Hi loves,
I just wanted to give you all a little update on what life has been like here in Cambodia and share a little nugget of what the Lord is teaching me :)
I have loved my time here so far, I am ministering with an organization who helps women out of near by brothels who are victims of human trafficking. The first half of the day I have been assisting this beautiful radical for Jesus girl named Hellen from England who is teaching the girls how to make Jewelry, and the then in the afternoon for about 3-4 hours I am in the prayer room interceding for the ministries prayer requests, and sex slavery in a whole.
This time has truly blessed me spending so much time praying and realizing the importance and weight it carries in our everyday life as a Christian. I love the founder of this organizations heart, because she truly understands the need for prayers, and although she is very busy with the 70 girls working at this place who have come out of the brothels, she will spend hours a day praying for the girls and the city, because it is so foundational for what they are doing; evading the enemies territory, and setting the captives free.
The time in the prayer room has been so sweet, and God has already answered two Huge prayer requests in only a few days! Praise the Lord, he is faithful!
Aside from my time at that ministry, sometimes it can be difficult to hear about the injustices that take place in this country (one being 10,000 CHILDREN are trafficked from Cambodia to other countries a year) and stopping at a red light and kids jumping in our taxi trying to steal our fruit that we just bought because they are starving, having 2 women within 2 minutes ask us to buy milk for their dying children they were holding that have just awful deformities and sicknesses, and watching 5 year olds try to sell you books, flutes or whatever they can to make 50 cents and knowing that is all they know and that they never get to go to school or just be a kid, to watch a mother sleeping on the side of the road with her little baby, while her other little 5 year old girl begs in the street and looking at this little girl knowing the evil in this world, that in a moment she could be snatched up and taken to a brothel. It is hard to walk around and know that there are many brothels with as young as 4 year old children, most of whom are sold by their own parents, it is hard to see the hurt of this country that they endured a horrific genocide (Khmer Rouge) only 30 years ago, in which many people you meet have had multiple family members killed. It's hard to go to the market and they will sell me something that only makes them a 10 cent profit because they believe it will bring them good luck, and if I go away without buying something they have fear that it will be bad luck. It's hard to see a nation that is so hurting, and has so many injustices, and that many don't know the hope that is found through Christ. They don't know his life that he gives.
And I found myself overwhelmed with the NEED here in Cambodia. The need for people to know who Jesus is, for food, shelter, purity, restoration, freedom for all who are oppressed and in captivity, and the list goes on.
The need is very overwhelming, so I asked God to teach me something about that.
And I immediately thought of Jesus, and I said,"Wow Jesus weren't you overwhelmed with the need, so many people saw that you could do miraculous signs and heal their sick, and crowds upon crowds rushed to see you, even busted through a ceiling to lower a guy into the house you were in to heal him, so Jesus how can I not be so overwhelmed with the need."
And the many verses that described Jesus' life here on earth came to me that he says, "I did not come to do my will, but to do the will of my father" and God just spoke to me that Jesus was never overwhelmed because every time the crowds surrounded him he was so attentive to hearing the voice of his father telling him what to do, he was not responding out of the need, but out of compassion from the father heart of God.
And the Lord showed me that I have given up my life to follow him, and so I too want to be like Jesus and when I have 6 little kids tugging on my shirt trying to sell me something, or even begging, the biggest need is to know the will of my father and what he wants me to do.
I really am realizing the weighty importance of truly being led by the Holy Spirit, and that I can't just react out of the need, but to listen to his voice.
Because I would be broke in less than a day if I gave money to every kid I saw begging or selling things. And then I remember what people have said before that:
We are called to love all of God's people. And that love manifests itself in different ways, sometimes is physical healings, giving food, praying for someone, giving financially, or even taking a little girls hand that is begging in the gutter of a street and look her in the eyes and tell her that she is beautiful, and so many other ways.
It is beautiful to know that God is a never ending well of love, and many people would look at this country and say where is God and if he is love why would he let this happen? Well today I spent a good amount of time crying because I heard the voice of the Lord say ,"Why would YOU let this happen?" (you -meaning almost everyone).
I believe in God's power to change a country in a day I really do, but where are the intercessor's to stand in the gap and wage war in the heavenlys to see that happen, where are the lives laid down to pursue a Holy King and watch his heaven come to earth, where are the people who care more about God's heart for his children more than their own welfare, where are the people who will hate injustice as God does and will pursue Holiness.
God is looking for those people.... I want to be one of them... what about you?
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
YOU SEE DRY BONES, BUT I SEE AN ARMY!
