest and darkest places, because it's there where God's light shines brightest. So that's why I'm going in April. And nobody is going to convince me otherwise because of my safety. "Do not fear those that can kill the body but not touch the soul. Rather, fear the one that can cast both body and soul into Hell." Pretty much. "Death, where is your victory, oh grave, where is your sting?"

In other news, we are not running a spring DTS like we thought. God asked us to shelve it until later so we can start really diving in to the vision of being a Circut Rider community, seeing teams come and go with this as their home that they are sent out from. (Antioch, anyone?) Excited to see this vision come to pass, and am beyond blessed to be a part of it.

More updates as things come up, as always. :) God Bless! <3

Insanity and Convergence, Smacked in the face (Not literally) and Ek Ballo

This will be one of the longest posts I've done to date, but that's because so much has happened in the span of 10ish days. Everything is accelerating. Shifting. Starting. Happening. Going. Moving. We are getting slammed with the reality of what God has for us as a crew and as our wider global community, sharpening our focus and launching us like never before. We are heading into the unknown at Mach 20 with no seatbelt and no way out even if we wanted to be. Which of course we don't. Before I get too ahead of myself here, let me tell you what's going on...

Last week was Andy Byrd's week for the DTS. I was busy working in the kitchen during most of his teaching, but I did get to hear some of what he talked about. He shared about the culture of revival and the practicals on how to live it out. (Come on, somebody!) He led us in repentance for passivity and unbelief, two of the biggest destiny killers in the world. That was crazy in and of itself, but it was just the beginning. Thursday night was the beginning of Convergence, the conference I wrote about a couple posts back. As with most of the times we revivalists get together, it was a beautiful collision of hearts and passion as we sought the Lord to see a culture shift in this nation. We need one, and now. We can't wait any longer!! The alarm clock has gone off, it is time to see America rise to its destiny once again! Revival is reality, awakening is coming, and anybody who says different doesn't know my God. My heart is burning within me as I sit full of faith for what God is birthing in this moment. If I had any doubts about the power of God to change lives, they have been torn to shreds and burned beyond recognition. Forever. We started off Thursday with Brian Brennt joining Andy to speak more on the coming awakening and the practicals of sustaining revival. During worship towards the end, everybody was standing at their seat. I decided I couldn't stand it and ran up front and danced in front of God and everyone with complete abandon by myself. It was so amazing, I can't even describe. Nothing brings me to life like pure, uncontained worship straight to my King. Afterwards I joined in with the cleaning crew. The next day my fellow Leadership Track friends and I had breakfast and worship together, and then another session with Brian and Andy. This time, we seperated the college students and had them on the stage, and then we YWAMers and everybody else commisioned them to go crazy on their respective campuses. There was even a guy there from Taylor University! Woooo Indiana! Haha. :) Saturday we had evangelism training in the morning, and then in the afternoon we sent out 13 teams into Allison Hill here in Harrisburg. Altogether, we saw 37 salvations and 20 healings, all in 2 hours!! Go God! The soil is good in America! Don't belive the lie that it's not! Jesus wants his reward! That night we had Shawn Bolz from Hollywood come and speak. I didn't get to hear much of it, because I was on camera crew and had to concentrate on my very big, professional camera. But it was good, and he brought alot to the table about shifting culture in the entertainment industry. So good!! That night my friends from the Burn Rochester crew got to pray for my sleep, after I explained to them how I grew up with almost nightly nightmares that made me scared to sleep most of the time. Glad to be getting more rest from now on. Yesterday (Sunday) morning at service, Pastor Charles ordained Andy along with Sean Feucht... amazing to see where God is going to take them next. Glory to glory! :) Last night, Sean blew the place up with worship and then Andy spoke about what it means to be Ek Balloed. The word Ek Ballo, (Greek, I think) a word meaning go or send, is the word Jesus used when he expelled Legion into the herd of pigs. It implies a violence of thrusting someone or something. He used the same word when talking to his disciples. "Ask then, that the Lord of the Harvest would send (ek ballo) workers into the harvest field." It's the same idea of thrusting and sending with no ability to resist. Jesus wants to ek ballo us into places, whether it's into the nations like me or the universities like others in my crew. We must go!!!!!!! God also talked to me last night about maybe joining a friend of mine on a trip to Congo in April. So excited for this!!!! I really see this as just the beginning to my role as a minister to the nations. Can't wait. ^.^

Today Brian spoke to the DTS, and really laid some foundation and vision for where we are/should be going as a community. Here's a piece of it...

We are meant to be a hub, not a base (wider perspective).
We are meant to be a mobile strike team.
We are meant to have a virtual classroom along with the one we already have here.
We are meant to be a home for Circut Riders.
We are meant to be a catalyst for global reformation.
We are meant to train in the field. We learn as we go.

This is just a piece of what he talked about. I am going crazy here, trying to figure out where I fit in. There are so many things happening, many decisions to be made...

Congo.
Staffing the next DTS in April.
My roll as kitchen staff and leadership track.
My role in these teams and other words from Brian.

I am beyond excited to see what God will do with me. Whatever it is, wherever he takes me, I do it from love and not for love. I will not go and burn out, I will burn and go out. I will be a peacemaker where chaos now reigns. Stay tuned, more updates will come as these things come together. Much love to you all... God Bless! <3

Birthdays and other fun

Had a few moments while I sit here waiting for midnight, so I thought I'd post a little bit about what's been going on. Very excited, because at midnight it's my birthday. Still hard to believe I'm going to be 21 in just a few hours. Even harder to believe is how far I've come since my last birthday... 20 was a rollercoaster of a year, that's for sure, but it was a fun rollercoaster all the same. My crew gave me a pumpkin cake and a few presents tonight, and then we are having a game night tomorrow night. I am just so stirred as I look ahead to what this next year will hold, I forsee many great things. This will be a year of God's refining fire taking me even deeper. Can't wait. ^.^ Also looking forward to seeing Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert over in Hershey on December 21st. I've missed them these past few years! :) In other news, I'll be coming home for Christmas! I get into Indy on Christmas Eve, and head back to Harrisburg on New Year's Eve. Looking forward to a solid week back at home before diving back in to my life as a YWAMer, can't wait to see everybody!!! God Bless! <3

Time for some vision casting, aka what's next?

