A week before I entered Japan a weight came over me. I felt alone. I couldn’t feel the presence of God. I had felt it so strongly up until this time and then it was gone. I didn’t know why. I spent the majority of the month looking for God. Knowing He was always present but searching to feel His presence.
Then about 1.5 weeks before we left I had a realization. I began to see the weight I was feeling as the weight of Japan. I was feeling what the Christians and Church in Japan were feeling. And to be honest, it wasn’t a good feeling. So I began praying for Japan differently. I had been praying for Japan all along but very generally. Now I began praying specifically.
The first confirmation of this revelation came the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We were finishing up our Thanksgiving dinner with our ministry contacts and they asked how we had been doing this month spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I sat there and listened to others sharing and was wrestling about whether or not I was going to share what was going on in my heart and spirit.
I decided to trust and opened up.
After I had shared, the wife of our main ministry contact said that was what they were feeling day in and day out. This was the confirmation I needed.
But with the change in prayers and leaving the country, the weight and heaviness was still there.
Then we got to team debrief and it was here that God used our coaches to show me very plainly what He had been calling me to be an Intercessor. Looking back on my life I can see the spirit of intercession shine through at different times without that name.
But now that I know what it is, there is a responsibility. I will be given burdens to pray through, but then I must release those back to God.
So that is what I had to do with Japan. I had to give Japan back to God. God knows what He is doing with Japan and how He is going to work in that nation.
It’s not my burden to bear. It’s God’s. I was given the burden for a time. But it is God’s again.
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I AM FULLY FUNDED!!!!!!!! Thank you all sooooo much for your support. It has meant so much to me to have all of you standing beside me supporting me on this wonderful journey. Because all of you have given, I am able to complete this journey that God has called me to. But there are several members of my team and squad who have not reached their final deadline. I am asking that you pray and ask God to direct you in giving what would have donated to me to my team and squad mates.
The girls on my team who are not fully funded yet are:
Kaysea Campbell: kayseacampbell.theworldrace.org
Christina Reid: christinareid.theworldrace.org
Bethany Dilts: bethanydilts.theworldrace.org
Thank you all so much for making this the best Christmas ever!