Many people when they look at the sex Industry they see dry bones, they see a hopeless situation, they see a problem that cannot be solved, they see an issue that is too big for anyone to even try to help. I’m finding fuel is only being added to the fire within me when Foreign men at the bars when I tell them why I’m there say to me laughing,” Well I don’t think your going to stop it, but good luck.” They don’t understand that while they look down these streets of bars and see dry bones, that I look down the same streets and I see an Army.
The reference of scripture I am referring to is Ezekiel 37:1-14 which the put under this in white;
"1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "
There is stil hope for these women, they are not past redemption, they are not too far gone. In fact I talked to a woman yesterday from America who was sexually abused by her father for years when she was young and after hearing her heart for these women here who she came to minister to I said,” Wow I am encouraged by your strength to come down here..” and she finished my sentence and said,” and face the thing that tried to destroy me.”
She told me that when you are sexually abused you feel like everything has been taken from you, your dignity, your innocence, your identity, your self worth, you feel like there is nothing left to be taken from you that has not already been taken, because really what else is there that is yours that hasn’t been taken. You feel dirty, and ashamed.
And I think it's because of those things I’ve heard that’s why I see an army. Because the Bible says where Sin abounds his grace abounds even more, and those who are forgiven much, love much. Well when I look at these women and think about the children in the brothels I do not see right now, I see brokenness, I see people who have experienced hell on earth, that feel empty, that feel like they’ve been stripped of everything that was their own, they are prisoners.
So when they hear of this man named Jesus who doesn’t want to take anything from them, but only wants to give them love and grace, and when they see that he can set them free and they can be filled to the fullness in him, that all of their wounds and brokenness that he heals them and binds up those broken hearts, when they see and experience his Redemptive power and begin to understand the identity that is found in him, and the new life that is nothing like your past.
The extreme opposite of coming from that unbearable darkness of being a victim of sex slavery, and then entering into the Glorious light and freedom that is found in Christ is unfathomable and powerfull when these women come into that light.
So when I walk by the red light ditricts filled with women prostituting themselves, and when I walk past the brothels in Cambodia with 7 and under year old children, it is a valley of dry bones, but the Lord tells me to Prophesy life over them, to not just look in the eyes of darkness and believe that they are never going to be free. But to Cling to the truth of the father who says that he sets the captives free. To remember the power of his love to deliever, and restore people.
My prayer is that when people look at the sex industry and see dry bones that they wouldn’t stay there, but they would hear the voice of the sovereign Lord saying that they are an Army. So lets stand together and prophesy life over these women, men, and children, and watch his love cause revial in the sex industry, and lets watch his power shut down brothels, and his redemption turning these women from Darkness into his Marvelous light!
The reference of scripture I am referring to is Ezekiel 37:1-14 which the put under this in white;
"1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' " 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' "
There is stil hope for these women, they are not past redemption, they are not too far gone. In fact I talked to a woman yesterday from America who was sexually abused by her father for years when she was young and after hearing her heart for these women here who she came to minister to I said,” Wow I am encouraged by your strength to come down here..” and she finished my sentence and said,” and face the thing that tried to destroy me.”
She told me that when you are sexually abused you feel like everything has been taken from you, your dignity, your innocence, your identity, your self worth, you feel like there is nothing left to be taken from you that has not already been taken, because really what else is there that is yours that hasn’t been taken. You feel dirty, and ashamed.
And I think it's because of those things I’ve heard that’s why I see an army. Because the Bible says where Sin abounds his grace abounds even more, and those who are forgiven much, love much. Well when I look at these women and think about the children in the brothels I do not see right now, I see brokenness, I see people who have experienced hell on earth, that feel empty, that feel like they’ve been stripped of everything that was their own, they are prisoners.
So when they hear of this man named Jesus who doesn’t want to take anything from them, but only wants to give them love and grace, and when they see that he can set them free and they can be filled to the fullness in him, that all of their wounds and brokenness that he heals them and binds up those broken hearts, when they see and experience his Redemptive power and begin to understand the identity that is found in him, and the new life that is nothing like your past.
The extreme opposite of coming from that unbearable darkness of being a victim of sex slavery, and then entering into the Glorious light and freedom that is found in Christ is unfathomable and powerfull when these women come into that light.
So when I walk by the red light ditricts filled with women prostituting themselves, and when I walk past the brothels in Cambodia with 7 and under year old children, it is a valley of dry bones, but the Lord tells me to Prophesy life over them, to not just look in the eyes of darkness and believe that they are never going to be free. But to Cling to the truth of the father who says that he sets the captives free. To remember the power of his love to deliever, and restore people.
