Ablaze: the fire has started

The last 4 months I have been focused on working to help make Ablaze worship and Missions gathering happen.

The 3 months following, my main job was to communicate. To communicate to people coming, youth group leaders and individuals. To communicate to the other staff, and listen in on a lot of meetings. To communicate to the director and see what the director needed me to work on next.

I was stretched, pulled, made uncomfortable.... I grew as a leader and in administration.... I wrote in the last note that one of the ways I felt God leading me to take this step to help with Ablaze was a visual I got of the giant swing. The giant swing is a swing that we have here at the base, part of our Ropes Course. To experience the swing you must take a step of faith off of a 30 foot platform into thin air. I kept getting visuals of that step. I wanted to help with Ablaze.... to be a part of it.

So with God as my harness and rope holding me up I took the plunge, I stepped off into thin air. And He carried me every step of the way, and it was a ride! Like stepping off of the giant swing it was tough, overwhelming and exhilerating.

At first I was just mobilizing and contacting people to become part of the YWAM VA Facebook profile page. I was like "I'm not doing much." So I went to Kara and Chris and I was like, "put me to work." They took me out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant sometime later and put me to work.

The first week of Ablaze started July 5th. This was the most challenging week, but God brought definate fruit. Twenty five young people committed their lives to Jesus, to follow him totally basically to a life of mission. Whatever that means as they follow God.... missions aren't only overseas, they can be in your high school, at the fast food restaraunt you work at or in high executive offices.

The 2nd week was the Family week. It was our smallest week. We had 11 to 14 participants outside of our YWAM family. We had people ages 4 to 70. The call to missions service was powerful. The Holy Spirit was poured out in a special way. I believe young people were filled with the Holy Spirit and with power. That night 7 young people commited themselves to missions.

There was a young girl that I was responsible for for the week. Her name was Felicia age 14, I was also kinda responsible for her sister Charity. They were both very bright and hungry for God. I had a chance to share and pray for Felicia. For Charity I felt to pray for her hands. The Holy Spirit was heavy on me and I prayed for her hands, that they would be healing hands.

During that week 2 people from the neighborhood, a mother and daughter came into relationship with Jesus.

The third week was my favorite. We had 3 youth groups. The kids were fantastic and the youth leaders were completely behind Ablaze and what God wanted to do. Our focus on the week was Justice, learning about Human trafficking. Our big outreach was Thursday night at a local artsy theater called the Byrd. We showed the movie "Call and Response" to bring awareness to the community that human trafficking occurs here and abroad. About 350 people came.

Prior to Thursday we had 3 outreaches in the city to pass out fliers advertising the movie. While passing out fliers some of us had chances to pray for those in need.

It was our 2nd day on the streets passing out fliers. We were in the MCV area, a local hospital. Chris our director struck up a conversation with a lady, Sunday who was sitting on the curb waiting for her ride. She told Chris that she had been trafficked. There was also signs that she was an addict. Chris motioned Cameron to come over, a girl of 12 who was participating in Ablaze. Cameron joined the conversation. She placed her hand on Sunday's back, the first thing she asked God was "Please give her friends." Sunday started crying. She told Chris and Cameron that that was what she had been asking for.

I had a definate God meeting. It was near the end of our time on the streets handing out fliers. I was with 2 of the girls that were part of Ablaze. We went up to a group of women sitting on the grass near MCV. I started talking about the flier and the movie. I found out right away why they were there. A young man, Kevin age 20 had been in a major car wreck the night before. A 15 year old girl had been driving. The car flipped. He was now in ICU with brain damage. He was confused. His mom Traxie, girlfriend and aunt and Cousin were who I was talking to. I asked if I could pray for them.

I was sitting on the ground near the cousin. I started praying soon the mom sitting across from me started crying. So I leaned in and got on my knees. I put my hand on here and prayed for this mother. I also cried. I prayed for Kevin to be healed, for God to comfort and wrap his arms around this mother. I prayed for Jesus to be putting his hands on Kevin's brain. I don't remember everything that I prayed but I know I shared Jesus' love through that prayer and sharing that moment of pain with that family. It was very special to be able to touch a heart in pain with God's love.

Friday morning we had a special time with the young people. We did something called "Step into the Circle." If the young people made a conscious decision to follow Jesus, no matter what, they were to step into the circle. Many did. We were prepped to lay hands on them and pray for each of the young people that made that choice.
like the verse says 2 Timothy 2:6
“And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed-keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold, and loving and sensible”
The Message

It was a very special time. I had the chance to pray over a number of the kids. I felt the Holy Spirit in some powerful ways. I believe we were able to share God's heart with these kids through the laying on of hands and prayer.

Our summer outreach of Ablaze Worship and Missions Gathering was definately a success. God really blessed us and anointed the time. The implications of what God did and will do are beyond what we will ever see. The fire has started.