Do you ever find yourself wanting more than a short-term mission trip?
That one-week trip to Mexico during spring break was enough in
high school, but not any more. You can live off of that memory only for
so long, and there comes a time when you're ready to go deeper in your
faith.
What if you could go somewhere for more than just a week or a month or even a summer? What if you had an actual missions experience that changed the way you saw the world?
As part of your 8-month mission trip, you could find yourself in one of the featured locations below.
Have you ever dreamed of going to Africa? What about fighting
human trafficking in Southeast Asia or relieving extreme poverty in
Central America? These and more are all possibilities for you may do on
the Novas Project.
This is more than a mission trip; it's a missions experience.
We're going to be adding new locations to this over the next few
weeks. Check back here for updates, watch this video from the director,
and visit the Novas Project webpage.
What happened to the First Year Missionary Program? Click here to find out.
I left on May 29th with my dear friend and former squad-mate, Gretchen, for Panajachel, Guatemala where we set up logistics before the June 2009 Squad arrived two days later. Two days later 35 new World Racers, some more staff, and the coaches came and met us.
I got to spend 10 days there with them and felt unbelievably at home the entire time.
Panajachel is a beautiful little hippie town on Lake Atitlan. The lake is made from volcanoes and is the center of many villages that descend from the Mayans. It wasn't this fun and beautiful little city that made me feel at home though, it was simply being back out of my comfort zone.
Oddly enough, being uncomfortable has become my comfort. Maybe I can explain that better; being outside my comfort zone has become where I feel like I am actually living. It's where my energy comes from. It's where my excitement and boldness come from. It's where my compassion comes from. It's where I am operating fully on God and not on my own.
So what does that look like?
I don't really know how to explain it.
In Guatemala it looked liked serving the teams. Encouraging them, speaking prophetically over them, worshiping with them, answering their questions, laughing with them, crying with them, and empowering them to go out and claim the nations that they are going to for the Kingdom. It looked like stepping out of my comfort zone to empower people into getting out of theirs.
And the whole time, I LOVED IT. I absolutely love being a part of sending out the new squads of Racers. It is such an exciting thing to be a part of their lives, empowering and loving them as they go out. And the beautiful part, that I feel like I keep learning over and over, is that in stepping out, it causes me to step in closer to God. Closer to Home.
So thank you June 2009 squad, for allowing me to serve you. For letting me become part of your lives. And for being an amazing group of people who will look and smell and act more like Jesus the next time I see you because you've stepped out of comfort.
Caroline and I have been going through a study of Esther with Beth Moore for the last few weeks. It has been a great study, but one particular week and word that Beth gave has resonated. It was about destiny. God gave her some truths in this study that are absolutely incredible. And just talking about destiny gets me stirring inside. If you are stirred by thinking on destiny too, here are some things God pointed out through Beth and Esther...
-Often, God will lead us on a new path on the heels of crisis.
-Your destiny will always involve a group of people.
-Esther did not get to fulfill her little girl dreams, but she did fulfill her God given destiny.
-When you are in the middle of personal crisis, you are in position for a new revelation further into your destiny.
-As God presents portions of our destiny, we will often feel really alone.
-We expect our destiny to make us feel important and feed our ego-- our ego would rather be special than useful.
-God often hangs veils, but never accidentally. The things He keeps hidden are a call to faith. This is why He doesn't reveal all. But one day, that veil will tear from top to bottom and you will see. Because there is going to be a dramatic show of His glory. 'And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.'
-Walk in your destiny wherever He has given you dominion!
It's amazing how God takes me back to the same places, asks me to re-visit, re-learn, and dive back into the simple truths of who He is again and again.
Last night I had a brief, but beautiful, encounter with the love of God that I would like to share with you. He gave me this extremely short glimpse at a depth of His love that just completely overwhelmed me, and reassured me that this is a place He wants to take me to, deeper and deeper. But I've got to trust, step in faith, and actively enter into these places daily.
I was journaling through the emotions I was experiencing right after, and hope that my heart poured out is encouragement to you. This is what I wrote:
"Tonight, there was a glimpse of the depth--the inner parts, the rich colors of your love. The riches. The plenty. The abundance. It overflows. You chose me. Among all--you chose me to be here. To do this. To be with these people. Not because of anything--of any qualification other than you chose me. Your love. Your daughter. To poise and position for greatness. For the inheritance of your riches and depth. The intimacy, the love, I wish there were greater words. It goes so deep, so wide, so full, so rich, so colorful. It invades. For a split second, a gasp, a quick breath, you catch me. You open my eyes and heart to the fullness. To the place that is whole and true. To the depths of who you are. You. You open it up to me. It's not about who I am, but who you are. I am because you are. It doesn't stop. It's always here. I want it daily, Father. This deep, colorful, vulnerable place. It is like gems, colorful pieces of stained glass. The color through the light is radiant, brilliant, overwhelming. Blues and purples. So rich. So full. Embracing all of me."