My prayer is that when people look at the sex industry and see dry bones that they wouldn’t stay there, but they would hear the voice of the sovereign Lord saying that they are an Army. So lets stand together and prophesy life over these women, men, and children, and watch his love cause revial in the sex industry, and lets watch his power shut down brothels, and his redemption turning these women from Darkness into his Marvelous light!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Men who Engage in Sex Tourism: YOU ARE WORTH MORE!
It is very common to see many men around the ages of 50-70 years old hand in hand with a 20 something year old Thai Girl here in Pattaya. Before coming here I thought the men just buy women for sex. However I am learning very quickly that it is much more than that. God is showing me his heart for his sons who are engaging in Sex tourism and come here for that reason. I can see that they are very lonely, as I hear stories about these men buying the girls from the bars and take them back to their hotel rooms, and do not have sex but only talk to the girls because they want some company, I see this same thing when I go to the beach and it is full of old white men and young Thai girls, I see this in fancy restaurants, at the mall, at the grocery store, everywhere there are lost, broken, lonely men trying to find happiness in buying friendship and/ or sex from these women.
I was walking a long the beach the other day looking at these couples who hardly know each other but pretending to be the best of friends, and I couldn't help but feel that their whole "relationship" is based on lies. The guys want friendship, love, companionship, pleasure, and sex. But the girls don't really want the guys they want security in the money they get from them. Many girls see foreign men as a way out of the bar "if only he would fall in love with me, he would rescue me from the bar," so its not even that many of them are looking for love, but for a way out.
I asked for Gods heart and he showed me this vision: It was an old man walking up to a Thai girl at the bar and he said to her," 200 Baht" (offering her that amount to go and have sex, of whatever he wants to do) and she looked him in the eye and said," YOU ARE WORTH FAR MORE THAN THAT."
And God spoke to me that it's this idea that these men are selling themselves short. Not because these women are not "hot" enough for them. Or they are paying too much for their "company". I mean that they deserve more than a sexually immoral act of lust with a perfect stranger. They deserve more than a day at the beach with a hired "friend with benefits."
They are selling themselves short to think that what they are doing can truly bring them joy. They are selling themselves short to think that they do not deserve more than that.
Sure they might have pleasure for a day or two, but that is only consistent on how much money they have to buy a certain amount of girls. But I know that God desires more for them, he desires them to know his AGAPE LOVE his pure, divine, perfect love that surpasses knowledge, he desires that they would have joy in the midst of ALL circumstances, he desires that they would have companionship with him.
God has SOOOO much more joy, love, peace, life, and happiness to offer these men, more than they will EVER find in Partying in Pattaya Thailand. And the thing is God's joy and his life and life Abundantly is free :) Tourists, you can take it back to your country, you don't have to leave it here in Pattaya!
Men who engage in sex tourism, I want to tell you that you are worth far more, please don't sell yourself short. God desires to give you life and life abundantly. Would you see that you were created to be sons of the living God. And would you come to know the value that is within you, and would you start to see that same value in his daughters down at the bar. Thank you, and God Bless you!
I was walking a long the beach the other day looking at these couples who hardly know each other but pretending to be the best of friends, and I couldn't help but feel that their whole "relationship" is based on lies. The guys want friendship, love, companionship, pleasure, and sex. But the girls don't really want the guys they want security in the money they get from them. Many girls see foreign men as a way out of the bar "if only he would fall in love with me, he would rescue me from the bar," so its not even that many of them are looking for love, but for a way out.
I asked for Gods heart and he showed me this vision: It was an old man walking up to a Thai girl at the bar and he said to her," 200 Baht" (offering her that amount to go and have sex, of whatever he wants to do) and she looked him in the eye and said," YOU ARE WORTH FAR MORE THAN THAT."
And God spoke to me that it's this idea that these men are selling themselves short. Not because these women are not "hot" enough for them. Or they are paying too much for their "company". I mean that they deserve more than a sexually immoral act of lust with a perfect stranger. They deserve more than a day at the beach with a hired "friend with benefits."
They are selling themselves short to think that what they are doing can truly bring them joy. They are selling themselves short to think that they do not deserve more than that.
Sure they might have pleasure for a day or two, but that is only consistent on how much money they have to buy a certain amount of girls. But I know that God desires more for them, he desires them to know his AGAPE LOVE his pure, divine, perfect love that surpasses knowledge, he desires that they would have joy in the midst of ALL circumstances, he desires that they would have companionship with him.
