a few long overdue outreach stories

One of the highlights of outreach for me was a conversation Kali, Thea, and I got to have with some of the girls from the university at a coffee shop one afternoon. We met three girls, Moona, Fatiha, and Asmaa, at a local coffee shop one day. We talked for a while, and then one of them randomly asked if we could tell her about Christianity and what we believe about God and Jesus! We got to share that most of our interaction with God is rooted in relationship. We believe that He loves us so much and wants to speak to us and live every day with us in a friendship relationship. Then we got to share the entire gospel with them, from what Jesus did on the cross, to personal testimonies of what that had meant for each of us. There was no spirit of argument the entire time. They were just curious with this insatiable curiosity and listening intently and asking more and more questions! One question broke my heart. Asmaa asked if all Christians believed Muslims were terrorists. I wanted to cry. I told her, “no, I am so sorry that we as Christians have falsely judged you as Muslims.” I told her that there are some people who want to blame war and violence on religion, but the truth is,terrorism is the result of man living without God. Kali said that she could feel the Holy Spirit falling as I repented for the judgment of Christians, and it was so powerful that she started to cry. Later in conversation, Asmaa asked us for specific Bible verses that meant a lot to us. We got to give her a French/ Arabic Bible with specific verses just for her! The Spirit of God was in that place that day and began a work in those three girls. The other two girls have Bibles as well. Pray that the power of the Word of God would speak truth and bring transformation to their lives!

For a while, I had this vision of going to the beggars who sat outside of the markets. I saw myself, not just going to them and giving them a hand-off and leaving them, but actually spending time with them, in relationship, and learning from them and being there on the mats with them. So, Mark, Micah, and I got to start doing that one day. We met these two men and one woman outside the souk. Before that, we prayed at almost every entrance of the souk for the kingdom to come and whatever we felt God’s dream was to do at each entrance. We gave fruit to the two men, and they loved it. They were surprised and thrilled when we asked them their names and even more thrilled when we asked if we could sit with them. We didn’t speak Arabic, and they didn’t speak English, but the Spirit was so strong there in that place, and I know that we didn’t have to speak the same language for them to understand the love of God. One man’s foot was hurt, and I felt like I should pray for him. He understood what I was doing, and both the men let me, Mark, and Micah pray for healing. I felt like I should lay hands on this man’s foot and pray for wholeness. Afterwards, they were so grateful, and you could tell something really life-giving had gone forth. At this point, we had attracted somewhat of a crowd. This one man came up to me, speaking English, and asked what we were doing. We told him we were praying in the name of Jesus. He told me I shouldn’t touch that man’s foot, or I would get some kind of disease. But I knew that this was the very opposition Jesus faced and that the kingdom of God was coming though me. As we explained what we were doing more to this guy and why we were doing it, he began to talk to the men in wheelchairs in Arabic. I think he was translating! How awesome for God to use this man, who was opposed to what we were doing, to actually bring the truth of what was going on and give understanding to these men! Mark, Micah, and I were getting more and more excited. People began to come up to us and say how they had never seen people just hanging out with these people and tell us how awesome that was. This one older lady named Farida came up to us and actually invited us for coffee. She said it was so cool how we were loving these guys and she wanted to spend time with us later that week! We left that place, full of the Holy Spirit, and so excited to see God working and what an attraction it is when God’s radical love takes action. Although we didn’t see healing right then and there, we knew that these men had experienced a piece of the kingdom of God and that God was drawing them out of his love for them to an understanding of who He is and his dreams for their lives! And that was more than enough!

Starting to blog again...

I wish I hadn't quit blogging, but I am going to try the best that I can to post a bit of what I missed, starting with a letter I sent out after I got back from Morocco. Here's that:

My dear friends and family,

As most of you know, I am back from “down under” (as well as a 3 month outreach in Morocco). I don’t even know how to begin to thank you for all of your prayers and being such a big part of this journey with me. I have been truly blessed by you. It’s through your continued prayer, financial support, and encouragement that I got to experience a little piece of the Kingdom of God on this earth and bring that to people so hungry to taste it.
During lecture phase in Australia, God led me into a deeper discovery of what it means to be His intimate friend. Jesus wanted us to know that he no longer called us servants, but friends! We get to know the business of the Father, to be let in on the redemptive dreams he has for the earth! God showed me that as He creates the reality of the kingdom of heaven on earth, He invites me to join the creative process with him and dream of what could be. It rocked my world when God told me that He is intimately interested and deeply committed to seeing my dreams become reality as they are woven together with His dream to redeem humanity! He could transform nations Himself, but he chooses to transform nations through relationship with me. This truth is continually changing how I live every day and I dream with God, and my limitations become fewer and fewer.
Many of you know that I encountered a bit of a surprise on this journey with an onset of chronic back pain. Looking back on this situation, I can see so many precious things that God taught me and who He showed Himself to be to me in my circumstance. One thing God kept telling me was that although He is deeply concerned with my circumstance, intimacy with me is so much more valuable to him! During the time which I was quite physically limited, I was brought to a place where every day I had to surrender my ideas and expectations of what I thought it meant to bring the kingdom of God to Morocco. I would then hear from God, believe his ability to move in Morocco is not limited by my physical circumstance, and engage with Him the way He spoke! During this period of about three weeks, I experienced the power of intercessory prayer. I would ask God His heart for my team every day, get a word, and pray his heart, creating the reality HE had in mind. Often times, the team would come back and tell me stories, confirming the very pieces of God’s heart I had prayed for them earlier that day! I firmly believe these prayers were instrumental in bringing the kingdom of God to Morocco, especially in building the spiritual atmosphere. So, a circumstance that I originally thought would break me, ended up making me into so much, an intercessor, a dreamer, an intimate friend of God!
Morocco was an incredible experience, as God continued to teach me more and more about his nature and the nature of His kingdom. I got to experience giving a love so real it transcends language and culture to Moroccans. God showed me how much He loves the people of Morocco and how valuable they are to Him. I really believe that as I was changed by this revelation, the love of the Father brought transformation when the outpouring of His love came through relationship. As I saw God’s heart for the world, I began to be broken for injustice and oppression in the places where there is such a hunger but are so void of truth. What a joy it was to bring truth to some places and some people where truth has never been spoken!
I am now back in the States, beginning my final year at Samford. My back continues to improve every day with physical therapy and increased movement. God has done such a healing work there that I barely feel pain every day now! God has not left my side in this journey as continues to give me strength as I need it! Please continue to pray as I move toward a future in missions. I want to join with God in what He is doing in the nations, and am hearing from Him this year as to what that looks like. I would love it if you hear from God as well, if you would like to continue on this journey with me. God speaks through relationship, and I am convinced that He wants to fulfill our destinies out of relationship with one another. After all, the kingdom of God is a “one another” kingdom. You have blessed me so much on this journey, and you’ve blessed so many in Australia and Morocco as well. The planet looks a bit more like the kingdom of God because of your obedience and prayers that moved the heart of God, things that are infinitely valuable. Thank you so much.

