Going Deeper

Funny how a place can bring so many memories with it an how we can associate a place with those memories, either good or bad. The Montana Assembly Of God Glacier Bible Camp grounds have always brought a heavy mix of both. I have been a total of 4 times now, for a variety of both youth summer camps as well as retreats, each time usually as a leader of some form, and each time it brings it's own challenges, along with it's own blessings.

Upon returning from this last trip to this place from my youth... Actually, I'm only 23 still... I can still claim youthfulness right? I will anyway. This past weekend was spent with the Chi Alpha group from the University of Montana campus, for their annual Go Deep Fall Retreat. It is my fist time attending any Chi Alpha event outside of what they do on campus, however, Over the past 2 months I have been creating some pretty awesome bonds with these peeps! 

Most of my experiences at Glacier Bible Camp have been a full on battle, this weekend however was different. I know that being a part of Chi Alpha is a gift, and I am blessed by this fact. Perhaps it was the fact that I went as a student, rather than a leader, or that I was going with a group of people at a different level of maturity than I have before, and perhaps it was the fact that I have been wearing myself thin with everything that I have going on in my life and I just desperately needed a break! Whatever the case, this past weekend has been amazing! I feel like I was able to abide, without any responsibilities waiting on my shoulders, and just resting in beautiful fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and in the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit!

This weekend I had the opportunity to connect with many of the girls that are in the weekly Bible Study I have been hosting in my dorm room. I love these girls so much, I love the transparency and vulnerability I have seen in this girls every week. In fact, I am struck by the willingness of this generation as a whole- to be transparent and even vulnerable at times. I fully believe that it is this kind of heart that God will use to reveal His Glory and bring Revival to the world! Week after week I am blessed by these amazing young women of God, and I am little by little having the amazing opportunities to get to see them in their true selves. In those moments when they are struggling, those moments of doubt or questioning, those moments when they are tired, goofy, sarcastic, excited... you name it. I am blessed being here on campus because that means that I get to do life together, with these girls! I get to do the very thing that I have been taught the last four years and the very thing I love- which is to love and disciple these girls.

Last night after our Bible Study, we stayed up until midnight doing homework together, and afterward, thanks to our discussion before we hit our school books- God opened the door for us to be intensely vulnerable with each other. I walked back to my dorm with a greater sense of purpose and the calling on this campus, not just for myself but for each and every one of these girls. I went to bed with a very full, yet somewhat heavy heart. Our conversation proved to me what my spiritual father has reminded me of frequently...  Jason's words hit me thinking about the weight of their truth. "We are not called to share everything in our lives with every person, but God definitely puts people in our lives that we are meant to share specific things with, all for His glory and a greater cause." I know that this rings true with these relationships God has placed in my life this semester, I was blown away by the connection that I made with these girls last night.

While away at the retreat one of our exchange students decided to implement a 24 hour prayer room. One of my most encouraging and most powerful God moments while I was there took place in this room. Praying with another one of these girls and feeling the power and her passion that accompanied her prayers was one of the greatest encouragements and reminders that I am not alone in my dreams and my desire to see my city and my campus changed. I saw some awesome things happen on our retreat, even outside of those beautiful, intimate prayer room moments and the amazing fellowship as well. I saw God's spirit and His glory fall upon during our times of worship, and rest upon us- over and over again, I had the awesome privilege of seeing 4 people give their hearts to the Lord for the first time in one night, and the follow day, to see 3 of my dear friends walking in obedience to get baptized. I saw God move in powerful ways, and it made it all the more worthwhile seeing the wonder written on the faces of several of these dear sisters.

Early this morning, there were several of these friends that met together for prayer at the Chi Alpha house near campus, and as we prayer for our families and our friends, as we prayed for them to know the Love of Christ in real ways in their lives and as we prayed for our campus and for God's power to be effective in our ministry and our witness in this place it struck me... powerful things are happening in my life and in my world, and I can trace that back to being purposeful in prayer and in those relationships! My city is on the brink of an outpouring of Revival, and the more we pursue His heart in the prayer, the more of Heaven we will see coming to Earth. I am both humbled and excited to see what God continues to do from here. Lord, I pray you help us to represent you well! <3 p="p">

Encountering Jesus

Being quite honest, Friday was the worst day that I have had in quite some time. Every plan and hope I had fell through the roof, all because of some serious financial stress. In fact, to say these last few weeks have been challenging would be an understatement! About a month ago I was asked to help out with a benefit concert event called "Get Loud" for an organization called "Love Has Come." I wasn't entirely sure what I should be expecting, all I know is that after the kind of day I had been having and with all the stress and exhaustion I was feeling built up from the past week or so- the last thing I wanted was to go do anything! This would just be one more thing on the agenda to add to my already super hectic schedule. For about an hour after my last school commitment of the day, I argued with myself over whether or not I should go. The thing is, I made a promise and I try my best to be someone who sticks to my word.

