Day 60 Beginnings

3/2/2025

Sunday morning! I've always loved going to services on Sunday mornings. When I first moved here I was attending regularly with my son, but then something happened, and he no longer wanted to go. He never really said why. I was still "shopping," but I was ecstatic that he wanted to go, but he's never quite made his way back yet, except to attend the funeral of someone he admired. Since his friend's mother's death, he hasn't been the same. She was the cohesive link in the family, so invitations to his home grew less and less often, and he really didn't blend with the rest of the family, not as he had previously thought. Something happened. 

I began attending her church prior to her death, and the people were very warm and receptive. I felt at home, but over the course of time, I felt the Lord leading me out. Everything changed for me in October 2023 when Israel was savagely attacked, and since then I've been in contact with the Christian Embassy there on daily calls. That makes it hard on Sunday mornings to go to church, until last year when I began to spend the last minutes listening to the call while traveling to church. Now the call time has been reduced, so I have a bit more time to prepare. For now, I'm really close to the church, as it's only a stone's throw away, and I can walk, if I choose, and I have on many occasions. It's my parent's church, and it's beginning to feel like home. I miss people, having friends, and hopefully there will be a prayer circle. We'll see.

Yesterday I missed Shabbat services here in my home, because of Gather25, but I had church!! Besides, I can tune in this afternoon or tomorrow. But, I've said it often, I absolutely live for Saturday's! Some people don't even go to church, and I have church all weekend!  

As I grow stronger in my resolve to meet people, my neighbors particularly, I hope to invite them to church. I've been discouraged somewhat, but I'm amazed at how many people I know who live in our old neighborhood. Funny the way things turn out. I'd love to hear their stories. Everybody has a story, and it should be told. I can't wait to start!

 

 

Day 59 Write the Story

 

 

3/1/2025

"Your imperfections are a canvas for 

God's strength to shine."

Gather25 ended late in the evening, and as with all good things, my head was spinning. Many thoughts are going through my already too occupied brain, but memories are hard to stall. It's late, the conference was inspiring, and I feel old and useless in many regards. "See your vulnerabilities as opportunities for faith to flourish, for it is in our weaknesses that Christ's power finds its true resting place." (60 Days of Prayer)

Recently there has been a flurry of emails, snail mails, and invitations to attend live online events, among other things. I have been wanting to take a long, overdue hiatus just to clear my head and get a good rest. It seems as if I am dropping off to sleep in my chair again, but rather than investigate, I'm going to let that one slide. Lately I've had to cut back on some things, and spend time resting. I used to enjoy community work, but it has become different. That's all I can say. 

I drifted off to sleep in the wee hours of the morning, but my computer screen flashing made it impossible to sleep, so I stayed up most of the night watching. I must say that it is encouraging to see so many young people excited about Jesus, many who will follow the call for missionary work. I remember when I wanted to go to the mission field when I graduated from high school. How I wish I could have had someone encourage my passion for evangelism. Even as a young adult, I was introduced to YWAM (Youth with a Mission) and attended meetings faithfully. I even met some of the founders when I was attending the Nazarene Church, but my husband was not interested in my passion, and I had children to care for, so that dream was put to rest. But the passion still remains. It was great seeing so many older people still active, plus a number of people I follow who participated in the Gather25 Conference.

Francis Chan made a video appearance. He explained that about a year and a half ago he had dropped out of accepting invitations to conferences and other events, because he felt God wanted him to learn more about His presence. He said at first he thought it would be six months, but it has turned out to be much longer, and he shared that he didn't know if he would return. Pressing into Christ, allowing Holy Spirit to draw him into the presence of God, was all that mattered, aside, of course, from his wife and children. Francis has always been impassioned when he spoke about the Lord. He has visited and spoken at Jesus Image in Orlando many times, and he has spoken at the conferences. I've missed him, but until tonight, I hadn't seen much of him. He, like Mary, has chosen the better way. Sitting at the Master's feet. I understand this call, because it is mine as well.

Recently, I've had to cut back on some things I'd been doing, even prayer calls. This event was one I made time for, as I have adopted some colleges to pray for in the State and one in Burkina Faso. They do not have anyone praying for them, so I am trying to fill that void. I hope the students have parents who pray for them, but there's nothing active as far as this group knows. I can't really walk the campus. If I walked the campus of my alma mater, I'd be walking a long time, as Virginia Commonwealth University has grown considerably since I graduated. It's said that Gen Z is not interested in God, but from what I saw, and from what I hear, that is not completely accurate. They hunger for truth, and they are searching for something to believe in...or Someone. We as Christians can talk a good talk, but these kids need to see the walk. They need to experience the love, the drive, and compassion for others that comes only from knowing Him. This cannot be faked. It must be from the the heart of the broken and crushed who realize they owe their very lives to Jesus Christ. That's me! I've seen His face, hanging on that cross, dying for my sins. That another sight you cannot unsee, and it makes it real.