God has SOOOO much more joy, love, peace, life, and happiness to offer these men, more than they will EVER find in Partying in Pattaya Thailand. And the thing is God's joy and his life and life Abundantly is free :) Tourists, you can take it back to your country, you don't have to leave it here in Pattaya!
Men who engage in sex tourism, I want to tell you that you are worth far more, please don't sell yourself short. God desires to give you life and life abundantly. Would you see that you were created to be sons of the living God. And would you come to know the value that is within you, and would you start to see that same value in his daughters down at the bar. Thank you, and God Bless you!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Bondage
Hello from Thailand :) I heart you all! I couldn't be happier to be back in the land of smiles. Upon arriving I was told many things that I've tried to not get discouraged about. I was told that I can't really share the full Goespel with the Thai people because I don't understand the culture and things in the Bhuddism religion, that I can only go so far in talking to a Thai person, before I need another Thai person to explain the Gospel. I was told that I might not be able to even speak to the women at the bar most of the time because many do not speak english, and I won't always have a translator, I was told that Thai people take a long time to come to Christ. The main one that really stuck out to me though is when I said the women in the bars are in "sex Slavery" and someone told me no they aren't, they are very much free. And so I asked the Thai staff at the Tamar Center about the girls who work at the bar and if they are under pimps or how this works, because I've read a lot about sex slavery and what someone else told me does not match what I thought was going on here. She said that some women who work in the bars are trafficked, and have pimps, and answer to them, and are definently not free. Apparently years ago the majority of the bars were like this, but the government stepped in to make more like it is today. However the majority of the women come from the northern part of Thailand from extreme poverty, and no one is forcing them to stay, however there are so many cultural aspects to this that many don't know, one huge one being that in the Bhuddist culure the children support their parents financially, so there is a HUGE amount of preasure on these women to provide, and since there are not many jobs they turn to the bars, because there is always work there. It was just hard hearing all of this in the first day I arrived, I guess because I believe almost the opposite of everything I was told, and satan was really trying to attack me, and tell me these women aren't really in bondage if they can leave at any time. And I knew that was a lie, so I asked the Lord what he thought, and he spoke to me,
"Lauren if people do anything other than what I created them to do, they are in bondage, enslaved to something."
For instence, if a man in struggling with looking at porn, he is in bondage to lust. And so maybe the majority of these women don't go home to a pimp and are chained up at night so that they can't leave, but that doesn't mean they aren't in Bondage! They are in a TON of bondage, some including, believing satans lies, that their only hope to leave the bar is that a forienger will fall in love with them and marry them. They are in bondage to provide financially for their families, they are in bondage of still doing a job they don't want to do, but feel that they have to. They are in bondage to greed, because they are offered to come and work for the Tamar center (the ministry I am staying with) but they choose to stay in the bars because they can make more money. They are in bondage to sexually transmitted diseases. They are in bondage because they don't see they are far more valuable than the 200 Baht it costs to buy them for an hour or so. They are in bondage because they don't know the freedom, and life in Christ.
So I don't listen to people when foriengers or anyone else tries to convince me they are free.. I will be the first to say that there is NOTHING that comes close to freedom for those women, and I know that God Wants to set the Captives free! Wheather its hear in Thailand, or people in bondage anywhere to lust, greded, envy, adultery, or anything that goes against what you were created to do. Wow the list could go on and on.
I want to love people to life, I want them to know the freedom that ONLY comes through the father, and I want to be used by him while I am here in Thailand, to set his daughters free. Please continue to pray for that. Thank you! And continue to pray for Cornilia :)
"Lauren if people do anything other than what I created them to do, they are in bondage, enslaved to something."
For instence, if a man in struggling with looking at porn, he is in bondage to lust. And so maybe the majority of these women don't go home to a pimp and are chained up at night so that they can't leave, but that doesn't mean they aren't in Bondage! They are in a TON of bondage, some including, believing satans lies, that their only hope to leave the bar is that a forienger will fall in love with them and marry them. They are in bondage to provide financially for their families, they are in bondage of still doing a job they don't want to do, but feel that they have to. They are in bondage to greed, because they are offered to come and work for the Tamar center (the ministry I am staying with) but they choose to stay in the bars because they can make more money. They are in bondage to sexually transmitted diseases. They are in bondage because they don't see they are far more valuable than the 200 Baht it costs to buy them for an hour or so. They are in bondage because they don't know the freedom, and life in Christ.
So I don't listen to people when foriengers or anyone else tries to convince me they are free.. I will be the first to say that there is NOTHING that comes close to freedom for those women, and I know that God Wants to set the Captives free! Wheather its hear in Thailand, or people in bondage anywhere to lust, greded, envy, adultery, or anything that goes against what you were created to do. Wow the list could go on and on.
