College Graduate

I must say, it is weird to think that I am done with Lee. I have finished my school here, but it will be hard to leave. Lee has become a part of me. Friends have come and they have gone, and for a moment I wondered where the Lord was, but He has been faithful to remind me of His faithfulness. The reality is that he has sent me to Lee and Cleveland for a time and season, and the time and season is now up. This is good.

I have learned a lot of new things, met a lot of good people, and given my heart to this school unlike I ever have before, but if I know one thing I know that I have my eyes set on a city who's builder and maker is God, just like Abraham. In the same way that he packed up and left not knowing where he was going, I will too (Hebrews 11-12). I want my vision to be steady so that I am not like a reed shaken by the wind. I planning to go to IHOP-KC for a season right now and don't know much after that, although I am excited and expectant. Lee has given me a desire to incorporate sound theological doctrine, depth, and study into the body of Christ so that we may be rooted and established in His love. My official transcript will state,

Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies, with Minors in Biblical Languages and Spanish.

Who knows where this will take me, I simply hope that it will cause me to love Jesus well so that the Lamb may receive the reward of His sufferings.

As I leave Lee, I am thankful to say that I have very few (if any) regrets. In some way this is how the Lord uses the foolish things to shame the wise. I have spent the past three years studying Theology and sitting in a small room praying to a God that I don't see. It seems dumb, but I wouldn't have it any other way. My time at Lee and with the Prayer Room culminated in a Prayer Conference focused on Intimacy with Jesus in which 700 people pre-registered. Somehow the Lord has taken our weak efforts and attempts to bring prayer back to Lee and has made it a central focus of the campus. I am expectant to see what happens at Lee University and in Cleveland TN.

(Now that I have more time on my hands, look forward to more posts)

Unquenchable and Consumed

We are having a Conference at Lee University on March 17-19. The focus is equip people to sustain passion from the place of intimacy. If you are at all interested register at unquenchable.eventbrite.com. If you have any questions feel free to comment. Thanks!

Recent Events

Here's a brief update (and a random picture I took in Israel).

This semester has been difficult but great. I don't think there has been a time in my life where I have grown and learned more spiritually, practically, and academically. I was stretched more than I knew I could handle, but (of course) the Lord showed me His faithfulness. He helped me when I was in need.

In May I moved in with 3 guys who have grown to be my closest friends (John Bush, Caleb Hughes, and Steve Gilliam). We have had a blast living together, but more than that we started a home group type meeting on Monday nights that has been really powerful for our campus. Each week we have close to 60 students pack into our house and worship the Lord together. It was a great opportunity to learn about the Lord and discipleship. I also think I might have started doing something that is part of my future/calling... Teaching.

I taught 2 of our meetings and realized that it really is something that I love. I had a couple opportunities to teach when I was in high school, but at the time I didn't realize it was a gift/talent that I had, I was just doing it because of the role I was in. The Lord has given me a passion to teach/preach the bible and see people fall in love with Him. I am looking forward to more opportunities in the coming months.

Another recent update (that not many people know) is that I am actually finishing school a YEAR early. I will graduate with my Undergraduate in Theology in May! That's exciting. I have some thoughts about what I will do afterwards, but nothing definite yet. In the end there are 2 things I have on my heart to do: 1) minister to the Lord in some sort of House of Prayer setting (not necessarily IHOP), and 2) teach the bible. Right now I do not know the steps that the Lord will use to get me to those two desires, but He put them in my heart close to 5 years ago, and after waiting, the desire to do them has only grown. This proverb describes it best:

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

This verse has vast eternal implications, but practically in my life I have hope to one day sit defore the Lord and gaze at His beauty night and day praying for His justice on the earth. For the past few years this hope has been deferred, but I am believing and trusting the Lord to bring it to pass as a tree of life.

One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4

My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Psalm 84:2

Rain 2010

Here is the Promo Video for our Solemn Assembly (based out of Joel 2), Rain 2010 at Lee University.

Vision at Lee

Click here if video won't play.

Update

Well, It has been a little while since I have updated, and for all you regular readers I apologize tremendously. School is now done, and it finished in a fantastic way. The Lord continued to move in power and it was lots of fun! Finals week was hard, but great at the same time. Now, I am leaving for Israel tomorrow!

I am going on a trip with my school (Lee University) to Israel. We leave tomorrow and will be back on May 20th. I realize this was a quick update, but I must go. I am going to try and update while in Israel. If not, get ready for pictures as soon as I get back. THanks!

The Ground is Growing

It has been a few weeks since I have posted, but the Lord has been doing fantastic things and it has been incredible. I have been super busy, but life has never been better.

I am so stirred that we are living in an incredibly urgent hour. The Holy Spirit is doing something so unprecedented in our nation right now. There is hunger stirring all across the nation and the Lord is responding to answered prayer.

