Now the good...

So... the last two posts I have written were a bit heavy.  Although it is incredibly difficult to be that real, open and vulnerable I think it is really important for me to share the WHOLE picture of the journey I am on.  Following the Lord is both exhilarating and challenging and there is growth and freedom in both.

"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." Revelation 12:11

Got to speak.  Got to get it out in the open.  Got to do it. 

However the last few months have not been strictly draining but for the most part the past few months have been really wonderful!  God has been teaching me so many wonderful things and has given me amazing experiences.  I want to share with you the things that have left my heart in awe here of late...

Prayer leading.  Healing balm to my dry and cracked heart.  I have had a couple of opportunities to lead prayer during Worship with the Word sets at my local House of Prayer.  My heart has really been missing being a part of Worship with the Word sets.  During my internship at ZHOP I prayer lead on multiple sets every week for 5 months... it is at my core... it's a part of my DNA.  So much joy comes from walking in the gifts God has given you to lavish your love on the God of the universe!

Meeting new friends!  In the past few months I have had the opportunity to get to know a family that goes to my church.  We had known of each other but did not know each other.  It is wonderful how like-minded, Jesus loving, missionary hearted people can find each other!  Find we did!  The Otto family is an incredible family of six who have beautiful tender hearts for the Lord.  Trevor and Kasey and their four wonder filled children are in the process of following the Lord as He calls them to minister to orphans in Malawi, Africa.  Of course they're going to Africa... be still my heart.

I have written on my blog about my love and borderline obsession with the book Radical.  David Platt is amazing and challenging.  Last month I began attending the young adult group at my church and we are studying David Platt's sermon series on the book Radical.  The book wrecked me... the sermons slayed me!  It has been great and stretching studying this with others.

The last weekend of August my church participated in what is called Step Out.  It is one Sunday where people in our church and churches around the city go into the community and serve.  This year a bunch of friends and myself decided to do Step Out... in faith!  We got an embarrassing amount of doughnuts (12 dozen to be exact) and went downtown for what we affectionately called Pastries and Prayer.  We offered passersby doughnuts and offered to pray for them.  Over two hours the group of us were able to pray over 4 dozen people!!! Yeah! Go God.  We decided this will be a frequent thing for us :)

 4:30 AM prayer.  Want to flesh out some serious yuck in your heart?  Join with a group of fiery, passionate Jesus loving people at 4:30 AM for prayer.  Yep, that will do it!

In the abounding grace and mercy of Jesus, I have had times of deep revelation over the past few months.  Such sweet, sweet times.  In gentle yet intense ways God has graciously been revealing more of Himself to me.  Such sweet revelation of Jesus.  Awe inspiring revelation of Holy Spirit.  So good.

Yes, this past few months have been challenging.  Yes, they have been hard but oh have they been GOOD too!  We serve an awesome God and we are loved by and everlasting God.