A Day is like a Year

Have you ever been in a place where you have taken a moment and wondered where has all the time gone? This has been one of those moments for me. I have now been in France for four months. The One Thing DTS is only two and half weeks from ending the lecture phase and moving into the outreach phase. How time flies.

In the midst of that time my team was able to spend a week on a local outreach in a near-by town called Alles. We were housed in an apartment above the church. Our team went right in to serving mode. We attended church service on our first day. The rest of the week pretty much came into focus as each day was lived out. On Monday we spent time in prayer with the church's food bank team and then helped to load the truck for delivery and prepare boxes for distribution to the local community that is in need. That afternoon we had our team time and then just a simple family dinner time. The next day we went to a local homeless ministry, Point Coeur. There we met some men and women who lived in the housing provided by the ministry but they all gathered in the small community kitchen area to meet us and drink coffee. We were invited back the next day to lead a Bible study and worship. Later on Tuesday evening we attended a Bible study with a local evangelical church. It was good to stretch out and commune with other believers sharing some of what we had planned for the remainder of the week in their city. On Wednesday we returned to Point Coeur and two students led out worship in French and then our French speaking student shared how God is not concerned with out outward appearance that He accepts us just as we are. It was really good and brought about great discussion with the men living there. We were then invited to stay for lunch but alas we had other plans for the afternoon but told our new friends that we would return on Friday. That evening we joined the church in their mid-week gathering for more of God. It was a great time of worship and prayer. We were super excited about spending time on Thursday afternoon with church members as we went out for a treasure hunt throughout the city. If you are not familiar with that terminology, a treasure hunt is where we pray and ask God where He would like us to go expecting that there would be someone there He wants us to meet. Sometimes He gives great details other times there are specifics but they might be few. I really felt that this was going to be a time of us taking the Kingdom of God with us and being ready for whatever happened to happen. As me and Jean left the church we spoke about how we share God or get the opening to pray for people. For me I have found that a smile breaks the ice anywhere in the world, with a quick greeting to follow. We pretty much did that throughout the center of the town, stopping to pray for those who expressed that they did not mind having prayer. The other two teams experienced meeting individuals praying for them and or creating conversation. While we did not see healing's or lead anyone to the Lord this time I feel was powerful and a good time of stepping out in faith ready to be used by God.

It is now three weeks past this time and things seem to be on fast forward motion but God is good and faithful and all He asks is that we take things one day at a time. My team leaves for outreach to Lyon, Monpellier, Nantes and then Paris starting the 2nd of December and returning to St Hippolyte around the 22nd of February. I will do my best to keep you up to date with the happenings of the outreach as often as possible. We are expecting God to move and to be a part of the work He is doing in each city. I am praying for team unity as we learn to live in a smaller community with love, honor and grace. We are excited to say the least.

Heart to Heart

So, here I am starting my 4th month of living in France. I am absolutely amazed at all the Father is doing in me and around me. He has been so faithful and constant during this time. Even so, I had walk through a major time of repentance this past week. There were a few things that just were not clicking here and I kept wondering what exactly is it that is keeping me from being at peace and moving forward. As I sought the Lord almost from the moment I arrived, I had not been getting full breakthrough. What is it Lord? Why am I not progressing in my walk?

This past week the answers came one by one. The first revelation that came was that I was not walking in the fullness of my walk with the Lord by trying not to offend some people. I was going back to a place of fear of man which means that I was not fully in fear of God. Ugh! How could I allow myself to revisit that place, there is no peace there, there is no freedom there. All that God had rescued me from was starting to try to come back into my life. Therefore I said in declaration to myself and to the spirit realm, "Um, no, I don't think so. I do not receive this. I have a voice that God is going to use for His glory and His purposes here in my life, in others lives and in the nations He sends me to." I choose freedom and to be free to again say what the Father says and to do what I see Him do. We are at a point in time where we can not just sit back and allow things to happen to us but we need to be aware of the cunningness of the enemy and how easily he can slip into our lives.

The other thing I felt the Lord dealing with me about was my heart for this nation that He has sent me to. I'm going to be super honest here. God said for me to go to France. So I came but in my head I was thinking  this was a step to get me to where I believe I will eventually be someday. I saw this almost as a time to get through it, when it is over then the next thing will be revealed and I will move on. So not good or right, it makes me almost sick to think that that was my hidden mindset. Yuck! I repented and thanked the Lord for sending me to a nation I had always wanted to come to. To learn the language I had always wanted to speak. To be among people that have been creative, finding beauty in the world and sharing it with others for centuries now.

With all of this I have started to have major breakthroughs beginning to happen. I am absolutely excited for outreach now in France. I am beginning to grasp the language more and more(as long as they speak slowly), and I can see God's plan and purpose for the town we live in and the nation of France. Thank you all who have been praying for me. I really feel your prayers.

