A day in the life, part 2:
After completing a morning of
planting spiritual seeds in different homes around the community,
we head to
Impact, the youth fellowship at our partnering church of BCOU. Impact is a
group for high school and college-age students to fellowship with one another
in differing ways, and they meet Monday-Friday from 3-5. Talk about commitment!
The first time I attended Impact, I was blown away by the depth of faith of some
of these students. I thought to myself, “The youth in America would never
commit to attending church six days a week!” And they do it all; from worship
to preaching to dance teams!
planting spiritual seeds in different homes around the community,
we head toImpact, the youth fellowship at our partnering church of BCOU. Impact is a
group for high school and college-age students to fellowship with one another
in differing ways, and they meet Monday-Friday from 3-5. Talk about commitment!
The first time I attended Impact, I was blown away by the depth of faith of some
of these students. I thought to myself, “The youth in America would never
commit to attending church six days a week!” And they do it all; from worship
to preaching to dance teams!
It’s Thursday, and we have been
asked to run the entire Impact service. I start by leading worship and am in
awe as I listen to the combined voices of the students! The church acoustics
are amazing, and echoes of majesty engulf the room. The Spirit of the Lord
rests heavily upon this place, and we have invited Him to be at the center of
what we are doing today. Marisa gets up to speak and gives a powerful
message about the love of God manifest in us. Love is often a choice and always
an action.
asked to run the entire Impact service. I start by leading worship and am in
awe as I listen to the combined voices of the students! The church acoustics
are amazing, and echoes of majesty engulf the room. The Spirit of the Lord
rests heavily upon this place, and we have invited Him to be at the center of
what we are doing today. Marisa gets up to speak and gives a powerful
message about the love of God manifest in us. Love is often a choice and always
an action.
We conclude the day by sending the
50 or so students to different sections in the church so that we can pray and prophesy over
them individually. I am sitting in the front playing worship songs on the
guitar to help set the mood, but I keep hearing the Lord say, “Get up! Go
and pray!” I finally decide to listen and obey. What happens next, I do
not expect.
50 or so students to different sections in the church so that we can pray and prophesy over
them individually. I am sitting in the front playing worship songs on the
guitar to help set the mood, but I keep hearing the Lord say, “Get up! Go
and pray!” I finally decide to listen and obey. What happens next, I do
not expect.
As I sit down with the first person
I see, I ask him of ways I can pray for him. Never having met Brad (not his
real name) before, I am shocked when he begins to share some very personal
struggles he’s facing. Brad tells me of his love for the Lord but of his choice
to start smoking marijuana with his friends the past three weeks. He doesn’t
really want to do it but keeps making the choice to out of peer pressure. We
pray and go over some truths from God’s word about the way He desires to fill
us and give us the strength to overcome those things we do which we do not
desire to do.
I see, I ask him of ways I can pray for him. Never having met Brad (not his
real name) before, I am shocked when he begins to share some very personal
struggles he’s facing. Brad tells me of his love for the Lord but of his choice
to start smoking marijuana with his friends the past three weeks. He doesn’t
really want to do it but keeps making the choice to out of peer pressure. We
pray and go over some truths from God’s word about the way He desires to fill
us and give us the strength to overcome those things we do which we do not
desire to do.
I sit and do the same with a couple
of others that are feeling safe enough to be open with me about their
struggles. As I listen to their stories, I realize that this is where some of
my giftings are truly allowed to come alive! I am learning more and more about
the way God has made and gifted me, and I am learning how to step out in
boldness when God speaks. He sometimes will give me a prophetic word to
encourage someone, and sometimes I am just supposed to listen. Other times I
open my mouth and the words begin to flow about God’s power and His desire to
know and love them. He shows me how to encourage others and love them when I
have no idea how to do it on my own.
of others that are feeling safe enough to be open with me about their
struggles. As I listen to their stories, I realize that this is where some of
my giftings are truly allowed to come alive! I am learning more and more about
the way God has made and gifted me, and I am learning how to step out in
boldness when God speaks. He sometimes will give me a prophetic word to
encourage someone, and sometimes I am just supposed to listen. Other times I
open my mouth and the words begin to flow about God’s power and His desire to
know and love them. He shows me how to encourage others and love them when I
have no idea how to do it on my own.
One of the most encouraging
encounters I have on this particular day is with a young man of 17 who has just
been appointed a leader within Impact. I have been feeling the entire afternoon that the Lord wants me to speak with Timothy (not his real name), but I am
not sure why until I walk up to him and hear the Lord speak the word,
“Prophet.” I greet Timothy and begin by asking him if he’s aware of any of his
spiritual gifts. He blushes and says through mumbled words, “I think I am a
prophet.” Aha! I then tell Timothy I think he is too, and that the Lord told me
to affirm that gift in him today.
encounters I have on this particular day is with a young man of 17 who has just
been appointed a leader within Impact. I have been feeling the entire afternoon that the Lord wants me to speak with Timothy (not his real name), but I am
not sure why until I walk up to him and hear the Lord speak the word,
“Prophet.” I greet Timothy and begin by asking him if he’s aware of any of his
spiritual gifts. He blushes and says through mumbled words, “I think I am a
prophet.” Aha! I then tell Timothy I think he is too, and that the Lord told me
to affirm that gift in him today.
