sorry it has taken me soo LONG to update :/ I'm sitting in Starbucks now so i decided to not do a video this time.. ha hope you don't mind. Lets see if i can somehow summarize my time here so far.
First of all everyone here is soo awesome!! I feel like i have known everyone for so much longer than a couple weeks. I can't wait to continue to run after the Lord together and be used by Him! :) I have already learned so much by just watching how everyone relates to God & their heart for Him. Our first week of classes (jan 9-13) was basically learning about everything we will be doing, bonding & hearing each others testimonies. During one of the worship times I felt a deep love and appreciation for the Lord! At the same time I was honestly scared of what is to come. I feel called to missions, but it terrifies me. i know that I will have to rely on the Lord for my strength and comfort and leave many things behind including close family, friends and comforts of home. I know that in my heart that if the Lord does call me to be in full time missions that my heart longs to say “Yes, Lord send me!”
Over the weekend (saturday, 14th) a group of us went to downtown Denver. We ended up breaking up into a smaller group of 4. It was my roomie Halle, Lainey, Luke & I. When we first got to the city we walked for a couple miles to a coffee shop (yess my fav!). We took our coffee & just continued to walk around the city. While we were walking around we saw a homeless man and decided to just sit with him and talk. We asked if we could pray for him and the first 2 times he said no, but then basically asked us to pray for him the 3rd time. It was amazing to see how the Lord worked. By the end of the prayer the mans countenance was completely different. He smiled and was filled with joy! During the prayer the Lord gave me a small word for him. It was from the scripture where Jesus talks about leaving the 99 sheep behind to find the one lost sheep.
Sunday I went to BridgeWay church. It was a really good sermon. It was on missions and really spoke to my heart. He spoke on the scripture Matt 14:22 about Jesus walking on water and Peter stepping out of the boat. God wants us to step out of the boat. If we stay in the comfort zone of the boat we won't be able to fully trust Him. What's crazy is that the Lord has been really speaking to my heart for the last 6 months about not being held back my comforts of this world. Back in September in my journal i wrote:
"I don’t want to live the normal life. I want to do the IMPOSSIBLE with You! My soul is crying out. I hear you say.. “Whom shall I Send?! Who will go for us?!” & my heart is screaming... I see myself jumping up in down with my hand raised saying.. “HERE I AM.. SEND ME!!” pick me Lord! I am here to be used by You. I’m ready to go serve. I’m ready to be used. Take me out of my comfort zone because I NEVER ever I want to be comfortable. I don’t want the easy. I don’t want the normal. I want to do the IMPOSSIBLE with You!"
It is time for us to get uncomfortable even if we do not know what lies ahead. Amen!
"I don’t want to live the normal life. I want to do the IMPOSSIBLE with You! My soul is crying out. I hear you say.. “Whom shall I Send?! Who will go for us?!” & my heart is screaming... I see myself jumping up in down with my hand raised saying.. “HERE I AM.. SEND ME!!” pick me Lord! I am here to be used by You. I’m ready to go serve. I’m ready to be used. Take me out of my comfort zone because I NEVER ever I want to be comfortable. I don’t want the easy. I don’t want the normal. I want to do the IMPOSSIBLE with You!"
It is time for us to get uncomfortable even if we do not know what lies ahead. Amen!
Before the sermon a lady shared a word someone in the church had gotten.. it really spoke to my heart:
"I have sent many into the world to change it. The time is now to step up and fulfill what i have called you to do. Step out in faith i will accomplish what i have told you i would do! The time is now to step into what i have called you to do."
This past week (16-19) we had our first speaker Blake Mattocks speak on the Character of God. We covered topics such as courage, contentment, forgiveness, obedience, how to hear the voice of God, kindness, & trying vs. training. The Lord did so much in my heart, healing many hurts and lies from the enemy. I know the Lord has soo much more to do.. & as the pastor from BridgeWay put it.. "God wants to take us, shake us, shape us, and USE us!"
God is good! :D hope you all are doing well!!!
God Bless,
Leah