Be blessed,
Christy

Last Week

It's a new week, and right now we are starting Week 9- we leave in 3 weeks for the outreach phase of DTS- which by the way, we will be in Northern Africa, which is going to be AMAZING! I'll tell yall about last week (week 8), but have yet to blog about week 7 because it is so important to me, I still don't know where to start.
But last week... we learned about mercy and compassion and just were reminded the Biblical basis for mercy. When Moses asks God to show him His glory, God actually proclaims His name to Moses for the first time. God doesn't tell Moses that He is powerful and almighty but that He is merciful and compassionate. So... part of the glory of God IS the MERCY of God. It was cool to be reminded that we need to bring the truth of the gospel with the tangible mercy of meeting people's needs where they are at. Jesus did both, not one removed from the other. There is no distinction between secular and sacred in the Kingdom. There is only the sacred.
A good quote from Mother Teresa... "If you can't feed 1,000, start with one." It's so easy to get overwhelmed by all of the suffering and injustice in the world. But when we allow this to overwhelm us, we become paralyzed. And then our response is simply to do nothing at all because we are too small. But, Mother Teresa saw things differently. She simply looked at the one, and look at the impact and change she brought to the world. This challenged me because I easily get overwhelmed when I look at injustice. But then I remember Jesus and how he loved people and had compassion on them one by one, bringing healing to each person individually. Because the Kingdom is about relationship. That's where it all begins and ends.
Hey check out this quote: (I got this from Ken during Destiny and Design.. the week that i haven't blogged about..hah)This is amazing:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is ... Read Morenothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
Nelson Mandela
K, gear shift.....
So this weekend... Friday night the girls- Thea, Kali, Melody, and I decided to cook the boys a steak dinner. So we bought steaks, marinated them, cooked home made chips (french fries), salad, choc. chip cookies, brownies, and bought Heinz and like 8 cokes! haha... we all ate outside on the courtyard, which was so much fun! Then Zack and Chris DeSouza had challenged us to the ultimate Jazzercise competition, so we had a Jazzercise-Off, which rocked!
Then yesterday (Sunday), we went to Sydney agan- day trip this time!! We got there and immediately got Starbucks, of course! Then we went to the Mac store (again, of course). But we spent most of our day at Manly Beach- which is like the most famous beach in Sydney. We took the ferry there- which is an amazingly scenic ferry ride. The beach was cool, and the town of Manly was really cute too. Then that night we went to Hillsong church, which was awesome! Great, great day in Sydney!
This week, we are learning about Spiritual Warfare, specifically with a strategic emphasis in relation to our role in carrying out the Great Commission on the planet in this generation. Our speaker is from the base in Colorado, and he is AWESOME. I'm already really stoked and ready for this week. God has rocked me with this stuff, and it's only day one. I'm getting ready.
Hopefully soon I'll put up that way overdue post that needs to come. For now, here's some pics.

Sing a NEW song!

Right now we are learning about mercy and compassion and how they are a part of God's nature and who He is and therefore how we should live. But also right now God is teaching me so much outside of the classroom or what I am learning in lectures. He is teaching me to enjoy the moments He has put right in front of me- resting in those, not straining for something distant that I cannot figure out right now anyway! And somewhere, there is a lot of freedom in that-- freedom to look at where others are at. And how I can meet them where they are at instead of zoning in/ analyzing where I'm at and missing everyone around me. I feel like in this, I can just rest in the Lord as my faithful teacher to pour into me what I can pour into others.
He is teaching me about leading from being low and bowed down and how to build others up so they can live fully alive. That is more life-giving and real than so much of the dead worship that I have experienced sometimes. God is teaching me about real and honest worship, which is not always a quiet state of meditation or even a passionate, alive worship with me and God. It is being sensitive to His spirit- praying freedom for someone else in worship with me, giving a word of encouragement to someone, asking for forgiveness from someone if the spirit prompts me in worship, or just being outside with God and resting in Who He is.. it's more than a song. And it usually involves others on the journey- not just me- because we are a body, and our worship is made complete when we are together sometimes. God is so much bigger than my worship.
He is worthy of my honest praise, and it doesn't always look the same. God wants me to sing a NEW song to him because he is singing a NEW song over me! He is still creating every day and inviting me to create with Him, bringing something new, fresh, fun, alive, and real! He is good, and HE is worthy!

Oh Sydney!

So... last week Ken and Meg (this amazing couple from Tennessee) who are on staff here spoke on Destiny and Calling. I always say this, but I WANT to say that I learned more that week than any other week. I don't think I learned more, but it is what I am most passionate about- realizing the dream of God and the dream of me and of you and how my dream is connected and the same with His dream. I have SO much to say about this week that I need my notes (which I don't have at the moment) so that will be the next blog! Get ready... hah
What I will talk about is Sydney! This week, we planned to spend the weekend in Sydney (which didn't work out exactly according to plan- or lack thereof) but was really fun anyway! We planned to stay the night on Saturday night, but we didn't book a hotel or a hostel, so (long story short): we spent most of Saturday afternoon/ night looking for place to stay with no luck (b/c Coldplay and a bunch of people were there) and decided the best option was to come home early Saturday night instead of Sunday.
BUT... Saturday from like 10 to 3 was A-MAZING! We saw the famous opera house, the famous Sydney bridge, this INCREDIBLE place called The Rocks with a bunch of really really good outdoor street markets. If you know me at all, that is my weakness. I bought a couple of bracelets and things and resisted the beautiful $45 leather journal. There was a really cool jazz band playing, beautiful sunny perfect weather day, all together amazing. Let's see.. we also saw Darling Harbour, which was cool. The of course we went to McDonalds and STARBUCKS! Starbucks rocked (it was the first thing we did!) Iced caramel late and banana caramel loaf.. mmm! We also went to one of the biggest Apple stores in the world.. which was pretty sweet.
So.. we saw ALMOST everything we wanted to. We still want to go to Manly beach, which is the famous beach there. And also, of course, go to Hillsong. I might go to Hillsong not next weekend, but the next, because there is a live recording then!
So I really enjoyed Sydney. I think it's one of my favorite cities (maybe #2 to barcelona). idk. It was pretty amazing!!

