ONE BODY

               Looking back at my blog, I just realized that it’s been almost a year since I updated this. And that’s funny because if you would have told me a year ago that I would be where I am today, I would probably have cried and covered my ears to block it out. Truth is, our God is Sovereign and His ways are not our ways, and his plans are not our plans. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9

                So where am I now?  Well I am still in Arizona, Scottsdale to be exact, and I am ok with it. Surprised? I am. This past year has been so full of growth and redirection that it has taken me awhile to really come to terms with everything, and even see how God is weaving it all together. I am not sure why I am supposed to stay in Arizona, but I do know that God gave me peace about the decision and staying here has actually been pretty easy. I miss Colorado, and I miss my family, but I also know that I am here for a reason. There are so many needs in Arizona, and where I once was hoping I could just sit back and learn and then return home and do my own thing, I now see that I am supposed to somehow enter into this new place and use the gifts God has graciously given me for His will here. Right now that means working at Scottsdale Learning Center in the 1 ½ year olds room and trying to be the best teacher I can be for these little souls. I don’t know if this is my “career” but I know that I have been crazy blessed to be in this situation and I will stay there until God tells me it’s time to move on to whatever He has planned next.

                Along with working at the learning center, I am now actively part of Scottsdale Bible Church (SBC), again, not sure if this is my church “home”, but this is where God has me for now and I will obey Him and stay tell He tells me to move. Being a part of SBC has reopened the door for me to return to Africa. As of June 9, 2013, I will be on my way to Zambia with a group of about 20 other young adults to share the gospel with a village of around 2000 people in the bush areas of Africa. This process has been so different from my trip to Kenya. I have learned so much about the Lord and about the power he has bestowed on me through the Holy Spirit. A big part of the trip is focusing on healing people and casting out demons. This is such a new field for me. I mean, I completely believe that God is able to heal and raise people from the dead, but I never really thought that I had the power within me to do the same in Jesus’ name. Listening to the testimonies from those who went on the trip last year is breathtaking. They share stories detailing the Holy Spirit working through them to heal people who couldn’t walk, and couldn’t talk. They give detailed accounts of casting demons out of women and men, and coming face to face with these demons and commanding them to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. Even now, we just received an update from the long term missionaries in Zambia that a woman was brought back to life a few weeks ago after a disciple prayed over her for an hour and called her by name to stand up. Are you finding yourself doubting any of this? I did. I thought there was no way this was true and there is no way that I could possibly do the same. And then the Holy Spirit smacked me in the head and told me to read Acts. Seriously, if you find yourself doubting any of this, read Acts. I had to ask myself, if I really believe that Jesus is who he says he is, and if he is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, why don’t I believe that a lame man could walk, a mute man could talk and a dead woman could be brought to life in the name of Jesus Christ 2000 years after he walked the earth? It’s because I have never seen it happen. I mean I have heard of healings, but never have I seen them with my own eyes. But isn’t that what faith is? “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 Just because I haven’t seen any of this happen before doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. And I am eagerly awaiting the chance to get to Zambia and really just watch God work, on His own, through His children, and through me.

                In preparation for the trip my group took part with all of the other missionary teams at SBC in commissioning. I had no idea what I was in for, and truthfully was kind of mad that I had to give up a whole Sunday to be at all of the church services to be commissioned. Now looking back at it, I am really glad that SBC commissions it missionary teams. It’s not only Biblical, but it also brings the whole church body together to pray for a common goal and to see the faces of those that will be over in the battlefield. So, what is commissioning? Luke 4:18-19, Matthew 10:7-8, Matthew 28-19-20, Acts 26: 16-18 are all examples of commissioning in the Bible. Some are about Jesus, one is about Jesus’ commission to his believers and the other is Paul’s commission. Basically, commissioning is accepting a call to share the gospel to non believers and then making that a public commitment. So, in SBC ‘s case, all of the missionaries for this summer and fall spread out around the congregation for each of the 5 church services. We wore blue shirts and as the pastor began to share the church’s heart for missions and what areas they are working in already, as well as where they hope to start work, we began to stand up. The congregation was asked to move closer to “the blue shirt believers” and place their hands on us to pray for our trip. They were asked to pray audibly, and then the pastor closed us in a prayer and we went to the stage to stand and receive the call of going out and making disciples of all nations. The feeling you get when a complete stranger speaks a prayer over you and your life, as well as God’s work in you is humbling. I remember the first lady that prayed over me, and I kept thinking, God I am so unworthy of your love and mercy. I can’t explain why, and maybe you know what I am saying if someone has ever offered to pray for you and you know that you probably won’t see them again or get to share what happened, but just the fact that they would place your name on their lips and your prayer needs on their heart is humbling. It’s also crazy to hear so many people praying over each other at one time. SBC is a fairly large church with easily 1,000 people per service, so imagine people just coming together in the name of Jesus to pray over a few of us that are being called to serve overseas. One heart, one church, one mind. This is what the believers in the early church experienced and it was POWERFUL. (Acts 2:44).

                I left the church that day exhausted and yet refreshed.  This is what life is about. It’s not about the money, success, heck not even about our basic survival. It’s about coming together as ONE BODY to share the gospel of our amazing Lord with those who don’t know it. It’s the deep desire for each person to have a chance to receive salvation and reconciliation with the one true God. It’s the longing for heaven and communion forever with our Lord, knowing that we have done exactly what God called us to do. I am so excited to see what it is that God has in store for each of his children. I am excited to see how much I don’t know yet about the true power of our God. Thank you for partnering with me on this journey. Thank you for taking the time to read this, thank you for keeping me in your prayers. My hope is to be able to update this periodically while I am in Zambia, but if not I will write what I can when I get back. My prayers to you and for you, may you come to know the one true God, and live a life full of joy in the Spirit and life in the body.