Amsterdam Recap
So we got back to Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago, but I haven’t had a moment to let you all inside of how our experience was over there. I am going to go from day 1 to a recap of the whole thing.
First the city of Amsterdam is probably one of the most beautiful cities I have ever step foot in. Just the way that it was made with the canals running throughout the city was just very unique and beautiful. It’s very strange, as you might know Amsterdam is a very worldly place now, but has christian foundations, and I saw the canals as being something that represented that the living water of our Father in heaven was flowing throughout this city. That in the midst of all this darkness, Gods heart and desire is for His living water to continue to flow in the city of Amsterdam, and that His grace is just that amazing.
In Europe the thought is that logic or reason prevails anything. I don’t write to say that I don’t agree with logic or reason, but I believe that the spirit of God is something that must come before logic and reason, or that the spirit of God will bring forth logic and reason that is of Him. With this being said youth students in Europe are taught to think with this mindset. That there must be a formula before there is an answer. As I’ve walked with the Lord over the past couple of years I have learned that a lot of times God will give us an answer, and then its up to us to prayerfully seek out logical ways or ways of reason to get to His answer. I say this because during the time we had with Korean European students at the retreat a move of the spirit of God was hard for them to embrace or grasp, because they were looking for the logic for what they were feeling the spirit do in there hearts, as opposed to simply letting God minister to their hearts, and seek His logic and reason after.
This is the problem that I not only see in Europe, but in the church in America. We try to teach logic and reason, before allowing people to encounter the spirit of a living God, that when people do encounter the spirit of God, because they feel there is no logic they tend to stray away from all that God is trying to do in our heart, and essentially miss His presence. This is the oh so common mistake of christians “knowing” God, but not really knowing Him.
At the Korean-European Retreat we were battling the this idea that logic comes before spirit, and this idea that there has to be a formula for a spiritual movement to make sense, instead of the spiritual move of God bringing forth logic and reason. As we pressed on as a team in prayer and in the word I noticed one thing that stood out to me and it was just to seek the Father’s heart for each and everyone of our students. We would have times of intercession throughout the day where we were praying for the students to come to really know and encounter the Father’s love. From this place we were really able to see the spirit of God bear fruit.
We know that when someone really encounters the Father’s heart and the Father’s love that it is something that we can only simply embrace, because his love is so perfect. As it says in the book of 1 John 4 verse 18 ” there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear..” It was from these students, who are so logically minded, encountering the Father’s love, which we know is perfect for us, that this sense of fear that what they were feeling wasn’t okay, because logic or reason was missing, that they were able to essentially let go of logic first, and cling on to the heart of the father.
All in all, these were students who don’t have youth pastors or youth leaders to look up to, or to talk to about their faith, and essentially you can say they have nothing. But the Father’s heart is so big, that from nothing he was able to create something that only the father can create, and that is a sense of genuine Christ like community, and a knowledge of the Father’s heart for all of the students that were able to come to this retreat. My heart is for this knowledge they have gained of the Father’s heart for them to continue to evolve and shine ever so radiantly in their life.
Thank You Lord for all that You’ve done, all that You are doing, and all You have yet to do.
All glory, honor, and praise be to You God, and may You be lifted high in the great land that is Yours, Europe.
AMSTERDAM DAY 1 Arrival
So we landed in Amsterdam today on my birthday! I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday present from my father in Heaven! Thank You JESUS! Its so beautiful over here. It really looks just like the Amstel Light Beer commercials. The people and environment is really laid back, and they are very sociable. It’s almost have if God has been preparing their hearts to be open and share with people they don’t know, and be open to the point that Gods love can enter and being to transform the people of Europe! Exciting days ahead! and crazy testimony! me and ray took some musical equipment, and we were only given one bag allowance for our flight and ended up paying 0$ THANK YOU JESUS! keep following and lifting us in prayer! We want to see the kingdom in Europe!
AMSTERDAM!
So in about a week and a half I will be traveling to Amsterdam with the ministry team! This is actually my first time leaving North America so I am super stoked to the the spirit of God move in other places in the world.Please keep us in your prayers, as we will be trying to simply be Gods hands and feet in the world. oh yea I AM OFFICIALLY DONE WITH COLLEGE IN 2 DAYS!!
