I am back in a place that captured by heart 8 years ago. It feels so inviting being back in Ecuador! We are staying with all 57 members of our squad this month at an organization called “incalink”, it is very welcoming and encouraging. On the wall in the living room are the guidelines to living here. They are “choose joy”, “love covers all”, “give 110%”, “challenge by choice”, and “be here now”. These are what we desire to live by daily, not only here but anywhere we go. So I thought I would share those with you and just give you alittle taste on the living arrangements. Me and Faith are currently tenting in the yard which is fairly nice- we are on a hill that overlooks the mountains that seem to engulf the entire town which is beautiful and breath taking. The weather is like constant fall so it is a refreshing coming out of the heat we had on the coasts of Colombia!
I have been journaling and will be sure to catch you all up as soon as I get all my thoughts together! They may be a bit out of “order” but regardless you will SEE, HEAR, and hopefully FEEL how the Lord is working in our lives!
So, last night our whole squad was together and we participated in an exercise of “listening prayer” (I believe I wrote about this previously, if not here is a crash course on this BEAUTIFUL practice).
– There is NO FORMULA, only sensitivity to the SPIRIT
The voices we “hear” are in 4 categories: 1)our voice- selfishness, our ambition and so on. 2) the enemies voice- lies, worry, fears… 3) the worlds voice- what culture throws at us. And finally 4) Holy Spirit’s voice= LOVE, acceptance, truth…A big part of this practice is SILENCING all other voices but that of the Holy Spirit. The way we affirm what we hear from Holy Spirit is that it will be backed up by Scripture, testimony or affirmation of other believers who you invite in and to pray, what we hear UPLIFTS Christ, we see FRUIT, and that is comes to FULLFILMENT!
During the exercise the Lord spoke to me through a squad mate and used me to speak to a team mate. The exercise involved finding a partner, but the one praying or listening had their eyes closed so they did not know who they were praying for. As they listened they would begin to speak what they heard the Lord telling them. When I was listening I had no idea who was my partner (and honestly I thought it was a girl by the way they touched my shoulder to let me know they were there) as I was praying Jesus brought to mind my team mate Bradley who voiced last month that sometimes this faith stuff can just “seem like we are just saying words”. I heard Jesus through that example tell me to speak to the doubts this person had and was dealing and to give them to Him. Jesus told me to tell this person He wants to take him on an adventure and show him “life to the full”. As I opened my eyes to see who this girl was, to my AMAZEMENT me and Bradley looked at each other and were blown away by Gods GOODNESS and FAITHFULNESS! It was truly incredible. Bradley with tears in his eyes said “how much sense does that make!” God is working in and through us.
Now- the when it was my turn to receive I got a visualization from a squad mate. She said it seemed I was in water with a kayak or canoe struggling against the current. She mentioned how I need to rest in who God is and that He will split the waters.
This is how I interpreted this and what the Lord spoke to me as I journaled.
“Stop struggling. Stop looking at the water rising around you and trust me to split the seas. Take my hand as you let go. In your hand you are holding onto so much! YOUR dreams, desires, future, plans- you are struggling with letting go. Trust me and rest in me! You will soon find when you let go, the hand you were so tightly clinging to these things with, is the hand I will pull you out of the waters with…”
The Lord spoke through His word to me showing me Psalm 37.
“Don’t envy those who do wrong”. “Trust in the Lord and do good and He will give you the desires of your heart”. “Commit everything you do to the Lord, trust Him and He will help you.” “Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act”.
The Lord knows my heart. The worries, doubts, envy, lack of patience I am attacked with- and He loves me the same! He sees the impatience that blinds me at times. My frustration when I don’t see what I am desiring. And He speaks peace to me.
Please stay tuned and pray for me to trust the Lord through these times. Pray that my FAITH would be strengthened. And pray for patience as I wait for the Lord to provide in the future.
MORE TO COME!
