I don’t even really where to begin about this morning. But let me start here. Every day after breakfast, our schedule allows us to have an hour of quiet time to read our Bible or to journal our thoughts and prayers. Being stupid, I chose to do my quiet time in bed, which of course led to me eventually falling asleep. Right in the middle of one of the most beautiful psalms in the whole Bible. Stupid! After my refreshing, but shameful, nap we headed straight over to the chapel on campus for our devotions. Today, though, we had about 4 guests that came to speak and to prophesy to us. Dennis and Jeff from Cali and Gershwin and Julian from Zambia. We started the devotions out like any other, through song and prayer. But things quickly headed a different direction. Not bad but incredible, amazing, on fire, powerful, moving. Julian, Dennis, Julian, and Jeff all began to prophesy over individuals, which was very obviously not the intended plan. As they began to speak the words of God over people, everyone quickly tuned into what was going on and instantly reached out their hands towards the person to pray for them as well. So many languages being spoken in one little room, it was simply incredible! It reminded of the verse in Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and tongue, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits of the throne, and to the Lamb.”” What a beautiful glimpse into what heaven will be like! As the four men began to make their rounds through the people, I quietly prayed and worshipped, with one eye open. I began to shake but figured it’s mostly from being cold since mornings here are kind of rough. I thought nothing of it that I was shaking, even as Jeff and Gershwin both came up to me at separate times and prayed over me, asking for the Holy Spirit to fill me. I watched others violently shake and cry out to the Lord in a “voice of triumph” wondering if I would ever have an experience like that or if I would just be the quiet, shy and reserved observer. There was a time though during my praise to God that I felt someone calling my name, so I opened my eyes and Julian was standing on the other side of the chapel calling my name and motioning me to come over to him. With reservation, I walked over and as soon as I got there he jumped right in without hesitation.
“What’s wrong with your relationships?”
At first I had no clue what he was talking about. I have quite a few relationships with people and some of them have been broken so his question was extremely vague to me. But the first response I came back with was my relationship with my sister. I explained to him how there had been a lot of deceit and hurt and anger in our relationship mostly because of me and my mistakes. I began to continue but he quickly stopped me and said,
“She forgave you didn’t she?” I nodded. He then proceeded to tell me though about how I never really forgave myself and how I had been dragging this dead weight with me for years. Mind you I had never told this man or anyone else at my DTS what had happened with my sister. I was shocked that he had been able to read into the relationship so easily. Although I doesn’t surprise me now, knowing how at work the Holy Spirit was at that time. He then proceeded to explain to me that I need to forgive myself to forgive others and that I need to love myself to love others. I cannot remember exactly what he had said because I was so consumed with love from Jesus. I know this all sounds corny but stick with me, please. He continued on for a couple minutes when he told me that even though I had accepted Christ already, I need to re-say the sinner’s prayer to help forgive myself. So I repeated him in a marvelous rendition of the sinner’s prayer, repeating things like “I’M DEFEATED” and “ALL I NEED IS YOU LORD!” Literally screaming them, as well. Julian then prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill me up, to wash over me like the waves in the ocean and to flow through me like the mighty rivers of the world. I remember slightly shaking but thinking it was still because I was cold. How foolish I was! After Julian finished praying he “blew” the Holy Spirit into me, which at first I thought was a little strange. I was suddenly so overcome by the Spirit that I couldn’t even stand anymore and collapsed to the floor. I could not even open my eyes. I remember hearing though, all the different tongues in the room praying over me and when I stood up I saw dozens of hands outreached towards me in prayer with God. I went back to talk to Julian and he told me that God has restored that relationship, that I am no longer bound by chains to that burden. He continued to explain that he saw from God that I will be a restorer of women and that my story is much like Nehemiah’s. Extremely humbling to think that God has plans as great for me as He did for one of the authors of the Bible! As we continued to move around the room, I joined with the others of outstretched arms to pray for my brothers and sisters of Christ. I saw more shakings, more collapses and things I cannot even begin to explain. When Julian and Gershwin reached my friend Renette, the entire room at that point was standing over them watching and praying. Renette had spent pretty much the entire time on the floor, shaking and praising God. Julian and Gershwin spoke in the native tongues over her and explained how they saw that she would be the modern day mother of nations! They continued prophesying that she would one day run an organization that would completely revolutionize the mission work and outreach ministry field. She continued to shake and pray and speak in tongues, and when we had thought she was done they asked her to stand. She stood, still a little shaky, when Gershwin asked her to put her hands to the ceiling in praise to God. As she lifted her hands in the air, she immediately fell to the ground again in a bowing position. Her hands had barely made it above her head! As she fell to the ground, all of our jaws dropped in pretty much synchronization. The two men continued to pray for Renette and prophesied that one day she will be a mother to all children: black, white, pink, orange, and yellow. We finished the “session” I guess you could call it by praying over the four men that had spoken for God. It was something I didn’t think I would every experience as that is for the small tribes in remote Africa, or witchcraft, or even just for people of greater faith. But I can tell you this; the Holy Spirit is on fire! Never have I been so filled with passion to make God known. To let people know about His love and grace! That there is a hope for them and that they don’t have to stay in this rut of a life that they are living. I pray that as each of you read this that God is at work in your heart, opening the doors for the Holy Spirit so that you may be as on fire and as passionate about the love of God as I am right now. I pray that you may believe that the Holy Spirit is capable of crazy things that will transform the world and I pray that you do not become satisfied with a stagnant life. The Holy Spirit is among us and at work in not only your life, but also here in Africa. Such faith these people have! It’s amazing! If everyone had faith like the Africans, the world would be a much different place! Thank you for all your support and prayers!! I love you all very much! :)
“What’s wrong with your relationships?”
