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