About a year and a half ago we began a prayer meeting at Lee University. We are beginning to see answered prayer. But more than that there have been many laborer's in Cleveland praying and warring for Lee. We recognize that we are beginning to live in the fruit of answered prayer and it is unbelievable. This is more than just a good meeting. The Holy Spirit is beginning to touch us with power and it is unbelievable. I have been a part of emotional meetings and camps, but I am so stirred by the Lord and convinced that this is not like that. The work that is happening is lasting and people are getting set free from addictions in an instant.

We gathered Monday - Thursday night of this past week to wait on the Lord. Each night there were anywhere from 25 to 100 people at each meeting and there was an enormous amount of hunger. We are on the verge of something big in America, and this is the real deal! Colleges students are giving up other lesser pleasures and running to Jesus. So good.

I want to encourage you to check out our blog at www.outpouringoncampus.wordpress.com for more updates and testimonies!

The New Wine

A few nights ago (Wednesday 1/13) we had our first prayer meeting in Hughes Hall for the semester. We were praying for about an hour when we just waited on the Lord. All of a sudden a few of us started to receive the joy of the Lord. A few began laughing and experiencing the delight of the father. After about an hour there half of us were drunk the holy spirit (Acts 2). We continued to experience joy and overwhelming peace and just couldn't stop laughing.

We proceeded to walk out in the halls and pray for guys that were still awake. Each time we prayed the Lord would pour out His gladness. When I turned around and looked at what was going there about 7 guys rolling around laughing on the floor! I realize that it is not about the manifestation or even the laughing. Ultimately the point is that most of us were set free from the fear of man and another guy was set free from nicotine! This is what it is about! If the Lord has to make us look like fools to the world so we can be free from bondage, I want it!

The next night (Thursday) we were scheduled to have our dorm small groups. We decided to meet all on one floor and just wait on the Lord. After about an hour the Holy spirit again fell on us in power. Guys who hardly know the Lord are being set free from guilt, shame, and condemnation. He is touching us with His delight.

There have also been multiple testimonies of the Lord releasing healing at Lee. When we got here a guy in our dorm had a torn ligament in his foot, and was healed! A girl in a dorm had a hurt leg and was in a lot of pain, then a couple girls went to pray for her and she didn't hurt at all. Another girl was healed from pain in her back!

We recognize the Lord is on the move and we are agreeing with Him. We are only expecting this to increase. I would encourage you to check out this blog: www.outpouringoncampus.wordpress.com for more updates and testimonies. Thanks!

Snow in Cle-vegas!

Well, I woke up this morning (a little chilly), but opened my blinds to see Snow! Everyone said that it might, but I never believe that stuff, I mean it's december 5th, that never happens.

But here it is! The glory of God. He is so beautiful!

This weekend was a big weekend at Lee University. If you know anything about me you know my heart for prayer in general, but especially massive gatherings of prayer and fasting. Well that is what happened at Lee yesterday. We had a Solemn Assembly at our school yesterday led by the students for the city of Cleveland and Lee University. By the end of the day there were probably over 600 people there. I am positive it was the start of something in this city. When you get that many people hungry for something more than food God is up to something and is opening the heavens.

Personally, I was really encouraged. When we pray we sometimes don't see immediate results, but we must keep pressing because they will come. God is moving at the sound of our voice. We will probably have a video coming to promote the next Rain soon that I will post so you can see more. But ultimately what I am trying to say is that God is on the move in this generation and he is beginning to pour out His spirit on all flesh. Keep praying!

Lee

Well, as many of you know I am back at school now at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. So far everything has been pretty good. The Lord is stirring some interesting things at this school, and it is awesome that He has invited me to be a part of it.

Lately my heart has been longing really be what Jesus had in mind for the church to be. Honestly, I have no clue what that is, but I do know that it includes loving people. For some reason I feel like he had a little more in mind than getting together with others who believe in Jesus once a week and then hiding our faith from everyone else throughout the week. I want to feel the aches that Jesus feels for one soul who doesn't know who He is. I want my heart to burn like His.

Because of this, me and a few of my friends have been going around town just trying to love people in Cleveland. We don't want anything in return, we just want to demonstrate the love of Jesus. Last night we were praying and asking the Lord where He would have us go, and two of us heard CVS. When we got there we noticed a family that had a flat tire. Obviously, that is where the Lord was leading us. So for the next 30 minutes we just hung out with the family and helped them change their tire (and they really needed some help). It blew me away what one little act like this does to people. Afterward we were talking to the mom, and she said, "I bet yall wern't planning on changing a tire when you came out to CVS tonight."

We proceeded to look at each other and responded, "Actually, we kind of were. We were praying and asking the Lord where to go and He led us here to help you."

In the end they were really blessed by the Lords love and compassion for them. I want to challange us to really be the church as we live life. Lets demonstrate the love of Jesus to those in need. The Lord loves it when this happens!!!

Prayer Room

Check out the prayer room that we have in our dorm this year at Lee University. It is 2 doors down from my room, and I love it. You better believe that I will be spending a little bit of time in there...