While much of the country has experienced colder than normal beginning to 2015 and more cold is in the forecast, spring has decidedly sprung in the Pacific Northwest.  It’s been an unusually warm winter, and trees and flowers are now in full bloom.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already the end of March and the first quarter of 2015 is almost over!!  April 1st will mark my first full year of full time ministry here at Light of the World Prayer Center, and what a year it’s been!!  I didn’t have any concrete expectations of how this adventure would unfold, but I can say that this year has been much different but far beyond anything I could have dreamed.  In my experience, the Lord is really good at doing that.  🙂  I am so incredibly thankful!

Answers to Prayer!!

• In December’s update, I had a number of prayer points having to do with rest, health, protection, and vision for the staff and ministry at LOWPC.  The Lord has certainly been answering it, but again, in a slightly unexpected way.  Our director, Jason, was given the blessing by LOWPC board and staff to take a three month sabbatical beginning January 1, 2015.  His last sabbatical was over 7 years ago, and since then, he’s completed a PhD on top of full time ministry at LOWPC and other national and international speaking engagements.  While he is sorely missed, I know that this is part of the Lord’s answer to our prayers for rest, consecration, and vision.  As he has been resting, studying, praying, and spending time with his family, I know he’s been getting vision and strategy for the next many years here.  (I have bits of insider information that he’s doing great, because his wonderful wife is my mentor and we get to meet weekly!)  As Jason has been on sabbatical, the rest of us have maintained the day-in-day-out operations of the house of prayer, still not tackling any major projects, and spending the time consecrating ourselves before the Lord and seeking his face.  I look forward to April when we get Jason back and get to compare notes.  I am filled with expectant hope for what is coming!!!
• Since the beginning of the year, I do feel that the Lord has been showing me pieces and steps for developing the “worship” side of things here at LOWPC.  We have also have had a few new musicians join worship teams through the week.
• The Lord has blessed relationships in many ways over the months, and is giving wisdom and strength .
• I was able to take a trip to TX in January to visit my sister and brother-in-law, some dear friends, and one of my mentors.  This was a wonderful 10 day trip filled with precious fellowship and encouragement!
• I am continually more in awe of God’s goodness and love, as he moves my heart again and again with the things that move his heart and invites us to partner with him in prayer and action.  I’ve cried more in the prayer room over the past three months than I have in the previous 7 years combined.  It is somewhat exhausting, but oh so worth it!!  🙂

Looking ahead:

Even in Jason’s absence, we have been working on projects/events that were already in motion for this year.  Christy and our admin team are working hard preparing for our annual fundraising event at the end of April.  Shannon and I have started planning for Fire on the Altar 2015, currently planned for June 29-August 14, and already have our first accepted student!  A few of us will be representing LOWPC at the third annual Northwest House of Prayer Leaders’ Gathering next month – a time for fellowship and encouragement together with leaders of similar ministries from northern California up through British Columbia.  We’re looking forward to this meeting as it’s been a blessing over the past couple of years!!

One big adjustment since the beginning of the year is that most of my music students have needed to take indefinite breaks.  I think this is part of the refining and refocusing that the Lord is doing in this season for me personally.  It’s my hope and desire to be free to sow into building up skilled musicians as worshipers in the house of prayer; my focus was never building a music lesson business.  With fewer students, I have more time to focus both on my own development as a musician and building/developing the teams at LOWPC.  With fewer students, though, I am also praying for a three more monthly supporters.

Prayer Requests:

• April is going to be a very busy month!!  Please pray for strength for us all!  Please pray for Christy as she has taken on extra in the past few months and continues to lead the team preparing for our fundraiser.  Pray for Jason as he comes back full time and probably will hit the ground running.
• In the past couple of weeks, I’ve realized that while I’m filled with hope and expectancy for this next season, I’m also tired!!  My bosses (Jason and Sue) have both been away for this season, and the rest of us who are here full time have been carrying some extra weight of leadership.  It’s been good and very productive, but I’m really looking forward to some input soon.  🙂
• This year so far, we’ve all sensed the need to refine/define and re-focus.  We have been working on this individually over the past three months, and will move into working this corporately over the next few months.  Please pray for grace and wisdom in this, as I’m sure we will be shifting and adjusting.  I have no idea what it will look like, but I am confident that it will be good!!  The Lord is building his house – this is his ministry, not ours!!
  

  Proverbs 29:18 – Where there is no revelation (vision), the people cast off restraint (or perish, or are disappointed); But happy is he who keeps the law.

  Psalm 127:1 – Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

• In the weeks leading up to Easter, we focus heavily on praying for salvation for the lost and for prodigals to come home, as Easter weekend sees the highest church attendance and the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection is preached almost everywhere!  Please pray for protection for us, as we have a real enemy who roams about like a roaring lion!!  Our April Burn (monthly 24 hour worship event) is over Easter weekend – please pray that this comes together for the glory of the Lamb.
• Please join me in prayer for three new monthly supporters!!  If you’re feeling led to partner with me financially, please let me know!  Giving through LOWPC is tax deductible.
• Please pray for specific provision for maintenance work I need done on my car in the next month or so.  The major needs are new tires and brakes, and the engine valve cover gaskets need to be rebuilt (it’s leaking oil badly).
• This past Wednesday, I got to meet the wonderful leaders of Promise 23 Ranch Ministries, and saw a little piece of a dream the Lord put in my heart over 10 years ago unfolding.  It’s a ministry that is devoted to sharing God’s great love and restoration through horses, and they currently are partnering with Engedi Refuge Ministries, ministering to women who have been rescued out of human trafficking.  Tomorrow some of the LOWPC staff and I will go pray with the Promise 23 leaders at their new facility as they kick off this year’s season.  Please pray for wisdom and discernment as I get to know the leaders and explore volunteer opportunities with them.  Right now one of their biggest needs is prayer, which I can certainly help with!  This will probably get its own blog post sometime in the next couple of months.

I look back at the past year and am amazed.  I look ahead to the rest of 2015 with SO MUCH hope and excitement!!  The Lord is doing great things all over, and I get to be a part of the work he is doing in Bellingham!  What an honor!!  Thank you for partnering with me in prayer, finances, and friendship – I could not do this without you!