I want to love people to life, I want them to know the freedom that ONLY comes through the father, and I want to be used by him while I am here in Thailand, to set his daughters free. Please continue to pray for that. Thank you! And continue to pray for Cornilia :)
Saturday, June 6, 2009
AHHH FREEEEEEEDOM :) PRAISE GOD!
I stand in Awe of My God. I have the best dad in the whole world! His love surpasses knowledge. Where my sin abounds his grace abounds even more. I could go on forever...
Today I witnessed two miracles.
The first is that God would choose me for such a time as this, to be used for such a beautiful task of bringing his children home to him, and the insane thing that happen today. I once heard someone describe life here on earth as Gods Story and we are merly characters in it, and that God's story WILL be written with or without you. I find this to be true when I here testimonies of Muslim Middle Easterns who have never heard the Gospel comming to know Jesus by seeing him in visions and dreams and completing putting their faith in him without anyone ever telling them about him. I find myself often thanking the Lord that I can be a character in his story. God doesn't have to use me to bring him Glory, but the fact that he does and chooses to use me brings me such joy and I feel honored to do so :)
The second Miracle: AHHHH!! Today I preached at Cornilia's church on how we are rich in God. I've been praying for this day that I would not come with wise and persuasive words but with a demonstration of Gods power. The Lords presence was so sweet and thick in that church that I only got half way through my sermon before breaking out in tears overwhelmed with Gods love. As I was preaching from Revelations 3:16-18. I was saying that it doesn't work to be luke warm about the Lord, you can't store up earthly treasures and heavenly ones at the same time (earthly treasures- meaning valuing possessions, boyfriends, girlfriends or any other relationship above that of our relationship with Christ.) Vrs. 17 says," You say,'I am rich; I have aquirred wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are poor, you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked." I said to imagine you are standing in front of God on judgement day and you say," Look God at my handsome husband, or beautiful wife, look I have such a nice house and motorbike, I am SOOO RICH!" And then he looks you in the Eyes and says," You think you are rich, but you are poor." He says," You just wasted your life trying to make yourself rich in everything except me. When all along I have been waiting for you to come to me, so that I can give you true riches that will last forever." I asked them to pray, to get on their faces if they have to and ask the Lord if there is anything in their life that is keeping them from being rich in Christ, and repent, and ask the Lord to rip it out of their lives and turn to him so that they can have true riches. I looked into a building full of people weeping, being broken and freed by the Holy Spirit. I myself got on my face and truly realized that there is no other way we can be rich besides in him. Cornilia might be one of the richest women in Indonesia, but right now she is poor, I was on my face intercedding for her, and all the people, I didn't go lay my hands on Cornilia and pray for her, I was believing int he Power of the Holy Spirit to set her free from her merly seeking his heart.
When we got back to her house Cornilia said," Lauren before you and Paulus came I felt empty and lonely, but God spoke to me today at church and he showed me why I felt like this, and it was like I was standing naked in front of him, with all my sin exposed, and I do not want this life anymore. I want to change my life, I want to shut down the brothel , I want to give my heart fully to Jesus, I want to put him first and live for him, I realized that today, and now I have such peace and Joy and I am SO HAPPY, I am SO happy, I am SO HAPPY, Thank You Lauren and Paulus, thank you for praying for me, for loving me, for sharing with me about God, I praise God he brought you guys to me, so that you could help me see him, and know him. I am so greatful, I am so happy, I am so happy now!"
THAT IS THE GOD I SERVE :) HE IS FAITHFUL! HE IS RICH IN LOVE AND MERCY. HE SETS THE CAPTIVES FREE!! AHHHHHH THATS MY DAD :) :) :) :) :) :):) :) PRAISE AND GLORY TO HIM FOREVER AND EVER!!!!!
I can't stop smiling thinking about Gods love, that AHHH he would bring me here and set up this crazy divine appointment to minister to Cornilia, that his heart was to show her how much he loves her, and through that she wanted to change and set the women in prostitution free in her home. AHHHHHH JESUS!!! I LOVE YOU :) I LOVE YOUR HEART FOR YOUR CHILDREN! AHHH!!
Get this, not only is she shutting down the brothel, but with the money she had made she is going to send the women in prostitution that were living there to learn how to cut hair, and she is going to turn the basement where they once had lots of couches for men to drink and party before having sex, into a hair salon, and she is going to stop selling alocohol, and sell other food instead. Her heart is to share with the women at her house how much the Lord loves them too.