Fun weekends!

So... I thought I would update about some of the fun things I've done recently and give you a break from all of this intense (but very good) teaching! Not last weekend, but the weekend before, we spent ALL of Saturday at the beach, which was AMAZING! It was the most perfect and beautiful beach day, and a ton of us just hung out there all day long. Then we ate at Subway down by the Harbour, which was delightful! (see last picture)
Then, last weekend, we went to a town called Kiama (about 20 minutes away). This town had beautiful rock cliffs overlooking the ocean and is one of the prettiest places I have been. There is also the world's biggest blowhole there, which was pretty tight (a word i've suddenly adopted in my vocab). We took some really fun pictures in Kiama. Then after that we went to a couple- the Rochester's house there, and they grilled for us. We played Taboo and some other games and just hung out as a community... so fun! (see first pictures).
Okay.. then this weekend....
We are going to SYDNEY!!!! woo hoo! I'm so pumped about it! We're going to see the Opera house, go to Manly beach, and who knows what else!! :) I can't wait. Then we are going to Hillsong Church, which will be amazing! There's like 8 of us going, so that'll be sweet! I'll definitely blog about that one.
k, that's all I really got right now. But enjoy the pics!!
christy

Holy Spirit

Last week a man full of the Spirit AND Truth of God named Barry spoke to our DTS about the Person of the Holy Spirit. I'm warning you now... what you are about to read might be a bit different or unusual, but I am not posting a doctrine here, but my experience and personal revelation from God in my life. So choose now to keep reading, and I hope that maybe the Spirit is speaking to you even now...
For a few months now (even before DTS) God has been speaking to me about the power of the Holy Spirit and His gifts. Around November, God started showing me how the same power that raised Christ from the dead is alive and at work in me! That is POWER. And not just a power to love, power to forgive, and power to give my life away. It is all those things. But... what did Jesus do? He did those things, yes. But... he also healed people. He did miracles. He raised people from the dead. He cast out deamons! Yes. Does my life look like that? Nope. It does a little more now, but barely. Jesus said we would do even greater works than he did! What on earth does this mean? I believe it means that he can do these things through me... and not just in his ability to, but that he WILL.
I used to think that this only happened in other nations, far away and removed from me and the relationship with God that I had. God has shifted, rocked, and revoloutionized this view within me. Because this view really limits myself, and you know what? It really limits GOD.
So... this week, I told God yes. If you are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and you wanted to make yourself known in the supernatural in the Old Testament and through Jesus in the new testament and the apostles, then why wouldn't you be moving in these ways today?? I started to really believe and ask God to make Himself known to me. He opened my eyes to a whole new side of Him that I had never walked in before. And I asked God to make that part of Him one with me and me one with that part of Him!
So... I'm not going to talk about all the teaching I received, even though it was some incredible, life-changing stuff. But what I really want to emphasize is my experience of the Holy Spirit, the most exciting, radical, fun Person I have ever met! Ever since meeting Him, I felt a new authority be unleashed during that momemt and from that moment on-- a new strength and empowerment to be able to take on the character of Christ in a supernatural way, where I saw his character formed in me, like out of control (like the Mona story)!
And what is so awesome about all of this is what a respecter of Persons God is. I haven't been scared or needed to walk in fear, even though God is leading me into a ton of new stuff with him. Because he is so gracious to work with me exactly where I am at. He understand me and respects me. He is never forceful with me, but he gives me the exact amount of grace that I need when I need it to walk in.
Most of the stuff I experienced this week, I cannot describe in words on a blog, but I am SO excited about coming home and being to tell whoever of you wants to know about everything he has done in me and for me this week. I am truly experiencing a part of God, beautiful, exciting, extraordinary, radical, fun, new, and more and more.
Thank you all SO SO much for your love and support. You are all such a beautiful part my life and this journey, and I am so blessed as always. Your prayers are changing me, so thank you, thank you. I can't say it enough. Sorry if this was vague. I just cannot put into words what He did in me last week. Sometimes words are not enough.

"When you are loved, you no longer fear change nor are you afraid to change. When you love, you are willing to embrace a sacrifice of change and make the sacrifices to change. When you live a life of love, you are not bound to who you are, but who you will become. Love transforms. It leaves nothing it touches as it was before. The only thing you need to change is love."
-Erwin McManus
Wide Awake p. 87

christy

Missions

I feel like I am always starting my posts with the question, "where do I start?" There is just so much going on... God is changing me faster and deeper than I can process it, and it can be overwhelming to try to put into words (hence, why I haven't REALLY updates this blog in two weeks!). Not last week, but 2 weeks ago... our base leader, Bruce Skinner, talked on missions. He reminded me of that I have been blessed in order to be a blessing to nations, to peoples, to the 2 billion people on the planet that statistically will never even hear the name of Jesus in their lifetime! It was such a challenge to go into the world, to those who have never heard. God really opened my eyes this week to the challenge and adventure that missions is. It is not some distant thing reserved for the faithful few. But it is the very mandate given by Jesus Christ, my Savior, before he left this earth. The great commission wasn't just something Jesus thought he would throw out there... it was God's revelation of His plan to redeem the world- all peoples, tribes, and nations, and His desperate desire for us to join with him. We can actually SPEED the coming of Christ. Because it is not until all hear the name of Jesus that he is returning. I don't know if God is calling me to "be a missionary" but I know he is calling me to the nations because if we are following after Christ, then we ought to be about people, about nations. Because this is the heart of Christ. This is the heart of missions. This is what I want to be about.

