Last year my two best friends and I went to Bethel church
Dallas to bring in the New Year. We had never been there but heard Jesus was
going so we had to join. One of my favorite things is to bring in the New Year
by worshipping our Lord. That is what we did. It was incredible!
When we arrived we knew no one. We sat by ourselves and just
observed. After some worship the pastor came up and gave us a sheet of paper.
The paper had places where we could write our life goals and long-term goals.
This is another favorite of mine, to write down what I am believing the Lord for
the next year. The front of my bible has what I have been believing for each
year since 2009. It is so cool to look back and see what God has done. I ran a
half marathon this year. My brother fully surrendered his life to Jesus Christ
this year. In 2010 I wanted to see miracles happen through faith and since then
I have seen too many to count. In 2011 I wanted my knee to be completely healed
and it is. Jesus has come through on so many of my prayers.
After that the pastor began to prophesy over people. I was
praying for a word. It was the New Year and I was graduating, maybe Jesus would
tell me what was next. Lo and behold the pastor looked at me. He called me to
the front. I went. I told him my name and that was it. He prayed and began to
get so excited for me. He said you have an amazing year ahead of you. He told
me there was going to be two decisions. Both were great but one was going to be
divine. One was going to sling shot me into my destiny. He said I would do the
divine one but it would take really praying and asking the Lord. I would really
have to hear His voice.
Fast forward a few months. It was getting down to the wire.
What would I do after I walked across that maroon stage? Ideas flooded my head.
Australia maybe, work at home, maybe Louisiana discipleship program etc. One
idea that was on my heart was The Forge. The Forge is a program in Tyler Texas
that takes 12 women and 12 men on a journey for a year through community
living, discipleship, teaching, and outreach. It is incredible. I had several
good friends that had gone through it and absolutely loved it. After visiting and loving it I started the intensive
application process.
The day was arriving when I would hear if I was accepted or
not. I had placed it in my head that there was no way I would be accepted.
Hundreds of girls apply and they can only pick 12 so I probably wouldn’t be one.
The day came. I looked down and
the director was calling. I hesitantly answered. He told me that it was their
pleasure to invite me to do life with them at The Forge for the next year. I
was taken back. Seriously?!?!! Ahhh I was so excited I could hardly stand it! They picked me? I
felt so honored. I have to do it!
I called my mom and she reminded me how just a week prior I
had said I wasn’t going to do it. What changed? I didn’t have much of an
answer. The more people I told the more I got excited from their
excitement. There was something holding me back though. I had no other option.
God had opened the door, so I should walk through it right? Not so much. As I
prayed and listened to the Lord He told me no. No? Why God? “I have more for
you”, He said. I boldly with no back up plan and graduation quickly
approaching told them no. I felt so much peace. I didn’t have all the answers
and it didn’t make sense to a lot of people in my life but God had more.
Fast-forward some more months. God placed The World Race on
my heart. No way. I don’t do that. I don’t tent, or backpack or eat weird
things. But God said otherwise. He opened the door wide. He placed people in my
life to confirm it. I had the support of my entire family. It was go time. I
will never forget the day I found out I was accepted. I was ECSTATIC Jesus
wants me? I didn’t have the money but God did. I didn’t have the tent but God
would provide it. What was I doing? I didn’t know. But it was divine, I felt it in my inner being. This was it.
Fast-forward to this New Year. Here I am. The prophecy
fulfilled. I had the decision to do the forge. All the Lord had to do was close
the door but through getting accepted I had to seek and hear His voice. Then He
opened this journey. It is divine. It is launching me into my destiny. I am in
Thailand for goodness sake!
It is here in Thailand He is beginning to show me His dreams
for my life. He is speaking to me like never before. He is guiding my words. He
is giving me words for others. He is empowering me to intercede for my team,
our guys, our squad, my family etc. He is calling me forward now. He is calling
me to lead in a new way. He is calling me to more. This is the more He has
wanted to show me and lead me into my destiny.
