Imagine you’re at the zoo. Specifically the lion exhibit…because we all know the lion exhibit has the biggest crowds gathered around. I once made the mistake of asking myself, I wonder what the lion feels like with all these people staring at him…
Well, I got my chance. God presented me with the opportunity to speak to over 700 high school students during our time in Namibia. Before the Race, I prayed that during the year God would use my testimony to bring people to Him, because the story is one of His grace and redemption. During Botswana, I couldn’t sleep one night so I stayed up praying, when God gave me a sermon to write down in my phone. I didn’t know what it was for, just that it was about His constant pursuance of us and His unfailing love.
The kicker? A few days later, Lindsey received an email from Steve, our host in Namibia, that we had the opportunity to deliver a message to the high school on a Wednesday morning. Great. I knew what the sermon was for now. But 700 people? He had to be kidding. I’ve never spoke in front of more than 40 people, and that was always for Camp Kesem.
I spent some time praying before I told my team about the message God had given me. I felt the most unequipped to give this talk. I’ve known Christ for the least amount of time on my team, I don’t know scripture by heart, I’ve never given a message in front of that amount of people…the list went on and on. And as I was talking to God about this, he just kept saying, “I know, and I’m calling you”. The ironic part? That’s mostly what this message was about. That God wants us right where we are, and that He uses us and creates a relationship with us just where we are.
How great is He? So I reluctantly told my team I would do the message, and when Wednesday morning came around, I was a bundle of nerves. I was shaky, sweating, I felt like I couldn’t even remember what I was supposed to talk about. I popped in my earphones, told God to take the reigns and let it only be His words and for His glory, and my team prayed over me. The students started filing in, I took the stage, showed a video, and God is so great. The students were so attentive and engaged. During the video I showed before my talk, the students were cheering for Jesus every time He got closer to winning over the girl, and there was massive cheering at the end when He won.
Lindsey was able to tape my talk, and I’m leaving the link to the video below. I’m hoping people can send it on to someone who might need to hear it. I truly believe God spoke this message out not only for the students, but for others who don’t know Him yet. Just a funny side note, towards the end when I ask the students if they want Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, there’s a massive “yes” from the crowd…it caught me really off guard. It was supposed to be a rhetorical question, haha.
We were able to pray for the students afterwards, too, which was so cool. Because my talk went right up to the bell we weren’t expecting any to ask for prayer, but we still had over 30 students stop and ask us to pray for them. Holy Spirit completely rocked the room, and it was awesome. It’s just another one of those experiences where I see God everywhere. He took me, who felt totally unequipped, to deliver the message. He was so present that these high schoolers weren’t fidgeting around or talking, he moved them to say “yes”, and then they felt Him so strongly that they were late for class to receive prayer. I don’t know how many of you remember high school, but it definitely would have taken something drastically different in my heart to get me to do all that 6 years ago.
So below, the video “Everything by Lifehouse Skit” is posted, which I played before my talk. If you want to watch my talk, I’d watch the video first. It’ll make more sense that way. My talk, also entitled “Everything”, is posted below that. I hope it’s something you can pass on to someone who needs to know God’s love and pursuance of them. All glory to God for giving me the words, getting the ball of nerves through the talk, and moving in the hearts of the students. He’s awesome.
God bless,
Jenna
