Let me just say that, God is crazy good. And when I say crazy, I literally mean crazy, wild, and unexpected. It is amazing the ways that the Lord can speak.
This past week, I was able to attend a worship service with a dear friend, Alexandra Nanny. I know this post is long, but honestly, I could have written 10 pages. My words do not do justice to the way that Jesus has been moving.
Just to set this all up… I became `real’ friends with Alexandra over spring break (#suckitsantafe). Every time I get the opportunity to be around her, there is a light that radiates from her, outside and in. A few weeks ago, I had a graduation party. I had just gotten done with school that day and life was really catching up to me. My heart was heavy about past mistakes, present situations, and future endeavors. I felt lost/stuck, and I wasn’t really listening to the Lord at all. It was at this party where I was able to experience love and support from so many of my friends and family, including Alexandra. I remember Al, in such a loving way, just calling attention to my heavy heart. Little did I know, that the Lord was about to change all of that through encouraging notes (Dusty and Claire), friend time, and most of all, Jesus time. It took something as simple as just realizing the brokenness that was going on inside of me, to begin to let the Lord heal my heart. Over the next two weeks, as Jesus continued to pursue me, I allowed his grace to flood over me. His grace met me where I was, but didn’t leave me there. His grace took me and is still taking me to where I need to be. My whole attitude about life changed. My whole attitude about people changed. My whole attitude about Jesus changed.
Fast forward to last Thursday. Alexandra invited me to attend what we thought was Jesus Culture and Josh Hamilton. Naturally, I was super excited to spend time with Al and to see this awesome concert. So we drove two hours to Amarillo to a little church called Messiah’s House, only to find out that it was actually a guy named Jake Hamilton who had opened for Jesus Culture before. Not what we expected at all! However, God seems to always blow our expectations out of the water. He is pretty cool like that. On the car ride up there, Alexandra and I talked about everything under the moon, but mostly about Jesus and life. It was nice to be able to be real with someone. That night at the Jake Hamilton concert, we got some warfare worship music with loud electric guitars, and lyrics such as, “He’s a good good Daddy!” Cheesy? Seems like it would be, but the spirit was so thick, it did not matter. The church we were at was flying flags, dancing, and worshipping unashamed. After our time of singing, Jake Hamilton took the microphone and began to share lots and lots. I wish I could write everything that he said, because it was truly God given words of truth and encouragement. The whole time he was talking, I was in disbelief because he was literally talking about EVERYTHING Alexandra and I had discussed in the car ride up there. Everything he said lined up with all the things that the Lord was talking to us about. After he shared, the congregation prayed decelerations of what the Lord was going to do. Then, we got to see the Holy Spirit live in action as people were being prophesied over and slain in the Spirit.
The night affirmed all that God was up to in our lives. It was a divine appointment from a mighty God. Come to find out, while the Lord was working on my heart these past few weeks, Alexandra had been praying and fasting. In Isaiah 58, we read about the results of true fasting. Because of the people’s prayers and fasts, the Lord redeems them. Because of Al’s faithfulness to the Lord and her prayers for me, the Lord was pressing in to me and working on my heart. That Thursday morning, Alexandra read Isaiah 61. Three chapters after the prayers and fasting, we see that the Lord takes His redeemed people and they are now able to be used for His work and His will. Alexandra shared this verse with me, and I thought it was so fitting. Isaiah 61 even happened to be the same passage that Messiah’s House focus verse is. I am His. I declare that my life is His. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes we are like grapes being crushed so we can be made into wine. Jesus is a Redeemer. I am beyond thankful for Alexandra’s willingness to listen to the Lord. She has showed me what a true sister in Christ is and what it means to seek Him. This crazy Thursday night turned into a huge blessing! God is so so so good. He speaks.
Song of the week: The Redeemer by Sanctus Reel
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