Good things He has done... Greater things He will do...

Wow. I can’t believe IMT (Indian “M” Trip) is over. Months of planning. Months of praying. Months of preparation. And it’s done. Just like that.

First off, let me start this by saying the sincerest of thanks to all those who helped get me to India. Through giving and praying and encouraging I went- let me just say a heartfelt thank you. I know I couldn’t have made it there without you... or have persevered there without knowing you all were supporting me. I am humbled by your graciousness towards the team and me.

Before I get into the details of the trip - let me preface by saying... God is good. I was a nervous wreck about this trip since the day the head elder asked me to go one Friday night after FEE (a study I attend). Not so much nervous about SYICF (the church) going but nervous about me going. Returning to India was something I thought I’d never do - the trip in 2011 cured me of any desire to go to India (or so I thought). I walked off the plane and into my friend’s arms in 2011 declaring that I will never go back - I was scared to go back - India didn’t like me and I wasn’t too doting towards India either. Oh how my boss was right... he said on the way home that summer day in 2011... that time will heal and I will want to go back. He was right. A year and a half later... a very scared, nervous, blonde girl was headed back to India in hopes to not die but in hopes to serve effectively there - to live abundantly. God is good.

We get into India. I will skip the planning stages because I still can’t quite talk about that without getting frustrated, flustered, and exhausted - hah - all you need to know about that is... God provides in amazing ways. And a huge thanks for the people of both cities for their planning skills! The trip was great - and I believe a great success!

So, we arrive. We take a jeep to the YMCA in Vishakpatnam - and my eyes just started to well up. I was overwhelmed with the smells, the sights, the people, the environment, and the heat. All of a sudden... I was recalling the last trip in the most vivid of ways. Thank God for a good friend and co-leader who took me into her arms and with understanding words comforted me.

It wasn’t a long resting period before we were whisked off to one of the churches to attend service... we walked in and all eyes were on us. At that service we were asked to conduct another service that evening - the Pastor on the team spoke and the rest of us go to sing and pray with the people. This starts our two weeks of ministry. After some cultural training and relaxing... for one day... the teams split up. My team (the E team) moved to Srikakulam.  In this city - we visited lots of villages and orphanages and schools and ministered a lot to the people of that city. The whole team felt the might of God in that city... declaring it as a city on fire for the King of kings... we know this city will be instrumental in the movement of God in India. The pastors we met there - amazing. I loved hearing what they had to say about their work there... I was so blessed hearing their stories and getting to encourage them. Srikakulam was a hard city to leave. I fell in love with the women of this city... I fell in love with the feel of the city... and I felt a deep connection to the work taking place in that city. But, alas, the Father put in the leaders’ heart to have the teams switch cities mid-trip whilst in the planning period - so I knew God had a reason for us to switch. In Vizag, we got to do some amazing things there as well. We participated in a lot of church services, children programs, working with more orphans, and outreach to villages. There is just too much that happened the last two weeks to go into detail about each specific thing - just know that God moved mightily and His plan for the E team was amazing. I am humbled and honored to have been apart of it.

Now, I want to focus more on God’s movement in those cities or India in general.  I also want to hit on God’s movement in my heart as well. This is where we’ll camp for right now.

God’s movement in India.

Isaiah 30:21-22 says, “Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it”, wherever you turn to the right or the left. And you will defile your graven images overlaid with silver and your molten images plated with gold. You will scatter them as an impure thing, and say to them, “Be gone!”

This is what God is doing in India. He is tearing down the idols of the land. He is raising Himself higher than those idols in the hearts of the men and women and youth of India. Amen.

The youth will be a huge part of the movement. I met so many young men and women who are passionate about their country coming to the saving knowledge of God... so many of the youth have witnessed the amazing movements of God and are on fire for Him. Pray they continue to be on fire for the One who saved them. We pray that their hearts are protected from the wicked ways of the world and they don’t battle insecurities because of their age or because they are different than the majority of the young people in India. Pray they are strengthened, cultivated, and matured in the faith. Pray for discipleship.

