Truth

Have you ever read the Bible and felt like you were reading it for the first time? That is how I have been feeling lately.

I remember when I began reading my first "real" Bible (not the school assigned one that sat in the desk at my private school). I owned it for at least 5 years before I actually decided to read it. It was a blue/brown genuine leather NKJV study Bible (Thanks, Grandma!) and I LOVED it. I sooo desired to know what God wrote that I carried my Bible in my hands around school, should I get a spare moment before the dismissal bell rang, I could read without wasting time taking it out of my backpack.
I wanted to know the very words He spoke.

So Jesus said to the Jews who has believed him,

"If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

John 8:32

I remember struggling to understand how my Bible was designed and I would spend hours in my room studying the study notes and in-depth word highlights themselves. I didn't know it explained the book's design in the beginning pages. The fine print turned me off.
I wanted to know as much as I could on the history and the context beyond lies and confusion, masked by "interpretation." I wanted to know Truth.
I wanted so bad to have it memorized; I began writing verses on Post-Its and lining my bathroom mirror with them. Every time I looked in the mirror, I saw the verses and recited them. Every morning while I was washing my face I would test myself on how much I had memorized.
I wanted the Word in me.

Then I would spend so much time with my Christian friends. References would be made in coversation and I became zealous to know more. I wanted my mind to contain it and help me live it, but I could hardly process it.

There is a lie that the Bible is difficult to read.

It isn't.

I longed to live what the Word said and my efforts were not in vain. My spirit was still receiving what my flesh was not understanding and changes were taking place in my heart - changes I didn't identify.

There was another lie.
If the Bible is difficult to read,
it must be difficult to live.

Not having a practical example of a true, Biblical lifestyle (without church-based lies), I devoted myself instead to teachings. I had read through the entire New Testament (maybe more than once); I figured the best way to learn more was to learn from others.
I downloaded teachings from IHOP, Fire and Fragrance, Bethel...the "major" ministries. I knew I could trust them in their doctrine and hear what these people had to say; they had been with the Lord longer than anyone else I knew.
Then I came to a point where I was very confused. Many of the friends I had spoke as though times with the Lord were strictly praying. The conclusion: since I spent so much time reading, I needed to put some of that on hold to spend more time praying.
Then there were days where I wasn't sure what to pray. When I didn't know what to pray, my default was to read.
"But I'm still not spending time with God..." I found myself thinking time after time after time.
I still wanted to learn.
Then it grew to the point where I stopped reading.

Another lie:

Everything you do in life 

has to be spoken by God.

No. Sometimes we are afraid to make choices because we think, "What if that is my desire and not God's?" "What if it isn't God's will for my life?"
Well, God gave you the desires of your heart. Sometimes it is okay to make decisions (even life changing decisions!) based on your likes or practicality because it is all part of trusting God in who He says He is. He is good. We don't need to walk on eggshells with Him. He is a good Father, a good Shepherd. Therefore, we trust that if we are making a decision outside of His will for our life in His sovereignty He will redirect us to the right path. He will lead us. He wants us. He will leave the 99 to chase after the 1. It is okay.

So I was even under the impression that God needed to tell me where to read because He was supposed to tell me everything I needed to do now, right? Wrong. But surely there must be something specific He wants me to read because there is something there I need to know...

Well, the Bible is 66 books full of things

God wants me to know.

I really could have just taken my pick.

Here in DTS, we have been reading at least 1 book of the New Testament a week (we started combining multiple books into single weeks after we finished Romans). Each time I have read, it was like I was reading each book for the first time. The Lord has been highlighting so many pieces that I never noticed before. I even read pieces that reminded me of different teachings I had listened to.

Reading the Bible and actually comprehending what it is saying in its simple form, I am finding many sermons (and the examples used!) almost word-for-word in some cases. Now obviously teachers had focal points and points of elaboration...but in general it was all copied from Jesus, Peter, John, James, and Jude. Thanks, fellas.

Yet, how many times had I read over the Gospels and the teachings of the apostles and not understood? I had been clouded. The lie that it was too simple, it has to be difficult to live like Jesus. To love like Jesus. Often because the part of grace has been forgotten...Or maybe grace is remembered, but the people remembering it don't truly have a revelation of it... Or somewhere along the lines, they themselves were clouded too. We can never know and it is okay.

difficult (adj.)
--hard to do, make, or carry out

hard (adj.)
--not easily penetrated : not easily yielding to pressure

It is not difficult to live like Jesus. It is hard only because we are naturally resistant.
We are naturally resistant to allowing the Truth of God's Word to penetrate our hearts. We naturally do not want to yield to the pressure (or conviction) that maybe our lives should be different. Maybe our lives should reflect our love for Jesus....or maybe they already do.
If Jesus could only measure your love for Him by your day-to-day lifestyle, how loved would He really feel?

The Bible is not hard.

Our hearts are.

The Bible is simple. 

Basic.

Black and white.

We often complicate simplicity or claim laziness to justify passivity. 

Of course, that does not mean every person is like this...some versions of the Bible are truly more difficult to read than others. Even so, the Bible is still worth reading.

It is so important that we get the very words God spoke into our hearts. The very words that flow from Jesus. We must know and apply them.

Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?"

Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.

For this purpose I was born and

for this purpose I have come into the world

-- to bear witness to the truth.

Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."

John 18:37

If we are called to be like Jesus and Jesus came into the world with the purpose of bearing witness (testifying) to the truth, then we too need to testify to the truth. In doing so we are listening to His voice.