I am just so stirred right now for what God is birthing here in Harrisburg, starting with this DTS and going further to the community as a whole. During a staff meeting the other day we talked a bit about some of the words of the Lord that have been spoken over our community, mainly about how we were going to be a beachhead of revival as well as an Antioch location here in the East just as Kona is in the West. It's been beautiful to watch. Even though the leaders (mainly the Bardwells) have been here plowing for the past 3 years and I've only been here the 1, I've still gotten to see this place turn into a YWAM base essentially. Especially since we opened the 333 House for operation, things have really been coming to a head. This DTS, the third one that's been run by YWAM Harrisburg so far (mine was the second), is only the beginning. We can now start to do events like the one this November called Convergence, where we are gathering leaders from across the Northeast to come contend for a culture shift in America. (Come on!!) We can also start to partner with other places to do things, like the partnership with Lancaster to run a Circut Rider school here in Pennsylvania next August. We are also looking in to joining with Hillsong Church in NYC to host TheSend with Lou Engle, but it's still just in the works. However, that doesn't mean I'm not super excited about what else God will do through my crew and me! So here's a tentative schedule...

November 2012- Convergence
Spring 2013- TheSend(?)
                     DTS
Summer 2013- Possible DTS
                        Hillside Intensive
Fall 2013- DTS
                 Lancaster CR(?)

Beachhead.
Antioch. The Kona of the East Coast.
80 million saved, 200 thousand released into missions.
Consecrated community, centered around the person of Christ, leading to revival and reformation.
Let's do it. *Game face*

God Bless! <3

Salem, Irritation, and Sandy

As most of you know, we just had a really bad storm come through the Northeast. Frankenstorm, Superstorm, or just Hurricane Sandy. Whatever you call it, I just call it irritating. My reason? Our trip to Salem, MA that was supposed to be happening from this Monday to Thursday (over Halloween basically) got cancelled by it. It wouldn't have been so bad, if this wasn't the trip I've been greatly anticipating since I realized I was coming back to Harrisburg! Our crew looks forward to this trip every fall, and I was glad for the chance to join them for the first time. But then, Sandy decided to blow through and ruin it for me. :p In all seriousness though, this storm was intense. Although Harrisburg barely got touched (just a bunch of rain and wind... thank you God!), New York and the coastal areas are hurting. Keep them in your prayers, just as we will in ours. I have a feeling they are gonna need it. God Bless! <3

Heart to Heart

I'm warning you now, this isn't necessarily an update about what I'm doing. It's more an "I need to share what's on my heart" kind of thing, so unless you really care about what I think and not just my various ministry adventures, just pass this post on by.

I've just had a very heavy heart these past few weeks, and I haven't really been able to explain why. Mostly I have just put it down to a desire to GO. I feel like the little I do here isn't enough, and I'm not out there just going for it like I want to be. God's really been teaching me about my calling though. About how I'm not just a harvester, but I am a harvester of the harvesters. I am called to lead leaders, and disciple the disciplers. That is so hard for me to swallow though! Anybody who knows me, especially since my DTS, can testify to how I want to be out there in the thick of things, letting God use me how he will. But this IS how he is using me. Serving this base. This community. Trying to become a leader while being a leader. To be honest, I almost didn't want to be on staff. I wanted to be a student again, with great leaders that would give me the release to just take schools, nations, whatever for the Kingdom. But I have to deal with the fact that it's my turn to do the releasing. It's my turn to see these amazing people step into their identity. When I first felt led to come back, I also asked God what was beyond these two years, what was even a little bit further down the road for me. And while I still don't know for sure, I have felt a call to start a YWAM base back home in Indiana. I thought this call would begin then, being a leader of leaders and such. But, no. It's now. And it's freaking me out a bit. Who am I, a smalltown farm girl from Indiana with a weird streak a mile wide and stubborn as all get out to boot, that I would be picked for such dreams? That's when God's voice rings clear... you are that, and more. Princess. Daughter. Beloved. Sister and Bride. Who are you, that you get to decide who I call? Once again, I am filled with faith in the faithfullness of God as I learn to just abide in the vine and see where it takes me. Jesus, you are my one and only. Let my life be the proof of your love. Amen.

DC Days

Just got back from a crazy week in DC! Some of the Leadership Track and I went down to be part of David's Tent DC, which was so amazing it's not even funny. For those that don't know, YWAM DC got permission from the park service to put a tent on the Ellipse, which is the lawn right across from the White House, for 40 days leading up to the elections for 24/7 worship. This is historic!! No one, and I mean NO ONE, has done anything like this.  David brought the Arc (God's presence) into Jeruselum and put it in a tent much like this one and hired 4000 musicians to minister day and night before the Lord, so they are following his example (without quite that number haha). There's no prayer, no speeches, no talking at all really, just pure vertical worship.They aren't pulling for one candidate over the other, the heart of this is to put a big target on Jesus and put him back on the throne of America where he belongs. It was beautiful to behold. I'm so glad for the divine appointment that sent me here for a time such as this. We were there for a week, and then the DTS is going down as well in November. Please keep the crew running this in your prayers as it comes to its conclusion, that everything that God sets out to accomplish with this is accomplished and that they would have a hedge of protection. Thanks! ^.^ God Bless! <3