So at about 5:30 pm, I grabbed my pumpkin white mocha and headed down to the Wilma Theater. Once I got there, no one seemed to know who I was, or how I got roped into helping... truth is, I didn't either. Most of the people there I had never even seen before... all I know is someone (who I also didn't know) asked me on the Facebook event page to help, and I said yes. It was definitely one of those moments that was totally NOT coincidence! The more I wandered around the theater in my "Get Loud" volunteer t-shirt, the more out of place I felt with the group, so I started praying... a lot and then the more I became certain of my role there. About a half an hour before the event kicked off, as I was pacing the balcony area where I was asked to help oversee the ushering, the president and founder of Love Has Come stopped me and asked how I happened to get involved and who in the group did I know. I told him that I went to school with the drummer and lead guitarist/singer of the band that they were featuring that night, but I had no idea how I wound up ushering! The woman that I spoke with on Facebook was the one who asked me and I still have no idea who she is!

I preceded to share with Marc the very things that the Lord was impressing upon my heart in that moment. How God wanted to use this event to help unify the body of Christ and how this was going to be something that helped me to understand more of the call God had on my life for both music and adoption. I shared with Marc and his wife Abby both at different points during the night that I have have had a heart for adoption, especially international adoption, since I was a child at ten years old. As the the events of the night began and worship was well underway, I began praying and worshiping. I prayed for the Love Has Come team, for those involved in the event and for those in attendance, that hearts would be open and that God's glory would shine through in every single moment!

It didn't take long before I felt a strong sense that my world was about to get seriously altered! As I proceeded in worship, I went at it! Worshiping like nothing else mattered, because in that moment, after my hellish day... nothing else did! All of my worries, doubts and fears from the day faded, all of my issues... as big as they seemed to me, were nothing in comparison to God's love and greatness!

The combination of Jesus's sweet presence along with a greater revelation of His heart for the orphaned and widowed, for the broken and the rejects...it all just made my troubles seems so insignificant compared to all the children whose faces flashed across the projection screen... Children without families and homes, children without clean water even... I did have those! Maybe not the best, but of priceless value to those who have had nothing. My heart melted more and more with each picture, each story. Each song ministered so much to my spirit, I knew that my Daddy God was right there with me, near me. I could feel His embrace and hear Him singing over me, which is exactly what my heart needed. He whispered to me,  "Megan, this is the beginning of a shift. This is it, darling! You and me, taking on the rest of the world! Your life will never be the same." Holy Spirit spoke clearly to my heart on so many levels! This past week, I had lost my sense of passion and my purpose felt nothing more than just another obligation. That night all that changed... I am hearing Papa speaking some of the same kind of things over me that He did as I sat on the bench in the foyer of the Bonnie Brae House- home of the historical Azusa Street Revival- Where I was surrounded Brad and Sarah Webster's revival group from the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry.

That was a night I will never forget. I know tonight will be filed away in my memories forever as one of those markers along the the path of my faith walk. I was a glorious God mess most of the night- laughing, dancing, weeping, praying and praising! I feel so revived! God has picked me up in my weakest moments and extended His amazing gift of love and grace. After all, the doubts and questions during this past week, are of no consequence... as it says in 2 Corinthians 4:17, "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison." My passion has been renewed, with a greater sense of the Dreams that I already have for my life and have had since childhood, the ones that God has given me. Along with the new dream of perhaps going to Haiti to help build the orphan center with Love Has Come!

The writer Francois Mauriac said that no love, no friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever. This is truly one of those connections that I know will impact my future greatly and as crazy as it sounds, it has already impacted my present, and even my past! As I walked out of the theater at the end of the night... I looked down at my hands under the street lights and saw gold dust glimmering... all over my body! Heaven is invading my world.. and this is just the beginning. I will never be the same!