Thursday, July 7, 2011

3...

I am reminded of a previous post titled "123"from March, which I've copied below:


I added Brooke's trip to my email calendar today and noticed on the event countdown that it's 123 days away. 1...2...3...Prophetic? Perhaps...

I think of a child getting ready to do just about anything, but the particular picture I have in my head is a child getting ready to jump really high...how they count down in a sing-song voice...1...2...3...GO!!! and they jump as high as their little legs will take them!
GO - such a small word with such big meaning! Many years ago, Kay was awakened in the night to a voice saying "Go and tell".  Little did she know that all these years He has been preparing her for this trip. 1...she has been the one sending her daughters on mission trips...2...she received prophetic words in October creating a desire to go to Mozambique...3...she has received numerous confirmations...now all these years later, she will indeed finally get to go and tell!
GO - the color green...Ed wasn't sure if he would be able to take off work enough to go with Kay and Brooke on this trip, though in his heart he desperately wanted to go.  1...his boss has cleared it for him to take off the amount of time required...2...he too received prophetic words about going to Mozambique...3...God gave him a beautiful vision with the color green, which he knew meant go...now he gets to do just that!
GO - If you've read any of the previous entries, you've seen how Brooke has been called to go!
GO - Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." Matthew 8:19
"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Matthew 10:7
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15
Can't you just hear these three kids of the King as they hold hands and say 1...2...3...GO!!! and up they jump as high as they can...then their Daddy lifts them up even higher than they ever dreamed possible!
Ready? 1...2...3.................
GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Love The ONE and love the one!

It's so hard to believe that was written 120 days ago!  I hate to be cliche', but time certainly HAS flown!  So much preparation and prayer has gone into the last 120 days and I know they are ready.  When I originally wrote that post, I was only thinking of Ed, Kay, and Brooke, but now I see this picture for the entire team...all 12 of them!  They step out of the plane, onto African soil, hold hands and say, "1...2...3...GO!".  They experience God in new ways, they serve, the love, they have an amazing adventure, then they come home and as their feet touch American soil once again, they GO their separate ways to more familiar mission fields, but mission fields nonetheless.  Only this time they see those mission fields differently than they've ever seen them before.  Their African adventure has left them changed forever and they can't wait to share what God has done!  Whether in Africa or the USA, the fields are white for the harvest!

Thanks for reading this lengthy post, but if you don't mind, I will add just a bit more.  The 3rd book of the OT is Leviticus.  Honestly, I almost skipped reading it!  But the 3rd chapter includes instructions to the priests for presenting the peace offerings to the Lord.  I pray PEACE for the team as they pack and attend to all those last minute details.  I pray PEACE in their bodies, minds, and spirits.  I pray PEACE on the flights.  I pray PEACE in their sleep.  I pray PEACE will overflow everywhere their feet walk and that it will leak out on those at the airports, the Iris missionaries, the Mozambique people, their families, their friends, and complete strangers.
Still with me?  Great!  Let's look at the NT.  The 3rd book is Luke and the 3rd chapter is about John the Baptist.  Verse 16 says, John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water ; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals ; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Yes, LORD!  Baptize each one on this team with Holy Spirit and fire!  Consume them, Lord!  I'm thinking of the lyrics to Jesus Culture's song that say
All consuming fire, You're our heart's desire
Living flame of love, come baptize us, come baptize us!
We wanna know how high, how deep, how wide is 
love, love, love!...
I think it's fitting that this verse is found in Luke 3:16 and the greatest love verse ever written is found in John 3:16.
For God so LOVED Mozambique, Jackson, Franklin...that He gave His only Son...
It just always comes back to love, doesn't it?
Love The ONE Who gave His life for you and love the one who needs to receive His love...

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