Albania
What a culture shock, what a difference in cultures.
Being in Asia for 5 months and taking a very long flight into Albania from Japan excitement and joy filled my heart. Asia was a hard, fun, and growing period for me. I will never forget the work God did in me ; I commit to it being a lasting change in my heart and character- I will never be the same.
Albania is a big difference from Japan.
Im a feeler.
I can walk into a room and feel what people are feeling – the good, bad and ugly.
Its an interesting gift God has given me, and I am learning how to walk better in it everyday.
Right when we arrived in Albania we had to travel by bus to our home. I was very tired and ready to sleep all the way to the hostel. I got comfy in my seat, placed my bear against the window and laid on him.
Then I heard God tell me , ” Don’t sleep.”
“Um, God you know we just have been traveling a whole day and I have had little rest, I’ve got to shut my eyes.
God said again clearly, ” open your eyes and watch and pray.”
“Ok, what do you want me to see…?”
Guys, what I saw was difficult …
I saw : brokenness, lack of peace, very little joy, fear, an spirit of poverty and distrust…
Albania is crying for out for healing , hope, deliverance and salvation.
In that moment my joy and the fire that I had prior to landing began to seep out of me slowly. I had to speak lots of encouragement over myself. Speaking in the spirit, I choose to speak life over myself immediately.
The enemy quickly began to say to me that: this was going to be a hard month. Your joy you had in Asia will no longer be present. There is no hope for this land , so don’t get invested. This is a lost land and it doesn’t need you.
Ha but what the enemy still seems to forget is that God doesn’t need me , and He sure does call me to be a vessel and walk in the power of the Holy Sprit that lives within me.
I was reminded of some awesome truths that one of my squad leaders Hailey spoke over me in Japan :
“LaShon you are a force to be reckoned with…I see you in the trenches and battling for the lives of the people around you There is a passion in you that doesn’t put up with the lies people are stuck in . So instead of running away from the brokenness you run straight to the pits people are in and you don’t leave them until they are free. … you recognize pain, you have been fought for LaShon, so now you can fight for others. “
Albania I commit to fight for you!
When others have walked past you and think you have nothing to offer, when poverty and lies have been sown into this land I commit to speaking nothing but life over you.
This is Gods nation and He has not given up on you!
Yes you have been through pain, yes you have been looked over, and yes you have been deeply hurt .
But I serve a God who is bigger then the pain, bigger than the views the rest of the world has spoken over you.
I say, rise up Albania!
Awake from your slumber of brokenness , distrust and fear.
The God of the Universe is madly in love with you and I encourage you to walk in your true inheritance.
You are not less than, you are more than .
I speak life to those dead bones and in Jesus name RISE !
There is a mighty army sent here to fight for you in prayer, love, kindness and whatever God asks of this month.
I’m fired up and ready to be used by God this month guys! What are you fired up about this season that you are in? (This is not a rhetorical question- I want to be praying for you) If your not, I pray God sparks a passion deep in your heart and for direction for this season.
