It’s Not as It Seems….

 

Oh how God never ceases to Amaze me. Here is a story of a pretty cool thing God can do. It all started last year at the end of October…

I got back from training camp late October after a crazy wonderful Holy Spirit experience there I was on a high. I was home one day and spent the morning in prayer. I asked God if I could be a blessing to anyone and He had given me a few visions. One was for that day, and the others I knew were for the race. I wrote them down, drew them out and thanked God for them.

I don’t know much about receiving visions, it’s kinda new to me but the visions I have gotten have had areas in which God has wanted me to act upon them. So far they have been either to encourage someone or pray for them (silently or to them).

Here were 2 of the 3 visions.

The first was of the Caribou coffee shop in Mall of America near the Buckle. Lauren works at the Buckle and I have been to this Caribou several times. So it was familiar. I knew the layout of the store and drew it out on a piece of paper. God had showed me the back corner of the store. Someone was there that needed encouraging. I didn’t really know what to do with it so the only thing that came to mind was to give the person a card. I had a feeling it was going to be a girl but didn’t know. Just knew the back left corner of the place. So what I did was write out a card. I had the whole day to give to God so I said to Him that I would go whenever, not like I was going to rush to it. I figured whenever I made it there is when He would place the person that needed it. I wasn’t going to search down someone… I knew it was just going to happen the way He wanted it. I wrote out the card, I said to the person in the card that I prayed earlier that morning and asked God if I could be a blessing to anyone that day and God led me to them. I said that I don’t know who you are but God does and He loves you very much. I might have mentioned that I have never done this before and that they must be pretty special for God to send me there to give them a note. I titled the envelope “For You” and left my name and my blog. I don’t even know if I had my blog even up and running then. Anyway. When I went there I saw a lady sitting where God showed me and I went up to her and handed her the card. I said, “This is for you.” She said, “Thank You”. Then I walked away. I don’t know what came of it, but I trust that God did something with it. Maybe she was questioning her faith that morning, maybe she was lost and sad. I don’t know. If anything I hope it at least warmed her heart to receive a nice, cute and random note. It also could have been a test of my obedience. Would I do as God showed me? Or would I ignore it because it required something of me like time, energy and possibly vulnerability of just putting myself out there and trusting that there would even be someone to hand the card to. In either event, I obeyed and just trust that God worked in whatever ways it He wanted the situation to work out. I hope this story aids in Him getting His glory. I definitely received my joy in feeling good about obeying.

The next vision is a little more in depth. It came through 8 months later in the continent of Africa! When I received the vision, I knew it was suppose to take place in Africa, but I had no idea when or where (country wise, village etc.) The vision was of Me and people behind me entering a building that I thought was a school. There were 3 windows in the on the back wall and I believe a chalkboard in the corner. There were children that ran up to me and the group as we walked in the door. There was one in the corner that stood alone. I noticed they were back there and all God said was, “Go Pray for them”. That was it. I drew the 3 windows and the back corner out in my journal and thanked God for the vision.

I brought these pictures with me on the race, but when my backpack was stolen in Maylasia so were the pages. I knew about the last two visions but didn’t think about them all the time or anything.

As we (the teams Spectacle, Koinonia, Indelible, and Manna) the SKIM squad headed to Mozambique from South Africa I noticed there were buildings that looked like the one in my vision. Not THE building but the style I suppose. I mentioned to Darci on the bus ride about the vision just in conversation and that’s about it. SKIM squad was at two different locations before ending up doing ministry at THE building from my vision. WEIRD!

It is a church in the village of Machanga (Mush-anga). When I walked in the front door the first day I knew it was the place. I didn’t know how God was going to have it all play out but was definitely awaiting His next move.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. There was a women’s conference that was going on the first weekend we were there. Yes, I said Women’s Conference! We were to speak at and participate in teaching at this conference. The church and visitors were very excited and grateful to God and to the American’s for coming to teach them the Word and to bring God’s wisdom and knowledge to them.

