My Freshly Brewed Life: I'm Back! & A Few Thank You's!

Hello my friends. Well, I am back from my trip to the Kansas City International House of Prayer. We got back late Tuesday night and I've been busy with laundry and trying to catch up on reading what seems like 1,000 posts that appeared in my Google Reader. I am so far behind and will not be able to comment on every post. I do much better commenting on a day to day basis!

I wish I could put into words everything that is in my heart concerning my week at IHOP. God is doing a deep work in me and much of it cannot be put into words. But what I can tell you is that I am changed. I went into the IHOP with such a hunger for more of the Lord, and He met me. He heard the cry of my heart. He is so faithful to meet us when we ask Him to. The atmosphere in that place was so strong and I was encountered in such a new way. And I am thankful that I get to bring it back so that I can impart it to my local House of Prayer. I am so privileged and grateful to be able to run with pastors and leaders who have a passion and a vision see night and day prayer become a reality in our city and region.

Not only was I encountered in a deeper way, but my son, along with 5 other youth we took with us, were rocked to the core. The Fascinate Conference was amazing! Our kids worshipped. They prayed. They repented. They wept. They laughed. They danced. They encountered God in ways they never have before. Because we lived on the Missions Base for a week, our kids were getting up early, without being asked, and heading to the Prayer Room, spending 4-6 hours a day. On one day in particular, our kids spent a total of 12 hours in The Prayer Room, and didn't want to leave. They came hungry. They received more. They fell in love all over again with the Living God and their desire to serve him in the context of night and day worship and prayer.

I have been waking up the last few mornings singing choruses that were sung in The Prayer Room. One of the choruses goes like this:

"Place Your hand deep into my heart, place Your hand deep into my heart, place Your hand deep into my heart and move me again". (Sorry you can't hear the melody line. I would sing it and record it for you, but I am too vain.)

My prayer is that the Lord would come and place His hand deep into my heart and massage the muscles of my heart so that they would beat harder and stronger for the things of God. I long to be awakened to a new level of love, and to the desires that lay dormant in my heart.

During staff, my pastor asked if we were willing to take our commitment to the next level. I told him, with tears in my eyes, that if I didn't I just might die. I feel like I am at a crossroads. Yes, there is a flame that burns in my heart, but I think I've been burning at the same degree for about a year now and I MUST have more! If I don't allow God to move me to the next level, the flame will go out.

So I am committed.

I am committed to walk out this House of Prayer reality in my own life, and in the life of the community that surrounds me.

I am committed to helping to build the House of Prayer in my city, so that others may come to find rest for their souls, and fuel to go back out into the market place and spread the gospel.

I am committed to reading the Word of God on a daily basis, so that my mind may be transformed and so I might walk in the light of His truth.

I am committed to praying the heart of God for my family, my city and my church.

I am committed to worshipping my Lord in spirit and in truth.

I will have more to share with you regarding what God has laid on my heart in upcoming posts. If any of you would like to check out the live streaming from the IHOP, you can stream for FREE! Check it out here: The Prayer Room.

Before I go, I wanted to say thank you to the Partial Empty Nester for awarding me the "Beautiful Blogger Award". Thank you so much. I am truly honored and pray that I will always convey His beauty through blogging.