Sunday, March 22, 2009

Catch Up Time!

So, it has been about a year since I last wrote here. I would like to try to share some of what God has done in the past year as a way of rememberance. There really is something to that!! So in April, I went home shortly after being with Julie and Christina at Julie's brothers' house. God took me on a ministry trip to Lakeland. I thought I was going to receive, but He totally set it up as a great ministry trip and I received so much as I gave. Then Devin (my younger bro) prayed to receive Jesus as His Savior and Lord of his life!!! And then my Mom told me of a dream she had and how she prayed to receive more of the Holy Spirit. All these things happened in 3 days!! So God was really reminding me of the wisdom of prayer and that sitting in a prayer room for 3 months really was worth it. I loved what God was doing...yet I had the "what about me" feeling. As I prayed and poured out my heart to Him, He used 2 dolphins to remind me that He was with me and leading me well and we were making every jump together. Then May 1st, I was in Jax to walk at my graduation. I got to catch up with my beloved friends in Jax. I had a good weekend with my family, as they were also up for my graduation. Then I babysat for a dear family in Jax for 2 weeks, while helping my dear friend with wedding things and seeking the Lord about what possibly could be next. He kept stressing waiting. I have a cool story to share about waiting that I will write after this general catch up. :) So then the wedding was May 17th and I still was not certain about what was next. I had my car packed b/c the Lord made it clear I wouldn't be home for a bit, but that was all I knew. I planned to go back to Atlanta but I did not know how long I would be there and what I would be doing there. I was trusting the Lord, but some days were easier than others. The night of the wedding, I sat tired, with a pizza box of cold pizzas and juice boxes by the water. I was beginning to get frustrated and down and He had dolphins in the water again to remind me of how He spoke to me with the dolphins just weeks before. The next day, I went to a church service with the family of my friends who got married. I wound up talking to 2 families in particular. One was from Cameroon, Africa, but happened to live in Lawrenceville, GA. The other overheard me talking about my internship. I got in a converstaion with my friend's Aunt and Uncle from Birmingham, AL. As I talked with my friend's Aunt, Lucy Hughes... everything she said about their ministry in Birmingham spoke to my heart - prayer, college ministry, discipleship for young girls, heart for justice and inner city, ETC.!! They asked me what I was doing in the summer and I said I knew nothing about the future!! They invited me to join them in Kansas City for a ministry trip with the premise that I would be praying about joining their ministry in Birmingham. So...I was left with what I would be doing in Atlanta...PRAYING about this possibility. So, I did. I also wound up serving the family from Cameroon, as the husband had moved back there and left the wife and two young children to pack up all their stuff to move back as well. It was a treat for me, as they ate some similar food as I ate in Zambia and it was such a priviledge to serve this missionary family. After much prayer, I decided to join the Birmingham group in Kansas City. I drove to Birmingham, AL for the first time and met a girl who I would ride with to Kansas City. I stayed with her that night and then the next day, we picked up another girl and arrived late that night. It was a wonderful time there and Jesus spoke to me so much. While I was there, I was asked to join their ministry staff. So, I prayed more and looked for a plane ticket home to start raising support to join staff with Kingdom Forerunners. I had a difficult time raising support at first. I was reading a book, Red Moon Rising, by Pete Greig, and that was helpful for me to read at that time, esp. when i would question why I was doing what I was doing. Then August came and I went on vacation with my family and returned to my car in Birmingham, AL. I lived with a family I met on our KC trip during the month of August. Then I went to Washington DC for The Call - to pray for America with many other intercessors. Then we started our internship, which I was to help lead. I moved in to my Paul & Lucy Hughes' home in September. We started up with our girls' bible study and our prayer furnace events as well. We also had a conference for college students in September. I learned a lot my first few months here. The Lord led me to one of the dearest friendships I have ever had - Natalie Farber. I believe she is part of the reason the Lord has brought me to Birmingham and she played a key role in His ministering to me in my first few months here. I was learning a lot during these months - not the things I thought I would learn - but still necessary things. Then December came and I was thrilled to go home for the holidays. I was there from the 16th to the 26th. Then I went to Kansas City for a conference and shortly after we returned to Birmingham, I moved in with another family here. These were people the Hughes knew, but I had only met the wife once and had never met the husband. I was thankful for them opening their home, but I struggled with a lack of feeling settled. I have a sweet God-story to share about this later. :) I have since become more settled in their home and enjoy and appreciate them very much. In late January, we went to IHOP-ATL for a conference for leaders in houses of prayer. The Lord spoke SOOO much to me during this time! I might share more on that later, too. :) In february, I started babysitting for more income (b/c support raising has still been a challenge). I enjoy the baby very much. He was born December 16th and I love him SO much! I started a sweet season personally with the Lord on February 14th. :) I went to IHOP-ATL for that weekend to get away with Jesus and really start my season sweetly with Him. The week before I went, He was moving SOO much and leading me in really fun ways.... I will try to write on that, too. Then that weekend was AMAZING and He spoke so much to me about what this season is about. My first month of this season with the Lord, He had me in Song of Soloman almost every night. The first week was a chapter a night and then a verse each day. I will try to write on some revelation I received on that as well! This next month, starting March 14th, He has me studying and meditating on a character/ Name of God each day. It has been amazing so far and I will try to write on this as well. Well, that is a very general update on things from this past year. I will try to write more specifics on some of the neat things God is teaching me. Blessings to you all!!