Interestingly enough, I began writing this blog late Tuesday night. Wednesday morning in class, the speaker was talking about how important it is to know the Word --- I will share more about that this weekend.

I have to get going!
**Read Your Bibles** :-)
--- until this weekend!

Xoxo,
Cheryl

A Word on Partnership and Relationship

As believers we are all called to fulfill the Great Commission. Some are called to the nations, while others are called to their neighborhood. Both are valid and very important.

If you have ever wanted to be part of the spreading of the Gospel to the nations, but it was never in your circumstances to do so now you can! You might not physically be able to spread the Gospel, but you can be part in sending the ones who can!

We need both types of people in the church.

Those who can go and those who support those who go.

There are three ways to support those who go:

1) Prayerfully

.......We can never underestimate the power of our prayers! The greatest support you can offer is praying that the Lord of the harvest will raise up the harvest of harvesters and provide (as He always does) for those physical need to complete what He has called them to do on this earth.

2) Financially

.......In a more practical sense, those who have been called God to do His work in full-time ministry need the financial support of those in the Body of Christ who have been called to the work-force as a mission field.

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, 

not reluctantly or under compulsion, 

for God loves a cheerful giver. 

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, 

so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, 

you may abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:7-8

Financial gifts do not need to be large and extravagant. Even just $5-$10 a month (or even one time!) can make the largest difference! (Especially if everyone gave $10... I did the math. If each of my Facebook friends gave me $10 back in September, I would have had enough to pay for my lecture phase [inc. room/board], outreach cost, AND the extra living expenses for these full 5 months.)

A little truly does go a looong way. 

(Especially for missionaries.) 

3) Awareness

.......Unfortunately, many Christians are unaware of what God is doing in the nations and in America (sometimes even  in their own city!). You can also play a part by spreading the word around of how God is moving and what He is stirring up! Encourage people to get involved as you seek to get involved yourself!
Support a missionary - become a monthly sponsor (check out the Support Me ;-) ); get involved with YWAM, Burn 24-7, Fire and Fragrance, or even the local ministries in your own church! They need you more than you think. We are the Body of Christ, not just the hands, just the feet, just the finger, just the toe, just the knee, just the nose, just the ear, etc. YOU PLAY A PART TOO. How would your body function if you were missing a part, like maybe your pinky toe? I've heard that that plays a huge role in the maintenance of our balance. (I might be wrong - I am not going to Google it... Humor me and let us pretend (if I am wrong) that I am right...for argument's sake.)


With that being said, I am still raising finances for my trip to South Africa and Harvard. The Lord has been so faithful with His provision - we were even able to cut $400 off the price because plane tickets were cheaper than expected! He is providing in unexpected ways, including an anonymous donation I received for $250! Amazing!!
With all the money I have currently paid, I still need about $2,140. I ask that you would prayerfully consider sowing into what God is doing in this time and season.
I leave next Thursday, December 13, and any amount will help.

I want you to know, too, that this is not a post about "taking [your] money and running." Sponsorship is partnership and partnership is relationship. The core of the Gospel is relational (relationship with God [First Commandment] and relationship with people [Second Commandment]).
Regardless of the form of support you are able to offer (prayer, finances, awareness) or whether you can offer any at all, I want to build a real relationship with you where I can keep you updated in what the Lord is doing in my life and also where I can hear about your life. A relationship where I share my dreams and you share yours. I share my fears and you share yours. I pray for you, you pray for me.
A legitimate, loving relationship out of the place of friendship

Again, I ask that you would ask the Lord if partnering with me (or maybe you feel urged to give to another missionary -- I know about 50 of them!) is something that you should take part in.

I thank you for your faithfulness and obedience in what God has called you to...

Xoxo,
Cheryl

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 

2 Corinthians 9:11-12

Convergence 2012

Well... I have something new to say this week.

The course of my life has completely shifted into a new direction. I cannot tell you what it is yet and I have no idea how it will happen, but it the word of Lord....and that is all I need to know.

Let me start from the beginning...

I have been looking forward to this past week since January 2012.
Remember my friend, C, who contributed to the decision of coming here in the first place? (You can reread that story here.) Well, in January 2012 he began his DTS here in Harrisburg at the exact same one I am doing. Only he had to live in the Howard Johnson hotel instead of the 333 House...and things were a little bit different....anyway, so he did his DTS here and he actually suggested Harrisburg (but I wanted to go to Kona --- I've made peace with the situation). So, while C was here and I knew another guy, S, who always talked about it, I was so curious as to what the heck this Fire and Fragrance / YWAM thing was. I had never heard about it before, but it sounded like it was super popular and exploding! (Upon coming here I found out the reality that the Harrisburg base is only like 2 & 1/2 years old and F&F Kona is like 5 years old or something like that...It is a growing baby!)
So interested in finding out exactly what it was they were doing, I started researching this YWAM thing and I found out it was SO much bigger than I thought. On top of that, Fire and Fragrance was only a sliver of the DTSes they do. I felt like there were a billion trillion. So I decided to type it into iTunes to see if anything would come up. I stumbled upon these podcasts from Fire and Fragrance: School of Revival and Reformation 2010 from Kona. I began to look through the titles and the speakers and the only person I recognized was Jake Hamilton. (Looking back at it this moment as I write it, I recognize the majority of the speakers because one is my base leader, many I have had, and a few more will be here in the coming weeks.) Anyway, so I look at so many interesting topics these people taught on and I am struggling to decide where to start in listening. So I ask God and He tells me to start with Andy Byrd's "Intimacy and Surrender" messages. So, I do. Let me tell you: it wrecked my life. At the time, I had no idea that Andy Byrd was one of the founders of Fire and Fragrance, nor did I ever think I would get to meet him and hear him speak live, let alone that I would one day get to talk to him and tell him how much he impacted my life. Never did I think any of this would happen.
So anyway... I listen to Andy's teachings (only able to hear 30 minutes at a time because there was so much within it I needed to process -- I definitely recommend anyone and everyone to listen to it). I tell God that one day I want to see this guy in person (at this time I didn't even know what he looked like or anything). So I listen to him and I think, "Well, if this YWAM thing lets people like him speak, I would like to do that one day! There is something this man has and I want it." It was then I decided that I would like to have a season of my life in YWAM (without knowing what I would be getting myself into).
So I learned a lot from Andy's messages and sort of spend like a month or two super obsessed with what he taught me. I probably annoyed a few of my friends because I wanted to tell them everything I had just learned (plus it would help me absorb it all).
Come June and sure enough I am eating with my friend, C, mention that I listened to Andy, and this kid busts out his phone and shows me that he has Andy Byrd in his contacts. I. Almost. Died. Momentarily. You know the rest of the story (visit my first post ever).