Hosea 14:9 “Give them, O Lord - what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.”

I know this is an odd reference -- but it’s speaking of the ideas, idols, and fallacies that are in this land. Our prayer is that those false religions or evilness that the land is pregnant with are miscarried or die off. We pray that there is no nourishment for those fallacies or ideas...  but that the Word of God and the relationships with Him and Indians is what is flourishing or growing in the land.

Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.”

This is what God is doing in India - healing the people. There was a strong feeling in my heart when praying with the women of these two cities that there is a lot of pain. There is a lot of hurt. There is a lot of guilt and shame. There is a lot in their past This was confirmed when a brother in Christ clarified that the women of India feel like they need to beat themselves up internally to feel like they can have a relationship with God or be in His presence. Other religions do this - people having to do rituals or actions to make themselves “worthy” for their gods. But the true God isn’t like that. He is merciful. And everyday those mercies are renewed. We don’t deserve it... we just benefit from it.

Psalm 3:3 “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”

God is showing the women of India that He is the lifter of their heads. That He wants to heal their hearts and for them to find joy in His presence... not despair or guilt or shame. I have personally been there. I have beat myself up for years over my past failures and mistakes --- it wasn’t until I realized just how loving, powerful, merciful, and graceful God is that I was able to accept His forgiveness and accept His “lifting of my head”. My prayer for these women is restoration and reconciliation. My prayer for these women is for healing.

God is moving mightily in India. He showed me that it is going to be a quick overtaking of the land. That when He falls on India - it’s going to be like a contagious fire. He is going to sweep over the land - and India will be the platform for a revival in the entire world.

Praise God.

What is God doing in my heart since this trip? Well - this trip was a game changer. I am not sure to what extent yet - but I am just going to be honest. That same boss that told me that I will return to India... has also recently stated that I will be moving to India... and again, I say, he’s right. I hope to visit India one more time in July and that will be an exploration trip. A trip to help me figure out what it will take for me to move to India. What will I do? How will I live? When will I go? Etc. Wow. Writing it out... is heavy.

God is good.

I was planning on staying in China for three more years... and getting my counseling degree. Well, God has seemed to pause that plan because none of the universities are getting back to me... and I’ve gotten to the point where I think this degree is going to be put on hold. I love China. I love living here. But I believe living here for five years... was giving me the confidence, adaptability, flexibility, and skills I will need when moving to the “next thing”. I pray that I talk to the right people and get plugged in quickly to right things... my future ministry.

Back in October I went to a retreat in Dan Dong, China. This is a portion of what I wrote after that weekend...

During the prayer time following Reynolds’ session there was chaos

around me of the Holy Spirit moving - I was getting frustrated. I

was so upset. I am sure it looked like the spirit was moving in me

but really I was just crying out to God asking “Why not me?

Why not now? Why not??????” hah. And then He told me

“Amber, you want to be like the seed planted in shallow ground.

You want to grow fast but when you do that... you will die quickly.

I need our relationship to be rooted in you so deep. I need it to

be so solid because the next chapter of your life is going to be

tough. And I need us to be deep, thick, higher, stronger, and more

in love than ever because you’re going to need me because of this

next chapter.” Ummm... okay? While processing this with Heather,

who was so encouraging and shared with me that God did the

same thing with her in waiting to meet with her until after a

conference, I realized. I am moving to India or a place just as

hard or even harder than India. 

China is preparation. The things I have encountered here. The

SYICF family, the trips to India, the Master’s in counseling, and the

School of Ministry (more on this later)... are all preparation for

saving orphans, working with girls, and discipling believers in my

upcoming new chapter. 