"It is possible you'll never find greater contentment or joy or exhilaration until you're willing to give up what you know and what you have for what awaits and exists in the unknown."
-Erwin McManus
Wide Awake p. 49

peace.

christy

Mona

I know it's been a while. I've discovered that it takes me about a week or two to process what I'm learning during lectures and in life from all God has taught me during this time. Last week was Missions, and I have a ton to say about that. And this week, I don't even know where to start or how to put into words the incredible teaching I have been receiving on the Holy Spirit. So, eventually I will do my best to sum up all of this, but right now I want to tell you a story about something God did through and with me today.
Today we went to a school to do a Bible study with some kids, and we also went to a retirement care center place. Before I left for evangelism today my friend Samone told me about the most beautiful woman named Mona that I had to seek out and pursue and give a big hug and kiss for her, named Mona. As I prayed about what the time would look like, all I heard God saying was “Find Mona.”
I talked to a couple of women and found myself talking to this 90 year old beautiful woman. As I talked to her, I felt like I was mouthing the words of Christ and speaking with this incredible grace and compassion, completely not of me. I was amazed at the Spirit’s ability to give me the character of Christ in that moment. She began to tell me how her husband passed away three months ago, and tears filled her eyes. My eyes began to feel with tears as well as she told me about the incredible husband and Father he was.
Then she asked me my name and I told her “Christy.” I asked her hers and she smiled and said “Mona” M O N A… Mona. Incredible, indescribable joy filled my heart as I told her about Samone who loved her and told me what a beautiful woman she was. I told her this story of how God had sent me to her that day and I didn’t even realize it was her. Then she asked me what Religion I was. And I told her I followed Jesus. She said she was Catholic and I asked her if she had a relationship with Jesus. She said she knew him and couldn’t make it without him. And I was able to speak over her how much he loves her, he delights in her, he knows everything about her. He gives her grace and strength and on and on. It was such a beautiful picture and opportunity to be able to move with Christ in this woman’s life.
I just wanted to share that with you, while it was fresh on my mind and my heart. Your prayers and your support is going far, far beyond just a cool experience in Australia and some amazing teaching. You are a part of God's redemptive plan of the nations and all of his people. Be encouraged. How great is our God!
love you all, Christy

A few pictures...

Part 2

Okay here's the rest of the revelations during Fatherheart of God week last week....
Last week, God really opened my eyes to how He has created me to be creative and Ross talked about this thing called an inner vow. An inner vow is something you say to yourself about to yourself and you start to live out of it. I asked God what my inner vows were that had been created by how I grew up, and he told me one was this lie that I can only draw/ paint/ create what I can see and copy/ reproduce (i could never envision something in my head and create it). God told me that's a lie based on the way I learned art, and that He has incredible visions and creations in me, and I just don't need to be afraid to fail. Instead, I need to engage with him, willing to take risks with him and explore. I am reading an amazing book right now by Erwin McManus called WIDE AWAKE (If you are looking for a cool book) and it has been talking about how much we limit our imagination and exploring- but those are the agents through God wants to reveal his dreams for you. Exciting stuff if you let it be... So I am exploring right now in this really cool journey with my Father into His creative Dreamer heart.

Another thing we talked about was coming boldly into the throne room. Why don't we come boldly into the presence of God? Usually it has something to do with fear. But what would happen if we let go of all fear, just to relax at the Father's feet? I kind of wrote about doing that on Saturday, when I got to just hang out and do nothing other than just be with God. It was such a beautiful moment that I got to spend just sitting and relaxing and even having fun with God!

There was so much from last week that is hard to just summarize in little quotes... but Thursday of last week we were encouraged to get away and think about our own families and particularly our fathers and how they have affected our view of God and ourselves. This was really introspective and hard to go that deep and that far back but a really cool thing to do. Then Friday we shared all of those things with each other and Ross (as well as all of each other) prayed over us. It was a really powerful time that God just re-enforced this word he had been speaking to us about his heart for family and us as a family going together. A lot of us got really amazing words for each other, and there were so many generational strongholds that I really believe God broke that day by speaking them out loud and breaking them together in the Name of Jesus. Amazing, amazing time...

I think that's most of last week... I'm sure there are things I learned that haven't even started developing in me yet. There's so much. Lectures are packed with so much good stuff (and that doesn't even include stuff outside of lecture!) Anyway... this week we have been talking about Missions, and Bruce Skinner (the base leader) has been speaking. It's been so exciting so far, and God is really showing me His heart. I'm realizing how small my view of God can be and how small my view of missions and His working in the world has been. God is blowing my mind right now and revolutionizing my view of Him, the world, and myself. Some pretty big things happening! I'm going to wait to post about it all until you get a chance to read this, maybe. But it's been a really cool, exciting week and I think will continue to be!

christy

Sweet Revelations...

So I decided that it's been a while since I've posted about all the things God's been speaking to me over these past few weeks. Today I've officially been here a month, and I feel like I have learned so much and grown so much in my knowledge of who God is and who I am and learning to love God, myself, and people. I already talked some about Intimacy with God week. He taught me so much about relating to people in real community and showing them who I really am, not a created perception. I've never experienced community like this before. Ever since then, we've just realized how much we are a family, growing together and moving together with God in all we are doing. We genuinely love each other and relate to each other in such a pure way. I really believe that this is the way that God intended for community to be. It's so encouraging to be in the middle of it! And it all started by being real with each other and not being afraid of approval and failure.
I've realized that I am not going to ever live in a place of real intimacy with God and intimacy with people by simply living up to people's expectations. My expectation must be in the Lord, and lately he's really given me strength to live in that. Lately I've experienced a humble confidence, and I haven't been nearly as afraid of what people think. It's a boldness that's also humble, because I know it's all of God and Him actively working and moving in me.