Andy is really the only reason I ever considered coming here. Thank you, Lord for his life. Amen.

Getting the word to come to Harrisburg, I was so hopeful that I could possibly have Andy Byrd as a speaker (but I knew he lived in a Kona, so I was doubtful - still unaware that he was a founder). When I got my F&F handbook, I freaked out when I saw he was a speaker. And sure enough, once again, this man has changed my life.

It started Monday. 

Andy taught on the practical culture of revival. He took every thing the church has ever made complicated about the Bible and broke it down to absolute simplicity like I have never heard. He broke so many lies that we believed that the churches (even MY church) would teach us, or imply, or fail to expose. Each action is just as guilty.

Tuesday we talked about what it means to create culture. Two things that create culture:

1.) Agreement on Truth
.......example: Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
So in order to create culture, we must agree on what is true. So, we must either agree that the Bible is what it is -- TRUTH -- and agree that speaking unwholesome words that tear down others and are not beneficial IS SIN (because the Bible says NOT to do it), or we can choose to attempt to justify why we say hurtful things to one another as a way of covering SIN (gossip and slander and unwholesome speech) so we can keep doing it. Either choice will create a different culture and only ONE is Kingdom Culture.

2.) Agree on Values that Produce Action
.......We need to call out sin for what it is. The reason the church is so dead, lifeless, apathetic, and stuck in addictions/brokenness is because we have chosen to stop calling sin "sin" and it never gets dealt with.

Just because we choose to stop acknowledging sin for what it is, does not mean it suddenly becomes okay. 

Just because more is being committed, does not make it any more acceptable to God.

Calling out sin MUST lead to repentance. 

And this is when the best lesson was taught...

The Four R's.
Andy taught us a lot of Circuit Rider (or Brian Brennt) curriculum which included something they call the 4 R's.

****This is my Favorite!!****

......1.) Repent
..........Jesus, I repent for [insert sin]. I ask that you would forgive me for allowing [insert sin] to cultivate in my life and satisfy me as a temporary pleasure, but it has kept me from You, God, the greatest pleasure. I see it as sin and I call it sin and I commit to taking action to break [insert sin] off of my life.

......2.) Receive
..........Jesus, I receive your forgiveness. I no longer fear condemnation, because I am washed by your blood. Jesus, you loved me enough to sacrifice yourself for me.

......3.) Rebuke
..........In Jesus's name and authority, I rebuke every [insert spirit(s) associated with sin...ex. lust, fear, shame, etc] and command you to the feet of Jesus. In Jesus' name I rebuke every spirit that was given a foothold in my life due to [insert sin]. In the name of Jesus', every ____ and ____ spirit go to the feet of Jesus.

......4.) Replace
...........I replace the spirit of _____ with the truth of God is and who He created me to be.
                   ex. I replace fear with the courage of Jesus. I replace bitterness with grace, forgiveness, and compassion. I replace anger with a soft heart of love.

*****Prayers modified from Brian Brennt's Freedom Manual*****

Wednesday morning began with girls and guys splitting up. Andy and Jeremy Bardwell took the guys to some river to throw rocks and yell like men (breaking off passivity) and this girl from Circuit Riders O.C., CA named Lindy Conant stayed with us girls as we broke fear off our lives (following the Freedom Manual). 

[Before anyone gets crazy, the Freedom Manual is the simple practicals of living the New Testament lifestyle from Biblical Truths. No religion. No fuzzy do's and don'ts. It is AMAZING!]

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

James 4:17

When Andy and the guys returned, Andy passed out the Freedom Manual's section on Passivity and all of us broke passivity off of our lives (which was a BIG shift in all of us). After that lesson we all started looking for areas in our lives where we have been being passive (ex. not initiating; independence; isolation; resistance/rebellion; and many more!). We even look for passivity in the little things...Anytime you know you SHOULD do something that is good and you DON'T, IT IS SIN. I am going to call sin what it is.

Save the lost. 

Revive the saved. 

Train them all.

Andy also taught us more on the Culture of Revival -- because we cannot live public lives of revival when our personal lives are hypocritical messes. He also taught the Circuit Rider mantra and went in depth on how to do each one of those things. It was really cool because....well, its about Jesus transforming lives!!! What could be better??

