Hey b'ys, this past month I'v been in Bangalore, India, at a YWAM base, partnering with them in ministry and working with orphanages. We worked with another team, Kingdom Heirs, an it was such a blesssing to be with them. Being on a team is like family, so it was like my team were my siblings, an they were our cousins, I loved it! We spent a lot of time at the Jireh home, which was a short walk from the base. We alo went on prayer walk, to Home of Hope for homeless people [an amazing ministry!], an ministry like the Esther Project from the base. What I want to write about now tho is what God has been speakin an teachin me. Besides what I'm gona say God has taught me a lot bout puttin other first, thru our teams an the amazing people on the base.
God has been teachin me bout surrendering my life to Him, focusing on Him, Him being enough, choosin God over the fleeting pleasures of sin [Hebrews 11:25], seekin Him an not my selfish desire. My journal is filled with entrie out obediance, following wherever He leads, bein willin to give up everythin, bout preperation an the diligence an dedication that takes. My friends here encourage an convict me in these things. An then God spoke to me very clearly. Mondays are our off days, an last week knowin I needed to rest I stayed back at the base while the teams went for a day trip. YWAM was havin a 3 day conference, so I decidedto go to worship.
While we were doin worship we sang the song that says we lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus. God clearly told me to lay down my crown, which for me here is a symbol of entitlement. He told me I need to surrender my entitlement, an while I prayer journaled about it the next day God further showed me that if He really is the Lord of my life, that He is the highest, the greatest King, then of course I would lay down my crown at His feet, He would be on the throne of my heart/life, not myself. So while we were worshiping I got down on my knee an surrendered, I laid my crown at His feet. My right, my entitlement, to live where I want, to marry who an when I want, what [spiritual] gifts I have/don't have, just surrendering my life to Him. An as I laid down my crown He showed me that I can pick up my cross. Yes I'm His daughter, an He loves me, an works all things for my good, but even Jesus when He came didn't count equality with God a thing to be grasped [Phlippians 2:6]. When they said anyone who wanted prayer as they [re]committed their life to Holyness to stand I did. A lady visiting the base from South America prayed for me, an gave me the verse Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.[ESV]" Normally I would have just disregareded such a quoted verse, but the Spirit in me recieved it. Then there was teaching on Holyness, which God used to speak more to me. As we seek Him [an now is the time!], He showers us in righteousness, it's not something we manafacture. I need to seek Him, I know He has a plan for my life [same as you!], an I want to be obediant to whatever it is He is calling me too, an I know it's so much better than I can imagine.