My next question for Timothy is whether or
not he has ever prophesied over someone. He states that he often has visions
but that he has never actually spoke them out. I am by no means qualified to
speak on this gifting, as I myself have just recently been learning about it,
but I proceed to tell Timothy what prophecy truly is. To prophecy is to
simply speak words that the Lord gives us to encourage and exhort the church.
Timothy has many questions, and although I do not know all the answers, I do my
best to answer them as according to Scripture. I then challenge Timothy to
exercise this gift by prophesying over just one person within the next week. He becomes very nervous and states that he doesn’t know what he’s doing, but I
encourage him to simply trust the Lord and walk by faith. We can’t grow in
areas where we aren’t willing to walk boldly and most likely mess up. However,
God delights in us when we humbly make mistakes because then He can pick us
back up and make us stronger the next time. I pray over Timothy and send him
out to do just that.
not he has ever prophesied over someone. He states that he often has visions
but that he has never actually spoke them out. I am by no means qualified to
speak on this gifting, as I myself have just recently been learning about it,
but I proceed to tell Timothy what prophecy truly is. To prophecy is to
simply speak words that the Lord gives us to encourage and exhort the church.
Timothy has many questions, and although I do not know all the answers, I do my
best to answer them as according to Scripture. I then challenge Timothy to
exercise this gift by prophesying over just one person within the next week. He becomes very nervous and states that he doesn’t know what he’s doing, but I
encourage him to simply trust the Lord and walk by faith. We can’t grow in
areas where we aren’t willing to walk boldly and most likely mess up. However,
God delights in us when we humbly make mistakes because then He can pick us
back up and make us stronger the next time. I pray over Timothy and send him
out to do just that.
Fast-forward a week. I find Timothy
at Impact and remind him that the week is up. Did he accept my challenge? He
tells me I had better sit down because he has some explaining to do. Timothy
begins by stating that one other person in his past had prayed over him and
told him he was a prophet, but he wasn’t quite sure whether or not to believe
it. Then last week when I spoke those words to him, Timothy started to question
whether or not it may actually be true. He decided to begin by reading about the prophet
Jeremiah in the Old Testament, and God gave him the boldness to prophesy over
not only one but TWO peoples’ lives! Joy and excitement flood Timothy’s face,
and it explodes in my heart! The Lord gave me the opportunity of walking
alongside this young man as he begins to step into his giftings in the Kingdom.
I hadn’t done anything but be obedient to the Lord’s voice and step out into
the land of the unknown myself! God gave me an enormous gift in watching Timothy
begin the process of developing this part of himself that was sitting dormant
before this day. To God be the glory!
at Impact and remind him that the week is up. Did he accept my challenge? He
tells me I had better sit down because he has some explaining to do. Timothy
begins by stating that one other person in his past had prayed over him and
told him he was a prophet, but he wasn’t quite sure whether or not to believe
it. Then last week when I spoke those words to him, Timothy started to question
whether or not it may actually be true. He decided to begin by reading about the prophet
Jeremiah in the Old Testament, and God gave him the boldness to prophesy over
not only one but TWO peoples’ lives! Joy and excitement flood Timothy’s face,
and it explodes in my heart! The Lord gave me the opportunity of walking
alongside this young man as he begins to step into his giftings in the Kingdom.
I hadn’t done anything but be obedient to the Lord’s voice and step out into
the land of the unknown myself! God gave me an enormous gift in watching Timothy
begin the process of developing this part of himself that was sitting dormant
before this day. To God be the glory!
I could sit here and tell you of all
the ways that the Lord showed up in my life this past month, but it really all
boils down to this: He loved me. I came into Uganda feeling weak and
vulnerable, and my Father blessed me beyond measure. I was able to come alive
in so many of my giftings and develop so many beautiful relationships with
people that now have a very special place in my heart. So this is my life; my
typical, everyday life on the Race. Should it really be that different from the
way I used to live at home? No. But God is showing me daily that THIS is the
life He has called me to; a life of abundance and overflow of his love onto the
people I find myself surrounded with. As I blindly walk in faith, His grace
covers me and enables me to do things I once thought impossible. And yet they’re
just typical, everyday events that as ambassadors in the Kingdom of God we are
called to be a part of.
the ways that the Lord showed up in my life this past month, but it really all
boils down to this: He loved me. I came into Uganda feeling weak and
vulnerable, and my Father blessed me beyond measure. I was able to come alive
in so many of my giftings and develop so many beautiful relationships with
people that now have a very special place in my heart. So this is my life; my
typical, everyday life on the Race. Should it really be that different from the
way I used to live at home? No. But God is showing me daily that THIS is the
life He has called me to; a life of abundance and overflow of his love onto the
people I find myself surrounded with. As I blindly walk in faith, His grace
covers me and enables me to do things I once thought impossible. And yet they’re
just typical, everyday events that as ambassadors in the Kingdom of God we are
called to be a part of.
Are you living this life?