One Thing DTS

On September 7th we started the One Thing DTS here in Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort. We have 13 students from 9 nations, 4 guys, 9 gals. Our first week we welcomed them into the Cevannes region of France giving a history of this region and the Hugenots as we shared our testimonies with one another. Our second week the topic was Hearing the Voice of God, speaking on the various ways God speaks to us, through dreams, visions, still small voice, out loud, etc. It was a good week. This past we is one my favorites in all of my time working in DTS', The Father Heart of God. In the beginning it was just God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We were meant to be part of God's family but when the fall came we lost our ability to see Him as our Father but He is and He wants us to know this. Out of this place as children of God we become free to truly be His children and free to be who we truly are meant to be.

In the midst of these first few weeks we also announced our outreach locations and our outreach teams. The majority of the students will be going to India and Nepal, while I will be leading a team of three young men through the nation of France. I am very blessed to be able to lead these young men and I am excited for what God is going to teach us and allow us to be a part of as we share and minister through France. More details to come.

Bridges of Life Staff - Bottom Left: Cat, Bjornar, Anna, Jessie.
Back Left: Ali, Me, Tatum, Janet, Dudley,  Michael, & Alana.

"Almost" First Month Review

It is hard to believe that I am nearly here in Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort for a month now and it seems as if so much has happened and yet I am trying to grasp what all has happened. Not sure if I have shared this before but before coming to France the Lord was very quiet in the when, what's and why's department. I think in all it was a test at whether I would be obedient regardless if I knew why I was coming and what I would be doing. This morning as I was talking with the Lord I remembered when I said yes to missions I told the Lord that I would go anywhere, to help where the need was. He is so faithful when we are and I am excited to be able to staff this September's One Thing DTS.

Besides a  DTS this base is also open to hosting teams from around the world and just as we finished hosting a church team from California this week we are welcoming two YWAM teams. One team is from the School of Evangelism from Tyler, TX. The other team is from the Fire and Fragrance DTS in Kona, HI. Because we are new to the town and area we are seeking the Lord for direction in what to have the teams do but it is almost as the Lord had set up a huge town party "fete" for the weekend with bull runs through the town, carnival atmosphere, balls and orchestra's. The people of the town are excited about this weekend and we too.

Whirlwind moments in a time of stillness

You know when you have something big planned and it takes months of preparation and the execution of it seems take even longer to bring it to pass. That was not necessarily the case in God bringing me to France. Oh, I have known that I will be coming to France since March but I think I can honestly say this is probably the first time for me to be able to live in the moment of each day. God did not allow me to live in the future, the what if's and how will it happen's. No, I lived each day finding sweet time to spend with Jesus on a daily basis. I also seemed to go deeper in the word not really realizing what God was doing inside of me. It was at times some of the roughest moments in life dealing with things in a healthy manner allowing the Father to clip away the bad, trimming some of the good and just getting a plane old clean up, that I was able to learn new things of our Abba Father. God was faithful and good during this time.

As I allowed God to do what He knows best in doing, I can honestly say He did not reveal much to me about France. He gave words here and there but in the end He had been pretty silent. Then the right moment came, things began to move and move fast. Within one month I was able to sell my car, pay off the note, purchase a plane ticket with those funds and come to France. It all went fast but I stayed the pace of God moving in the midst of my being still, trusting Him, and His timing and His ways. It was a good start to a good journey. I am excited for this next season.

France!

This video is a "shortened" newsletter and email conveying my heart and purpose in going to France. Enjoy!

Writer's Block or the Ability to Make Sense Out of My Words

      I have so much to say but have been really trying to discern what to share with everyone, someone and no one in particular. This still gives me writers block cause I do have some important things to share especially since I notice that my last entry was at the end of last year and so much has changed since that last entry. Oh, I have tried to write something or even publish what I have written but when it comes time to publish I hear that familiar still small voice telling me to wait or there is no way I should send that entry. I'm learning it is all about timing, the right audience and editing my entries.
     With all of that said, here is the down load of what is happening next in my life. I am currently still in Corinth, TX staying with my mom and youngest brother. After much prayer and counsel I am going straight to Ales, France sometime in May or June serve at the Bridges of Life YWAM base for a year at this time. There is so much expectation in this move and I am still hearing from the Lord what to expect and will share more as time goes on but for now I feel I can share the following.
     A few weeks ago the Lord had me search out in my journals a certain entry. Anytime in the past when I have thought of missions and what it will look like for my life no matter where I would see myself there were some common factors that I felt the Lord bringing to me over and over again. Coffee House/Cafe, soup kitchen, providing for the needs of others, a place/home of rest/restoration. After finding that certain entry in my journal it was a reminder of the call on my life. This call is to be a part of discipleship, teaching, serving, sharing and caring for those who need help and hope. I see this next season as a time to learn and grow and develop what it is the Lord is leading me in to long term.
     To say that I am excited is almost an understatement and I hope that as you read this and other upcoming entries that the Lord will be speaking to you about how you too can make a difference where you are living, in your neighborhood, city, state and nation. The Lord Bless you.