Big Pal Little Pal Update and Some Embarrassing Moments...

An Update

Hey!

Sorry that it has been a little while since I posted.  I have thought about it many times, but I have been so busy!

First of all, since I last posted, Damon Thomspon and Mrs. Karen (Senior leaders from The Ramp) where in Chattanooga, which is about 30 minutes from here; needless to say, I went to experience Jesus with them.  It was so exciting!  In the Wednesday night service, upwards of 100 people got saved! Yes, here in the Bible Belt of America, we are seeing the outbreak of Awakening!  It was prophesied that Chattanooga is a North Gate; so to all you living north of Chattanooga--get ready!  Revival is coming!  After people came pouring to the altar, there was a water baptism, some 200 people got baptized.  People got healed, delivered and encouraged.  It was glorious.

Then, this weekend, here in Cleveland, we had a conference put on by a house of prayer.  Corey Russell from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City came and shared powerful words!  I strongly encourage you to go to this link and download them--for free! http://prayingculture.com/free.html (copy and paste this into the search bar..sorry I don't know how to make it possible to just click that and it take you there.)
It was such a surprise to see that the other speaker for the conference was one of the leaders from the Fredericksburg Prayer Furnace and it was so awesome to get to see him.  It was an awesome time of equipping and preparation for what is coming.

Then, there has been school work.  And I mean tons of it.  Reading, outlining, research papers, other papers, projects, quizzes, exams, and class.  I am continuing to try and keep up with all of that, remembering that in the midst of having so many things to do (outside of school) I am here as a student, and that's what I am to be doing with excellence right now.  So to all the students reading this--do your work with excellence! As unto the Lord.

Well, I think that's the highlights of my last couple weeks.  As always..thank you for taking the time to follow me and keep in touch!

It's Only a Test

At the church I have been going to here in Cleveland, Dwelling Place Church International, Pastor Judy (Jacobs) shared a powerful word last Sunday morning.  All the words have been powerful there, but this one was totally a rhema word in my life; you know the kind when it applied directly to the situation you are in?

The title of it was “It’s only a test”.  It has been on my mind and I want to share some of it and add some of my own thoughts to it for you.

There are seasons of testing.  1 Peter 1:6-7 gives us the correct outlook to take on tests.  Rejoice in them!  They aren’t to be mean to us, they are to prove our faith.  That proof is more precious than gold. Testing will come, period.  What is going to be your testimony in the test?  Are you going to get bitter towards God?  Or are you going to stand, like Job and still say, “Blessed be the name of the Lord!”?

The good news is that this test isn’t going to last forever.  Seasons end!   When will the season end?  When you have learned the lesson.  Abraham’s test of obedience wasn’t ended until he drew the knife up, ready to plunge it into Isaac.  God knows our heart, no matter what our lips are saying; He knows if our heart is aligning with that.  Heart obedience is what He is after; He isn’t impressed with fancy words that make us sound surrendered.

Don’t get discouraged, it’s only a test!  You will make it through.  You see, greater is He in you, than He that’s in the world.  God will not test you beyond what you are able to bear—and He is faithful to be there with you every step of the way.  Stand firm!  This isn’t going to last forever.  When Satan runs out of amo, you are still going to be standing!  We win.

Stop looking back.  I have been hearing from multiple leaders that this is a new season, we as the Church are entering a new season.  So get ready! This can be the season of your deliverance, the season of a passed test!  If you will focus.  Tests take study.  Tests take effort.  Tests take focus.  But we have the answers!  Hold on to Jesus, lift your eyes to the Hill where your help comes from!  Give yourself to Him.  Put the trial in His hand and don’t look back.  Don’t take the temptation back—leave it at the Cross.

So I just want to encourage you, stand firm!  Don’t back down.  Maybe this test has been a long one.  Don’t give in!  Don’t look at it like it’s going to last forever, take the mindset that it’s only a test!  It’s going to end.  It’s not going to kill you.  In fact, I know that if you will lean on Jesus, you are going to pass this test!

Video Blog Update: Welcome!

Be Prepared for this Season

Hello everyone!! I am currently waterlogged from the effects of Tropical Storm Lee (Oh, the irony..right?)  Anyway, campus is basically underwater.  The streets here don't really drain, they just collect water which turns into huge unfortunate lakes in front of buildings that you have to go through because they are too big to go around.  In Virginia, I could pretty much where tennis shoes and stay out of puddles. Not so here.  I can wear jeans and not think twice about it in the rain; not so here.  I poured water out of my shoes, rang water out of my socks, had jeans on that soaked all the way through, my north face backpack and jacket leaked in the downpour and water was standing on the inside of my backpack (yes, papers and books all recieved water damage).  Everyone is quite shocked and drenched, so at least I wasn't the only one taken off guard.

As I was walking back (really almost swimming back) to my dorm, I made the statement, "I just wasn't prepared for this".  I had been told it would rain, but I really wasn't intending for it to rain like it did today.  I dressed for a Virginian rain day, which is totally different than a rain day here.  There is a lesson in this.

You are in a season right now and every season is different.  If I go out prepared for summer in the winter, I am going to be miserable.  So, prepare adaquately for the season you find yourself in.  Maybe it's a season of prayer, maybe a season of rest, maybe a season of going, maybe a season of new beginning.  Whatever the season is, prepare for it!  You cannot be effective in a season you aren't prepared for.

Even if I prepare for the right season, say the rainy season, but prepare for the wrong region, I'm still unprepared.  Maybe I have a friend in Virginia who tells me how to prepare for rain.  That does not help me at all here in Tennessee. The rainy/monsoon season in India looks drastically different from the showers we have in America.  Where you are matters!  Prepare for your region.  You will be out of place if you prepare for the wrong region.  Maybe you don't want to be where you are, maybe you would rather be close to the House of Prayer in Kansas City, or The Ramp in Alabama; but you aren't.  If you prepare for their region, you aren't going to be effective in your region.

So, stay dry! and prepare yourself for the season and the region you find yourself in today!