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I am so new at this- this “Holy Spirit thing”. I arrived at training camp with my neatly trimmed Southern Baptist doctrinal theology squarely tucked in the bottom of my heart unaware what presuppositions it planted there. Prophesy, tongues, healing- those things didn’t scare me, but I had never seen them come to fruition in my own life or in the life my church going friends and family. I think I came to training camp hungry to learn but still doubting. After seeing, hearing, and feeling the manifestations of the mighty person who is the Holy Spirit in my life and those around me, I believed, but still had not fully grasped.

As I recently posted, God allowed me to get a little more acquainted with the Holy Spirit in the wilderness of New Zealand. I presented myself and you with a challenge- to walk intimately with the Holy Spirit on a minute by minute basis; seeking his will for our lives now and for some distant future endeavor. Well . . . so my first day here at the Christian Outreach Center in Darwin, Australia, I kept asking the Holy Spirit what he had for me.
 
I walked into the COC’s kitchen which services the entire hostel and there I met a precious, older lady with stark-white hair. Her name is Dot. She was talking to one of my squad-mates and it didn’t take long before the Holy Spirit spoke. Ask her if she is in pain. I could tell by the way she was awkwardly standing- hands on her lower back, back crooked, and neck cocked- that she was in pain. Ask her. Okay, okay Lord. “Dot, are you in pain?!” “Well, Yes . . .” she started in on some story about her back . . . Pray healing over her. WHAT Lord?! You heard me, lay your hands on her back and pray for healing. Eeeek. Are you sure you’re asking the right person. I mean … Lord, maybe you have me confused with someone else! Kristen, you do it! Ok. Sheesh. Gulp. “Dot, may I pray for you?!” “Why yes, I would love to receive that.” I laid my hands on her and I prayed.
I wish I could say that in that instant the question mark curvature of her upper spine straightened out, but it didn’t. However, her pain was alleviated and she was able to finish the rest of her day pain free. She went from hobbling around the kitchen to motoring and zipping around the kitchen to accomplish the afternoon’s many tasks. Praise the Lord for small victories!!

Moments passed and a little bit later the Holy Spirit continued to speak. Dot started looking forlorn and almost tearful very suddenly. Ask her what is wrong. “Dot, are you okay? Is there something wrong?!” She started talking about feelings of worthlessness. Ask her if she has always struggled with bi-polar, manic-depressive disorder. Eeeek again Lord! That is soooo personal, I have only just met her! Kristen, trust me. Ask her. Alright. Alright. “Dot, have you always struggled with bi-polar, manic-depressive, disorder?” She began to open up. She began to cry. Yes, she had. She struggles with feelings of worthlessness, and feeling valuable in the sight of God, guilt and depression. She has never really told anyone these things before. The Lord brought a couple verses to my mind and words of life and prayers of encouragement. He spoke these things over her that day using my mouth. What a privilege.

Since that day Dot and I have become quite bonded. We are walking partners. We wake up at 530am and walk around the block. So far we have shared our testimonies and enjoyed one another’s company. I have learned a lot more about the Holy Spirit and Australia. We start each morning with prayer. I continue to pray for the complete restoration and healing of her spine. God is teaching persistence in faith and prayer. Please pray that God will not only make her pain free, but through the power and might of the Holy Spirit pray that he will fully restore her spine. Thank you. Be Blessed.