A Sign Of Life

“I don’t want to be like my mom, but I’m just like her. I want more for my life, but I don’t know what to do. I know I don’t act like myself on the outs, but I can’t.” These were some of the first comments I heard from Maleah when I met her in Remann Hall, and with them, she won my heart. Maleah has been in and out of detention for 5 years, and finally came to the point where she didn’t want to come back. As I visited her almost every day for a month, I saw dramatic change in Maleah ; I began to see signs of life. She began to act like a kid again, laughing and playing. As we taught about God’s definition of love, she began to understand that people in her life don’t really love her, but she chose to love them and walk in forgiveness. Maleah knew that God had the answers for life; she was done trying to do it on her own and wanted to see what God would say about it all.

When she was released, she quickly entered her old life, which exists just on the other side of her bedroom door. She lives in a trailer with 6 meth-addicted adults, three other teens that are in and out of detention, and 3 children. I spent hours praying and interceding for Maleah’s life, knowing that God could restore every part of her life, and every part of her heart. Maleah was back in Remann Hall last week, and I was so happy to see her! She gave me a hug, and on my shoulder, cried, and apologized over and over again. Walls came down as I got to tell her that I had missed her, and was happy to see her, not angry or disappointed, and still full of faith and hope for her life. She was released a few days later and has been in steady contact, both with her probation officer and me.

We had a great conversation as I drove her home from treatment last week. Someone had told her about the end of the world, and that God was angry with people, and it was only going to get worse. I was honored to tell her that God does not punish us out of anger, but strategically gets our attention and wins our hearts. I can’t wait for Jesus to come back! Maleah, with a quizzical look, asked why. “I just love him!” Maleah’s reply? “Yeah, I don’t think I’m there yet, but I want to be soon.”

Lifeskills?!?

I teach lifeskills in Remann Hall every other week. Three weeks ago it was "Courage". Last week it was "Storytelling". Every girl in Remann Hall has in incredible story, and it's getting better EVERY day. They are overcomers, survivors, women of strength, leaders, courageous, who will shape the world by telling their story, how Jesus saved them and was the first person to ever win their heart. I had them write a story from their own life, interesting beginning, gripping middle, and an ending that wraps it all up. Here is one of their stories (with more to follow):

Rachel and Danny

My brother had just gotten out of inpatient treatment, he had a sober BBQ and invited everyone from rehab to my house. I saw little Danny and I thought he was SO cute. I added him on myspace. A couple months later we started talking and he promised he'd come see me the day he got back from Ohio.

We fell in love and every day I spent with him was the new best day of my life. His parents told him he was going back to impatient for three months so he ran away. I ran with him, we lived together for two weeks. Those are still the best two weeks of my life. After we got caught I went to rehab and he went with me.

Our lives became so different and I was still running away a lot, so he broke up with me. We still hung out sometimes and were pretty much still together, but we grew apart and he went back to rehab and has a girlfriend.

PS. I know I promised a picture, so here's the fam: Jenny, Ellie, Nina, and Adam Narciso

How does God work?

There are a lot of things about life that I don’t understand. Some things are mysterious and make me laugh; others are a little less funny. Some things push me to press in to the Lord, others I overcome with simple faith. At the end of the day, God is good and I don’t have to understand everything. God is God, and he can do whatever is pleasing to him. Now that’s freeing!

How God transforms us, regenerates us, restores us, makes us a new creation…how does He do that? I mean, A NEW CREATION! What in the world?

At SOZO on Tuesday a young man preached. I can’t give you his name, but I will give you his story. He’s about 20, got radically saved a couple months ago, saved out of drugs, gangs, tons of violence, literally saved from death and the brink of Hell. He’s a new creation! He smiles all the time, loves people, loves God, and wants everyone to know the crazy transformation that’s taken place in him. It’s awesome! He’s awesome! He’s had revelation that God is real, loves him like crazy, protects him, has a plan for his life on earth, and wants to spend eternity with him.

After he was done preaching on Tuesday, he was talking to one of my girls. She brought her ultrasound pictures this week to show friends her baby. He noticed them in her hand and said, “I’m kinda mad. I want you to have my baby.” No shame at all, even in front of leaders. I just have to laugh and love him! He hasn’t had revelation on every topic, but he’s preaching on the ones he has had, and preaching with authority, bringing conviction and seeing the Holy Spirit stir peoples hearts.

What revelation have you had lately? How is he transforming you? Preach it (and leave a comment here)! What revelation are you waiting on? Fast and pray for it! He’s coming to visit you SOON!

My current realizations on HEALING!

I received an interesting email this week, in response to a facebook status I posted. I found it to be a fun exchange, and enjoying explaining myself so...I'm sharing it with you!

I updated my facebook status to get ready for a session at the prayer room last week. "Then Jesus called together the twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases, He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to bring healing....departing, they went about from village to village, preaching the Gospel and restoring the afflicted to health everywhere." This is what will happen at the prayer room tonight from 7-9, in case you were wondering what it's all about! =)

If this doesn't sit well with you, let me explain. But you might need to brace yourself; this is straight out of the bible!