In non-class-related highlights of this week, last Saturday (17 November) was my best-human-friend's 19th birthday!!!She said she didn't want anything from me except a piece of paper with a kiss on it, so i wrote her a little note with a kiss in a red lipstick. Then she decided she wanted Brian Brennt's "Freedom" Manual. So, I got it for her. (This isn't a surprise because I told her I would get it for her.)

My roommates, me, and one of the boys did something really fun on Tuesday...

We prophesied over paintings for little children. This one was specifically for a 6 year old girl in Wisconsin. We also prophed over 2 other paintings and we all got a collection of words for the children -- really fun, really encouraging. It was so crazy because we would not share what we were getting until we finished, and we all had the same verses or same themes or felt the Lord was saying the same things about each child. The trippy part was with the first painting when 4 of us got the exact same Bible verse.

On Wednesday we had community outreach and me, N, and K went out together and ended up stopping for this woman with her nephew down the street from us. Upon speaking with the woman we discovered that she walked away from the Lord and wanted to receive Him back in her life!  Then her 9 year old nephew (who was with us this whole time) says, "I want Jesus! I want Jesus too!" So N prayed with him to accept Jesus into his heart too! We also kept talking with them and found out the woman suffered from depression and suicide, so I asked her if she wanted to be free from it, Jesus would set her free! AND SHE DID! So N kept speaking with her nephew and I prayed with her for suicide and depression to be broken off of her and her family and at the end of that half hour, she was like a complete new woman! Her entire countenance had changed!!!

The harvest is ready!! 

People are hungry! They are thirsty! 

Jesus wants to reap, feed, and satisfy the thirst of His people! 

All we need to do is step out in faith because 

Jesus is wanted in America.

Thank you, Jesus, for moving in her life!! 

Friday morning we had small group again. Team South Africa got together and we created something called a Culture Constitution. This is something Andy Byrd and Brian Brennt both do in their community homes (Andy in Kona, HI and Brian in O.C., CA) and all of the teams decided it would be a good idea to create our own. 

We wrote things, like, living in faith --- repenting for unbelief and always choosing to believe the word of God. We must choose to speak words of faith and believing in the promises, believing in the Bible, and not allow words of unbelief to leave our lips.

We also wrote on other things like courage, joyful repentance, intimacy/prayer/worship/word, Servant's Heart, to do all things without complaining, thankfulness, unoffendable heart, and probably a few more I have forgotten. 

We then went to Life Center for lunch and Leadership class with John Leach. Our homework from his class last week had been to take a DISC personality test (I am C-S-I-D --- whoo for the Cs!!). There were only two of us in the class who's personality is C, me and one of the boys here, which was funny because most people were Is. John Leach said, "You have to keep an eye on the Cs...They are dangerous. They will sit quietly but really they have all the answers."

So to test our personalities and see how they work in action, we split up into 2 teams and were given a giant game of......

Jenga

Our school leaders observed us and took turns as we all attempted to strategize. The winning team would be the team whose Jenga thing was the highest (at least to level 25...beginning at a level of 18). Our team was so chaotic, people were getting way into it and it was giving me anxiety. Everyone wanted to lead and no one wanted to listen. Everyone was interrupting each other. Very annoying to me. At one point, my friend, M, said, "Guys...its JUST Jenga!"
Needless to say....it was something of a tie, but I think we won. Both teams got to level 27.

Ta da!!!

This was our final product. Afterwards, we all got two groups again (but some people changed teams to switch it up) and we were each given a card that we had to act out to the extreme in a span of 5 minutes with everyone else in the group (but no one knows what your card said).

So for instance, we had a girl who always needed to say, "I LOVE JESUS!" louder than anything else she said. We had a girl who had to be blind who could barely hear. I needed to lay on the floor anytime I thought too hard. We had a girl who quoted scripture with nearly every sentence she said. We had a boy who was supposed to continually have body pains. A boy who had to get up and stretch every 2 minutes or so. So on and so forth with different personality types. Anyway, so while we are all acting out our parts, we needed to answer about 20 questions and it was so hard to focus. Haha...I just laid on the floor the whole time. I guess it wasn't too hard for me...

After John's class we went to Starbucks for the Buy One Get One Free promo....Say hello to a venti iced white peppermint mocha (with soy) and whipped cream on the side....for only $2.63. Yes. I was a very happy girl. A very, very happy girl. A very, very hyper, happy girl. Perfect for the conference....


Saturday I got to have some long awaited glory for lunch....with a taste of Christmas on the side...

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. A Deluxe Chicken Sandwich (no cheese), upsized fry well-done, sweet tea, and a seasonal chocolate chip-peppermint milkshake. Indeed it was glorious.


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Convergence 2012

This year, YWAM Harrisburg has thrown its first ever Convergence conference and it was absolutely amazing!! We gathered college students from throughout the North East for the entire weekend.

Thursday evening opened up the conference with worship by Lindy Conant and Chloe Brennt and some of our F&F/YWAM Kona family....as you can see, there were tons of people at the altar.

Then Andy sort of shared the back-story to this whole Circuit Riders message and the Ivy Colleges...

It was a wonderful way to open the conference and Brian Brennt shared a little towards the ending as well on the heart of Convergence and the vision/word of the Lord for America -- 80 million saved and 200,000 sent out into the nations.

Friday night opened with Jon and Tiffany Aitken (I highly recommend for the Bethel Music/Bethel Live listeners). They are from Life Center and I absolutely love them!

