The walls of Jericho

First, Sorry that I have not been blogging more.  Amazing things are happening here. The lord is at work but we are so busy and get so tired when teams are here. I just woke from a 20 minute nap that turned into almost an hour, thanks to the snooze button.  It is getting hotter here so our quite times are spent relaxing and catching up on sleep lost over past day.  None the less here is a story from earlier in the week. I did post something about it on Social Media but here is the long story.

I believe this was Monday evening.

I was grouped with Ryan, Nikita (one of the girls from Sheffield) and one of our translators (I will call him S for the story). Ryan was told we were going to the park to prayer walk. Which we were excited about. The park is beautiful and no one is disappointed to go there. So we had S meet us there since he was already in the city.  We got into town and found that we were really at #5 which is the place of the building that houses that space that we want for the Agape Center.

This is the space that would be perfect for the Agape Center.

So back up to when we first arrived and parked we always circle up and pray and then disperse. So before we all split up Ryan shared a "word" that he got while relaxing earlier today.  He got the impression that whoever was at #5 location needed to walk around the building like the wall of Jericho. Six times praying and then the last one declaring Gods goodness and that the building is ours. Just after sharing that someone was looking at the group assignments are realized that Ryan's group was at #5.

So after splitting up finding S, because he was at the park with a dead phone, we started out walk around the building. We may have seemed crazy to on lookers. Walking around the same half block over and over. But we did it.

Walking laps, that is the building in the background.

A bit about how the walk went for me and how the Lord showed up.

 So a little background, this summer the Lord is showing me and teaching me that He sees me, He cares for me beyond belief. This was just more reaffirmed this night during the walk. 

The first two laps around the building I would start to pray for something but then couldn't, in the sense that I didn't have the words or what I wanted to pray I didn't know who to put words to it.  I was getting frustrated and the enemy was mocking me. Telling me that if only I had the gift of tongues like everyone else then I wouldn't be of no use. He just kept telling me I was broken, that I would be the reason that this was not going to work. I kept praying against all that and even prayed for tongues. The Lord knows my heart and where I am at on tongues. He knows that its a complicated thing for me. So I was not given tongues that night but instead each lap around he would give me something to pray about. Something to share with the other three to pray for together as we walked.  Which to me was even more sweet because he saw my need, my distress and came in a gifted me with knowledge and a way to pray, that incorporated all of us so that the prayers were even stronger.  Jesus himself even said that "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." in Matthew 18:19.  

Praying over the building on the final lap.

The last Lap was all celebration, though it may have been the quietest celebration. We thanked the Lord and declared this building and place His.  The four of us walked away confident that that building is ours and if its not it will be clear and the Lord will give us another place that will be easy to rent. 

Declaring this Building THE LORDS.

We didn't talk to anyone that evening.  But we knew we poked big holes in the tent of darkness over the city.  S could feel the enemy's camp was in a state of confusion with each lap and each prayer prayed that night.  Just another way the Lord is showing me and my teammates how important prayer is.

Dschool was here.

We said goodbye to our first team on Monday.
That means only 4 more left. 
I'm not liking that. 

This fits so well. 

Check out our intern blog that Sydney writes. 

It was a great trip.  It was like a big family reunion too.  Because I helped with Dschool this year I felt like each member of that team was family. It didn’t matter who you got pair with for ministry because you wanted to be around them all, all the time.

One particular evening when we went out to the city to canvas for Unbound, I was paired with three others. Our goal was to talk to businesses and have them hang a poster up that says “Not in My City”. Unbound is a organization that works with raising awareness and stopping human trafficking. Check it out here and find out more about them.  Anyways, this evening came after a few evenings where I felt like a very small piece of the puzzle and not very instrumental in ministry.  (I am not a go up to a person and start talking to them type, so street ministry pushes and stretches me) So this night with a clear task laid before us I was feeling like I could be a part of this, I could succeed. Compared to how I felt other nights in ministry.  So with my team we finally found our section of town that we were to talk to the businesses about. All evening out joke was three Americans and a Mexican enter China town on an Italian holiday in Italy...   

All Jokes aside God showed up and make me feel so loved by him. It was our third or forth business. Clearly in Chinatown we were running into a communication difficulty with not knowing Chinese. So two of my team went into a Chinese Restaurant and I started praying like I had every other time. This time my prayer was along the lines of “Lord let them look at the poster and even if they don’t understand, let them point to a space on the wall and say this is empty you can hang it here.”  Not 5 seconds after I prayed that, an employee came out and pointed to a blank spot on the wall for our team to hang up the poster.  I just started to laugh and thank God for answering my prayer.  For days before I doubted so much if I was even making a difference. Doubted if my prayers made a difference. And here He was showing me that “Yes I do hear your prayers”. For the rest of the evening it happened almost just like that. I prayed for what I would like to see, and my Lord answered my prayers. By the time Dinner time came I felt so loved and so seen by God that no one could have convinced me otherwise. 


This is just one story of so many from this past week.  Each evening there were stories of healings of praying for and talking about Jesus with Muslims who normally wouldn’t. The Lord is moving here and he is using us interns and the Short-term teams to do it. 

It is such a privilege to be a part of what is happening here. Its going to be hard to go home in a few months.

Here are a few pictures of our week with Dschool.

Before ministry in the Piazza.

Connie (One of my Omaha Roommates and Friends) on top of one of Etna's craters

Picnic after hiking and praying on top of Etna.

