it is true, we are here, safe, and well.
We arrived in London at about 1:30 in the afternoon and spent a bit of time in the hotel freshening up--then went off on our adventures for the day.
However, first, before going into any details of the day....i want to share of the undeniable faithfulness of God. I asked Him to provide in abundance for these trips. [In all, I had to raise about $5,000 for my trips this summer]. I asked in faith, knowing that if it was His desire for me to be here in Europe with these people, then He had the power to make it happen. And--alas, He provided in absolute abundance. I was humbled by those of you who desired to be a part of this with me [prayerfully and financially]. Thank you for every word that you have said that has immensely encouraged me, every minute you have spent [and are spending now] praying for me and for the journey's ahead, and for all of your financial support. You have blessed me more than you could ever know.
As for today...it has certainly been a wave of emotions.
Never have I felt the presence of darkness and been burdened by such a negligence and apathy towards God. I felt it all around me. The heaviness literally encompasses this place. I was really having a hard time bearing it and I just kept praying. I could not stop praying for these people. Not only was my heart burdened for these people, but it burdened my heart for the world. All over the world there are people [including us] who neglect God, who disregard Him, who deny Him, and who just don't care. Our own problems in this world consume our minds so much that it creates enmity between us and God; it separates us from the love of God, from our desire for God. I've been reading James 4 lately, which talks about all of this. Yesterday they were just words and ideas on papers and now they have been laid before my eyes and it completely broke my heart.
anyway, so just as I was being completely broken in the midst of complete chaos....something happened that left me even more broken than before. I heard someone say Jesus' name....i was curious so i turned around and saw a man from Kenya telling people about my Jesus. The three of us [Sandra, Steph, and I] stopped and listened. Usually I am turned off by street evangelism, but he was speaking truth and I have never been so thankful to hear the name of Jesus being proclaimed on the street. I should really stop putting God in a box. I looked over to the side of where this man was speaking and there was another man that we heard sharing his testimony with two other men. amazing. and then.......suddenly we heard this crowd coming towards us. They were singing "Celebrate Jesus, Celebrate". ahhhhh. are you serious? at this point, i literally started weeping in the middle of the crowds and crowds of people coming from all directions in downtown London. and then I realized......just before all of this had happened, God had burdened my heart like never before for the calloused hearts of this world and in this place, and then, like never before, i felt His presence. i KNEW that He was there. He is at work. His Light was penetrating through the darkness and there were others who felt it too and they were proclaiming it on the streets of London.
needless to say.....I am encouraged and know that God is here. He is moving and there are people who are listening and responding.
please continue to pray. pray for these people to see their need for Jesus; for them to thirst for His love and grace in their lives.
and now, my bed and sleep are awaiting me. I am throwing in the towel for the night.
Grace to you all.
