Life in Abundance

Yesterday was A-mazing.  The Filipino people don’t initiate conversation, most have a spirit of inferiority especially around foreigners and they don’t dare say something that they think they shouldn’t so most times they don’t say anything at all.  For the last few days the only responses when I have tried to initiate a conversation is “Yes mam, thank you mam.”  Always mam.  Ah all I want is an indepth conversation with someone!  While shopping at the G mall grocery store Zion, Jen and I were searching for items and asked a young girl employee a question.  We went on to the next isle and as they began looking at food, I just kinda stood there feeling useless. Ok, I’m bored.   Something stirred inside me and I thought, why am I just standing here, I’m going to go pray for that girl.  I walked over to the girl and upon approaching her I asked if I could pray for her.  That’s all I simply said with a smile on my face.  Her reaction completely took me by surprise and I had no idea how to respond.  Tears filled her eyes.  “You could see it in my eyes couldn’t you.”  She said beginning to weep.  Whoa.  I had cracked the shell.  She began completely revealing to me and pouring out how she wasn’t meeting her parent’s expectations for her life with schooling and a career and now she worked at the grocery store.  Tears streamed.  She took breaks in her story exclaiming “Oh my God, why am I crying, why and I so emotional, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”  I had simply said one sentence to her.  This girl felt like she was a failure as a daughter.  My heart grew exponentially for her.  A huge smile overtook my face.  I couldn’t wait to get a word in to instill truth into her.  I clothed her in words from heaven.  How our Father see’s her.  How she doesn’t need to gain approval from anyone, not even her parents.  I told her a piece of my story.  How I had reached a goal just like everything her parents wanted for her, I made it there, but gave it up.  I gave it up to be right here at this moment to meet someone like her so that I could give her truth and tell her about how much God loves her.  I then prayed over her.  Even after the tears wouldn’t stop.  They kept streaming as she looked into my eyes, “I thought you were just going to ask me where something was.”  This five minute moment may have lit my fire and boosted my faith more than hers.  My heart was overjoyed.  I thank you Father that I can be at work with You.  I would take a moment like this over anything in the world. 

Later in the night Damien (another more permanent YWAM missionary here) invited us to a “Youth on Fire” meeting in Davao.  In the jungle.  We are talking walk through mud to get to the bathroom, that has no toilet paper, no sink.  We took a city bus from Tagum to Davao, in which we had many stares at first but as we began talking with the locals, laughing and singing filled the entire bus.  At the bus stop the pastor and his daughter picked us up in a tricycle (a 6 passenger attachment to a motorcycle.  Of course right away they said they were excited to have us perform and share for the group.  Opps, I totally forgot about that part.  We performed two skits for the kids.  A young man gave his testimony and sermon, then the pastor called for an alter call.  Basically the entire group stood up and came to the front stage.  The pastor then announced that the guests (us) will go around praying and minister to each person.  The atmosphere was thick with the Holy Spirit.  I prayed over about 10 kids.  Then Zion came to the mic.  He announced that we were going to bless them if they wanted with their original design.  An original design is the plan that God has over each one of His masterpieces life, they way He always intended us to live, for Him, before sin and strongholds came in to prevent us from walking out in the fullness of His plan. 

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21

Each of us got into teams of two and lines began to form behind each pair.  Jess and I prayed over many kids.  But it is the first boy we prayed for that I remember vividly.  He stepped up to us and we laid hands on him, asking God how He sees him.  Immediately I got big brother.  I was thinking ok, I guess I’m just going to have to do this in faith and we will see what happens.  I asked the boy if he had any younger siblings that he takes care of.  In astonishment he replied that he has 2 little sisters.  The Lord wanted him to know how pleased He was at how he takes care of his sisters.  He is the example in the household  and for him to stay strong in the truth, his sister’s lives depend on it.  The boys eyes filled with tears but I felt as almost I had gained more from that experience than him.  My faith skyrocketed.  Jess prayed this over the boy.  I then looked behind him and saw the huge line forming.  Oh my gosh, help me Lord.  This was day 2.  What an amazing night.  I was exhausted and blown away at how God had shown up.  This is ultimate life.  I’ve read a particular verse many times but tonight I finally understand to a greater, deeper degree.  More real than ever, the bible has become alive to me.

For whoever wants to save his life will loose it, but whoever looses his life for me will find it.

Matt 16:25

Thank you Father that I get to live, really live.  I thought I was giving up so much, but it’s nothing compared to what I have found.