God is doing powerful things in England! Check out some of the highlights the past two weeks!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
The good news in Orlando and now LA!
The Gospel is good news. It is really good news.
Is there anything as good as people meeting Jesus and giving their lives to Him? In just two weeks in Orlando, God used the 200 plus students and staff to bring 100 plus locals into a saving relationship with Jesus. Along with that, the students and staff were equipped with how to share the Gospel of Jesus as a lifestyle, how to bring people to freedom in Jesus, and how to live a life of worship and prayer. Many were healed. Others gained personal freedom from sin inside and outside of scheduled meetings.
Personally, I had the joy of leading a young man from Brazil, Pedro Turra, to the Lord with some friends of mine. We met him at a food court in a mall and shared the Gospel with him. He was open and joyful about following Jesus. He also confessed some of his struggles that we prayed through afterwards.
In LA, Jesus has been using this second school of the Circuit Rider to impact the West coast of America as well. As more people come to know Jesus each day, it feels as though we are at the beginning of a mighty move of God in America. Though I do not know what it will look like exactly, I have such hope and expectation of many coming to know Jesus in the coming months here in America. My own heart has been opened to the necessity of the simple Gospel to be preached again and again in America, and I look forward to being a part of God's plans for America!
Personally, I had the joy of leading a young man from Brazil, Pedro Turra, to the Lord with some friends of mine. We met him at a food court in a mall and shared the Gospel with him. He was open and joyful about following Jesus. He also confessed some of his struggles that we prayed through afterwards.
In LA, Jesus has been using this second school of the Circuit Rider to impact the West coast of America as well. As more people come to know Jesus each day, it feels as though we are at the beginning of a mighty move of God in America. Though I do not know what it will look like exactly, I have such hope and expectation of many coming to know Jesus in the coming months here in America. My own heart has been opened to the necessity of the simple Gospel to be preached again and again in America, and I look forward to being a part of God's plans for America!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Orlando Circuit Rider
In just two days, the School of the Circuit Rider begins in Orlando, Florida.
What is this school? It is a two week time of being established in the Gospel and equipped to share the Gospel. The vision is to see greater revival and awakening in the church, understanding on preaching the Gospel boldly with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, and training on how to make disciples.
How does this happen? The first focus is the life pursuit of intimacy with God through relationship and obedience to His Word. There will also be an emphasis on intercessory prayer, evangelism, gospel proclamation and community around the Presence of God. There will be regular times of worship, prayer and reading the Word.
There will be worship, teachings and application nearly every day the next two weeks. My heart has been steadily stirred over what I feel is God's excitement about these schools. They are so much more than schools, and I believe God is going to move significantly over the next two months in America, London and beyond. It's time to go!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Leaning on Jesus... Riding Circuits
What do you do when you have the most difficult month you can remember? How do you respond when life tests your heart? Where do you run when there seems to be little understanding to circumstances?
In the last month, I have been discovering that in the midst of difficulty, the truth of God's loving intimate character shines. Just a month ago I was engaged to be married, about to help lead in a 3rd DTS with close friends and excited about what the future was shaping up to look like. In a few days, there was no longer an engagement, an unlikelihood of being with the same group of friends and a changing future. As I wept on the floor of my home, I realized there was only one place to run, to hide, to be restored, to find hope and to be filled with faith for the future again. Jesus. I have heard countless times that God is with me, but as I sat asking the question of 'why?' and trying to figure out what was happening, there was a sweet whisper from the Holy Spirit that He was with me and wasn't leaving.
In the weeks that have followed since everything seemed to change, the 'why?' in my heart has not been answered, and I am learning that it doesn't need to be anymore. For "... the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil.4:7) The peace of God has certainly gone beyond my understanding, yet it has been my constant through an array of emotions. The peace of God is real. It's really real! Life does not have to always make sense. Circumstances do not have to look the way we expect or even want. God is still God. He is still good. He is still what life is all about. There is still an abundant life to live for His kingdom and His glory.