WOW honestly that is the power of the Holy Spirit to change her heart SO dirastically within the 2 weeks that I've known her. She has COMPLETELY done a 180 and myself nor Paulus take any of the credit for that, we can't stop Praising the Lord for his faithfulness! :) :) :)
I thank you also my brothers and sisters for standing with us in prayer for Cornilia!! AHH they've made the difference. Please do not stop praying for her, as she will face much persecution for her choice on shutting down the brothel and for her faith as she also lives in a village where there are few Christians, and mostly Muslims, please continue to pray that she would be rooted and grounded in his word, able to stand up against any temptation to go back to making "easy money" by prostituting. Pray that she continues to grow in the love of Christ and she will be used powerfully to reach the people of her village. Pray that her plan for opening a salon will go well, and for the women who were working in prostitution that they would know the love of Christ, pray purity over them, healing from sexually transmitted diseases, and strength for this time of transition.
Thank you God for you love, and your faithfulness :) I stand in Awe of you
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
OH IT'S ON SUNDAY!
I wake up every morning and honestly just feel blessed to be here. I love God and how he truly does grant us the desires of our hearts, he knew my heart was to come here to love people in S.E. Asia and share about him, and I am blessed that he has providing AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL people in my life to support me financially, through encourgament, and through prayers. Honestly you guys mean so much to me, and I appreciate all your support more than you know :)
I want to update you on a few things. I am also so blessed by this family I am staying with, they are so pure in heart and God is teaching me a lot throught them. Paulus is aweomse, he told me that since they have a lot to do for the children during the day, sometimes he doesn't have time to have a time for just him and Jesus to spend time, and so he prayed and told God," God please make time so that I can fellowship with you." So listen to this, God wakes him up like clockwork at 1am in the morning, and he makes tea, and goes on the balcony to pray for 2 hours until 3am. No alarm clock, no dragging him out of bed, he was so joyful when God started doing this, because he enjoys his fellowship, and is so happy that its not interupted, and just time alone with him (except when I wake up to go to the bathroom, and he scares me so bad, haha b/c I forget he is out side.)
Anywho I told you this because he told me this morning, " Lauren God told me when I prayed last night that you are a farmer, that last time you came to Asia you saw the grain and you planted the crops, but this time it is harvest time, and your first fruits of your labor will be Cornilia." I started crying (well I've been doing that a lot here haha) but I was crying because I was so overwhelmed with Gods love, and the honor it is to be used by him. And his love that he knows me heart, because that is it, it is to Love him and to call his children home. I could think of no greater joy or privledge in my life but to be used by the living God to share about his love an grace and to see his children turn from their sin and run into his arms.
I was asked by the pastor of the church Cornillia goes to to preach there Sunday. And after church I think Paulus, Cornillia, and I are going to meet for one last time, because I am leaving Monday morning to go to Kuching.
I asked the Lord what to preach on and he said to teach what it means to be rich in him. I haven't written or even really started but I think I am going to talk about we are rich because of our identity in Christ, his love for us, and lastly we are rich when we store up our treasures in heaven and don't try to hoard things here on earth.
I would ask you brothers and sisters to continue to pray and stand with me, to pray into the word that God gave Paulus, to speak life into it that Cornillia would turn back to him, and set the captives free. I know by seeing her yesterday and talking a little bit when her and the pastors came to ask me to preach that she hasn't been praying, and taking this seriously, that we truly need an act of God to change her mind. The Love of Christ to break through into her heart. At the end of my sermon I'm going to ask everyone to take as long as they need to get on their knees and pray and ask the Lord if there is anything in their life that is holding them back from beiong rich in him, and having life and life abudantly, and please pray with me that the Holy Spirit would fall so heavy ont these people and that they would strip away those things that are hindering them. Pray that Cornillias eyes would be opened to why she can't be rich in him, and pray that the Holy Spirit would come in his truth and power, and set her free. My tittle says "Oh it's on Sunday" becuase I am believing God for HUGE things, I'm believeing God can and will change peoples hearts, and esp. Cornilia that through God speaking to her, she would leave her life of earthly riches and sin, and would turn to be rich in her heavnly father, and that through her changing the women she keeps in her house that are prostituting themselves., that they would be set free as well, and know how much they are loved and vaulued. Brothers and sisters will you please stand with me? Thank you :) I love you!