Gather25 encouraged older Christians to be available to the younger, but our stories are important, our testimonies. So, I'm not too old to do something. God told me to write "the" story, and I've been laboring over that for quite awhile, until this January I decided I'd go back to blogging, trying to write daily, other than my journal and my notes for ICEJ. All I can say is, I'm trying, Abba. Just show me how.

 

Day 58 Awakening

2/28/2025 

  And do this, knowing the time, that now

it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation

is nearer than when we first believed.

Romans 13:11

 

Every year on the last Thursday in February the Collegiate Day of Prayer organizes a time for students and leaders to come together to seek God, repent, and pray for revival. This year they met at A&M University in Dallas, Texas. On Friday a new evangelical movement called Gather25 will be following on the heels of Collegiate Day of Prayer, and it also will be kicked off in Texas at Watermark Church in Dallas. It is a Global Christian Conference with livestreams from New Zealand, Malaysia, Romania, Rwanda, United Kingdom and Peru, with a special report from the persecuted church. There will be 25 hours of prayer, repentance, and worship as college students, Gen Z, and all ages hungry for the word of God and truth will gather. Gather25 was birthed from a dream by Jennie Allen, an author, Bible teacher, and wife to Zac Allen, pastor of Austin Bible Fellowship in Texas. The purpose of the movement is for evangelism, beginning with collegiate students.

Revival is breaking out all over the world, and it is spreading. It began at Asbury University on February 8, 2023 at a routine chapel service, when a young man came up front during a worship service candidly confessing his sins.Then another student came up, and in similar fashion confessed and received salvation. Then another, and on and on it went for 16 days with hundreds receiving Christ. It was exciting to see, because college students were breaking free of their sins and addictions and any hindrances that were keeping them bound. When people got wind of what was happening, people flocked to experience this move of God. People came from Japan and other nations all over the world. I remember they were trying to keep the press out, as it was a holy moment, and they didn't want to quench the Spirit of God. They also limited outside ministries who wanted to be part of this move of God. The small town could not support the wild influx of people coming to witness and experience the revival, so they had to end the service, but it did not quit, it was moved to another part of the university, and it continues to this day, only in controlled circumstances. At the initial spark, students were not attending classes, so eventually something had to change. Other colleges sent bus loads of students to Asbury, so they could experience the presence of God and take it back home to ignite the students there.  They wanted to catch the holy fire, and take it home. This is how revival begins. It begins in one heart, hungry for a move of God, shared to everyone, everywhere.

Gather25 was birthed by a dream, Jennie shared, and it was spread using technology available around the world, and people could participate from home, schools, offices, churches, coffee ships, wherever they could gather, even if there was only one person, as in my case, the invitation was given. People were crying out for personal repentance, salvation for family and friends, for our country, Israel, and other nations around the globe. Gen A, some say, does not want anything to do with religion. I can't say that I blame them on that one, as revival and salvation are based on faith in Christ, being sent out to spread the news to everyone. I agree with Paul as he shared from 1 Corinthians 2:2 "I am determined to know nothing else, except Jesus Christ and him crucified." With that I share my testimony and my insatiable hunger and thirst for righteousness. God promises that I will be filled. 

We do not know when Jesus is going to return for His bride, the repentant church, but we know the time is short, and we don't want to waste any time. Today is the day of salvation. In recent days God has shown His great mercy to America one more time, but people's eyes have been closed. Has the church awakened? 

In the book Revelation the Lord identifies seven churches: Ephesus, the loveless church; Smyrna, the persecuted church; Pergamos, the compromising church; Thyatira, the corrupt church; Sardis, the dead church; Philadelphia, the faithful church; and Laodicea, the lukewarm church. In Chapter 3, verse 20, Jesus is talking to the church in Laodicea, saying: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." Jesus is not speaking to non-Christians, rather, it is addressed to the people in the church in Laodicea whom Jesus has identified as lukewarm. Jesus was not speaking to unbelievers, He was speaking to the church, addressing the pastors, exhorting them about what was hindering them from doing what God called them to do. They may have been doing good things, giving their tithes and offerings, or teaching Sunday School or watching the children in the nursery, involved in community services, but they did not have time for God. He had been eased out by the volume of church growth, church groups, or even community outreach. All good and admirable, but they were not nurturing their time alone with God, listening to Him speak. Busy doing rather than listening, building relationship.The most important part of a relationship with Him is sitting at His feet, in His presence, listening, receiving instruction in His word.

Church, we have to do better, much better, as the world in watching.