Wow, I have missed my people and Lexington. I was just telling a friend the other day that I would not want my home base to be anywhere else but Lexington. Everyone is so supportive and encouraging and so many people on fire for the Lord.
I know you’re probably thinking that I am going to share about all the things I have been surprised about the United States or the culture shock I’ve been going through but honestly I really love the U.S. and all of you and my life has been so full of transitions that it hasn’t been too hard. I have loved getting to see so many of your beautiful faces already and I love community and what God has for me in this season.
There have definitely been hard things but that’s how the story goes. At least the best stories.
As a final blog, I wanted to update you on where God is taking me next!
One thing that was prayed over me before the race is that God would highlight my gifts and callings as to how He wanted me to live out Kingdom life to the fullest, and He did just that.
There was a prayer tower back in Nepal where I got to stay for a week. Pastor Naryan had this vision of having a place where there was 24/7 prayer going. It was also a place where those who were physically disabled could live and work, be discipled, and join in the prayer movement. I loved it.
Thankfully, I will be able to continue that passion and love, as the prayer coordinator for an organization called City for the Nations, “unleashing cities to disciple unreached nations.”
I feel so honored to have been given such an important role. Before the race, the word intercessor was prayed over me several times, as well as Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a man who had a task and he would not be distracted from it.
The heart behind City for the Nations is to mobilize churches and cities to reach unreached people groups. I think this lines up so perfectly with what God first put on my heart as I started feeling called to missions. I wanted to reach the unreached people groups in whatever way I could. That vision has changed a bit, but one thing remains- my heart for unreached people groups. Last year, City for the Nations was able to send 50 church planters to the last 50 unreached people groups of Nepal. They are currently planting 7 churches in unreached areas in Niger, Africa.
You may be wondering what classifies a people as an unreached people group. An unreached people group refers to an ethnic group without an indigenous, self-propagating Christian church movement. Any ethnic nation without enough Christians to evangelize the rest of the nation is an unreached people group.
There are 17,016 people groups in the world and 7,088 of them are unreached. It’s amazing that there are more reached than unreached! However, 41.7% of the world, 3.14 billion people, still need to hear the name of Jesus. This puts things into perspective that this many people are going to hell because they were never given a chance. 90% of the unreached people group live within the 10/40 window which is in the middle east region yet only 1 in 99 missionaries go there. You can find out more information on the joshuaproject.net website.
As the prayer coordinator, we are launching the unreached prayer movement to seek 1000 plus people in Lexington to commit to pray consistently for unreached people groups both here and across the world, as well as mobilizing other cities to disciple unreached nations. Together, we will pray 24/7 throughout the year because we believe that prayer is the most important component of any movement of God.
Author Robert Glover has said, “Right down through the centuries to the present day, the story of missions has been the story of answered prayer. Every fresh outbreak of missionary energy has been the result of believing prayer. Every new missionary undertaking that has been owned and blessed of God has been the germinating of seed planted by the divine spirit in the hearts of praying saints.”
We have a prayer room in Lexington that is open 24/7 with the vision of night and day prayer and worship set before the Throne of God like incense, until the Gospel of the Kingdom takes root in every nation and the fragrance of Jesus permeates the whole world with the knowledge of His glory.
When it comes to missions, I have sometimes gotten the response that I should worry more about those at home and in America. My response to that is Luke 10:2, “And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'” This is where I find my role.
I have cried more tears of intercession for those closest to me than I have for anyone else, and have loved, forgiven and humbled myself with my family and friends more than I have with anyone else. In this next season of life, I know God is calling me to steadfast love and faithfulness with my family and friends, but He is also calling me to usher in more family members outside our bubble of America.
Luke, who is also on the team with me at City for the Nations, is over the outreach part of City for the Nations, working on equipping and empowering churches, families, and individuals to engage in prayer, hospitality, and discipleship among international students and refugees towards the focused goal of seeing church movements form. Lexington receives 100+ nations every year on university campuses and has a received a large population of refugees as well.
In the first month of the World Race, God gave me the verse James 3:4, “Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.” That verse sent me on a journey to understanding more of the pioneer calling He is calling me to. Apostles have a burden to build something that didn’t exist before, to transform cities, to make Earth look like heaven, and to transform nations by training and equipping people. And that’s what we want to do. To mobilize Churches, to build up the saints, and to get these people to know Jesus. We are ambassadors with one simple message.
Karen, my world race coach, asked me what I thought God was preparing me for after the race, what authority I would be walking in and influence I would have that squad leading was preparing me for, and I think that this is it. From the beginning of the race, God has spoken James 3 to me. How important authority and influence is, our words, our actions, our heart posture. “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful…It is the Lord who judges me.” 1 Corinthians 4:2
So I see my work as building up the church and spurring the church onto the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-14), and I know being a squad leader for the World Race has prepared me for that in lots of ways. I want to live as a minister of reconciliation, seeking unity in every way we can.
In addition to intercession and the prayer tower, my other favorite ministry was whenever we got to visit house churches. I love that these are two focuses of City for the Nations. I love how His plan is perfect.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21) The most important thing is that we are not doing this out of our own strength or power. We are praying and working out of who He is and what His heart is. I can’t wait to watch all that God will do.
“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” Psalm 2:8
Prayer request- One thing about the Middle East and India is that it is a very community-focused culture while America is very individualistic. Therefore, the Muslim faith is very shame/honor based which means they make their decisions based on what brings honor to ones family. It’s not focused on self like in America (even though as the family of believers we should think more about what brings honor to the Body of Christ). In that, if we pray for spiritual hearts and eyes to be open to the gospel, when you get one you get ALL of that community. Only God can do this. So pray for open hearts and eyes that a movement of God can rise up among the 10/40 window, even more than it already is.
“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:8-9
This will be my final life update on this World Race blog but I would love to still send updates about what God is doing at City for the Nations if you are interested. Working for the City for the Nations does requires fundraising. I have learned that God is the ultimate giver of funds, so I know He will provide the money I need.
If you are interested in partnering with me financially, I would love to hear from you. I’m looking for partners who are willing to commit to 25/month, 50/month, 75/month, and 100/month. If there is another amount you feel led to give, I would still love to talk to you. The honor is mine to invite and challenge you to consider sacrificially giving to the work of the Kingdom in Lexington among unreached peoples. Please contact me by phone 859-608-2004, or email [email protected].
https://www.cityforthenations.com/donate If you feel led, you can donate on the general fund tab found on this website until my personal tab is up, and write in the memo line that it is for me. Thank you!
If you have no interest in giving but would still like to receive updates then still let me know!