I want to update you on a few things. I am also so blessed by this family I am staying with, they are so pure in heart and God is teaching me a lot throught them. Paulus is aweomse, he told me that since they have a lot to do for the children during the day, sometimes he doesn't have time to have a time for just him and Jesus to spend time, and so he prayed and told God," God please make time so that I can fellowship with you." So listen to this, God wakes him up like clockwork at 1am in the morning, and he makes tea, and goes on the balcony to pray for 2 hours until 3am. No alarm clock, no dragging him out of bed, he was so joyful when God started doing this, because he enjoys his fellowship, and is so happy that its not interupted, and just time alone with him (except when I wake up to go to the bathroom, and he scares me so bad, haha b/c I forget he is out side.)
Anywho I told you this because he told me this morning, " Lauren God told me when I prayed last night that you are a farmer, that last time you came to Asia you saw the grain and you planted the crops, but this time it is harvest time, and your first fruits of your labor will be Cornilia." I started crying (well I've been doing that a lot here haha) but I was crying because I was so overwhelmed with Gods love, and the honor it is to be used by him. And his love that he knows me heart, because that is it, it is to Love him and to call his children home. I could think of no greater joy or privledge in my life but to be used by the living God to share about his love an grace and to see his children turn from their sin and run into his arms.
I was asked by the pastor of the church Cornillia goes to to preach there Sunday. And after church I think Paulus, Cornillia, and I are going to meet for one last time, because I am leaving Monday morning to go to Kuching.
I asked the Lord what to preach on and he said to teach what it means to be rich in him. I haven't written or even really started but I think I am going to talk about we are rich because of our identity in Christ, his love for us, and lastly we are rich when we store up our treasures in heaven and don't try to hoard things here on earth.
I would ask you brothers and sisters to continue to pray and stand with me, to pray into the word that God gave Paulus, to speak life into it that Cornillia would turn back to him, and set the captives free. I know by seeing her yesterday and talking a little bit when her and the pastors came to ask me to preach that she hasn't been praying, and taking this seriously, that we truly need an act of God to change her mind. The Love of Christ to break through into her heart. At the end of my sermon I'm going to ask everyone to take as long as they need to get on their knees and pray and ask the Lord if there is anything in their life that is holding them back from beiong rich in him, and having life and life abudantly, and please pray with me that the Holy Spirit would fall so heavy ont these people and that they would strip away those things that are hindering them. Pray that Cornillias eyes would be opened to why she can't be rich in him, and pray that the Holy Spirit would come in his truth and power, and set her free. My tittle says "Oh it's on Sunday" becuase I am believing God for HUGE things, I'm believeing God can and will change peoples hearts, and esp. Cornilia that through God speaking to her, she would leave her life of earthly riches and sin, and would turn to be rich in her heavnly father, and that through her changing the women she keeps in her house that are prostituting themselves., that they would be set free as well, and know how much they are loved and vaulued. Brothers and sisters will you please stand with me? Thank you :) I love you!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Update on Cornilia!
Hi loves, ok first of all let me apologize for the bad spelling this key board is very hard to type on. Oh and If you don't know what I'm taling about int this Blog read "Set the Captives free" oh and please read the one about the Orphanage :)
Ok so the day we were going to visit Cornilia the Lord woke me up at 3am and told me that when we get there we need to fist pray and cast out some demons and evil spirits from her, because they aren't letting her make this decession. And I konw that sounds weird to some of you, but its Def. in the Bible that ppl were demon possesed, and Jesus and his followers cast out many of them. Its not talked about a lot today though in church, I think it was Dammon Thompson that said sacrastically that apparently," people stopped being demon possesed when Mega Churches started."
ANYwho we got there and it was just Paulus, Cornilia and myself and Paulus and I prayed for her, and during it, I asked God what he wanted to say to his daughter, and he said for me to tell her that," when you were little maybe you didn't feel good enough, but God wants to tell you that you've always been good enough, that your his daughter and he loves his daughter so much." and I fought back with God in my head and said that doesn't really have anything to do with her letting the women in prostitution go, and her shutting down the brothel, but God said to say it, so I did. And right when Paulus finished translating it, she Broke, and starting Balling, and for the next hour and a half proceeded to tell us all about her childhood and the way her parents treated her, and that she has so much anger and bitterness towards them, we were able to minister to her about forgiveness, and although she opened her heart finaly, she is very stubborn and she is the sweetest person ever and so giving and loving, but she has this heart of stone, and every time we went there its like she made so light of everything we were saying, and so I know God broke in when she started crying and opened some of her heart, and although she said she felt like right now she doesn't want to forgive her parents, I know Holy Spirit is going to work on her heart. The Lord also told me that because we she grew up she was very poor, and he said that Now she is trying to create an opposite life from her Childhood, by having all these nice things, and its not bad to have nice things, but the Lord says that because the root of why you wanted this life is anger and bitterness from your parents that your life is not fruitfull and joyful, also becuse of how you acheieved this life (by holding women in sex slavery). This took so much time to talk about and I was curious to hear her decession, but on the way over there I was praying and felt like she hasn't been praying or taking this seroiusly, and sure enough when we asked if the Lord spoke to her all she said was ,"not yet." Paulus really encouraged her to pray and press in because we all feel like there is a grace right now for her to make this decession and we are here for her 100 percent, but were only comming back to visit once more (b/c its so far away and expensive, and we felt like since she knows I'm here until June 8th she thinks she can just wait it out and we'll just keep comming back) but yeah, so please continue to Pray for Cornilia, we aren't sure when were going to meet up again, but please pray the weight of this would hit her, and she would choose life, and freedom, and that she would almost have like a quickening to choose this, and that we wouldn't even have to meet her to talk, but before we do she would call Paulus and tell her she has choosen to shut down the brothel. Thanks so much for your prayers!
