The conference itself was incredible. I experienced God in deeper ways than ever before. The worship offered freedom to approach God in any way we desired and I spent a couple hours each session with my hands in the air as I prayed to my God. I have never before spent so much time in prayer and through my communication with Him I discovered He has given me the gift of intercessory prayer and His supernatural love for others. Before the Awakening had begun, a couple people had prophesied over me that God had something big in store for me. A special gift He had already given me that I was unaware of that would be revealed to me during the Awakening. A gift that was unique. One I had been unable to recognize in myself due to the fact that I was consistently comparing myself to others. This gift was incomparable, I was told. I am still processing through the events of last week but I believe God may have gifted me with a deeper understanding of who He created me to be and the callings He has on my life. He is asking me to love others on a much deeper level and to intercede for them in prayer and I am excited for this next step in my relationship with Him.
The end of the conference was bitter sweet. We said goodbye to L squad who finished their race and has headed back to America. It was foreshadowing of the emotions I will feel in just a couple short months when my own race is completed. We were also able to pour into P squad who has been on the field for only two short months. I recognized in them all the feelings I experienced when I first set out. The homesickness, the confusion, the fears, the struggle between a love for home and a love for the mission field with the knowledge that there must be a separation from our loved ones for these 11 months. The desperate desire to experience God while still trying to figure out what that looks like. My favorite part of the entire Awakening was the morning my squad entered into the room where P squad was worshipping. We interceded on their behalf and sat down with them and had a couple real conversations about the struggles they were facing. We were then able to pray with them and left confident that God is going to do a great work both in and through them.
From here we fly to Kiev, Ukraine where we will then take an 18 hour train ride to our ministry within the Ukraine. Please continue to keep my team in your prayers as we are all suffering from exhaustion and sickness.
