After traveling 32+ hours we made it to Penang, Malaysia! I
had no expectations or preconceived notions on what Malaysia would be like. It
was on our route but I knew nothing about it. Turns out it is a really neat
place!
Most of the people speak English, which is awesome! The
culture is predominately Muslim with a good dose of Chinese and Indian. The
food is interesting and stretching my conservative taste buds. The people are
kind and want to be our friends. A huge blessing is that we live 10 minutes away
from PenHOP which if you are familiar with IHOP(InternationalHouseOfPrayer) it
is the same. We get to worship with people from all different nations and
tongues twice a week! The Lord knew we would need it…
I thought I loved Thailand and I do but man last month was
one of the hardest months on the race so far. Spiritual warfare was at a peak
and it was war. Ups, downs, twists and turns. We came out victorious claiming
the victory we already have in Jesus! He wins every time.
Little did I know that God was preparing me last month for
this month… the battle is even heavier here. The darkness is thick. Satan is
trying every which way to take me out. Through my thought life he is planting
lies and fears. There is something wrong with my stomach. It is constantly
upset causing me to want to throw up all day long. I went to the doctor but he
only thought I was pregnant… I assured him there was no possible way but I am
pretty sure he prescribed me morning sickness pills anyways. After spending 4
hours in the presence of the Lord I then found out that I have lice…
Satan is angry. He doesn’t like the fact that Sweet Aroma
decided to pray constantly for 24 hours for three days. He doesn’t like that we
are here and rocking the Islam boat. He doesn’t like the fact that greater is
He who is in me than he that is in the world. He doesn’t like that I am abiding
in Christ. He doesn’t like that healing is coming. He doesn’t like that we are
uniting in prayer and worship. He doesn’t like that freedom is in us and is
spreading to those around us. He doesn’t like that Sweet Aroma is just that,
the aroma of Christ scenting every place we enter.
This morning the Lord woke me up at 5am. He needed to tell me something. Yesterday when I found out I had lice I was so excited. My teammate
Christin and I knew it was just a scheme of the enemy and it only pumped me up more.
The enemy was scared. I asked the Lord what He wanted to do about the lice and
He told me to pray and worship and pray and worship. He said it would get worse
before it got better but to trust Him because He would be faithful. He told me
not to use medicine but to only rely on Him. He reminded me of the gas story (found
in my blogs) where through His power I drove for two hours on an empty gas tank.
We went to Penhop that night and my prayer walking in
was to just sit in the Lord’s presence. In His presence there is fullness of joy. I sat
there totally in His arms. But jerk face satan started attacking my head. I could feel
the lice crawling through my hair (worst feeling ever). “Jesus what are you
going to do about this?” I asked. Do you really want me to do nothing? I
couldn’t hardly handle it. I kept worshipping through the pain. My head itched sooooooo bad. It had been two days of me doing nothing but trusting Him and the bugs were only multiplying in my head. He told me to get up and go
to the back where He provided a bible (long story short the Lord gave my Bible away
to a man in Thailand so I don’t have one) He took me to a verse that talks
about anointing your head with oil. God is that what I need to do? Anoint my
head? He then took me on an adventure through scripture showing me so much
truth and the oil thought got lost in the back of my brain.
Next thing I knew I was praying with Barbara who is an American
lady working here in Malaysia with her husband. I told her about the attacks
and she fought for me in prayer. She spoke truth over me and she even gave me
two hugs despite the bugs in my hair. I had been missing my mom and Barbara was
able to sit and listen to me just like my mom would do. I cried in her arms. It
was such a huge blessing. It turned out that her daughter had had lice for four months
and the only way she got rid of it was by placing olive oil on her head nightly
for a week. Oil? There it was again. Confirmation. Ahhhh we freaked out! God
had provided the solution!!! It was like He cured my head right then and there.
We praised the Lord for His provision! He is soooo good and faithful!
You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my
cup overflows. – Psalms 23:5
He has told me this month to abide in Him. Sometimes we run
to Him with an agenda asking asking asking for this or that. That night my
hearts cry was to just simply be with Him. Just think about an earthly dad and his
daughter crawling into his arms not wanting the keys to the car or ice cream
but just to simply be in her father’s arms. How much more would her dad want to
give her all things?
I long to sit with my own dad curled up next to him on our
leather couch because I miss his presence immensely. I would do anything for
his embrace right now. How much more so does my heavenly Father want my
embrace? How much more does He want to give us all things? Abiding in Him is
where we have all that we need. He then delights in giving us not only the keys
to the car but the keys to the stinkin Kingdom and sweeter things that satisfy
more than ice cream ever could.
That night at Penhop was a sweet moment I will never forget.
I ate richly from His table He prepared just for me that night. I was hugged by
Him and am still walking around with the left over residue of His aroma. The
sweet sweet aroma of my daddy God. My cup overflows.