When I got home, I found my roommate making humus and

setting the table for us to process through my week. She affirmed everything. She said she sees me being the next Amy Carmichael

in India and that one-day she’ll come do a short-term trip with me

and take one of the babies I will rescue. Irina, my best friend, was

just as supportive and has been ever since I started this journey

to move from glory to glory.

So... this trip was a game changer for me. I will now be actively praying about my future in India and invite you to do this on my behalf as well.

What else has God done in my life concerning this trip? Well, I don’t think I’ve ever been this spiritually drained in my life. Which is rough but probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt. It’s kind of like... if you love someone but you don’t really know if you do until they are gone... and then you hurt. And then you realize that you actually do love them... a lot. Being spiritually worn out has solidified and is a testament to the fact that the Spirit dwells within me. When I was drained - that was confirmation for me that the Spirit is big in me. He is strong in me. He such a huge part of who I am... that when I was drained of Him... it hurt. I took for granted the Spirit in me but now, I am so thankful for what dwells in me. It is powerful. Recharging myself... was important... probably the most important thing I needed to do all trip.

I prayed for so many people. I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and listened to the Spirit’s leading in my prayers... praying with passion, with insight, with the Helper and the Healer... I can honestly say... I prayed my little heart out. I know one needs to build stamina to be able to pray for as long and as often as we did but I enjoyed seeing how God would give strength to His weakened servants... and come through for us. I think my team and I can honestly say --- it was not by our might at all... but by the power of the Lord. People were healed, hearts are being restored, children encouraged, and people found God.

Now, let’s talk about the testament that the team has concerning the safety and health of the team. What an amazing blessing! No one was sick. No one was harmed. No one was even worried about it because Jesus said, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” (Acts 18:9-10). God provided so many people to watch out for us, pray for us, guide us, translate for us, protect us, etc. Not a moment in the trip did I feel unsafe because I knew God had His people in those cities. I also knew I had some very strong African men watching over me. I walked with confidence knowing that God was taking care of me.

God is powerful.

What is heavy on my heart?! That I haven’t done what I was suppose to do in China. That I haven’t fully taken advantage of the fact that I have lived in China for 4 years now and haven’t done anything. I am fighting these feelings knowing that God has in fact done a good work in me. That He has allowed me to teach. He has allowed me to foster. He has allowed me to learn so much in SYICF. He has allowed me to connect with some powerful women of God. He has given me two amazing roommates who have challenged me in so many ways. That He has given me life long friends. That He has allowed me to find Shui. That He, even if I fail to remember all the times, has blessed me beyond all measure. So a personal prayer request: pray that God reveals to me all the reasons why I was here for so long, what He did in me and through me while I was here, and that my time here was not in vain.

What else?!

I would like to inform you of some of the highlights for me, personally, on the trip.

• ·    Teaching some deaf children how to play Uno at the Special Needs orphanage.
• ·      Village Outreaches: Being paraded around to gather a crowd and then to sing/minister to them... as well as the progression in each village of the kids. At first they’d be super shy but by the end of the village trip they wouldn’t let go of us.
• ·      The times of prayer over believers... the healing power of His spirit.
• ·      Teaching over 500 Indian kids the Chicken Dance.
• ·      Meeting Samuel and hearing his story.
• ·      Going to a home for delinquent boys.
• ·      The Valentines’ Day drive to the village (my team knows what I mean)
• ·      The unity amongst the team

Some of the hardships?

• ·      Meeting Samuel and hearing his story
• ·      One of the worship leaders losing her voice which forced me to sing more than I thought I would need to...
• ·      Spiritually worn-out
• ·      Late bedtimes and early mornings
• ·      Getting out of my comfort zone...
• ·      Building confidence in myself as a daughter of the King (yes, a positive thing but boy was it hard...)
• ·      Conflicts with team members on the trip
• ·      Language barriers
• ·      The heat

Again, I want to say thank you for all of your encouragement and support. I covet your prayers. Prayers for guidance and clarity. Also, praise God with me for a successful, good, fruitful trip.

My Lord is sweet.