My friend, M, working the camera!...Literally. 

Brian Brennt spoke again and shared some of him and his wife's testimony about their chronic illness and faithfulness to the Lord. They shared how God took them to the dryest churches and eventually how they became connected with YWAM Kona, Andy Byrd, School of the Circuit Riders, and eventually to Orange County, California.

The night ended with all of the university students on the stage as we all prayed for them and released them to carry revival into their campuses.

***   ***   ***

   

Saturday was my favorite day. We opened Saturday with worship (again by Jon and Tiff) and Holly Mosemann gave a little class on sharing the Gospel/personal testimony in 30-60 seconds in order to prepare the college students for community outreach with us later that afternoon.

Here is a cute little blurb of an example of preaching the Gospel in less than 60 seconds:

And that is how we got to having about 150ish people in our lawn to split into groups and take on different parts of Allison Hill to minister to.
We mostly invited them to our Harvest Party (which I will share about in the next post) and then as conversation goes with lovers of Jesus, we offered prayer (and here's the kicker):

37 people were saved.

20 people were healed.

All because some fiery-eyed revivalists, filled with the love of God, decided to step out in faith!

I have said it before. I will say it again:

The harvest is ready!! 

People are hungry! They are thirsty! 

Jesus wants to reap, feed, and satisfy the thirst of His people! 

All we need to do is step out in faith because 

Jesus is wanted in America.

Remember that woman I told you receive Jesus back into her life on Wednesday? Well, we revisted her Saturday afternoon and she opened the door with the BIGGEST smile on her face!! Her face was shining, she was so happy to see us!! She even told us that since we had prayed with her she wasn't having anymore nightmares, she was sleeping peacefully, she wasn't having any depressing or suicidal thoughts, she wanted to get back in church with boyfriend and start living for God.

Tell me that my God doesn't come to those who call on Him!!

HIS LOVE IS ENOUGH TO 

BREAK EVERY CHAIN.

Listening to testimonies from my bedroom window

Saturday night we had worship with the ever-wonderful Sean Feucht and its was so powerful! Saturday night was the most powerful night for me...Everyone here had a different night chosen as the most powerful for them.

Sean, Kelsie, YooSung, Lindy, and a few others were all doing worship together and, ahhh, I love Sean so much!

He did my favorite song, "Finish What You Started (North Korea)", which is one I had previously written about. He wrote it for North Korea and the chorus says, "Oh, my God. You can do anything. Oh, my God. Nothing's too hard for You." Then is goes on in the bridge to say, "You're faithful to the end. You will finish what You started." And it repeats and all you hear are tons of voices singing how faithful the Lord is!

Everyone here is worshipping...This is right before everyone started jumping and dancing. Holy Spirit was so strong in the room...Well, He was so strong every night of the conference...

You're faithful to the end. 

You will finish what You started.

Shawn Bolz was speaking Saturday night. He does ministry in Hollywood and pastors a church in Glendale, CA. He shared with us stories of how people on his team were extras in some film being shot at the Playboy Mansion, and off camera there were actors being healed and encountered by Jesus.

You can check out more about his ministry, Expression58.

After Shawn Bolz dropped some knowledge, shared some stories, and shouted about twenty billion times, "You have permission!!" We all went to the altar for stuff and then Sean was playing again. Holy Spirit was doing His thing and after awhile we all split up into groups of 2 and 3 and began to prophesy over each other.
It was fun because the two girls I grouped with were girls in my DTS and we all got really strong words for each other. That was fun because we did not how know how relevant the words we got for each other were until later.
Afterwards, everyone was dancing and shouting and spinning and laughing and there was so much freedom in the room! It was contagious! It was like this realization that I can literally do anything I want to after DTS. Anything. No boundaries. No limitations. Nothing to stop me.

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Here Sean and Andy each shared their hearts for Jesus and America and on being ordained.

On Sunday morning, one of the most beautiful things I think I have ever seen in my entire life took place. Sean Feucht and Andy Byrd were ordained together by Charles Stock under the covering of Life Center. They did it together as covenant brothers and it was absolutely beautiful. I almost cried. So many of their closest friends or family were there praying over them as well as respected church staff and it was such a powerful, beautiful moment.

I was particularly honored to be able to see this (with front row viewing!) because both of these man have truly impacted my life each in a different way. Their hearts are so pure and filled with LOVE; all they want it to see Jesus have the reward of His suffering (US! The Nations!!). All they want is to see Heaven come to earth and Jesus come back. They have no ulterior motive, no secret agenda, they don't even care if you know their name or face...It doesn't matter. All that matters to them is knowing God and making Him know. Experiencing the love of God and giving it away. (And when I say they really don't care if you know their name or face, they REALLY don't.... Thursday afternoon I went up to Andy shared my story of how much he impacted my life, and I told him, "Honestly, I had no idea who you were or what Fire and Fragrance was." He said, "Oh, no! That doesn't matter! I don't want anyone to know my name or my face!" He was genuine. He meant it.)

Anyway, you can watch their whole ordination in my next post because at this time the wi-fi keeps acting up...

Oh, well...

I almost forgot!!
One of my friends sent me a few pictures she took from the Silent Siege at the Supreme Court! (In case you forgot....for more information.)

Building a wall and standing in the gap

Supreme Court

And now with my super awesome editing skills....courtesy of Apple products and a random app...

