Saturday, August 17, 2013

August update

At the moment, I'm in the middle of half switching to night watch (and waiting for approval to be on the Night Watch as it is a very intense schedule for a Music student at IHOPU. I have to write out exactly when I'm going to be eating and sleeping etc)... My heart is yearning to go deeper in my relationship with my God, and to be deeper in the word. I want more change from the inside out and know that I will find that in the Night Seasons. I also know it will enable me to pray more effectively for my friends in the nations.

This means I'll be in the prayer room 5nights a week from 2am-6am, plus Sunday's from 6-8am and extra briefings which I'm so excited about! I am also approved to worship lead in some capacity this semester, which is in my student worship labs 3 days a week 8am-12pm.

This semester in addition to music classes, worship/intercession labs and Sacred Trust (prayer hours), I have a class in 'Basic Christian Beliefs' which is like Systematic Theology and also another class on the 'Song of Solomon'. I am really excited about the Basic Christian Beliefs class because it's taught by Jono Hall who I've heard marks really hard- he's British and has a degree in Law from Exeter University. I'm excited to write papers for someone who marks hard!! I am also so excited because Shelly Hundley is teaching my song of Solomon class and she used to be a missionary kid in Colombia and she loves Holy Spirit as a good friend and is really prophetic.

It has become my heart to be able to do all 4 years of IHOPU and be able to be a part of the House of Prayer Leadership track - which starts in 3rd year... I'm beginning my 2nd one. My goal IS to become a HEALTHY leader who LOVES WELL even under pressure. We will see, semester by semester, if that is the Lord's plan for me to do all the rest of the 4 years in one go :) I do know that I am meant to be here in THIS season at THIS time.

I really feel that this is a season of training the Lord has set me in to help me become a better leader who LOVES people WELL. I feel it's a lot about heart surgery, healing and character development. Lessons in humility, self-discipline, loving and serving my worship team well... I want to make the most of this semester with what the Lord has put in my hands to do and most of all to go deeper in the place of intimacy with the Lord. I want to be a Friend of the Bridegroom and be entrusted with the secrets, burdens and joys of HIS heart! (this is the JOY of Intercession!! being HIS Friend!!)

So again, thank you for praying for me and supporting me :) I really value your friendship in my life :)



SIDE NOTE: Extra because I feel this could encourage someone :)
School starts Monday morning!! I am truly so grateful to the Lord for the delay in provision just because of the amount of sifting and searching He has done in my own heart... I became open to the thought that maybe I wasn't in the right place? Maybe the Lord didn't want me in school this semester and wanted me back in Mozambique? Or Nepal or even Lord, if YOU want me in a completely new place... Maybe now was the time that I was supposed to make the "long term committment" of 2 years in whichever country with Iris? Through the last 2 days of intense time spent with Jesus - I've gotten to the point of surrender, knowing that JESUS IS WORTH IT ALL, EVERY NATION, EVERY SOUL, and that I am willing to go ANYWHERE HE WANTS me to be! For the sake of ONE nation, and even ONE soul... and I have also gotten to the point of KNOWING again that I am supposed to be here. As soon as I got to that point of KNOWING within myself that I'm in the right place... literally within about 1/2 an hour, the bulk of my down payment came through from somebody I don't know who!! So, the LORD KNOWS our hearts! I do want to use this testimony to encourage YOU that if things are hard right now, USE this opportunity from the Lord to really let HIM do some soul searching, and do it yourself - find out if you really HAVE given this season in your life completely to the LORD - find out where your heart REALLY is in HIM!! OH there is so much JOY in the pressure and squeezing and delay!! Thank you JESUS!

Also, this reminded me of the time I was in Mozambique waiting to get my passport back from Moz immigration so that I could have my interview with the US embassy to get into America for IHOP for the first time... the breakthrough came once I decided in my heart - once my MINDSET shifted - and I KNEW I was doing exactly what the LORD had for me. There is no plan B.