Islands

Canary Islands

Spanish

Exciting news

About a month ago our island team met to spend time in prayer for our main outreach. We spread out a piece of mural paper on the table and people were to write down any impressions they felt God give them while praying.  In my head I saw a map where there were several islands and a mainland to the left. I didn't draw it and almost didn't share it with the group because I thought it was insignificant. I ended up telling everyone sheepishly and our leader got really excited and asked me to point it out to him on the map. I was looking in the the area of the Caribbean and didn't see it so  I just drew the map that I saw on the paper and forgot all about it. 

Today we found out that the details for us going to the ABC islands were not working out and our leader had the impression that we had the wrong islands. God had not specifically told them what islands we should go to in the first place so they planned on going to where they had contacts. After he felt God wanted us to go somewhere different he had the Canary Islands on his heart and my map confirmed that for him as the image lines up. 

Yesterday morning I was praying and I felt like the Holy Spirit was moving across a strip of land starting in the waters beside China and it flowed west to the waters just past Africa. 

 They told us today about going to the Canary Islands and it blows my mind how the visions line up (the map and the westward direction). I am so excited for our outreach! 

Another amazing thing. Before coming here I decided to get a visa for fun as it was free even though I didn't think I would need it. The Canary Islands are apart if the EU and so I now need a visa to stay here which would cost me money if I had to get it here. Praise God for my free visa that covers all of the EU and is valid until the end of our DTS. 

God is so cool! Please remember us in prayer.

Ps. We started Spanish lessons today :)

Photos

Preaching

A 10 minute lunch break by the Mediterranean Sea after visiting the refugee camp.

Some of our team

Some of us at a pizzeria

Worshiping in the square before doing a skit.

Group Photo

A week in Sicily!

This past week in Sicily has been awesome and it has been really cool to step outside of my comfort zone and see God work. 

I am reading through the book "Radical" by David Platt and he comments: "in direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually delights in exalting our inability"(kindle location 613). I don't want to live a life that is dependent only on my own gifts and abilities but instead I want to live a life that is dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit so that God gets the glory. For me this has been the case this past week. 

One of the highlights for me was preaching at a youth (young adult) service. Friday night we were informed that one of us would be preaching and we were asked to pray about who should do it. I felt nothing and, in wanting to give the others an opportunity, I held back from offering. It didn't help that I was experiencing difficulty in spending meaningful time with God. A couple people came to me and said I should preach but I didn't think anything of it until one of our leaders came to me and said that they too had the impression that I was to preach. Typically when I know I have to preach I like to spend time in prayer and research the passage I will be preaching on at least a week in advance so that I can just spend time meditating on it. Then I write the sermon and go over it so that I know it and can preach from my heart. Needless to say, I did not have the time nor the resources to do this. I went for a prayer walk and asked God to give me something to say. He gave me a passage in Romans 8 and so I spent my afternoon reading Romans and trying to put together some scrap of a sermon. I just asked God to speak through me and I asked specifically for a word of knowledge for someone. It was the largest group of people I have preached to so far and it was a more modern church with the bright lights and stuff which I am not used to. When I saw the platform and the people I felt nervous and intimidated especially seeing as I felt really unprepared. When it came time to preach I just spoke what was on my heart and that was it. I sat down and wished I was sensitive to the Holy Spirit like Jenn Wilton or Robert Martin where they speak effectively and seem to always have an awesome ministry time afterwards--but that wasn't the case. I just sat down when I was done speaking because I didn't feel like I was to do anything specific to conclude. I felt discouraged as usual. The coolest thing happened afterwards. One guy came up to me and told me how the prophetic word that I thought God had given me for their church was exactly what he had asked God for. Another woman around my age came to me and told how one of the stories I shared was a mirror image of her present situation and how it encouraged her. It is incredibly humbling to see God take my insecurities and fumbling attempt to do what He asks and transform it for His glory. 

The same thing happened later on in the week. We were in a city center area and one person had the impression that we should do a skit so we set it up right in front of a bar patio for them to see. I got elected to quickly share after the skit with only a couple minutes to prepare. I had never preached on the street before and was nervous and I had no clue what to say so I just gave a brief summary about how only Jesus can fill the longings in our heart. Afterwards, one man got up from the patio and came to us saying that what we did spoke to him. It was really cool.