Ahh...Well, I do believe this post has been quite long enough.
I was hoping to have this finished a few days ago, clearly that did not work out, but I would like to write another one soon about Thanksgiving....

Alright, everyone, well, I love you! I hope your days have been as lovely as mine!!

Xoxo,
Cheryl

Elections

I am quite late for writing about this, but time here goes so quickly, yet I still wanted to address it: the election. But before I do that.... I never told you how we ended the trip to D.C.!!

Our final day in D.C. began with small group time. My small group (Team South Africa) decided to go to the Holocaust Museum, which is super intense. I had been there before but they had changed quite a bit of things since I last visited.

Afterwards we went to get coffee at some coffee shop in the area... One of our team members actually grew up in D.C. so he was familiar with all the hot spots of the area. I also have become a little bit of a coffee lover -- that's one thing I never thought I would be. But I am definitely NOT a coffee snob... Some things I just don't know about.

Aaand finally we ended the night at David's Tent's last plugged set before their final night watch with worship led by the AMAZING YooSung Lee (who has played with United Pursuit and Imogen Heap). Yeah, he led probably the best closing set...at least in my experience there.

Farewell, Washington, D.C.!!!

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Now, as I assume we all know, President Obama will continue being President for the next 4 years (as it stands). I find that not a whole lot of people are very happy about this... Quite honestly, had I been in California to vote, I would have voted for Romney, only because (first) his stance on Israel and (second) traditional marriage. He has a weak stand on LIFE and that nearly kept me from wanting to vote for him at all. Oh, well...
Something that really is bothering is all of the dishonoring speech towards Obama. All of the hateful slander towards the fact that he has been given the next 4 years in office, but so much of the spite is towards him personally and not his politics.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.... Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Ephesians 4:29,31

Have we forgotten that Jesus is Lord? Have we forgotten that Jesus is still King of ALL Kings (President of ALL Presidents; Teacher of ALL Teachers; Priest of ALL Priests; etc.)? Have we forgotten that He is SOVEREIGN and MIGHTY and in control of ALL things? Or maybe He is just in control of everything except the elections... Yes, that must be it... Right?

  WRONG!

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

God could have very easily made Romney president. But He didn't. Why? Because God is not one to share HIS glory with anyone...even a president.
God can STILL achieve all the plans He has whether Romney or Obama is in office. Quite frankly, God can do these things without EITHER men. Have we forgotten He used a 14 year old boy to slay a giant? Have we forgotten how He used a professional murderer to take the Gospel to the Gentile nations? Yeah. He can do anything. So why are we so ignorant to think that He can't change Obama? He CAN and He WILL! How do I know this? Because I know He WANTS to. HIS heart is for EVERY person to know Him and love Him and live for Him. Even Obama.

You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?

Matthew 5:43-46

But does that mean that because our ideal candidate wasn't chosen that we should speak badly about the President? NO! It means we should be praying for him! You are praying for him? Good. That means you should be feeling God's heart for him. After all, when you truly spend time praying for someone, your heart changes into having genuine love for them. The kind of love that shows in your actions and seeps through your words.
You see, if we love only those who agree with us, what good does that do? Everyone else in the world only loves those who agree with them --- look at the Planned Parenthood/Kommen scandal or how the LGBT groups treated Chick-Fil-A's stance on Biblical marriage. How do your actions (and thoughts; and emotions; and what is TRULY in your heart) towards Obama make you any more like Jesus than the people who don't know Him, and how much more are you going to be held accountable for? I urge you to think about these things...

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. 

Proverbs 18:21 

Can you say a person is disgusting, having never met them before? Can you say they hate our country, when clearly they loved enough of it to get the votes? Do we truly have a right to label someone's character when we have only seen them through a distorted, media lens? After all, we hate when people do that to us. And you will reap what you sow in your words. The Bible says so. You will eat the fruits of your words. Choose them wisely. We can declare the word of God, which NEVER fails, over Obama and his presidency and his life and wife and family, OR we can declare the word of man, which ALWAYS fails, over him. Which word do you think will give us a better America?

"We judge others by their actions, but we judge ourselves by our intentions."

Interesting... Maybe we should start holding ourselves to a higher standard of living, as lovers of Jesus, and maybe just maybe that might just change something. (**Not "maybe". It WILL.**)

So, there ya go! Power of the tongue. Good stuff. I like putting the words that leave my mouth into perspective...
That's what I got for all of ya'll... That was weird. I never say "ya'll"...Oooh... Awkward.

Okay, well it is late and I have an early morning... This weekend is Convergence and I cannot wait to tell you how it goes next week!

I love you all!!
Cheryl

Hurricanes, Pure Heart, D.C., and Elections (Pt. 2)

Ahh. Hello again.

If you missed the first part of this blog, you can read it here.

So, let me carry on with the trip to David's Tent....

Saturday night Sean Feucht (remember me talking about him?) led a 7p-9p set in the tent and, as always, it was glorious. Lots of dancing and clapping and laughing. And joy. Lots and lots of joy.

I have said it before and I will say it again: I love Sean Feucht. I think I will have him play at my wedding.

Here are a few clips of Sean's set. 

Have I mentioned how much I love this guy?

#Favorite 

Sunday morning we woke up at about 5ish to leave the church we were staying at at 5:30a. We needed to be at Gate Post by 6a for breakfast. The sky that morning was sooo beautiful.

It was almost like a dark blanket was being removed to reveal the sun!

Then after breakfast we went to David's Tent...

