Overcome

   Before moving to Colorado I had grown up going to the same church, Good News Church (previously called Glad Tidings Assembly of God), my entire life. I absolutely love my church. And the people. ;) They are truly my family. A couple of years ago I felt like God was speaking to me and saying that I would not always go to Good News. I like to jump-the-gun sometimes and so I visited a few of my friends churches and thought I must have heard God wrong on that one. There is no church like my church. That statement is still true. There is no other church exactly like Good News Church in Topeka, Kansas. I still felt I was going to go somewhere else someday and so I told God 'you better have an amazing church in store for me, because my church is amazing, and I can't go somewhere less amazing.' I am sure that God just chuckled at me. 
   I am pleased to say that God has provided me with yet another amazing church. :) New Life Church in Colorado Springs is a church like no other. We dance around like crazy during worship. New Life Worship band has produced worship cd's and the student ministry Desperation has also produced cd's which are directly under Hillsong music in popularity. Just plug in a cd to listen and you can feel the power of God in the songs. The worship is incredible! We encounter God.
  We pray. All the time. On New Life's campus there is what we call the World Prayer Center. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week people are praying. It is incredible. Late night prayer is the best. When we are at our weakest points, aka no energy left, God moves in the biggest ways.
  We serve. New Life has opened what is called the Dream Center, a non-profit clinic which serves women in the community who don't have a lot of money to pay for medical needs, and they are ministered to along the way. As a part of DLA I have the opportunity to serve the junior high students every week. It is such an incredible experience to minister to students and see God moving in them at such a young age!
  To me the thing that stands out the most about New Life Church is that they overcome. The past 5 years has seen New Life through 2 different events which might shut a church down. The founding pastor of the church was found out to have been involved in things that were not of God and left the church. New Life was without a pastor for about a year. A new pastor came and 100 days into his time as pastor there was a shooting that occurred on New Life's campus and two girls were killed. Instead of backing down, New Life got back up and took a stand. 3 days after the shooting the church got together. Instead of a sermon Pastor Brady Boyd read scripture after scripture of God's promises to the congregation. At the end of the night the church erupted into the song Overcome, written by Jon Egan, the worship pastor of New Life. They decided that they were not going to let Satan win the battle. God has the victory! We will overcome!
   I write this blog because last Sunday, December 4th 2011, was the four-year anniversary of the shooting. To be a part of New Life now and see what God has done in them is incredible. Our God is a mighty MIGHTY God. Pastor Brady Boyd wrote the book, Fear No Evil,  a few years after the shooting to talk about what God has done in the church. I would HIGHLY recommend reading this book.
  I am not sure what God is calling me to do after DLA is over. If I am to stay in Colorado, I would be happy to call New Life my church. ;) I've even gotten over the fact that there are between 8,000-10,000 people that attend the church. Crazy, I know!!

Overcome

New Life Worship

Seated above, enthroned in the Father's love
Destined to die, poured out for all mankind
God's only son perfect and spotless one
He never sinned, but suffered as if he did

All authority, every victo-ry is Yours
All authority, every victory is Yours

Savior, worthy of honor and glory, worthy of all our praise,

You overcame
Jesus, awesome in power forever, awesome and great is Your name,

You overcame

Power in hand speaking the Father's plan
You're sending us out, light in this broken land

We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb
And the word of our testimony,

Everyone overcome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sjYWrpNoCs

Christmas Banquet

  This year of school DLA is set up a little differently than normal. In previous years students could join at semester, such as in January or September. Now we simply start in September. Because of the different start dates we had a graduation last Tuesday for the students who started school in January of 2011. We all dressed up in pretty dresses (girls) and nice shirts (guys) ;-) ate dinner, and celebrated our friends who were graduating. Of course, we had to end the night with a dance party while cleaning up. I am convinced DLA can not have a party without some goofy dancing involved. ;)
  Anywhoo, it was a bittersweet moment seeing people graduate and receive their rings. When you graduate you get a ring and engraved on it is the saying 'For the Lamb's Reward.' Those completing a 2nd year receive a frame with a verse picked out especially for them. The directors of the school spend time in prayer, asking God to give them a verse for each graduate, encompassing their life in the past, and what God is calling to them.
  It was an incredible night: food, gift exchange, graduation, dance parties and all....and I took some pictures with my friends! I had to...I mean, we were all dressed up and that doesn't always happen. ;)
We had a gift exhange and the guy who got my name bought me raisins and cake supplies - good job Andrew!! I think he had some help. ;-)

 Janelle, Brenna, Tucker, Dorie, Buckie
Me and Marisela

My accountability group
Anna, Charaia, me, Christelle, and Gabby

Too many people to share their names....
my crazy DLA friends! ;)

My WONDERFUL host parents Patty and Gordy

Me and Hannah!!

Patty, Alex, Laura and Me

We all either live at the Decker's house or have lived with them!

We had a Secret Santa gift exchange and I had my friend Buckie.
:)

My housemate Alex who came to Topeka with me for Thanksgiving.
She just graduated & just moved back to Cali. :(

Marisela, me, Dorie, and Stacey

 One of my favorite girls...Lindy!!

