Happy New Year to you all! I pray that the holiday season was full of joy and fellowship, and that the start of this new year has been powerful, refreshing, and encouraging for each of you!
I was fortunate enough to come home to Virginia for two weeks for Christmas vacation to do a little bit of support raising, go to my college housemate’s reunion party, and spend some wonderful time with my family. It was a busy two weeks, but a fun, fruitful, and encouraging time! I got to meet with pastors, my home church prayer group, and some young adults to share with them what is going on at IHOP-KC, my ministry with the children there, and my personal journey with the Lord. It was great to make connections, encourage people in prayer, and to know that I am not alone in my passion for prayer! Seeing my college housemates for our reunion we do every year was such a blessing, especially with new engagements, and babies on the way! These women were the ones who led me to the Lord, discipled me, and walked with me as I began to figure out what being a Christian was all about. Six years later it is so wonderful to look back and see all that the Lord has done in and through each of us!
Right after Christmas I came straight back to Kansas City to help serve at the onething conference from December 28-31. The Children’s Equipping Center also runs children’s tracks for 6-12 year olds while all the young adults attend the main sessions – and as always it was crazy!
Over four hundred children came to play crazy games, worship the Lord, and learn about the longings of the human heart. Powerful times of ministry happened where the Lord revealed to these little hearts that He alone can satisfy the aches and yearnings of their hearts instead of the counterfeits the world tells us we need. Twenty five prayed to receive salvation from the Lord and were immediately filled with the Holy Spirit! On December 31st Lou Engle, the director of TheCall, hosted a twelve hour solemn assembly where we cried out to God for mercy on our nation, our hometowns, and especially for our government. Over 17,000 people came to fast and pray, and I can honestly say that it was one of the most powerful days I’ve ever experienced! We brought in the new year together worshipping and praising the Lord for His goodness and kindness towards us!
Although December was full of traveling, preparing and running the onething conference, the Lord in His grace kept my heart alive and continued to teach me even deeper things about meekness, humility, and love. The verse that kept encouraging me was John 12:24 “Most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” We must decrease in order for Him to increase in our lives, which means dying to my selfishness and choosing humility and meekness towards others. Just as Jesus humbled Himself by coming in the form of a man, and then dying for us that we may be with Him where He is, I must humble myself by preferring others before myself, blessing my enemies, giving my time, money, and resources, and become like Jesus. If I truly want fruit to abound in my life (i.e. the fruits of the Spirit in Gal 5, faithfulness, wisdom and knowledge of God, etc), I must be like the seed that falls to the ground and dies; only then can it grow and produce the fruit.
May this next month be fruitful for each of you J and may you abound in the knowledge and love of Christ. Thank you again for all your prayers and support! Please email or write me with any prayer requests you, your family, or church may need, or if you would like to know how you can support my ministry here at IHOP-KC. Have a wonderful and blessed month!
Grace and Peace,
Rebecca
I was fortunate enough to come home to Virginia for two weeks for Christmas vacation to do a little bit of support raising, go to my college housemate’s reunion party, and spend some wonderful time with my family. It was a busy two weeks, but a fun, fruitful, and encouraging time! I got to meet with pastors, my home church prayer group, and some young adults to share with them what is going on at IHOP-KC, my ministry with the children there, and my personal journey with the Lord. It was great to make connections, encourage people in prayer, and to know that I am not alone in my passion for prayer! Seeing my college housemates for our reunion we do every year was such a blessing, especially with new engagements, and babies on the way! These women were the ones who led me to the Lord, discipled me, and walked with me as I began to figure out what being a Christian was all about. Six years later it is so wonderful to look back and see all that the Lord has done in and through each of us!
Right after Christmas I came straight back to Kansas City to help serve at the onething conference from December 28-31. The Children’s Equipping Center also runs children’s tracks for 6-12 year olds while all the young adults attend the main sessions – and as always it was crazy!
Over four hundred children came to play crazy games, worship the Lord, and learn about the longings of the human heart. Powerful times of ministry happened where the Lord revealed to these little hearts that He alone can satisfy the aches and yearnings of their hearts instead of the counterfeits the world tells us we need. Twenty five prayed to receive salvation from the Lord and were immediately filled with the Holy Spirit! On December 31st Lou Engle, the director of TheCall, hosted a twelve hour solemn assembly where we cried out to God for mercy on our nation, our hometowns, and especially for our government. Over 17,000 people came to fast and pray, and I can honestly say that it was one of the most powerful days I’ve ever experienced! We brought in the new year together worshipping and praising the Lord for His goodness and kindness towards us!Although December was full of traveling, preparing and running the onething conference, the Lord in His grace kept my heart alive and continued to teach me even deeper things about meekness, humility, and love. The verse that kept encouraging me was John 12:24 “Most assuredly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” We must decrease in order for Him to increase in our lives, which means dying to my selfishness and choosing humility and meekness towards others. Just as Jesus humbled Himself by coming in the form of a man, and then dying for us that we may be with Him where He is, I must humble myself by preferring others before myself, blessing my enemies, giving my time, money, and resources, and become like Jesus. If I truly want fruit to abound in my life (i.e. the fruits of the Spirit in Gal 5, faithfulness, wisdom and knowledge of God, etc), I must be like the seed that falls to the ground and dies; only then can it grow and produce the fruit.
May this next month be fruitful for each of you J and may you abound in the knowledge and love of Christ. Thank you again for all your prayers and support! Please email or write me with any prayer requests you, your family, or church may need, or if you would like to know how you can support my ministry here at IHOP-KC. Have a wonderful and blessed month!
Grace and Peace,
Rebecca