One of the days when the women were doing their dances of praises in front of the church. I was sitting in the front facing the back… so they were basically performing to the front of the church… as I watched the group I noticed one beautiful woman with “no joy”. She was well put together and absolutely gorgeous. For some reason I knew that she was having problems in her marriage. Don’t ask me how. (God) She stood out to me for sure… something was different.

That night as I laid in my tent, while journaling. I asked God about the vision. I was like… Lord? I don’t understand how this vision is going to come true… first of all, we never go through that front door we went through on the very first day, it’s locked now. Kids don’t just run up to us like You showed me. I don’t understand.

He said, “Things are not as they appear.” He proceeded to tell me that the children in the dream are the adults of the church. The ones that are happy and appreciative to have us there to their village. They know God sent us there. They were eager to hear the Word, hear new teachings, music, worship etc. Like children. God sees them as children. We are His children, no matter what age. He said that the girl that stood out to me was the child with “no joy” and she needed prayer.

WHOA! I was amazed. Shocked. Humbled. Grateful.

The next day I was looking for this women. She wasn’t there in the morning like she normally is. I just had to trust that if God wanted me to pray for her, He would provide and opportunity for it to happen. I had to make the effort to find her, approach her and pray for her. Later that evening I got my chance.

I saw her in the building, in the back corner. Anna Barnes and Bekah Kraft were near me when I noticed it was time. I asked that they pray for me, for God to use me in whatever way He wanted. That the words I prayed were His and so on. They new what was going on and were there for support.

She was the last one to leave a church service. I grabbed a translator and told him the story… she walked out and I approached her. I told her…

God had given me a vision of her last year October. That He wants me to tell you He loves you and He is there for you. He hears you. 

She asked… is this true?

No translator necessary. She was from South Africa and spoke English pretty well.

I was crying by this point and said, “yes, and if this was the only reason I was suppose to come to Africa, so be it.”

She proceeded to tell us her hurts, her pains, her worries, her fears. She shared her Heart!

Her name is Annelle. She is a faithful woman. She married a Mozambiquan man. His family disowns her and treats her children poorly because she is from South Africa and he didn’t marry a Mozambiquan woman. Her husband cheats on her and he currently left her to make money in South Africa. He left to make money to pay back a man who he owes money to. This man has threatened to kill her and her children if he isn’t repaid. Annelle was left in Mozambique alone with her children. Her husband took her credit cards and id so that she wasn’t able to leave. He brought with him his parents also. He didn’t bring her because he wants to keep Annelle away from her family in South Africa. He knows that she would leave him if she got the chance. So he keeps her in fear of her life and the like.

She was in a car accident several months ago (now). Her back is in severe pain. She was taken to the doctors immediately after the accident by people on the scene, but when her husband got to the hospital he just took her home and refused any more doctors appointments to help her get well. He told her that she would die if they did any kind of surgery and won’t allow it. Now she lives in constant pain. 

Her children are about 4 and 2 and they are beautiful and well behaved. Annelle is soft spoken and timid. Her overall beauty is uncanny. She is sweet and scared. I told her over and over how much God loves her… I felt it all over the place. I knew things were going to be alright when she finally told me She understood that He loves her… at the very end of our talking.

I could do NOTHING for her. I didn’t have money, I didn’t have a safe place for her… I wanted to take her away from the situation she was in… all I had was my listening ear, a short time to give her attention, hugs and prayer.

We left one morning… early about 6 am… and she was there to see me off… to say good bye and thank me. It was so nice… (I waited to write this blog because I wanted a picture that Miles took on his camera… which I still don’t have) 

It’s time to tell her story.

Father God, I thank You for this experience. Thank you for showing me how Big and Mighty You are. You NEVER cease to amaze me. How You fit the pieces of the puzzle together in Your perfect timing. I thank You for giving me the opportunity to pray for Your daughter Annelle. Lord I pray that she is getting to know Your heart and she is living in the knowledge and understanding of Your infinite love for her. Lord, heal her marriage, and help her to be a light in the darkness that surrounds her home. Father, help her to raise her children to know You, trust You and to come to You for all. You are a good God and I humbly bow at Your feet. In Jesus most Gracious and Glorious Name.   Amen.