Papa came in like a whirlwind and quickly changed my course of direction in a matter of about 4 days, which is crazy, but as I look back on it now it was exactly what He needed to get my attention quickly so I would know when to "move" with Him. So what is the new course of direction? I AM GOING TO INDIA!
To back up a little bit....in January of this year I began to feel this very strong urge in my spirit that I needed once again to be directly connected to the nations. I needed to physically be in another nation. For those who know me, you know I love the nations. I've been overseas in a couple different ministries and, of course, the ministry I was currently working with, GMA, was also a missions organization, but this calling was not just to work for the nations but to be in the nations once again in a full-time way. I couldn't quantify all that was going on with me during that month...it was just this deep urging in my spirit that I needed to be directly connected to the nations again. Any books I read, any news I heard, any mission trips I was organizing for GMA, anything involving the nations was pulling out this spirit longing to be in the nations. I just had this deep longing in my spirit and urge that if I didn't go to those places something was wrong. In my spirit I felt I had to be there, anywhere now! But Papa hadn’t given me any specific direction and I knew that I wasn’t to move forward with anything until I had received specific direction about a specific place from the Lord. So, as difficult as it was I just kept all of this in my heart to ponder and kept listening and praying. After some time I talked to Leanne and my mom about this and tried to explain it even though I really didn't know how to explain it very well and I didn't really have anything specific to share along with it.
Fast forward to the weekend of February 26th. On Saturday night I had a very significant dream. Papa often speaks to me in dreams. Often the frequency of these dreams are more prominent in certain seasons. Sometimes they are significant but for another time and so I write those down and file them away in my memory. Other times they are significant and for right now…this was one of those dreams. In this dream on that Saturday night I dreamed a missionary friend of mine from South Africa (who I met in Mozambique and who is Indian…don’t you love all the nations represented in that one little fact…it makes me smile every time I think of it!) called me and asked me if I wanted to go with her to "mgm India." I said I did but I wasn't sure if I had the money. There were other parts to the dream but that was the end and the most important part. As soon as I woke up I knew in my spirit this was a “now” dream. I immediately wondered what the the “mgm india” part meant. It had to be significant. So, all day as I cleaned the house and laundered my clothes I talked with Papa about it. I knew that main part of that dream was that Papa was giving me a "missionary call" to India, but I was still unsure what the "mgm" part meant. Later in the day I laid down to soak (listening prayer) for a while listening, praying, singing... and then all of the sudden in the spirit I was taken up and I could see the whole Earth. I could see the world and the nation of India just came shooting right out from the rest of the world toward me like it was in 3D or something. Then Papa began to show me all kinds of different things in the nation and I could literally see in the spirit the entire nation being transformed by His love and in His glory. I could see His glory covering the entire nation and being completely transformed! It was one of the most amazing experiences/encounters I've ever had. Then it was like my entire body went into intercession over the nation. To say this was a significant experience is putting it mildly. After all of it was over I just began to weep. As I came out of this encounter the other thing that occurred was that I had this deep, deep urgency in my spirit that I needed to get prepared to go to India in every way. So for the next couple of days I was just quietly processing all of this between Papa and myself.
To back up a little bit....in January of this year I began to feel this very strong urge in my spirit that I needed once again to be directly connected to the nations. I needed to physically be in another nation. For those who know me, you know I love the nations. I've been overseas in a couple different ministries and, of course, the ministry I was currently working with, GMA, was also a missions organization, but this calling was not just to work for the nations but to be in the nations once again in a full-time way. I couldn't quantify all that was going on with me during that month...it was just this deep urging in my spirit that I needed to be directly connected to the nations again. Any books I read, any news I heard, any mission trips I was organizing for GMA, anything involving the nations was pulling out this spirit longing to be in the nations. I just had this deep longing in my spirit and urge that if I didn't go to those places something was wrong. In my spirit I felt I had to be there, anywhere now! But Papa hadn’t given me any specific direction and I knew that I wasn’t to move forward with anything until I had received specific direction about a specific place from the Lord. So, as difficult as it was I just kept all of this in my heart to ponder and kept listening and praying. After some time I talked to Leanne and my mom about this and tried to explain it even though I really didn't know how to explain it very well and I didn't really have anything specific to share along with it.
Fast forward to the weekend of February 26th. On Saturday night I had a very significant dream. Papa often speaks to me in dreams. Often the frequency of these dreams are more prominent in certain seasons. Sometimes they are significant but for another time and so I write those down and file them away in my memory. Other times they are significant and for right now…this was one of those dreams. In this dream on that Saturday night I dreamed a missionary friend of mine from South Africa (who I met in Mozambique and who is Indian…don’t you love all the nations represented in that one little fact…it makes me smile every time I think of it!) called me and asked me if I wanted to go with her to "mgm India." I said I did but I wasn't sure if I had the money. There were other parts to the dream but that was the end and the most important part. As soon as I woke up I knew in my spirit this was a “now” dream. I immediately wondered what the the “mgm india” part meant. It had to be significant. So, all day as I cleaned the house and laundered my clothes I talked with Papa about it. I knew that main part of that dream was that Papa was giving me a "missionary call" to India, but I was still unsure what the "mgm" part meant. Later in the day I laid down to soak (listening prayer) for a while listening, praying, singing... and then all of the sudden in the spirit I was taken up and I could see the whole Earth. I could see the world and the nation of India just came shooting right out from the rest of the world toward me like it was in 3D or something. Then Papa began to show me all kinds of different things in the nation and I could literally see in the spirit the entire nation being transformed by His love and in His glory. I could see His glory covering the entire nation and being completely transformed! It was one of the most amazing experiences/encounters I've ever had. Then it was like my entire body went into intercession over the nation. To say this was a significant experience is putting it mildly. After all of it was over I just began to weep. As I came out of this encounter the other thing that occurred was that I had this deep, deep urgency in my spirit that I needed to get prepared to go to India in every way. So for the next couple of days I was just quietly processing all of this between Papa and myself.
Then came the transition of leaving GMA. It was so bittersweet to say goodbye to GMA. Papa has done so much in my life over the past few years through GMA and Leif, and I am so thankful for that time.
At the end of March I moved back to Iowa for a while to rest, get refreshed, and prepare for India. At this point I have no idea when I might be going or what all the steps Papa wants me to go through to prepare, but I am thrilled at discovering the mystery of it all. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of Kings search it out. So.....I am searching!
(oh and by the way….mgm india is three specific states in India: Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Mahrashtra)
No comments:
Post a Comment