End of first week of Intro

Wow, what a week! A great week...overwhelming, but wonderful all in the same breath! I thought I was walking out of the prayer room at 6 p.m. this evening and I sensed I needed to go back in and speak with a woman who was new to this place (like I'm not???). She is Jewish and I had to, during my service as an usher, tell her some "rules" about the prayer room. She left saying she felt very "unwelcome" there. I felt badly, but she was sitting outside the room when I came out. I walked past and started for my car...then I believe the Holy Spirit said, "Go back and talk with her."

So I did. It turned out really well! God used my newness and hers as well to help bring some clarity to things for her, and when I left, she was ready to go back into the prayer room for a while.

I'm learning to listen. A quality I really need to learn. I've had 5 amazing situations in the past week where I've sensed I've 'listened' well, and in all three situations, it has been confirmed to me that I have 'heard well'. This excites me because all of this is really new to me. The woman today was actually the fifth 'listening' test for me.

Anyway, I forgot to share something really amazing about the 10 year celebration of IHOP. Saturday night was the "Big night". That's when they announced and officially "launched" the various 'justice ministries' here. They also took up a special offering for those ministries. Now, you have to understand that EVERYONE here on staff as well as those of us who are interns and ALL STUDENTS are ALL on support...meaning everyone here is a missionary supported by wonderful churches and individuals. So, most of the folks there Saturday night are missionaries...some are visitors of course, and then there are guests and partners of IHOP. Anyway, the offering from all these people combined was ONE MILLION DOLLARS! Approximately $430,000 came JUST from those who are here at the IHOP missions base...yep, from missionaries themselves!

I'm floored...humbled...amazed...and all that money goes 100% into these new ministries they have started here! What a blessing!