At first I had no clue what he was talking about. I have quite a few relationships with people and some of them have been broken so his question was extremely vague to me. But the first response I came back with was my relationship with my sister. I explained to him how there had been a lot of deceit and hurt and anger in our relationship mostly because of me and my mistakes. I began to continue but he quickly stopped me and said,
“She forgave you didn’t she?” I nodded. He then proceeded to tell me though about how I never really forgave myself and how I had been dragging this dead weight with me for years. Mind you I had never told this man or anyone else at my DTS what had happened with my sister. I was shocked that he had been able to read into the relationship so easily. Although I doesn’t surprise me now, knowing how at work the Holy Spirit was at that time. He then proceeded to explain to me that I need to forgive myself to forgive others and that I need to love myself to love others. I cannot remember exactly what he had said because I was so consumed with love from Jesus. I know this all sounds corny but stick with me, please. He continued on for a couple minutes when he told me that even though I had accepted Christ already, I need to re-say the sinner’s prayer to help forgive myself. So I repeated him in a marvelous rendition of the sinner’s prayer, repeating things like “I’M DEFEATED” and “ALL I NEED IS YOU LORD!” Literally screaming them, as well. Julian then prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill me up, to wash over me like the waves in the ocean and to flow through me like the mighty rivers of the world. I remember slightly shaking but thinking it was still because I was cold. How foolish I was! After Julian finished praying he “blew” the Holy Spirit into me, which at first I thought was a little strange. I was suddenly so overcome by the Spirit that I couldn’t even stand anymore and collapsed to the floor. I could not even open my eyes. I remember hearing though, all the different tongues in the room praying over me and when I stood up I saw dozens of hands outreached towards me in prayer with God. I went back to talk to Julian and he told me that God has restored that relationship, that I am no longer bound by chains to that burden. He continued to explain that he saw from God that I will be a restorer of women and that my story is much like Nehemiah’s. Extremely humbling to think that God has plans as great for me as He did for one of the authors of the Bible! As we continued to move around the room, I joined with the others of outstretched arms to pray for my brothers and sisters of Christ. I saw more shakings, more collapses and things I cannot even begin to explain. When Julian and Gershwin reached my friend Renette, the entire room at that point was standing over them watching and praying. Renette had spent pretty much the entire time on the floor, shaking and praising God. Julian and Gershwin spoke in the native tongues over her and explained how they saw that she would be the modern day mother of nations! They continued prophesying that she would one day run an organization that would completely revolutionize the mission work and outreach ministry field. She continued to shake and pray and speak in tongues, and when we had thought she was done they asked her to stand. She stood, still a little shaky, when Gershwin asked her to put her hands to the ceiling in praise to God. As she lifted her hands in the air, she immediately fell to the ground again in a bowing position. Her hands had barely made it above her head! As she fell to the ground, all of our jaws dropped in pretty much synchronization. The two men continued to pray for Renette and prophesied that one day she will be a mother to all children: black, white, pink, orange, and yellow. We finished the “session” I guess you could call it by praying over the four men that had spoken for God. It was something I didn’t think I would every experience as that is for the small tribes in remote Africa, or witchcraft, or even just for people of greater faith. But I can tell you this; the Holy Spirit is on fire! Never have I been so filled with passion to make God known. To let people know about His love and grace! That there is a hope for them and that they don’t have to stay in this rut of a life that they are living. I pray that as each of you read this that God is at work in your heart, opening the doors for the Holy Spirit so that you may be as on fire and as passionate about the love of God as I am right now. I pray that you may believe that the Holy Spirit is capable of crazy things that will transform the world and I pray that you do not become satisfied with a stagnant life. The Holy Spirit is among us and at work in not only your life, but also here in Africa. Such faith these people have! It’s amazing! If everyone had faith like the Africans, the world would be a much different place! Thank you for all your support and prayers!! I love you all very much! :)
Q: What do you call a happy cowboy?
A: A jolly rancher! :)