This is the guest book that they had out to sign. I also grabbed a few flyers. This event is so important to our history. Never before had there been a tent in the Ellipse of the White House for 40 Days of Prayer and Worship. Never. And how amazing it was that I would get to be a part of this.... I still can't even believe it.

Anyway, so more F&Fers led worship...

Then later in the day, Jason Hershey (the guy who started the tent) took us out in the park a little ways from the tent to tell us about how he ended up in D.C., some things God has done in his life, and how the tent was started. It was amazing to hear his testimonies, especially as something he desires to see God do is end abortion. He told us some Lou Engle-ish stories and how his life is interconnected with Lou's calling and Bound4Life. It was all really cool to see how God weaves people together. He also shared his connection with YWAM and Fire and Fragrance (and how our black van used to be his - haha).

The White House from the park.

This was pretty neat.... N, S, and I all bought hats off a street vendor on our way to a coffee shop. He gave us all discounts and afterwards we got to pray with him and totally bless him; he was so kind! 

And the joys of having 30 minute car rides everywhere to take a nap...

And on the way to dinner the sky was so beautiful we pulled off on the road so some of our crew could climb on top of the van and take pictures... I was lame and I didn't climb on the van (incase you were wondering)....but I did get some nice pictures :-)

This one I actually took while we were driving, before we pulled off the road.

Isn't it beautiful?

After dinner we went back to the church for an early night because we had to get up at least at 3a to leave at 3:30a to be at the tent by 4a for the 5a-9a night watch sets. Let me tell you: It. Was. Hard.

This is the team who was doing the 3a-5a set, as our team was getting ready and/or soaking in the presence of God. This was the hardest set to focus in on because not only were we tired from the early morning, but also it was FREEZING outside. And yes, we brought blankets.

At about 5:30a, me, N, and A all decided to walk to Starbucks to warm up and get coffee.

The streets of D.C. were beautiful in the early morning hours...

So we got our coffee and went back to the tent, where we enjoyed being with the Lord. Some of got caught up on our reading (sort of).

Just after 9 o'clock one of our school leaders approached us and asked if some of us would like to go Silent Siege at the Supreme Court. Of course, I took the chance. 

Five other girls and I joined YWAMers from other bases at the steps of the Supreme Court to pray that God would end abortion, pour mercy out on America (for mercy triumphs over judgement), and send revival to this nation.

So we joined a group of about 15 who were already standing and we all just stood in a line as though to form a wall and pray.

And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. Therefore I have poured out My indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath. Their own way I have repaid [by bringing it] upon their own heads, says the Lord.

Ezekiel 22:30-31 (AMP)

We were praying that God would forgive this nation for turning away from Him. He is a God who will bring justice for those He loves, even if they never get to take a breath on this earth, and we asked that He would send mercy on those who contributed in any manner to the shedding of the innocent blood of over 54 million babies since 1973. 98% of those babies have been by choice (*not including those done in the cases of rape/incest or medical emergency to mother/child). 

So there we were in front of the Supreme Court with about 20 others we had never met before, but it didn't matter. We were all from the same family. The YWAM Family. The LIFE Family. Most importantly: the ETERNAL Family. 

Many people passed by, curious why so many young people would stand with red tape on their mouths in a line in front of the steps of the court. Some asked if we were protesting; others pretended we were not even there. Still some gave us a thumbs up and told us we were to doing a "good job!" and to "keep it up!" There were quite a few school tours that walked past us (from what looked like middle school and some college group). 

You could hear the junior high schoolers asking each other over and over again what we were doing. Finally, one of them stepped out with two of his friends. About two/three feet behind me, I heard a voice that said, "Why are you all standing there with tape on your mouths?"

I turned around and saw the few middle schoolers. I took my tape off. 

"We have gathered here to pray that God would end abortion in America." I had no idea if they even knew what abortion was. I certainly didn't want to be the one to tell them! Scenarios of possibly angry parents calling the school flashed through my mind in a moment as I carefully weighed my words for a way to speak honestly to them without scarring them with the horrific truth. So I asked them if they knew what abortion was. I figured that was a good way to find out how to gauge my words. They said they knew. So I gave them the simple truth as I answered their questions: Jesus died for everyone including the babies. Jesus loves the babies. We were standing here praying that God would end abortion in America. The tape was symbolic to the fact that we had the opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless and our silence was symbolic of the silenced voices of 54 million human beings. This is not a protest. It is a prayer meeting.

As I began talking to the first three boys, the other students took notice and within seconds I had the entire field trip class in front of me, including parents who were chaperoning. One parent was encouraging in response, while another was very clearly trying to shrug off my words. 

I left the conversation plain and simple as the tour guide or teacher was ushering them back to the bus. 

Awareness was raised. Seeds were planted. The rest was in the hands of the Lord.

*For more information on abortion, the covered Truth, Silent Sieges, Life Tape, Life Bands, and God's heart concerning abortion, visit Bound4Life.

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That afternoon after lunch, we met up with Jason Hershey again, who was going to take us on a tour of the monuments and give us the Biblical history left out of modern textbooks from this nation.

So there we sat in the grass beside the Lincoln Memorial as Jason shared with us why he gives this tour, what he has learned from Lord during these tours (on his personal time) and Biblical passages to show how our governmental system and the Bible are inter-relevant. 

This is where the tour really started....In the walk from the van to the Lincoln Memorial. 

