As the World Race draws to an end in a few short days, I've looked back at the last 11 months at my overall top moments:
Month 1: Dominican Republic
One of my favorite memories about the Dominican Republic is they not only have a Bible on their flag, but they also have a month dedicated to celebrating the Bible – that month happened to be September.
During our month in the DR, we spent the majority of our time speaking to students in each school in Azua. During our visits, we shared various facts about the Bible, how the Bible has impacted each of our lives, favorite verses and other personal testimonies. I will probably never see the fruit of this ministry, but I know seeds were planted in each school and within each heart.
Another favorite moment was being one of four people on an interview panel at church. During the interview, we were each asked questions such as: What's your favorite book of the Bible, favorite verse, favorite author, how many books of the Bible have you read, what happens when you don't read your Bible every day. I was also asked what my favorite miracle was. My answer was when Jesus fed 5,000 men with a few loaves of bread and a few fish. This was the same answer as the two people before me, but I said it was my favorite because I have personally witnessed God multiply food in my life. Last summer before I embarked on the World Race, I led a church mission trip to the LA Dream Center and God did the impossible while I was there. We prayed for multiplication over the food we were passing out to the needy and God answered our prayers! After sharing my story with the congregation, excitement rose, faith grew, and people were encouraged, and their belief in the supernatural grew.
Month 2: Haiti
My favorite memory of Haiti is when we anointed the Haitian soil with oil in the name of Jesus Christ and declared the land for his kingdom.
Upon arriving in Haiti, we all noticed that it hadn't rained in quite some time – there was dust every where and every night, like clockwork, lightening would illuminate the night's sky, but it would never rain. There were obvious difference between Haiti and the DR, despite them sharing the same island. The DR was full of life and green and it rained many times, while Haiti was brown, dusty, and never rained.
On October 9, 2012 Pastor Wilnord took us into the mountains to meet and pray for a few people. Our first stop was in a small village where Pastor Wilnord's cousin envisioned opening a clinic. One of our squad mates had been carrying around a small bottle of anointing oil to claim the land for Jesus – she didn't know when she would use it – while we were visiting the site of the future clinic, The Lord told her to anoint the ground.
We were obedient – we probably looked rather crazy – girls were laying their hands of trees, the building walls, and ever the ground itself, and my squad mate poured out the entire bottle of oil onto the ground as we lifted up prayers and declarations. We canceled the power of the enemy and simply committed the soil back to Jesus. We felt strongly that God would not only bless the clinic because of our prayers, but also the entire country.
Following our prayers, we learned that this village was actually the epicenter of the earthquake! It was no coincidence that we anointed the ground at that exact location! After returned home later that day, like clockwork, the sky lit up with lightening, but this time it was followed by RAIN! It began rather lightly; the longer it rained, the harder it fell.
Over the next 5 days, it rained each night! And we began hearing God's heart regarding Haiti. We heard things like: "No longer will I turn my back on Haiti – they now have my favor."
Not only did it rain for 5 consecutive nights after we anointed the ground with oil in Jesus' name, but Hurricane Sandy hit Haiti the later part of the same month! I believe Haiti is and forever will be a very different place!
Month 3: Thailand
While we were in Thailand, we celebrated Thanksgiving! Our day started out with an amazing walk as a team, which actually ended up being our last full day as Team Dunamisses!
Later that afternoon, we went to our contacts, Mike and Margie's house to celebrate with the traditional fixings!
Month 4: Malaysia
During a weekend service at Full Gospel Assembly Church in Rawang, I had the opportunity to share a testimony during their first service. I had known for several days that I would be sharing my testimony, but I didn't prepare until 7am that morning. During the 5 minutes I spent preparing, I was reminded of a quote: "Your testimony is powerful. A man with an experience is NEVER at the mercy of a man with an argument." Instantly I knew I wanted to implement this into my testimony.
When I went forward to speak, I saw roughly 30 people sitting before me and I began to share. I first thanked The Lord for sending us to Malaysia (a country that wasn't in our original plans), to this church, on this very day – it was no mistake that we were there and it was no mistake our route changed. I thanked them for allowing us the opportunity to worship with them; they obviously loved Jesus by the way they worshipped him!
As I shared, I encouraged the congregation that they too have a testimony, which is extremely powerful. I proceeded by challenging them to share their stories with each other, their families, friends, and coworkers. Through sharing their stories, lives will be changed. I shared the verse in Revelation 3:15-16 that says, "I know all the things you do that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!"
I concluded with another challenge, for them to get fired up for Jesus and to not accept a lukewarm faith.
Little did I know when I made the challenge that they would ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE IMMEDIATELY!
One by one, person by person walked to the front and shared, each testifying to God's goodness and faithfulness! When I made the challenge, I expected they to accept at a later date. God apparently had other plans in mind! He had been working in their hearts to accept, and they did!
Month 5: Cambodia
The Lord began calling me into a season of prayer during our month in Cambodia. I also felt like God wanted me to focus on intimacy with him and others.
A few days later, I had the idea of starting prayer buddies within my team. I concluded that having a prayer buddy to pray with each morning would also birth intimacy as we shared our hearts with each other and prayed together. We carried on prayer buddies for several months within our team – we also turned the focus onto other teams by praying for them.
Month 6: Tanzania
During our first week in Africa, a team mate and I both got sick and ended up going to the local clinic. The doctor attempted to give me an IV three times – in my arm, my hand then finally in my foot – all three were unsuccessful attempted. He not only left me bruised but also with nerve damage in my left foot. I was unable to point my toes without pain flowing through the top of my foot.
