Where do I begin? This month has been incredible. For those of you who don’t know, I spent the last two weeks of May at home in VA. Then I left to come back to Birmingham AL. Why? I signed up for the Summer Intensive Program with the Birmingham Prayer Furnace. And I have encountered God and grown so much this month!
Just to let you all know, the Birmingham Prayer Furnace (BPF) is a place that has become my home away from home, in college if I wasn’t in class or working, I was most likely at the BPF. The BPF is a place where one can come and pray and worship God with others in the community. During the day there is always worship music playing, at night there are live worship sets, though out the week there are different kinds of bible studies. I have found this community vital in my Christian growth and walk. What could be more encouraging than surrounding yourself with people who are on fire for God?
The intensive has been a place where I have been able to learn and grow my heart knowledge for God, it has also been a place to seek hard after God’s heart without the distractions of the world. I have learned what it truly means to pray, to concentrate your heart, mind, and life to God, to really pray and seek for justice, and I am still learning those things. Two things that we have been contending for this month is justice for the city (more on that later) and fighting for the lives of the unborn children. For those who may be getting ready to freak out, don’t worry we are not a group that holds signs and yells. Rather we place red tape over our mouths that say “LIFE” in black letters, and we pray outside of abortion clinics (ONE left in Birmingham! Pray that it gets shut down!). We don’t want to judge the women, we just want to love them and pray for them.
So what specifically has God shown me or done for me this month? Well one thing is that during the intensive we are given one free day where we can go and do whatever we want to do. I chose to go to Oak Mountain state park. God started to show me through my hiking experience that in life I have carried my own burdens without giving them to Him. While I was doing that, I was in pain. God showed me this when I didn’t have my pack on correctly while hiking and it hurt to carry everything. Then God showed me that it isn’t until that I take off my burdens and give them to Him that I am truly free. He showed that to me when I took off my pack and felt so free. So I have started to give all my burdens that I have been holding on to. Though I already knew the concept that God was teaching me, because many people have told me that in the past, it wasn’t until that He showed me though something that I could see and feel that I truly understood it. Sometimes I can be so hardheaded, and yes God is working on that.
Another thing that I have learned and am still learning is how to quite myself so that I can hear from God, his voice, or a feeling, or a vision, etc. And I have noticed that as I am learning how to do that I have heard from God a lot more. Because of this God has used me to encourage people around me in a deeper way than I could ever do on my own. I have been able to start learning what the heart of God wants and says. I have been able to start learning how deep God’s love really is, and I am in awe about it every time I think about it…wow I don’t understand it but I am so so so thankful for it.
So what is next in my life before the World Race? Well I’m happy and thankful to say that God has provided me not one, not two, but three places to stay right here in Birmingham AL, and each of those places are with Godly people. Still working on a place to work but I know that God has that under control too!
Pray that I will continue to seek after God so fully even after the intensive is over. Pray that I don’t become worried or stressed about anything because God has it all under control. Pray for some of my squad mates because some of them are going through so hard times right now.
I pray that you are all doing well! I pray that you are all growing seeking God!
God bless you all!
BTW – I have $610 to raise by December so that I can launch to my first country
