Little back story, before really getting into this blog.
Growing up, I always wanted to live in any other country but America. It first started as just having a passion for travel and seeing new cultures and places. As I got older though, I became more aware of the brokenness around me and I was really frustrated and angry with America as a whole. When I first began the Race, I think part of me expected that I would fall in love with a country, move there and that would be that. While I did still fall in love with countries, and have a heart to live specifically in Nicaragua some day, for some time, the Lord also began working to change my heart for America. I first noticed Him doing it towards the end of my Race, when we were in Costa Rica. I realized that I was actually excited to come back to America after the Race, which I never would have expected before. This summer, before coming to Swazi, I also realized that I was actually really going to miss being in my home country. And that I was longing to be present there more than just physically, but to actually invest spiritually and in a new way emotionally. I was longing to be invested in America. I originally thought maybe God was changing my perspective because He had called me to go to school and I knew that was going to happen in America. But God has made clear that it’s a heart change for something so much bigger than just four years in college. He has completely changed my perspective on America, the American church and His people. It’s hard to describe, but it’s seriously a night and day difference in my perspective. I am so expectant for what God is going to do in and through America. It’s an excitement and passion like I’ve never known before.
Here’s some moments that have shaped how I’ve come to believe for revival + why I’m in Africa right now:
God first gave me the word revival when I was in Nicaragua. I wasn’t really sure what it was for, or why He kept giving me that word during my quiet times in the morning. I had never felt the Holy Spirit moving in a country like that before, in a way that was so alive, so I assumed that He meant revival in Nicaragua.
After I left Nicaragua, the Lord kept speaking the word revival to me. This time, He also began attaching specific places and things He was going to use. One of my best friends from the Race, Moriah, moved to Florida with her family about a month ago in obedience to the Lord. They are starting a church called Roots Church in Jacksonville, FL. God began speaking things to me about what this church would become and kept telling me ‘revival.’ Revival through this church and in the city.
When the Race ended, I spent a few days in Fort Lauderdale, FL just resting and processing with some of my teammates. On our last night together, we were at dinner and I overheard someone at the next table over say “revival is happening in Florida.” I think my jaw dropped. I hadn’t been in America for nine months and on my third day of being back, I heard someone speak the very word that God had continuously repeated to me for the last three months while living in other countries. We ended up talking to her and she shared about the spiritual revival that is taking place across Florida. I was incredibly encouraged to know that the Lord had spoken that word to others, and they were seeing it happen.
At training camp this summer, I was with Moriah and we somehow started talking to one of the squad leaders who has lived in Jacksonville for about a year. She started talking about the spiritual movement that is happening and shared some other cool things about the city that goes along with what the Lord has spoken about Roots church. We started talking about revival in Florida. Then she made the comment that she thought it was so cool how there’s also revival happening on the other side of the country in Washington. Another jaw drop moment. The Lord told me on my Race that I would see and be part of this revival, but it didn’t make sense to me that everything I had heard so far was about Florida or Nicaragua, and He had directed me to go to school in Washington. I felt so encouraged to know that the school the Lord had guided me to is in Washington and I’m believing that He is going to let me see and experience revival in my time there.
In my time at home this summer, I got to see how God is working in Boulder. My own church that I’ve grown up in is starting a new missions focus this year called “love local,” all about serving in the mission field that is our community right in front of us. I also went to another church a couple of times while I was at home, and they are also starting a similar movement. I was so encouraged because something I remembered writing in a journal at the very beginning of the Race was that there would be revival in Boulder. I prayed that before the word revival even meant anything to me. I believe that the Lord is in the process of building up His churches in Boulder to reach and serve the community in a new way, truly being Jesus to this city.
One of the World Race mentors, TT – an amazing woman of faith, launched World Race America this past year. There is now something like 5,000 alumni racers all over America. World Race America is all about connecting and activating those alumni to fully walk out their faith in America to love and serve their communities and to help spark revival. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ncdUg7qD_Ug
The other day, I had this crazy encouraging conversation with my squad leader, Jillian. We began talking about how the Lord changed both of our hearts towards America on our Races. She was sharing with me and then said something like, ‘I’m just so excited to see revival in America.’ We began talking about the revival that we’re believing for and what the Lord has spoken to us and to other people we’ve come into contact with. It was so incredible to be able to share what the Lord has spoken. I was so encouraged and so excited. I’ve never felt passion for anything like this before. We began talking about what it means to have faith to believe for something like this and what walking out this faith is actually going to look like.
Which brings me to the next thing;
If you haven’t heard about Michael Todd and his sermon series called Crazy Faith, I HIGHLY recommend watching it because the Lord is completely wrecking my (previously very safe) ideas of faith and is asking me to step into bold and daring faith. Faith that allows you to walk upon the waters. Pastor Mike tells this crazy testimony of faith and how something that seems crazy is only crazy until it happens. It has encouraged me so much to stand firm in faith that we will see revival in America. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uiR8TLiyfnc
Now you might be wondering, why exactly are you in Africa? This blog is all about America.
I’m in Africa because Nsoko, Swaziland is currently home to an incredible group of Americans who are part of this rising generation. The Lord brought me here to be part of revival right now. This is what He reminded me of this week. Revival in America is happening right here and right now. My ministry is pouring into these people and helping them grow into their identities and purpose. This is the step that God has entrusted me with.
I know that most times when I talk to people about this thing that my heart is crying for, it sound crazy. It seems like such a big and impossible thing to believe for, but I believe He’s going to do it. I don’t know the big picture of how. But, the story throughout time has always been God using the least likely people, the least likely situations, the least likely things, and the least likely nations to bring glory to Himself and His Kingdom. I believe that right now, He is using the least likely people, the least likely situations, the least likely things things and America for building of the Kingdom. I believe that God is raising up a generation that is hungering not for religion, but for an actual relationship with Jesus. I believe that He is bringing revival to His churches and people and that there will be change in America. I believe that there is true freedom and independence in the Lord that will be experienced. I believe that it’s beginning now!
So if you’re in a place of desiring to grow your faith, ask God about revival for yourself. We need people and a movement to have crazy faith and believe for this. I truly believe that this is the invitation the Lord is extending to you. Are you willing to sound completely crazy, to walk in faith with the Lord?
