January 14, 2015
First, Happy birthday to my adorable nephew Elijah! You are two today! I miss how you say my name and reading books with you so much!
There is a girl on our squad named Jennifer. My first impression of her was that she was smiley, sweet, and encouraging, and that hasn’t changed. I learned a little bit later that Jennifer has a hearing deficiency that lets her to hear only 20% of what’s around her, but that her hearing aids help tremendously. However, more things have come to light this past week that makes me now look at her as a role model of courage and obedience.
One night, while we were still at David Eubank’s house, we were all really tired and were just relaxing in the room we nicknamed our “lair.” I was lying on the floor, starting to doze off on the cold tiles, when someone said that Jennifer wanted to say something to the group. I sat up and saw that Jennifer was on the couch crying. She then told us what happened to here earlier that evening.
God speaks to Jennifer in a special way, and she responds just like a trusting child. That evening, God told her to go running. We are only supposed to wander in groups of two or more, and she questioned God in His request for her to be alone. He told her that He would protect her and to go. Jennifer started running. He then told her to follow the dogs that were on the property. She said ok, and followed the dogs. The dogs led her up a path that led her to a gorgeous lake that we had discovered our first day on the Eubank’s property. God then told Jennifer to go swimming in the lake.
What? She asked. Why?
Go swimming.
But I’m by myself and I don’t want to get my hearing aids wet.
Go swimming.
Jennifer went in the water to her waist. God spoke to her again and said that He wanted her to submerge all the way.
But God! My hearing aids! Why are you telling me to do this?
Do you trust me? Do you have faith in me, dearest?
Yes Lord, but I don’t want to damage them.
Trust me. Go all the way in the water.
Jennifer completely submerged herself in the water, then quickly got out, took out her hearing aids, and had them dry beside her with their batteries out. As she was sitting there, God spoke to her again.
Jennifer, do you trust me?
Yes Lord, Jennifer said. But I don’t know why you are making me do this.
Do you trust me?
Yes
Throw your hearing aids into the lake.
Jennifer began to cry. No, God! This is how I live! How am I going to communicate and hear? What am I going to do on this trip?
Do you have faith in me?
In tears, Jennifer said yes.
Throw them into the lake.
This went on for a little bit, but it ended with Jennifer saying through tears:
Ok Lord. Yours is the voice that I truly want to hear, and if it is the only voice that I hear from now on, I will be ok with that.
Jennifer took her hearing aids and THREW THEM IN THE WATER.
She asked if she would be healed, and God said yes. She asked Him if it would be now, and He said WAIT.
Jennifer told us that she was scared to go back and tell the team, and the leaders what she had done. She told the leaders and they were supportive. God told her to tell the team, and that’s what she did that evening.
Many of us were crying. We got up to hug her and to get into a position to pray for her. Before we prayed, Seth Barnes asked us what we thought of Jennifer. I said through tears how we were proud of her, respected her obedience, and were in awe of her courage. We all prayed for her healing and her heart. Jennifer told us afterwards that she asked God while she prayed if He would heal her then. He said not now. She said that we as her squad would be really disappointed. And he responded
They will learn. Wait.
So she is waiting on Him. Some days she cannot hear His voice and other days it is clear. But she is also sharing more and more with the group words or thoughts that God has given her and they are so powerful. God is using her so much and we have only been with each other TEN DAYS!
I got excited for several reasons when she told us this story. When we were all praying for her that night, I kept thinking that Jennifer was the first to sacrifice in obedience and be completely dependent Jesus, but she would NOT be the last. I wonder what God is going to call each of us to do this year, what kind of low places will we travel and be completely dependent on Him, and the breakthroughs, growth, and freedom experienced after.
