Walking out of the airport in Perth Australia at 11:45pm was truly a blessing. After spending a month in the sauna that is Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, 50 degrees, low humidity, and a star filled sky was an incredible welcoming to this awesome country. We have been blessed with sleeping in beds and taking real showers this month. Not that I don't appreciate the challenge of a good bucket shower, but if physical comforts are provided you generally accept them. At first I didn't quite understand why God had blessed us with such a comfortable setting this month. After the first few days of our ministry work I quickly understood.
These first few weeks in Australia have consisted of spiritual and mental struggles, and have lead to growth in these areas. I have been challenged in all aspects of my faith that once scared me. I knew that God was talking to me, I really did, but I chose not listen because I was afraid to do what he wanted me to. And I was quick to argue and say “No that is just me thinking up crazy stuff in my head.” God met me in my skepticism and showed me truth through a crazy old lady in a destiny reading tent.
One night we went to a festival of sorts, where there was live worship music, bible discussions, prophecy readings and dream interpretation tents set up. Hannah (my teammate) and I decided to pair up and explore this place and talk to people. I was extremely skeptical and somewhat upset about the whole situation. I didn't understand why this church was “advertising” prophecy. This just did not seem like the right way to go about bringing people closer to the Lord. It all seemed very cheesy and fake. Hannah and I decided to go into the prophecy tent and see what nonsense was being spread from there.
God has never really hit me hard with truth before, but he most certainly did this night. Immediately when they started speaking to Hannah I knew this was about to rock my socks. There was nothing vague or generalized about anything they said to me and much of it was a confirmation of things I have been afraid of or been struggling with. I think the one that hit me the hardest was the woman said that God was showing her that he communicated with me through thoughts and that they are not made up or stupid. Those were her exact words, the same words that I told Hannah in a conversation we had while walking to this festival.
God really confronted me in my doubt that night. Who was I to think he could not or would not be moving in a place like that? And he even confronted me in a loving way by speaking truth into me through a little old woman that he gave the gift of prophecy to. This night was truly incredible and it really helped me to be more confident in the words God gives to me and that I am in the place I need to be. I have been blessed in more ways than I can count this month.