That was from the second week... but that week was so foundational in the life I am living now. Ok here's some quotes from 2 weeks ago to summarize what I learned about character and nature of God with Adriel Booker:

"The more we relate with people, the more we relate with God, and the more we relate with God the more we relate with people."
"Ask 'who are you Lord?' and 'who am i?' and all these secondary questions will become clear.
"How are all my dreams and passions connected and fitted together?"
"God is a PROVIDER and He loves to give. If I feel good giving away, how much more joy does God get in giving to me? He wants to meet WAY more than just my basic needs!"
"God is peace, oftentimes that's not when I feel peaceful."
One of God's names is "EL ROI" The God Who Sees Me
"All of God's attributes are summed up in one word- GOOD. When Moses asks to see God's glory, He says 'I will allow all my goodness to pass in front of you.' HIS GLORY IS THE FULLNESS OF HIS GOODNESS."
"As God shows us truth about Himself, we are responsible to respond to it."
"Do we hope in the character of God or in what we see around us?"
"The more we are with God, the more we will look like Him, just because we have been with Him."

This might have to be a couple of posts because there has been a lot lately, I just haven't been able to process all of it and give it out all at the same time. One thing Ross Latto talked about last week during The Fatherheart of God was this idea of eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden and the implication of what really happened then. That was the first time that man got his knowledge from anyone/ anything other than God. And the first sin was really believing something untrue about the character of God- a lie, a deception. And Adam and Eve made a judgment. Every judgment mankind made from that point on was based on knowledge of something other than the knowledge given by God-- whether it's culture, worldview, family, whatever gives us our perceptions. God's original intent was for all our knowledge to come from Him. This idea is more and more revolutionary every day that I wake up here. It is really challenging and inspiring me to think about what it looks like to get all my knowledge from God and live under love and all that God is and not making judgments. Then my view of the world would be so rocked and radically altered. I'm praying for this to happen... that's God's dream and what he always has intended.

Okay, think about that for a while, and then I might have more to post later-- maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow. There's definitely more though. That was just one idea from last week, and there's tons more and all God is speaking and doing this week! Updates soon!

Love, Christy

So... I'm getting worse and worse at blogging. I think it's because my mind has been in more of a random mindset and state of rest lately than a processing mindset, but I'll try to update yall the best I can. First, I was sick all week this week, which- if you know me at all- was really hard on me. But, God is so good and the 7th night of it all, he really brought be healing and energy, and I feel so much better. I'm still getting over it, but I definitely feel like myself again and have energy to really live... he is so good!
This week we talked about the Fatherheart of God. We did a lot of digging into our own families and thought deeply about how our families have impacted our perceptions of God as father, which was a really good thing to think about. We all shared those with eachother, and Ross (our speaker) prayed over all of us individually and annointed us, which was really powerful. We were all getting really cool words for eachother, and it was a really encouraging time.
Thursday I got to go to a BBQ and hang out with some cool homeless people. It was such an awesome time because I just hung out with them and talked. I didn't put any expectations on myself for deep conversation but just hung out, and that was so rewarding for me. I found myself about mid-way through just chillin with these guys being like, "This is totally where Jesus would have been." And somehow, the satisfaction just in that was amazing.
Friday the DTS before us got back from their outreach in Cambodia. There are 17 students that came back, 11 of which are girls, 8 of which are in our room!! It went from 3 of us to 11 of us in there... crazy! So, yeah, there are a TON (or heaps as the Aussies would say) more people on base right now! It's insane. We're totally surviving though..it's gonna be fun to hear their stories about Outreach and hang out with all of them. So Friday night, we welcomed all of them and hung out with them.
Then Saturday morning I went to the beach and took a walk and literally just hung out with God, no expectations, just being with Him. It was the most perfect morning, just walking and talking with my Dad. I walked out to this point on the beach with rocks and tidal pools and all kinds of amazing creation and felt like he was telling me it was all for me, and I just sat out there for like an hour.. it was beautiful.
Then last night, we went to Ian and Lorena's (the Aussie couple with the 4 boys) and watched a movie called Faith Like Potatoes. It was so fun just to be together and hang out just us for a night. God has really showed us this week how we are all a family and really close knit and tight we are. Being a family is so important, and God has totally brought us together and built us in that way. Last night was really fun just to experience that and just be together.
Then today I went to church and afterwards, Thea Kali and I had a little bit of an adventure. We took a really long walk trying to find Subway, and we ended up exploring and found this like Burger King twin called "Hungry Jack." So then we ate there... pretty cool. Then we had to find our way back to base, which wasn't as much of an adventure as the way there.. but def. took a long time! Now we are journaling and probably going to bed soon so we can get rested for this next week!
That's pretty much it for now.. again, I'm sure there's more. I'll try to be better at posting this week!

Actual Address... sorry!!

Christy Barton
C/-YWAM Wollongong Discipleship Training School
PO Box 4040
Shellharbour, NSW 2529
AUSTRALIA

Trying to Re-cap

Sorry it's been forever! Last week was really busy, and I didn't really get a chance to just sit down and type what's been going on. Also, last week was kinda God teaching me that it's ok not to have everything figured out and processed and put into eloquent words on paper. Even if I don't have energy/ wisdom to process and work through what He's been teaching me, He is still faithful to grow my in His perfect way. He is so good and so gracious, and he will show me who he is, despite my striving. I don't know if that makes any sense, but that's kinda where I've been.
So last week was good. We learned about the character and nature of God and just learned to ask "Who are you Lord?" before asking "who am I?" and all these other good but secondary questions. God is just showing me how much of Him I don't know yet, but get to enjoy knowing every day. And it's really exciting.
Thursday I got to go to this thing called JAFFA, which is kinda like Young Life Club in the States. It was really cool just to be Christ to these kids and love on them and play games with them... I really enjoyed it. Then we got to go to the mall and just ask God what His heart was for the people we saw and just pray into that by ourselves... which was also really cool because that's how we should live all the time.
It's been rainy every day pretty much here and kinda cold... so needless to say, we haven't been to the beach since last weekend, which is a huge bummer. But we're making it with other sources of entertainment, like the game Mafia. Friday night we played it for hours... haha.
Another reason I haven't really kept in touch lately is that I've been sick lately. I woke up Saturday morning with a cold or whatever and have been sick ever since. But God is a Healer and is so good because I woke up today (Tuesday) feeling a ton better. God is teaching me that even if I don't have "energy" or "passion" to pour out to Him, it doesn't matter because he is constant and faithful to show Himself to me and teach me what he wants.
I'm sure there is more I am missing... last week was busy and a ton of stuff. But as I remember I'll try to update this more! I'm also going to put up new pics on facebook, but right now the internet is overloaded and we can't upload, but soon!!
Oh yeah, this week, we are learning about the Fatherheart of God (if you wanted to know).
And...... I think that is all!
thanks for your prayers as always!
christy