The term I used, "preaching the Gospel"; was quoted from the book of Luke, chapter 9, verses 1 and 2, and verse 6. I took this from the amplified version, but I looked it up in five versions. One said the "news of Christ" and another "the good news", and the rest? "Preaching the Gospel"! The word Gospel simply means the teaching or revelation of Christ. The disciples went from town to town, telling people, preaching and teaching, that the Messiah had come, they could be saved from sin and death and hell. That sure is good news! They were telling the story of the life of Christ and what it means for those who were hearing it and their lives. That's what I do almost everyday, it's the best! Okay, going to verse 1 "Jesus gave them authority over all demons and to cure diseases". God didn't create the world with any sort of infirmity; it entered when we, humans, turned our back on God. Jesus came to make it possible for us to be in right relationship with God again, and to return things to the way God had created them, which means returning those who were sick, back to health. God doesn't need doctors and medicine to cure, he created the human body and can heal it all by himself, and that's exactly what Jesus was doing. He had the power to heal, and he still does. The scripture makes it clear that Jesus gave us authority, so it's okay that Jesus is no longer walking on the earth, because he taught us how to do what he was doing.

So, let me tell you about the prayer time I was going to. For the month of February, we were focusing our Friday even prayer meetings on healing. Anyone who wanted to receive prayer for healing was welcome, and people from my church came to pray. I went to the four Friday meetings in February, and lived out these scriptures. Jesus came, not to give only the twelve authority, but all who believe on His name. That means me! I exercised my authority to bind demons and cure diseases through the power of the Holy Spirit. And let me tell you, demons were bound and people were healed...and it was FUN!

SERVICE!

Serving is SO good! This weekend, I've took care of the kids of 3 different families, and although it can be a little stressful, a little tiring, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little annoyed at points over the past three days, it's SO good to live for something other than yourself! It's amazing how much time and energy, how many of my thoughts, my conversations, and my actions are self-centered. Spend three days meeting almost every need of 6 people and... I'm strangely refreshed. It's true, God didn't make us to live for ourselves, and we die when we try to, but when we give our lives away we are met with life. God is a genius!

The First and Greatest Commandment

I've been going through a teaching series by Mike Bickle, leader of the International House of Prayer, and it's AMAZING! It's called the First Commandment, and it's about loving God. It will probably change your life. You can find it on www.mikebickle.org, just enter The First Commandment in the search bar. Here are a few of my favorite quotes so far. Enjoy!

"What does it look like to love God with all our heart and mind? God is Love that burns as all all consuming fire of jealousy. He wants to take over our life and to consume us from the inside out by dominating our affections, thoughts and words. This love is not passive but passionate. The more we seek to live for love, the more broken we will be with true humility and seeking to obey Him. Jesus defined the life of love in the Sermon on the Mount; Matthew 5-7"

"God's purpose is to provide an eternal companion for Jesus who would be equally yoked to Him in love. Jesus' inheritance in the MANDATORY OBEDIENCE of ALL creation and the VOLUNTARY LOVE of a people who he fully possess. As a King, Jesus will be obeyed, but as a Bridegroom, He will be loved."

Speaking of the church in Ephesus, "They became workers for God more than lovers of God. Lovers will always outwork the workers. When we work without intimacy, we work as a slave. A heart of a bride is refreshed as she labors. Service without the foundation of devotion leads to burnout, disappointment, and wounding. Thus, the service is not sustained over decades."

Taking it Back!

We’re plundering the enemy’s camp, taking back daily! I’ve learned a lot about spiritual warfare the passed few months. You can’t look in the face of a 15 year old girl who has known only drugs, violence, betrayal, manipulation, and abandonment, and remain blind to Satan who “comes to steal, kill, and destroy” her life. I’m falling in love with some young women in this city. Let me tell you about two I’ve seen this week.

Shakira is 17, her eighteenth birthday in next month. She’s been in foster care and will get kicked out on her birthday. Shakira was frantically looking for a job, and a place to live before she was booked this week after failing a drug test. It’s a common and heartbreaking story. Shakira stole my heart the first time I met her a few weeks ago, we were both waiting for a friend’s court date and she offered me Sour Patch Kids! After hanging out with her in detention this week, I’ve learned more about her, and an intense desperation has taken root in me. She has a two-year-old son, and one more on the way. She’s planning on an abortion when she gets out, I’m fighting the lies she’s believing that will lead to her baby’s death. Fight with me! Will you pray right now that God would turn her heart to Him and her baby, that He would protect that little life, and that He would bring a revelation of his love for her?

Cashmere is also 17, also in foster care, and also in desperate need of a miracle. Cashmere will laugh and smile once in a while, but after years and years of mistreatment she doesn’t have a full range of emotions, she has strategically built brick walls around her, and although she desires for them to come down, it’s too risky. Who can blame her? No person has ever protected her, so she has taken the task on herself. Cashmere has been out of detention for a few months, and we hear from her every so often. She came to a class at City Central last night and got a serious dose of truth, but I’m not sure how much snuck through those walls. Will you pray that the spirit of God would dismantle those bricks, bring healing and freedom, and restore her beautiful smile?

I moved to Parkland last weekend! I’m so excited to become more a part of the City Central community in that area. I live with a family, Adam and Jenny Narciso, 15 month old Nina, and baby who is due to arrive in April. I share a room with Veronica, who is studying education at Pacific Lutheran University and nanny’s part time. It’s a very fun house!

There are a few really fun things coming up, I can’t wait to report back on them! OneThing, a conference put on by the International House of Prayer, is coming to Tacoma next month. We are starting to plan SOZO camp for this summer, and our first ever SOZO missions trip to San Francisco, which is tentatively planned for August! And the adventure continues! I love running the race with you, you are the best teammates EVER!