THIS BLOG WAS WRITTEN BY A JUNE 2009 RACER-- TAYLOR GRIFFITH-- ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AT THE TRAINING CAMP WE WERE JUST AT... THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHY I LOVE THIS JESUS WE SERVE AND WHY I AM SO PASSIONATE ABOUT REACHING THIS GENERATION, AND FOR THE KINGDOM IMPACT WE CAN HAVE!
GET READY FOR AN UNCENSORED MESS-- HERE IS TAYLOR'S STORY:
Eighteen
years ago I became ensnared by the attractive web of hardcore porn. I
was a six year old Christian and the 18 years that followed have been
full of many different struggles. I mean, I'm sure we can all attest
to having mommy and daddy issues, issues of self-worth, loneliness,
insecurity, and hopelessness. I experienced all of these and more. It
was all big stuff, but the porn, that eventually grew into a drive for
sex, continued to be a CRUSHING burden with no escape in sight. I did
experience growth and success in areas of my life and even bared fruit
in the name of Christ, but I never experienced deliverance, deliverance
that we all read so much about in the Bible. That is until this
Thursday, April 2nd, on AIM's training grounds.
After five days of experiencing freedom from my generational
family sin, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, the need for
female attention, and a laundry list of others, we began talking about
spiritual gifts like: prophecy, healing, visions, and intercession.
After Pastor Mark finished speaking, he invited any member of our 34
person team, who wanted more of what God had to offer, even if we
weren't sure about all this stuff, to come up and be prayed for. I
knew that I wanted to receive any gifts that God would give me, so I
walked up, trying the whole time to fight off the doubts that continued
to grow in my mind. You see, after experiencing days full of emotional
freedom, and a pouring and softening of my heart, it was strange that
on this night I didn't feel a thing, nothing at all. As I'm standing
there, waiting, Matt, one of our leaders, looks up at me from praying
over a friend. He gives me a huge smile and points at me while
mouthing the word, "You!" At this point I knew it was time to get down
to bitness.
Continue reading at your own "religious" risk, because I'm about
to blow the top off that box you've kept God in all these years! I'm
not really sure why I fell, but as Matt and Pastor Mark began praying
over me, I lost my footing and Matt slowly lowered me to the ground.
They never stopped praying, even for a second. Pastor Mark walked off
to tend to others, while my brother Will
walked over to replace him. At this point I had begun to shake
sporadically . I would experience short bursts of intense shaking, or
a long sting of gentle shaking. My left hand began to take on the
form like that of a stroke victim and my mouth was locked in some form
a "O" shape. I began to feel something moving in my arm and mouth as
well. It was as if my body were numb and asleep, without the needling
pain that usually accompanies such sensations. As my convulsions grew
bigger and more intense, I started sputtering. The men praying over me
were encouraging me to speak in tongues and inviting the Holy Spirit to
work through me. All the while I was thinking, "Hmm, this is getting
pretty weird, but I guess I'm starting to speak in tongues!"
Matt heard my sputters and urged me to speak louder. Will was
beginning to praise God, but his heart was telling him to, "Rebuke!"
Will was confused, "No God, this is a good thing! He's speaking in
tongues and your Spirit is on him. This can't be bad!" But his heart
continued to shout, "Rebuke!" He was getting frustrated, so he opened
his eyes. When he did this, what he saw and did after his eyes were
open confirmed what his heart was saying. At the base of my throat was
a giant lump and when Will put his hand on the lump, I think we all
knew at that moment it wasn't the Holy Spirit I was manifesting, but a
demon! "Holy s--t...it's a demon," I remember thinking. The intensity
of Matt's prayers increased and I could literally feel the air around
me growing thicker as my convulsions and their prayers grew in
paralleled unison. Once Matt felt that it was a demon, he began asking
God to give him its name. He prayed louder and harder! "Give me a
name Lord! I need the name!" That was all Will needed to hear and he
finally confirmed his heart with his mouth and shouted, "I rebuke
you!" Matt immediately followed that with the demon's name, "Sexual
shame!"
