Taking Life One Step at a Time: Fell asleep in Texas & woke up in Louisiana!

Well it's been forever!

I have so much to share. This weekend I finally got to attend the event I've spent 6 months working for: Acquire the Fire. These past 6 months have been a journey of ups & downs calling youth pastors to come to this event in New Orleans. But it was worth every call to see with my own eyes the teens that were impacted.

So, it started in the bus from the Honor Academy here in Texas, all the way to New Orleans. The people on there I had no idea who they were. But once we entered the church ATF would be held at, and as we worked together setting up the event, we built such a strong bond.

Before the event, I had gotten a vision of a girl crying on my shoulder as I prayed for her. I wondered what this meant. During the alter call, we were told to go up and pray

for people. I prayed for a sweet 12 year old named Victoria. But she didn't cry on my shoulder.

As I looked into the crown, I saw a beautiful girl, her face upward, and she was singing directly to the Lord. I almost cried to see that in the face of a small girl!

We worked and worked and worked all day, hardly any time to rest. I dealt with many insecurities, many struggles holding me back. I looked at all the empty seats and felt condemnation for not trying harder in the callcenter. But He is faithful still.

I enjoyed the moments with my new friends of laughter, prayer, and the time we couldn't event shower properly b/c we had to sleep in the church & the showers pressure was low. (This is a weekend long event so we needed to shower!)

I got so amazed every time I think of the way God has changed MY life as a 12 year old. He grabbed my heart & attention & now has done so many wonderful things in my heart! I get so excited to see Him doing that in others' lives like here in New Orleans.

There's something so emotional about seeing the fruit of your labor. One night during a Youth Pastor session, the speaker (Kemtal Glasgow) began talking & then said we were going to worship together & come up if anyone needed prayer. This was just a room full of YPs & the volunteers. So I was standing around, & my leader said, "Go pray for the Youth Pastors you called." I was so scared at that point. I battled a lot of fear of man. I simply just walked to the end of the room praying for God to help me. A woman walked up next to me & I asked if I could pray for her. She said, "Yes. I was actually about to tell you..." Then this woman begins to cry. She says, "My husband is a youth pastor and he recently told me he doesn't believe in God anymore." I began to pray for her as her tears kept rolling. I gave her a hug & saw the vision God gave me come to pass.

I know none of this was of me. He brought all this together & has been SO faithful. Praise God for His amazing-ness!

"The LORD has done great things for us, & we are filled with joy!" P S A L M 126:3

Pictures at the event...

The church pews behind me!