In other news;
I uploaded the wrond picture, haha but its supposed to show you that the past 2 days, we've been working hard to knock down all 3 of the walls down stairs to re-build a room for the 5 new Orphans comming in June, were still praying in Support (if You'd like to know more about the Orphanage, plz read previous blog)
After a hard day of work, or just any time of the day. the best way to spend 10 cents is to buy Mango Juice in a bag, its Def. from the Lord :)
AHHH I love these kids, they are AmAzInG :) and insanely Halarious!
Ok so the day we were going to visit Cornilia the Lord woke me up at 3am and told me that when we get there we need to fist pray and cast out some demons and evil spirits from her, because they aren't letting her make this decession. And I konw that sounds weird to some of you, but its Def. in the Bible that ppl were demon possesed, and Jesus and his followers cast out many of them. Its not talked about a lot today though in church, I think it was Dammon Thompson that said sacrastically that apparently," people stopped being demon possesed when Mega Churches started."
ANYwho we got there and it was just Paulus, Cornilia and myself and Paulus and I prayed for her, and during it, I asked God what he wanted to say to his daughter, and he said for me to tell her that," when you were little maybe you didn't feel good enough, but God wants to tell you that you've always been good enough, that your his daughter and he loves his daughter so much." and I fought back with God in my head and said that doesn't really have anything to do with her letting the women in prostitution go, and her shutting down the brothel, but God said to say it, so I did. And right when Paulus finished translating it, she Broke, and starting Balling, and for the next hour and a half proceeded to tell us all about her childhood and the way her parents treated her, and that she has so much anger and bitterness towards them, we were able to minister to her about forgiveness, and although she opened her heart finaly, she is very stubborn and she is the sweetest person ever and so giving and loving, but she has this heart of stone, and every time we went there its like she made so light of everything we were saying, and so I know God broke in when she started crying and opened some of her heart, and although she said she felt like right now she doesn't want to forgive her parents, I know Holy Spirit is going to work on her heart. The Lord also told me that because we she grew up she was very poor, and he said that Now she is trying to create an opposite life from her Childhood, by having all these nice things, and its not bad to have nice things, but the Lord says that because the root of why you wanted this life is anger and bitterness from your parents that your life is not fruitfull and joyful, also becuse of how you acheieved this life (by holding women in sex slavery). This took so much time to talk about and I was curious to hear her decession, but on the way over there I was praying and felt like she hasn't been praying or taking this seroiusly, and sure enough when we asked if the Lord spoke to her all she said was ,"not yet." Paulus really encouraged her to pray and press in because we all feel like there is a grace right now for her to make this decession and we are here for her 100 percent, but were only comming back to visit once more (b/c its so far away and expensive, and we felt like since she knows I'm here until June 8th she thinks she can just wait it out and we'll just keep comming back) but yeah, so please continue to Pray for Cornilia, we aren't sure when were going to meet up again, but please pray the weight of this would hit her, and she would choose life, and freedom, and that she would almost have like a quickening to choose this, and that we wouldn't even have to meet her to talk, but before we do she would call Paulus and tell her she has choosen to shut down the brothel. Thanks so much for your prayers!
In other news;
I uploaded the wrond picture, haha but its supposed to show you that the past 2 days, we've been working hard to knock down all 3 of the walls down stairs to re-build a room for the 5 new Orphans comming in June, were still praying in Support (if You'd like to know more about the Orphanage, plz read previous blog)
After a hard day of work, or just any time of the day. the best way to spend 10 cents is to buy Mango Juice in a bag, its Def. from the Lord :)
AHHH I love these kids, they are AmAzInG :) and insanely Halarious!
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