The Great Romancer

  I've told you before about The Love Story of Jesus and Stefanie. I started it out with the intention of writing down the ways that Jesus romances me, thinking it would be every once in a while. I wasn't thinking I would write something down every day. Well, Jesus had a different plan. He challenged me. He told me that He romances me every single day and it is time for me to see that. ;)
  In a relationship, if your significant other does not daily affirm their love for you, you begin to feel the lack. Yes, they don't have to buy you roses every day or write you a love song. They should do something small though. Tell you they appreciate you, or love you. Give you a hug or a kiss. Wink at you from across the room. Something to know you are valued by them.
  Jesus told me that He shows His love to me every single day. It might just simply be by giving me a great seat at a performance that I arrived late to and shouldn't have even had a seat at. It might be running in to an old friend I haven't seen in a while. It might be by giving me a new friend (I deeply value friendships). It might be a promise He spoke long ago finally coming true. It might be witnessing a miraculous healing happen. It might be simply Him speaking the words to me "I love you." Whatever it is, Jesus shows His love to me every day.
  He does the same to you as well. Do you know when Jesus is romancing you? Are you aware or unaware?

We had a barn dance in DSM 2 weeks ago.

Alana and I with our fake mustaches. ;)

Alana & Lauren
Two Beautiful jr. girls!!

The Power of Healing

  I will say yet again how incredible this last week was. Spending hours upon hours in God's presence. I heard His voice so many times. He spoke to me. He revealed parts of my future to me. He opened my mouth to speak in the presence of those I was once afraid of. He gave me words of life to share with others. I have a confidence that I've never had before. Because I simply chose to sit with Jesus.
  I have a challenge to you: if you ever have the time to spend a whole week or even a whole day with God, do it! It might sound cheesy to you but it is so beneficial. Just think about. When you are in a relationship with someone, what is the best way to get to know them, to get on a more intimate level? Spend time with them. Go on a date. Sit together on the couch and talk. Just be together. That is exactly what God has been revealing to me lately. He is real. Why don't we always act like He is? Why don't we give Him the time of day? Why don't we ask Him His opinion on what we do throughout the day? He cares, because He cares deeply about us.

"For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;

He will lead them to springs of living water.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Revelation 7:17

  In this last week God has just brought me back through my first 3 months of DLA and shown me all that He has done in my life. Sometimes, looking at my life through my own eyes, I am unaware. I am so grateful to God for showing me. He revealed how much of my past He has healed me from. He has filled me with so much joy that I believe that it radiates off of me. The crazy part about that is that before I came here I prayed and asked God to make me contagious for Him. I have so much more to learn about Him but I know He has already begun to answer that prayer. Thank you Jesus!!

  Now, I want to share with you an image God gave me. I was talking with a friend over coffee about what God has done in our lives this first semester. We were both in awe of God. Exactly as it should be. ;) While talking God showed me a picture of His healing.

  When God heals he doesn't just put a band aid on the wound and call it good. He rips the band aid off. He begins to dig deep into the wound and get out ALL of the junk. That process is SO painful, yet it leads to a Complete and Total healing. There is no ugliness left after God completes the healing. There might be a scar that remains from the wound, but it is nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, it is a reminder. It is a 'look what the Lord has done' scar. It is an example of God's miraculous power!

  I pray that this image sticks with you throughout your life. Let God in, be vulnerable. Then, stand back and watch what God will do! He won't disappoint.

  By the way, this is my 25th blog post! - Random fact for the day!! :)



A Psalm of Praise

  So much has been happening in my life lately and I have failed to blog about it. I am truly sorry. I promise to try harder now! ;) Jesus has been moving in a mighty MIGHTY way. I love it! I love Him! I'll write that on all my blogs because He is just so wonderful. Every day I fall more in love and I am not joking. Every day He reveals something new to me and I can't help but love Him for that. He's the only man in my life that I will call beautiful, because He truly is.
  Half of DLA is on tour this week in either California or Texas. They climbed into vans and headed out to spread the Word of Jesus to churches, to youth groups, who need a new Word from God. We have this HUGE conference that happens in the summer. These tours are just little pieces of the Desperation Conference.
  Those of us back home have had the wonderful (I truly mean it) experience of staying home and praying for hours on end. 6 hours a day to be exact. I love it, I really do! Sure, it has been challenging, but God has been my strength. God has been revealing SO much to me in this last week. I am SO stoked about my future and what is to come. We get the opportunity to pray a few night watch shifts: either 12-3am or 3-6am. During my night watch shift the prayer leader had us write our own Psalm to God. If David can write praises to God, why can't we? I absolutely loved it. I think I might make my own book of Psalms....there is just SO much to write about God! :) I just really wanted to share one of mine with you. This is what God has been doing in my life.

My Psalm of Praise to God

Jesus I praise you!

Your ways are wonderful, beyond anything that I can imagine.

You blow me away. Every single day. I love it! :)

You fascinate me. Every single day you show me something new.

You romance me. Every single day. Open my eyes to this romance.

You healed me. You removed my shame and guilt from my past.

You've given me joy. Some days I just can't help but laugh with you.

You hold me. I love when you wrap your arms around me.

You comfort me. On  days when I can't stand, you carry me.

      You wipe away my tears and tell me you love me.

You promised me dreams. I dreamt. Then you told me your dreams are bigger.

You taught me the power our words have to speak life and death over situations.

You pulled me away from my friends and family and you gave me new friends, a new family.

      You gave me a double portion.

You asked me to come away with you. I did and I don't regret it.

You set me free to dance in your presence once again.

You made me pure. You gave me a white dress.

You asked me to marry you. I said yes.

*What has God done for you lately? Have you shared it with anyone? Write it down. Tell someone!