This past week has been one of the most intense and powerful weeks of my life. I was challenged. I was and still am exhausted. I saw the Lord like I never have before. I was completely stretched out of my comfort zone.
Powerful things happened this past week. Chains fell off people. Lies were dispelled. Truth was spoken into the lives of everyone. The past was let go of. Forgiveness was given. Stories of redemption told. Declarations were made over ourselves, our lives, our trip, and the countries in which we will be serving. Declarations that God will wreck evil that is sex trafficking, that the hungry will eat, the unloved will be loved, the weak will be made strong, the lame would walk, the blind would see, the deaf would hear, and the dead would live again. Prophetic statements were made over people, including myself. Life was spoken into eachother. Trust was built. Friendships were formed. A new family came together with the vision to see all of this come to fruition.
I saw God reveal Himself to me in ways I have never seen before. I know that God is big but all of my life I have had Him in a box. A box that made sense, was organized, that needed little explanation. This is the God I met in church on Sundays and Wednesdays, during prayer and quiet time. He was there, I knew He loved me just as He loves you. I knew I was in a relationship with Him, and that He was persistent in pursuing that relationship even if I was running in the opposite direction. But little did I know God wanted me to know more about Him and He wants You to know more too. Through the amazing words of guest speakers, ridiculously amazing worship, and the AIM staff, that God that I had placed so neatly in a box now looks a little different. I chose to let God out of His box. I allowed Him to creatively paint pictures for me and give me words on what they meant. I allowed Him to speak through me, to my new family, giving words of encouragement and love that He wanted them to know and believe. I allowed my feet to dance before Him completely unashamed. I allowed freedom into my life. I began to see what He intended for the church to look like. It’s not about the rules and the regulations. I saw and felt reckless abandonment for the first time.
I learned things about myself that I never even knew was possible. I laughed, cried, danced, I raised my hands in worship and locked myself in moments with the Lord and tuned out the world. My heart is so full right now with everything I have to process for this trip. In the coming 11 months, God is going to shape me and break me. He will be the one I depend on, the one I am intimate with. He will be my ultimate prize and main goal. Everything I do on this trip is for Him and His glory. As I travel through these 11 countries, I am carrying each person from home and each supporter with me. As much as I grow in Him, I am praying all of you grow in Him too.
I have fallen in love with this amazing squad, D Squad!
I have fallen in love with my team, Team Trust Without Borders (Reid, Kasey, Beth, Kelsey, & Andy)! So excited to dive deeper in Jesus with them and experience life together this next year.
I have fallen in love with my Savior on a whole new level. When the chains of control fall off, Freedom arrises. Here I am, Jesus!