Inside that circle is what was the home of Robert E. Lee, general of the Confederate Army. Abraham Lincoln and asked Lee to be general of the Northern army just a couple days before the Southern army asked Lee. Lee chose the South. As an act of revenge, the north began to bury bodies in Lee's yard, which led it to it becoming Arlington National Cemetery. 

Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

Genesis 9:6

Jason taught us about the Civil War and about Bible scriptures where God directly says that there will be punishment for shedding blood. He told us that America saw more deaths in the Civil War than all other American wars combined. 

"Yet if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two-hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword as was said three thousand years ago so still it must be said, 'The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous all together.'" 

- Abraham Lincoln, The Second Inaugural Address

Jason explained to us how because God is a God of His word, because the blood of man has been shed, He has to bring justice. For instance, in the story of Cain and Abel, Cain kills Abel. The Lord asks Cain, "Where is your brother?" and Cain pretends not to know. God says, "The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground." (Gen. 4) God needed to bring justice for Abel and because of that He sent Cain away. 

Now, because God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, even in this present day God must bring justice for bloodshed. 

For us, He has sent Jesus. Jesus became the justice of Genesis 9:6 and also the reason God could send mercy on us (Heb. 12). Justice and mercy.

God does justice because He has to, He is bound by His words, but He does mercy because He wants to. 

Jason showed us how the Civil War became God's justice and mercy over the injustice of slavery. God brought both justice and mercy in the Battle of Gettysburg. So many men were killed as justice, but mercy came and the tide of the war turned in favor of the North.

I HAVE A DREAM....That one day, PRAYER WILL BE RESTORED IN SCHOOLS, ABORTION WILL END, AMERICA WILL TURN BACK TO GOD, AND A REVIVAL/AWAKENING WILL SWEEP THIS NATION LIKE NEVER BEFORE SEEN.

Our next stop was a memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr. As you can see, me and Rev. Dr. King Jr. are almost the same height!

In all of Jason's explaining the memorial, the greatest thing we could learn and remember in the memorial is that: You cannot force people to be moral. Morality is in your heart. You can, however, make a law that upholds morality as a standard for those who lack it.

Our next stop, I did not take any pictures at (so I will take one from Google), BUT let me tell you WHY I did not take any pictures:

The last time I was at this memorial was about 4 1/2 years ago. I was on an 8th grade school field trip and we were walking along the path near all of the trees. I was looking down on my cell phone, texting my dear mother, when all of the sudden I walk - SMACK - right into an extremely low tree branch, that quite honestly should have been trimmed off. 

Having such a history at this memorial, I remembered it quite well and did not feel a need to take photos.

Alas, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.

Here Jason discussed with us the New Deal policy and how FDR created the programs that provide government assistance to low income families and how Biblically inaccurate it is.

The truth behind all of this is:

The belief that it is the governments responsibility to take care of the poor is a demonic lie that has come from the orphan spirit. 

You see, God is our Father. He is the Father to every single human being on this planet. What are one of the many responsibilities of a Father? To provide. When we take that responsibility off of the Father and project it onto the government, we have put ourselves in a place where our actions say we do not need a Father. We are keeping from allowing Him to do the job that He loves to do. When we don't have a Father, we are an orphan. 

It is the responsibility of the church to take care of those in need.

Why? Because when we (the church) take care of those in need and we give them money/clothes/food/whatever/etc, not only are we caring for their physical needs, but we are adding having a relationship with those people because our actions are saying, "I care about your well-being. How are you doing?" with the desire for a genuine answer. It is a way allowing Jesus to show himself through his people.

However, when we take the Father's responsibility of provision and put it on the government, not only do the people become orphaned, but the church becomes complacent and stagnate because no longer is it their concern to care for those in need of help; they know someone else will. We are trading our Father, who always has enough, for a creation of men who will never have enough.

Our next stop was George Mason. Many people don't know George Mason, but this man is the reason we have a Bill of Rights. He was man who was in the "in crowd" of the forefathers. Washington..Jefferson..Hancock..George Mason was part of the crew. In drawing up the Constitution, George Mason was adamant that this Constitution needed a Bill of Rights to the point where he refused to sign a Constitution without a Bill of Rights. All of the other forefathers disagreed with Mason and he left that meeting, having not signed the document. Later the forefathers realized the George Mason was right - they needed to draw up a Bill of Rights. So the first 10 Amendments were amendments that George Mason himself wanted. 

It was said that after George Mason declared he would not sign the Constitution without a Bill of Rights, he left, not signing, and him and George Washington never spoke again.

The thing to remember from this memorial: Always stay true to the word of the Lord, even if it costs you popularity.

Our final destination was the Jefferson memorial. Many people often claim that the First Amendment gives us the separation of church and state. This is a LIE. The phrase "separation of church and state" was actually penned by Thomas Jefferson in a letter. He was writing to a church that was afraid - there were many people of a particular denomination coming into political power, and this church was afraid that the difference in denomination was going to affect them. Thomas Jefferson was writing to them to reassure them that the government would stay out of the affairs of the church, NOT that the church needed to stay out of the affairs of the government. The church MUST involve itself in the governmental affairs. This is something Thomas Jefferson himself did.

"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, His justice cannot sleep forever."

Thomas Jefferson

God chose Israel. America is still the first nation to choose God in its founding documents.

  THERE IS HOPE!!!

Hahahaha...ah... now that I have taken you through the tour of the D.C. Monuments, via Blogger, I must get going... It is late.... and there will be a third part to this post very soon!

I love you all.. I hope you enjoy reading this!

Xoxo,

Cheryl