Daily, Jesus is renewing my perspective by revealing who He is and what is to come. As I lean on Jesus, it has become quite clear that there is still a race to run with God. As of Friday, I have left the island of Kona for a few months. I will be a student at the School of the Circuit Rider in Orlando for two weeks. Following this, I will be on staff with the same two-week school in Los Angeles, London and Kansas City. All of these are still with YWAM, and I will be continuing with YWAM for a while as of now. There are some amazing friends that I have hoped to be able to work with that I am doing all of these schools with, and I am expectant for what God has in the coming months.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Prverbs 3:5-6)
In the last month, I have been discovering that in the midst of difficulty, the truth of God's loving intimate character shines. Just a month ago I was engaged to be married, about to help lead in a 3rd DTS with close friends and excited about what the future was shaping up to look like. In a few days, there was no longer an engagement, an unlikelihood of being with the same group of friends and a changing future. As I wept on the floor of my home, I realized there was only one place to run, to hide, to be restored, to find hope and to be filled with faith for the future again. Jesus. I have heard countless times that God is with me, but as I sat asking the question of 'why?' and trying to figure out what was happening, there was a sweet whisper from the Holy Spirit that He was with me and wasn't leaving.
In the weeks that have followed since everything seemed to change, the 'why?' in my heart has not been answered, and I am learning that it doesn't need to be anymore. For "... the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil.4:7) The peace of God has certainly gone beyond my understanding, yet it has been my constant through an array of emotions. The peace of God is real. It's really real! Life does not have to always make sense. Circumstances do not have to look the way we expect or even want. God is still God. He is still good. He is still what life is all about. There is still an abundant life to live for His kingdom and His glory.
Daily, Jesus is renewing my perspective by revealing who He is and what is to come. As I lean on Jesus, it has become quite clear that there is still a race to run with God. As of Friday, I have left the island of Kona for a few months. I will be a student at the School of the Circuit Rider in Orlando for two weeks. Following this, I will be on staff with the same two-week school in Los Angeles, London and Kansas City. All of these are still with YWAM, and I will be continuing with YWAM for a while as of now. There are some amazing friends that I have hoped to be able to work with that I am doing all of these schools with, and I am expectant for what God has in the coming months.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Prverbs 3:5-6)
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Kona: Leadership Track
Hello all,
I arrived back in Kona, Hawaii on April 3rd. Along with about 60 others, I am participating in the leadership track on campus. What does that entail? Personally, I serve the campus DTS department in admissions and finances for a minimum 12 hours a week. I spend 10 hours a week in prayer and worship, helping lead 4 of those hours. Along with that, I am currently co-leading the campus Monday Night Ministry Night as well. This night consists of 2 plus hours of worship, prayer and anything else the Holy Spirit leads us to do. Our personal work is memorizing the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) and reading three books. These are the practical aspects of the next three months. Though it will be busy, I believe these months will serve this base effectively and personally stretch my growth in preparation for what is to come. Blessings
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Puma experiences the Gospel
After a long bus ride and a few hour hike up to the village of Puma, our team of eleven had the joy of sharing the Gospel in a village that has heard the story. This was the fifth trip up to this village, my first. Though the day was long, it was such a joy to be able to share the love of God in a transforming village.
The highlight of the four day trip came on the last night. We had spent most of the day serving any in the village who needed practical help. We had spent the day worshipping the Lord in song, stacking wood, shucking corn, carrying jugs of water and teaching the children songs. At our last stop, we were stacking a small stack of wood and helping a widow with her work. She had one son and was in the lower caste of the two castes in the village. After helping, we shared the story and love of God with her. Though she did not jump at the story, her listening son did! After sharing for around a half hour on what he had heard from a few other visits, "Amos" was ready to receive the Lord. Our little circle of joy got better after that. I had noticed a friend of his, Ramos, listening intently. As we celebrated with Amos, it was clear that something was not OK with Ramos. I asked the main translator to ask him what he was feeling. Ramos quickly shared that he wanted Jesus too. Later that night, three more joined making it a group of five that wanted to know Jesus. It never stops being beautiful getting to see Jesus pour out His forgiveness, mercy and love on the lost. Is there anything more powerful than the Father having a son come home? As a leader in a group put it, "Amos, you no longer are fatherless, you have the best Father with you." Amos is now a prince of the King of kings and adopted into the family of God.
Though some did not agree with the Gospel, some were not sure yet and some were ready to go head first, it is clear that the love of Jesus continues to move forward. Thank you for helping me go on this short journey to Nepal!
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