Girls' Night/ Day

This weekend was our anticipated girls' weekend! Friday night after dinner, we watched Mama Mia on the big projector screen in the lecture room. There were a lot of us there, and yes, we did have a mini dance party to "Dancing Queen" afterwards! Then we all went to Beccs' appartment and ate snack food and talked and spent the night.
The next day was BEAUTIFUL! Beccs and Sarah cooked us pancakes, and we went to the beach at like 11. We stayed at the beach all day, and it might have been the most PERFECT beach day I've ever had. It was like 90 degrees but so windy so it didn't feel that hot at all. It was amazing just to lay there and hang out with girls... no boys to worry or think about!
We came back and played a pretty intense game of Apples to Apples with the guys (who def. missed us!) Then we worked on journals and hung out the rest of the night. Sunday Kali and I went to church together at a church called Shellharbor City Community Church. Then we went with our friend Lorena afterwards to the harbor for fish and chips outside in the little harbor town of Shellharbor (which is so cute). It was so fun and such a great Sunday afternoon.
We worked on journals Sunday night, and this week has started out well! Our speaker this week is called Adriel and she's from Oregon. She's talking to us about the character and nature of God, which is perfect for me since God is taking me into these new realities about who he really is. I'm realizing so much that my identity in Him will surface when I realize more about the very essence of who He is, his character and nature. I'm excited about this week and what will come of it!

Week # 2

Hey friends! I just wanted to update you a little bit about my past week. Aside from getting to know each other more and having tons of fun together, this week has been intense and deep. Our speaker for lectures is named Matt Dawson, and he has been talking a ton about being real with God and having true and deep intimacy with God. Everything he says has just really surfaced a ton of deep stuff that we tend to hide from one another in order to portray this perception of how people see us based on what we think their expectations of us are.
Anyway, we've all just been cut pretty deep and convicted of just some deep messy stuff, and we have started this painful but beautiful process of being real with each other. Yesterday, I knew the Lord was telling me to tell my story the real way- not the way I've always wanted people to think of my story. And through His strength, I told this beautiful community of friends around me things I wouldn't have dared to say 2 days ago. And since then, I've been becoming free in ways I have never felt free. And I know there is such power in the spoken word of a real confession to break the strongholds of the enemy and for victory to be proclaimed!
This is what's happened in me the past two days, but it's what has happened and is happening in all of us- the 8 of us and the 4 of our staff with us. And it's been incredible. The Lord is breaking me, and it's hard because it's vulnerable and not comfortable, but I am risking losing everything to gain intimacy with Him. And it's tough, but there is a new authority and a new boldness brought in it and an incredible intimacy and realness with my Father and with those around me.
Now I know that the person they see isn't just a perception I've created, it's real. They know me inside and out, and there's something beautiful, powerful, redemptive, and freeing about it. The Lord is so gracious and is redeeming so much in all of us. These stories are so powerful and incredible, and God is about to do some crazy things is all I've gotta say.
Anyway, that's all for now... just wanted to share that with all of you on this journey with me!
christy

Quotes...

It's kind of hard to put everything I'm learning into succinct paragraphs, so I just decided to share with you all of my quotes from both of the weeks (well, not ALL of them) but the ones that really stood out to me. That way, you will have an idea of what I am learning, and you can just kind of take them for what their worth (which I think is a lot! ) :)
there's a lot, so read if you want to....
"Love in the New Testament that Christ speaks about is rarely an EMOTION. It's a decision and a choice." -Bruce Skinner when talking about living together in community
We should be jealous for the honor of God's name, for that which is our birthright and belongs to us as children of God. We should be jealous with a FIGHTING SPIRIT. -Bev Tuddenham
"Prayer is a relationship activity. In the process of prayer, we get invited into the Godhead and become the 4th member of the conversation of the Trinity." -Bev Tuddenham
"Striving to 'get into the zone' is missing the purpose of prayer." -Bev
"Relationships are not the by-product of the Kingdom. They ARE the Kingdom." -Steve Savelich
"God is a dreamer, and he DOES his dreams and he invites us into them." -Bev.
"the tyranny of the urgent... prayer is about so much MORE than just the urgent. If we are only praying for the urgent, we are missing blessing." -Bev
"Ask God what HE is burdened about and actually listen." -Bev
The fear of the Lord is loving what God loves and hating what God hates. It is choosing to walk in obedience or disobedience. When he speaks, it's committing to obey and follow through because God says "this is in safe hands." -Bev
"We create new realities with God" -Bev
Prov 18:21 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Those who love it will eat its fruit."
"When we encourage, we are assaulting the enemy and fighting in Spiritual Warfare." -Bev
We need a big enough picture of who God is, not limited by circumstance and culture. -Bev
"If we meet with God ANYTHING can happen because of who God is and because of who we are because of CHRIST'S righteousness." -Bev
"God's ability to get through to us is GREATER than our difficulty in perceiving Him." -Bev
"When you choose to thank God, you are shifting your mind to the reality of who God is, and thankfulness is a key that unlocks the supernatural power of God!" -Bev
"Feel convicted not condemned" -Bev
Make a proclamation unto God-- a proclamation is "an official announcement made with boldness and confidence on behalf of the King." -Bev
"Worry is looking at something over and over again from every angle. Meditation is too." -Ken Clark
"When we let go of the outward look and let it become an inward journey that flows out from us..." -Bruce Skinner
"I'm hoping that we get really freed this week and totally delivered from a whole bunch of fear!" -Matt Dawson
"Jesus is constantly turning on light where there is darkness so He is constantly changing and enlightening us to the reality of God, which is always uncomfortable because Satan hates the light." -Matt Dawson
"We become so used to relating to each other superficially, and its so destructive. It makes us stuck and we continue round and round in the same patterns over and over." -Matt Dawson
"We become segmented, one way in one setting and another in the next." -MAtt
"God wants to totally and radically get a hold of the deepest part of our soul." -Matt
"God is not a list of attributes. He is so alive, living, moving, and breathing." -MAtt
"Gos is not in a huge fuss about your wrong thinking, as long as you can extend some TRUST to him."
"Jesus wants to call you into something so much more beautiful and so radically different than you've ever experienced before.... it should be devastating to your life, but there is beauty and healing he wants to bring." -Matt D.
"The world lives in a way that is so complex (filled with stuff) but so easy to do. Jesus calls us to the exact opposite. It's so simple, but it costs us everything." -matt
"The big picture seems important, but God wants to walk with me intimately in friendship each day." -Matt
"Do you believe the truth or DO the truth?" -Matt Dawson in talking about John 3:21
"His call is not arrive with me. It is FOLLOW me." -Matt
"As we become aware of the truth, we start behaving rightly. Your behavior is a result of what you think, what you believe is TRUTH." -Matt
"The work of the Holy Spirit is to witness to me what Jesus was like." -Matt
"Jesus lived with such a boldness that came from His relationship with His father." -Matt
"If you are a person who loves the light, then you are a person who loves ALL the light" -Matt Dawson
"Do I feel compelled to be REAL with the people around me?" -Matt
"We change the WAY we think because of the realities Christ shows us." -Matt
"It's easier to trust in God when you realize how much smarter he is than you." -Matt
"Intimacy with God does not come easily because it is WAY too valuable. It costs us everything, so we must make the decision about if we actually want it." -Matt
"The enemy offers a cheap, immediate substitute for the promises of God." -Matt

