Week 6: Prayer Week

So we're now in week 7 but let me reflect a bit on prayer week last week. Its amazing what happens when you actually chase after God full force. We had groups of people praying every hour of the day, besides our little chunk of time for lecture with Leon, for 5 days straight. Our little prayer room became a popular place of escape. I remember thinking "I wish we always had this room" but then I realized I can dwell on God and talk to Him anytime I want in any place I want. Still, in our little sanctuary it was so much easier to focus on Him. Monday was a big day for me. Ever since Byron Bay I've been asking God to show me what is keeping Him from having my whole heart. The things in my life that I hold with a closed fist. Well Monday morning after base worship and tea time, God brought me to my knees in surrender. I was in the back of the room during our little worship/ open mic/ confession/ whatever-we-wanted-it-to-be time when I realized that God was asking me to lay down my family, Christian, and my guilt. I was holding myself up by a stack of chairs because I was too weak in the knees to hold myself up. I went for a walk outside for awhile just asking God why I have to give Him the most important things in the world to me (minus the guilt). My family is everything to me. I tear up just thinking about how much I love them and they love me. And Christian is my best friend who I love more than words can express. Questions flooded my mind. What does it mean to lay them down? Am I strong enough? Whats the point anyway? I didn't get any answers right away... not until Wednesday when I actually decided to speak this out to the rest of the school in front of everyone on the mic. Afterward everyone prayed for me and some approached me after with a few words that were directly from God confirming a few serious questions for me. That night was one that I will remember until I'm old and gray. This may sound creepy and weird to any non-believers and maybe even some believers reading this but God just totally showed up that night. He surpassed any expectation I had going into this. It is a very long story and I will share it with only a few people in my life, but He actually revealed to us who He is, and the very reality of Heaven, Hell, Jesus, the Father God, and the Holy Spirit. I am still trying to digest that night. It ended with the most authentic and amazing worship session I have ever had in my life because we were all in utter awe of the God that we serve. The God that we GET to praise. He is so very real and so very worthy!!!
Anyway, He answered some of my questions that night with, "I will never force you to do anything, but if you want to be my disciple I need to have your whole heart. You must love me first." So I think God just wants to know that I love Him first and that I am willing to go and do whatever He asks of me. That I have faith in Him and His plan for me in this short life. I'm scared because my flesh wants so badly to just live a simple, uncomplicated life with all the materials and security I need. Mine is just one story this past week. Each person in the DTS had some sort of break through last week. All of these people were headed in one direction but have chosen to grow with God which has completely altered plans they've mapped out for their lives. I love how God moves in a repentent room. He loves it.
After a long week, Saturday the girls at 77 (my house) made a big house breakfast and we all slept in till 11ish (since we barely slept all week). I made French toast :) Then I went to the beach and we had a big movie/game night. A few of us went to this place called Thai Seasons which has awesome, cheap Thai food. Then Starbucks. Liz and I watched A Walk to Remember.. I'd been craving it for awhile! And Sunday I slept in again, went to the beach with a girl from Orange County named Breezy, went to church and played cards till pretty late. I'm still loving it here and I'm getting sad I only have a month left in Australia! My dad informed me that I'll be home in 98 days haha.
Lots of Love!