Another stretching event for me this week was our faith walk where we walked around the city and asked God to lead us to people He wants us to speak to. We also visited a refugee camp, and did a children's program at a church and on the street. I have been reminded of our need to be reliant on the power of the Holy Spirit, because it is only through Him that anything we do has any value.

All in all, our time in Sicily was fantastic! Thank you for your prayers.

Lesson from Haggai

This week we are doing a survey of the entire Bible. So far it is probably my favorite week of the DTS.

This morning we read the book of Haggai and I found it very applicable to us now. Haggai's message was to call the people to rebuild the temple. He gets their attention by pointing out how they work hard but somehow they never have enough. It is like their money bag has holes. How often have we felt this way?! We work hard. Sometimes the money just doesn't cover all we want, like a new pair of shoes, or even what we need. 

God tells them that they never have enough because He is blowing it away. Why? They cared more about their own homes and needs then God's. But, when the people  changed their ways and were obedient to God and invested in building His temple God encouraged them to be strong and to not fear. He reminded them that He is with them and He blessed them with His glory and His peace.

I just thought this is a cool message for us today. We need to remember to surrender our finances to God rather than chasing after financial security, because ultimately it is Him who provides for our needs.

Blessings!

Week at an Evangelical Convent

This past week I had the opportunity to go to an evangelical convent called Kanaan. It was really cool. I had a bedroom to myself which was really nice change after sharing a room with 8 other girls. It was also a really refreshing week of contemplating on all that Jesus has done for us and just taking time to smell the roses. There were roses everywhere--different kinds and colours and they smelled so wonderful. 

The following are a couple of quotes that spoke to me this week from Mother Basilea Schlink:  
 
"I never want the Holy Spirit to have to tell me something twice."

"My gift of love has no equal. But there is one condition: that you make room for it... Empty your heart of everything filling it, and you will find the most valuable gift, the most wonderful gift in all the world: a love relationship between you and Me--the deepest, closest, purest, holiest and strongest possible. Surrender all else, and you will find it!" My All For Him page 28

"Jesus as Love everlasting

Descended from on high

To show to sinful beings

The way of love divine.

Jesus as Love everlasting

Enkindled many souls

To dedicate their everything 

For love of Him alone.

Jesus with love still seeking

For hearts aglow with love

Their lives and longings yielding

To Him who's from above.

Once more the Saviour is knocking

At every heart and door.

Oh, can't you hear Him pleading,

Accept me as your Lord."

My All For Him page 28-29

And here are some pictures:

Picking apples to help the sisters get all the apples off the trees before the frost. They have so many apple trees and other fruits and veggies too.

 A view of part of their property.

They publish material to share the Gospel in so many languages around the world. It is really awesome to see it all. I even found a bookmark in Khmer but I couldn't read it...as it has been too long.

Here are some of the sisters leading worship.

 Here is a picture of myself and two of the sisters who are from Canada.

Two girls from our team in their main chapel where we went for a liturgical prayer service every day.

Here is another picture of some of the grounds.

They have a special path where you can walk through and reflect on the suffering and resurrection of Jesus. It is a really cool experience to go through each station and really reflect on Jesus' actions and what they mean for us today.

 

 

 

 

It was an amazing week! I recommend checking out this place if you are ever in Germany and remembering the sisters (and there are a couple of brothers too) in prayer for all the work they do to bring Christ's love to this world.

Happy thanksgiving!

Happy thanksgiving!

This week the topic was on the father heart of God and it was very good. Last weekend I found myself dealing with painful memories and I was wondering why God was showing them to me. This week felt like God was bringing healing to the repressed pain just because He loves me. It is really cool to be reminded of how much God loves us. The scripture verse that I keep coming back to is 1 John 3:1a "See what kind of love the Father has given to us in that we should be called God's children, and that is what we are!" (CEV) God really loves us! He loves us so very much! I am so grateful to have parents who have shown me a reflection of the Father's love!

May you have a blessed thanksgiving!

Some Photos of our DTS Group