whew... there ya go! Congrats if you actually made it to the end... just wanted you who helped me get here to have a taste of the things I am learning here! We serve such a faithful God.
christy

Becoming an Aussie...

Hey yall! I'm finally feeling at home here (which isn't hard because I guess I've felt at home since day one in a certain way). The first week of lectures was so good (called Hearing God's Voice and Intercession) and so packed with truth applied in a really practical way. I took a ton from it, and it's stuff I will use a lot I think.
The weekend was great. Saturday we went surfing! Well, more like tried to surf.. it was so much fun. I didn't get up on the board, but rode the wave on my knees a couple times... haha! This one company does it every Saturday, so I am determined to surf being here! haha.. it's definitely a goal. Saturday after surfing, we had a big fish and chips picnic. Then we were at the beach all day, which, if you know me at all, is so my element. It was the most beautiful day! I loved it.
Sunday, we went to a church called Lighthouse Church, which is just a five minute walk. I really liked it but think I'm going to look at others. Then Sunday I worked on my Journal for DTS all day. We have these journals that really help us reflect on what we learned throughout the week and how it really applies to our lives in a measurable way, and they are SUPER creative, like scrapbookish, which is cool. We spent SO much time on them this weekend though. I really like it through because it helps me to exercise creativity in such a cool way to glorify God.
Anyway, this week has been so good already. The speaker is so great and, he is talking about intimacy with God. It has been HUGE and I'm overwhelmed with what God is revealing to me about Himself, but I know He will give me just enough grace and maybe even more to understand it.
So, I'm blogging more later (this is more my random thoughts, not a coherent summary like the last one). I have to go now because we just made dinner, and it needs to be served!
Thank you again for your prayers... I'm thinking about all of you... love you and miss you!
christy

New Update...

Good Day! (That's what they say here). I'm picking quite a bit of Aussie words. Juice is "cordial." A pacifier is a "dummy." There's so much more... learning still. Anyway, I'm sure you want to know my daily schedule. It changes a little every day, but here you go.

6:15 (usually)- wake up
7:00-7:30 breakfast
7:30-8:30 connect time (quiet time)
8:30-9 tidy time (cleaning up the room)
9-10- different each day (worship, intercession, etc.)
10:00 "cuppa time" cup of whatever.. tea or coffee! mm.....
10:20-1 lecture
1- lunch
2- different things each day like creative time, evangelism, process time, etc)
3-4 is free
then 4-5:30 is work duty and I do food prep so I cook dinner for everyone on base every night (like 25 people usually total, sometimes 30 or more) It's def. preparing me for practical life.
Then cleanup rotates among us each day.
Then nights are all free after dinner, except for Thursday night which is Community Night where people from the community come or whatever and I guess we do different things.
So yeah, that's a typical day for all of you wondering.

God is teaching me so much during this time. Our first series of lecture is on hearing God's voice and I'm loving growing in the knowledge of God and who he really is. Our first speaker has been amazing. Like one thing today that stuck out to me was how thankfulness is actually a tool to be used against spiritual warfare. And when we pray and thank God for all that He is and has done, even when we don't feel like it, that's a sacrifice. And God consumes his sacrifices with his fire and presence and Spirit. And that's battling the enemy in the heavenly realms. Cool, huh? (read more in Phil. 4:4-19.. i think).

I think God is speaking the theme of this DTS for me is going to be "dream." God is showing me what its looks like to go to a place of dreaming with Him. He can exceed all my thoughts and rational logical thinking and wants to take me to a place of what he's dreaming about. I am learning to love what He loves and hate what He hates and grow in the Fear of the Lord, dreaming His dreams and throwing away all the limitations I brought with me from my previous pre-conceptions about who God is.

Our base director said we all have pre-conceptions, and we have suppositions. We think about our suppositions all the time, but rarely do we consider those preconceptions behind the suppositions. God is revealing to me the pre-conceptions that I had in my mind enstilled subconciously and replacing those with His heart and taking me to new realities of who He really is, which is really exciting.

Thank you all so much for praying for me and with me. This would not be possible without you. You are such a vital part of the Lord's purpose, which he is making known, day by day.. dream by dream. I am blessed and thankful for you so much.

First, let me say that I wrote this yesterday (I'll probably write about today tonight or something but this is just the journey part of it and what life is like here):

Where to start… it’s been a long journey and so much has happened! The trip all together was like 28-30 hours (I kind of lost track after a while). At first, it was so hard. I was way emotional and Satan was just attacking me with a ton of fear of the unknown- I text a couple of people and finally on the way from Chicago to San Francisco spent some real time with God and begged Him for an overwhelming peace and comfort. After a while, I begin to feel less afraid and more calm. Then from San Francisco to Sydney, I slept maybe 10 hours total! (Which was such an answer to prayer!) Everything went so smoothly from there…. I was kind of delirious when I got there, but I made it through customs and found everyone there waiting at the airport. I was immediately so welcomed and a one girl in my DTS was actually on 2 of my flights!!