A beautiful off day in a beautiful town full of tourists.

Our first week

We have been here for almost a week. This week has been filled with figuring out our schedule and to get antiquated with our jobs and locations. We spent an evening at a Piazza talking with people and yesterday we went into the City to walk around and see where we will be ministering on a daily basis.  Here are a few pictures of my time here so far. 

Street food after the Piazza

Mount Etna from our balcony

Michelle and I in the city exploring

Sydney, Nicole and Michelle

The big Catholic church in the middle of town.

Please be praying for health for the team and that we can be prepared and ready for our first team to arrive. They come on Saturday. Continued prayer for unity and for boldness for our staff (this is what we are calling our team on interns).

We made it!!

We are finally here. We have made it to Italy. 

Here is the blog that will be updated on a normal basis by Sydney, she is our Social Media Coordinator.  I will be blogging but this one will also have stories and updates and photos. 

Check the Blog out here.

Our first day was orientation, meetings on specific jobs we have and an evening at a "piazza" (city square) and had street food from a food truck for dinner.  It was a good intro day, tomorrow we will go into the city where we will be doing most of our ministry this summer.

becoming a team

Last night I had my team over. All of us interns, except one, in one place not for a meeting but for fun, to talk and get to know each other. 

Many of us know a few of each other really well.
Four of us went through Dschool last year together.
Two are in Dschool this year. But a few of them didn't know each other at all.

So over burgers at the picnic table we laughed and asked questions. We started to become a team. I can honestly say that I am more excited for this summer. I'm ready to spend the summer with these people. I'm ready to laugh all day. I'm ready to speak truth into their lives and have them speak truth into mine. 

We have three weeks till be get on a plane to Europe.

Please be praying for...

 continued unity for our team.

Josh and Rachel Ballard as they prepare for us and the short term teams to come over.

health and safety.

What's happening in Sicily.

Our church planter in Sicily sent us a video update last week. Follow the link below to check it out. It gives a good update on what our time there will be about. 

Link to Josh Ballard's update.

Also Antioch shared this photo and caption on Facebook this morning and wanted to share it with you all.

 

I am less than a month out from leaving. My support is coming in and I have all faith that I will be supported fully when I leave the country. The Lord has  been so good through the whole process. He is so good and I can't wait to see what He is going to do this summer in Sicily and I am so honored and thankful to be a part of it. 

Thank you for supporting me and following me on here. Please pray that our internship team will be unified this summer and that we are able to encourage and pour into Josh and Rachel and their kids. Prayers and all the logistics of a movement this big go smooth. Prayers for health and safe travels too. 

Thank you. Thank you.

a little over a month to go.

There is just over a month to go before stepping on a plane to Sicily.

From the moment I said yes to The Lord about this trip I have been excited and at peace.

I am not yet counting down the days because a little bit of me is sad to leave my friends and family here in Omaha behind for the summer. I will miss out on bonfires and bike rides, walks and concerts in the park, holidays and just spending time outside with friends. I will miss church on Sundays when it feels like I am surrounded by family. I will miss Outreach week with the refugees here at home and watching their soccer games, coached by my sister.

But there is so much I am excited about and looking forward to this summer.

Getting to know some of my teammates better. 

Spending days loving people.

Cooking with Italians in their kitchens. (I really hope this happens)

Leaving America and most things American behind. 

Traveling/flying

Exploring new places.

Watching the Lord work thru our team and the teams that come over. 

Being able to serve our church planters.

The sea.

Watching God change hearts and bring freedom and hope.

So in the next month and a little bit I will be packing and running errands (like the eye doctor and the car shop), possibly working some of my last days at my job. I will be saying see-you-laters. I will be deciding what journal to use and how many different colored pens I should take. I will be getting to know my teammates and how we will work together as a team.  I will continue to Trust God through it all and thank him for the peace he has given me. 

A little video clip.

Follow the link below to watch a clip of Pastor Silas explaining why we are going to Sicily and the heart behind it. 

See Interview here.

Peace

Many have been asking how my support is going.  And till last night I had no idea. But at the same time I was not worried at all.  I know that this is where I am suppose to be. I know that the Lord wants me in Sicily this summer.  

 Maybe you are asking why. 

The simple quick answer is peace. Now as I prepare for this trip, more that any of the other times before trips, I have peace. I don't even know how to explain it really. It is a sense that everything is going to be good. Perhaps this is because I have sound some freedom from fear, especially around mission trips.

But more than that I believe its because I have let go and am fully trusting Him with this.  There are so many questions and unknowns, which usually my planner self would want to know. But I am okay not knowing. I am okay just sitting back and letting others organize and figure out the questions. I am okay with each day giving it over the the Lord knowing that He knows way more that I do. And in His hands its safer. In His hands its a sure thing. In His hands is love and hope and freedom.

The support update I got last night has me at $1452 raised. I still don't know what the final cost of the trip will be. Its has been estimated at over $6000.  Which puts me just over a 6th of the way there.  I do know that in April they will be purchasing our plane tickets. I believe this cost is around $1200. Which means I have made that goal. THANK YOU!

If you are interested and haven't bought one yet my tshirts are only on sale till tomorrow (23 March) evening.  I have sold 26 and am hoping for at least 30 by the end of the sale. That is 4 more in the next day.  Please go HERE to purchase one.