A week passed and the pain remained. I finally asked my team to pray for it – although I didn't believe God would / could heal it. However, after the girls prayed, 90% of the pain was gone! I didn't want to admit to them that it was better so I didn't!
A few days later we went to a local mission conference where American missionaries were speaking. Since we were easily spotted from their view on stage (we were the only white people present!) they invited us to join them for lunch. At the end of lunch, they asked to pray over us. The timing seemed perfect, so I requested they pray for full and complete healing in my foot. They immediately surrounded me, laid hands on me, and prayed. When they finished praying, I tested it out, and God had healed my foot completely! He also healed my faith!
Month 7: Malawi
One of our first days off in Malawi was spent at a nearby beachside restaurant, the only place where we could eat a decent meal, get WiFi, swim in a pool and take REAL showers. When we returned to our ministry site later that evening, we came together for a time of worship and prayer. The Spirit moved that night and did nothing short of several miracles! He not only healed Ashlee's hearing, but also restored Liz's vision!
Month 8: Swaziland
One of my favorite moments in Swaziland was having dinner at Erica's house, our ministry contact. Erica invited us all over to her house for dinner, fellowship and a time of prayer. She blessed us with an incredible meal and the warmth of her home. Before the night ended, we spent time in prayer to lift up Swaziland as a whole, the Anchor Center, any thing else the Lord has burdened our hearts for. It was a powerful night where the Lord laid many things on our hearts to pray for!
Month 9: Romania
One of my favorite memories from the Race overall would be having my parents join me for a week of ministry while in Romania! This week was powerful – new doors of communication were opened within our family, the week was filled with a time of healing and forgiveness, and it was simply great seeing my parents after traveling for 8 long months!
I was absolutely blessed while in Romania – I attended the most spirit-filled church I think I have ever been in! The presence of the Lord was thick and tangible!
I was randomly assigned to attend this church with 3 other racers – Monica, Jessica and Alex. We were asked to prepare a short testimony and an encouraging word. I ended up sharing a testimony. I planned to share what I usually share – but while in the service the Lord laid a verse on my heart – John 4:24. I left like God was speaking this verse over the church because of the way they were worshiping him. They were perfect examples of worshiping the Lord in spirit and in truth. I was more encouraged by this church than I could ever encourage them!
The four of us sat around with the Pastor, his wife, and their son, who was also our translator, for hours sharing stories of God's faithfulness, stories about spiritual warfare, and miracles we've seen. It was so cool to see how complete strangers were instantly connected because of Jesus!
The four of us returned to the same church the following two weeks and were blessed beyond measure during our visits!
Month 10: Moldova
The most memorable moment from Moldova would be mud sliding! The night started with the intent to fulfill an item on my bucket list, which was to play in the rain. But it quickly progressed to mud sliding at the local stadium 🙂
Month 11: Ireland
I was beyond blessed to visit Celebration Church Northern Ireland this month – an international campus of my home church in Jacksonville. It was a favored weekend – beginning with an incredible conversation over dinner with the Pastor, John and his wife, Rachel on Saturday evening. Sunday morning we went to church – the first church service I've attended over the last year where I didn't have some role to play. It was great to simply receive from The Lord rather than having to give. The message spoke to where I'm at and will be an encouraging word to take with me as I transition home next week. Sunday afternoon the church threw a BBQ. It was a great time of fellowship with members from the church.
It was great to stay in the church's mission house for a few nights! And it was even better to live life with the interns, as well as Pastor John and his family. I believe God used us while Liz and I were there to encourage the interns!
This has been an incredible month of ministry. It's been a good transition month as we prepare to end the race and head home to America.
Causeway Coast Vineyard church in a church that focuses on the lost and less fortune. Early on in the church's life, God spoke to the leaders that if they go after the lost, God will look after the church! Since then, they have continued to go after the lost and taken the church to the people rather than bringing people to the church.
The Church has many amazing ministries – actually, they decided early on that if a ministry couldn't find a way to shift their focus externally, they'd be cut! A few of the ministries we've worked with this month include: a food pantry, a food drive at the local grocery store Tesco, the Compassion Wearhouse – where those in need can come pick out clothes to meet those needs, a vintage shop called Hope & Gloria – which seeks to meet the artist needs of people, and Grow – a program that involved growing fresh fruits and veggies to give to those in need through the food bank.
It's absolutely crazy to think than in one week's time I will be on American soil!
This has been THE FASTEST LONGEST YEAR OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!
That statement may be hard to understand, but it's so true, ask any World Racers 🙂
So much has happened this year; I've lived in an environment that has produced extreme growth in a short period of time.
God has taken me TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH to teach me an elementary lesson – to leave a legacy of love wherever I go; to love others as he first loved me.
I learned the most about LOVE in Thailand and Cambodia.
"Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But LOVE will last forever." 1 Corinthians 13:8
"Let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth!" 1 John 3:18
Thank you to each member of my family, to all of my friends, to my church family, to each and every person who has supported me in one way or another, whether it was financially, emotionally, or spiritually.
THANK YOU for making this journey possible! I couldn't have done it without you! I have forever changed, and the world is also a different place because of you!
The lost have been found, the untouchable have been touched, the poor have become rich, the sick have been healed, the hurting have been comforted, the weak have been strengthened.
Lives have been changed, seeds have been planted and watered! Many people have heard the name of Jesus and met him personally.
Thank you for sending me and allowing me to be used to Jesus to change the world, one person at a time!
I look forward to sharing more stories with each of you personally 🙂