Ok so here’s the mix…( I told most of you there were going to be 8 of us). its me, Kali from Texas (a registered nurse who graduated in May), Thea from Canada (18), Micah and Joseph from Canada (18), Mark from UK (18) and a married couple Lorenna and Ian from right here in Wollongong with 4 boys!

From the airport, we drove to Wollongong (like an hour) and got to the base finally around 1 PM… One of the coolest things so far, as soon as I walked on the base I felt the most overwhelming peace and spirit of God here in this place, like in an unreal way. I’m still learning every one’s names and who’s who right now, but there’s like 4 or so families here. The base leader and his wife have 2 kids, and then there’s another couple with 2 kids and another with 3 kids and there's more I am still meeting! … so I feel right at home like the Downtown Church (haha Kylie and DTC folks). It’s literally the greatest sense of community I’ve ever experienced already. This is such a family and just unity in this place… it’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. God is already blowing me away and exceeding my imagination.

There is so much to say. Bear with me if this first post is super long (and kind of rambling because I am still slightly jet-lagged). Ok, so after we are lunch yesterday, we showered (amazing). And settled in. Our room is HUGE because its just us 3 girls in a room made for like 20… tons of storage space.. like 4 showers and 4 toilets… such a blessing!! Then after showering, we all walked to the beach—only like a 20 minute walk! Yall, it’s so beautiful.here words are not sufficient. The weather is perfect, the ocean is magnificent… just amazing to be there and see the splendor of what our God has made!

Last night we all just kind of got to know each other and hung out. The base is huge… there’s a common room with a kitchen and couches and all that where everyone just spends time together. There’s a porch with kind of an awning thing and vines growing up it and a beautiful garden. There’s all kinds of tropical birds and it’s just beautiful. There’s a huge lawn where the kids and everyone really plays cricket (something I don’t quite understand). This morning I just sat on the porch in perfect 70 degree temp. in awe of the Lord’s grace in bringing me to such a beautiful place and flooding over me with such perfect peace . (Isaiah 26:3—“he will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts you.”

Ok this morning was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. We worshipped together (the entire base) which was so cool and so free- just able to experience the spirit of God like never before which was so refreshing and so exciting!! The staff just prayed amazing prayers over our DTS group and what they had envisioned for us and there was such a sense of unity and the power of God and what he is going to bring and do through this group. I was overwhelmed with his goodness and just the presence of the Lord I haven’t felt that way in so long.

This is already more of an experience than I dreamed. I knew I was signing up for something so much bigger than me and the Lord was doing a mighty work, but I think I forgot that somewhere along the way. So now my mind is just being blown wide with what this experience is going to be!! More to come later… thank you so much for your prayers. They def. are being felt and the Lord is really working and moving and so calling me to himself in intimacy and really I guess, just doing a new thing! Praise him who is able to do incredibly more than we could ever ask or imagine!!

It begins tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the big day! At 2:18 PM I'll be headed to Chicago then connect to San Francisco, then arrive in Sydney at 8:05 AM on Sunday morning. If you do the math, then it's about a 26 hour journey!
Some of you have asked about an address while I am there- well, here you go:
Christy Barton
C/-YWAM Wollongong
PO Box 3062
Windang NSW 2528
AUSTRALIA
There are a lot of specifications with packages so make sure the address is this exact one. If you have questions or are unsure you can email me ( cebarton@samford.edu) or if its a surprise or something email my mom (ehbarton@aol.com).
The other thing I've been asked a ton is how I can be prayed for (which is such a blessing!! ) I figured the easiest thing would just be to post that on here. So here we go...
-Pray, of course, for the trip... I would love it if I could sleep most of the way from San Francisco to Sydney during that 14 hours.
-Pray against fear. Isaiah 41:3 says "Do not fear. For I have redeemed you. I have called you my name you are mine." I would love it if you would pray that verse over me against the roots of fear the enemy tries to plant in me. And that all fear would be replaced with His PEACE and FAITH.
-Pray against insecurity (especially upon first arriving there)- that I would KNOW and be confident of who I am IN CHRIST and that would be more than enough.
-Finally, pray that the heart of Christ would become more molded in me every day and I would love what He loves and hate what He hates.
That's a pretty good list for now... I'm sure I'll have the need to update it soon. But for now, I am all packed and ready to go and just going to enjoy the last night here with my parents. Hopefully, communicating will be easy between this, e-mail, Facebook, Skype, and i-Chat.
Thanks so much for your prayers, and I'll talk to you all next from Australia! :)

18 days...

I made this blog today as part of my promise to keep all of you updated. I'm trying to get a jump start on things and format everything now so that it will be easier once I start DTS. A quick update on what I'm doing if you are reading this and aren't quite sure...

I'm leaving around 2 PM on January 23rd. I'll then fly to Chicago and then to San Francisco.. then i'll make the 14.5 hour flight to Sydney, Australia and arrive around 8 AM Sunday, January 25th (they are 16 hours ahead). I'll have a day to get settled, and then DTS (Discipleship Training School) begins the 26th. 

I don't know much about DTS other than I will be in a classroom setting for 15 hours a week, studying the Word and God's heart for the nations. I will learn what the Bible says about taking the gospel to the world and be praying God will cultivate his heart for the world in me. I will learn how to intercede for other nations and pray God's heart for them. I will also be discipled one-on-one as well as seek God in community with others there in Wollongong. 

At some point (maybe the 4th week?) I'll find out where I'll be going for the 3 month outreach portion of DTS. I really don't know much about this process and honestly probably will not until I get there, but I will let you all know when I know more. 

I'll definitely be using this blog to post updates while I'm away as well as be e-mailing you all. E-mail me at cebarton@samford.edu if you would like to be on my e-mail list. I'll start compiling a list of those who have already asked me about it as well as, of course, the faithful ADPi account! :) But the e-mails will probably just be another way of posting the same things that I will say on this blog. You can either comment on these posts or e-mail me on my Samford e-mail or Facebook. 

I'll post prayer requests on here as well as the Lord brings them to my mind and heart.. i'll try to get those up in the next week or so... and before you know it, these posts will be coming straight to your computer from Wollongong, Australia! Thanks so much for your prayers and the endless encouragement I have received thus far... I'm truly blessed.