My eyes shot open! My body took on a mind of its own! I had no
control, but I felt everything. Anger, so much anger! Their hands had
been on me, but they lost their grip as I tried to pull away. I
started for the left side of the room, but by this time they had
tackled me back to the ground. I was clawing the ground and screaming,
"Nooo! Nooo! Nooo!" With a guttural scream that came from something
deeper than myself. It was full of fear, power, and hate. I was
literally dragging the two of them across the room. They never stopped
praying! Time seemed to slow down and the two to three minutes after
the demon manifested itself seem much longer now as I'm remembering
it. By this time two more guys on our team joined Matt and Will in
holding me down and praying over me. I remember seeing Warren and AJ
with their faces taking on intense forms of prayer as the demon was
trying to fight them off. Four men were trying to hold me down and I
was still dragging them as I fought. I was so strong! Then there came
the turning point...
I literally felt a weight come over me, that was so heavy, I can
only assume was the hand of God. The demon was powerless, but I could
still feel the intense hatred! Somehow during this time they flipped
me onto my back and Matt had begun praying into my face as loudly and
powerfully as he could muster. The demon looked him square in the face
and the hate grew more intense! It was hard to believe! My screams
of, "Nooo!", turned to curses of, "F--k you! F--k you! F--k you!" They
never stopped praying. The process climaxed and the Spirit of God was
upon me. The demon had no choice, but to flee, he was beaten.
I immediately felt an incredible peace. I was sweating, hoarse,
and exhausted beyond measure, but there was a giant smile on my face.
I knew and felt God's love in the deepest parts of my soul. I had been
given freedom, a word that has become the theme of my life these past
days. I finally recognized the power of God's people and the strength
he's put in all us Christians! The box of religion that I've always
put him in was laying pieces around me. "Thank you Father," I breathed.
--- If you have any questions, I encourage you to ask! This is
pretty big stuff for most of us. It was big for me! But I believe
that our God is capable of anything! He loves you and wants you to
know that He sent His son to set you free!
I have had life breathed back into me. God has been so good these past few weeks while I have been in Gainesville, GA with the new June Racers. I feel like I have been able to breathe-- able to dream, to see, to hear, to love, and to serve in a refreshing fullness that I have been missing since being home from the Race.
God has brought me back to a place of intimacy-- or rather, I have let him. Training camp was so incredible in so many ways. Being on the other side of it, I was able to journey alongside these new Racers as they were experiencing their God in all new ways, and entering into the process of grieving, healing, and empowerment in the Spirit.
It was such a blessing to be a part of. I feel like my heart was expanded more and more each day as I got to know and love these Racers. (Here they are pictured after just conquering the climbing wall). My heart has come alive in a new way-- a more full way-- and I feel like I have been awakened to a whole new meaning of being passionate for my generation.
I LOVED seeing men and women my age wrestling with God. I LOVED praying with men and women my age for freedom and more of the Spirit. I LOVED encouraging men and women my age in the things they were being called to let go of and walk into. I LOVED being a shoulder to cry on, and a person to listen. I AM LOVING this journey I get to go on in a new way as I walk and pray with these new Racers.
Being a part of this has taken me back to a place of intimacy with my God. My Daddy. I have so missed that place. That feeling. That deep line of communication and tangible feeling of love. By serving, by loving, by stepping out into what He is doing, I was served, I was loved, and I was blessed by being a part of what He is doing.
God spoke to me while I was in Mozambique last summer something very simple, but very deep that has been sort of an anchor ever since. It was at a point where I was so homesick and done with the Race that I could barely stand it. I remember God speaking so clearly, "Andi, get on your knees." I was outside by a lake, and so I kneeled down in the sand. I had my head in my hands and God whispered, "Andi, here you are HOME."
Last week, I was in worship one night with the June Racers, and God called me back down to my knees. I got down, and immediately felt Him breathe life back over me. I felt His love pouring out on me. I knew I was safe in that place. Right where I was supposed to be. And I heard Him say, "Andi, welcome back HOME."
As part of your 
It's amazing how God takes me back to the same places, asks me to re-visit, re-learn, and dive back into the simple truths of who He is again and again. 
Eighteen
years ago I became ensnared by the attractive web of hardcore porn. I
was a six year old Christian and the 18 years that followed have been
full of many different struggles. I mean, I'm sure we can all attest
to having mommy and daddy issues, issues of self-worth, loneliness,
insecurity, and hopelessness. I experienced all of these and more. It
was all big stuff, but the porn, that eventually grew into a drive for
sex, continued to be a CRUSHING burden with no escape in sight. I did
experience growth and success in areas of my life and even bared fruit
in the name of Christ, but I never experienced deliverance, deliverance
that we all read so much about in the Bible. That is until this
Thursday, April 2nd, on AIM's training grounds.
