I wanted to clue you guys in on whats going on in my life right now.
Recently, i have gone back to school at KSU, commuting, and helping take care of my dad as he recooperates from his kidney transplant, praise God! While life is constantly changing, the Lord has seriously begun to teach me more than ever that no matter how hard i try or how organized and planned i think i am, he always charts my steps. Since last August- (i found out i wouldnt be in school and was planning on my dad having the transplant in the fall)- God has been showing me how quickly things change and life gets "disrupted" from what i originally had planned. But he has been molding me to just LET GO and let Him handle everything. ive always been a planner and slowly his is ripping my schedules and my ideas out of my hands and placing them in His.
I write this all to tell you that i am embarking on a very exciting journey in this season. This time last year i had no idea i would be living at home, helping my sick father, experiencing extreme hardship and only relying on only God to get me through. The past 6 months have been a trying time leading up to now. While it seems so inopportune for everything thats happening now to actually be happening, its what the Lord intended.
The largest part of this season, i beleive, is the spritual transformation i am going through. I am stepping into the water completely and submerging myself in His grace in order to be taught and learn more about myself, my giftings, and who i am called to be in His kingdom.
I have the opportunity to be involved in a school of ministry internship under Dwight and Candy Haymond. From now until May i will undergo what the Lord has told me is a time of intense pushing and pulling. The Lord is going to open my heart up and shove all the things of Him that i have not yet understood inside, as well as tearing out all the things that are not of Him, even those that are of Him (but just refining them and placing them back inside). I expect this season is going to hurt. but its going to be a good hurt. A supernatural hurt that changes who i am in Christ and how he uses me. The Lord continually has been placing 1 Corinthians 12:31 on my heart- "eagerly desire the greater gifts".
The vision of this school is To mold and equip God’s children to be and do Kingdom Realities. Dwight and Candy will teach us more on hearing God, being Jesus to the world and growing in ourselves and our giftings, as well as teaching us about the gifting we can have through growth in the kigndom. We will learn the ministry of Sozo (inner healing), learn more about dreams and visions and how to interpret them, spiritual warfare, bathing in prayer and intimacy (soaking), how to be in tune with a spirit at all times, and the Fathers creative heart. We will also take part in great conferences/trips to other ministries in the Southeast (mornignstar, bethel, mehesh, etc) to gain growth from those ministries and spirit-led people.
There is a cost to this school, and i am in no way able to pay for it on my own. I have no source of income, and while my parents would support me they are in no way able to because of my fathers health. The Lord has been teaching me about trust and faith in Him and His powers, especially in the realm of financial provision. This is something the Lord has been trying to get me to release to Him for a while. I pray that in this season i will also come to a place of complete reliance on the Lords provision and faith that He will do as he has spoken. This is going to be a life changing experience and i am so fortunate to have Dwight and Candy as mentors and friends. One gift the Lord has placed in me is the ability to be "teachable" a lot of times more so than others. I am always longing to learn from those above me, wiser than me, and those with more experience, and Dwight and Candy are. They have the education of a pastor/theologan, but also have a great understanding of the spirit realm through years of ministry.
I pray that as you read this and as you know me and my heart, that you would ask the Lord about what he has for me in this season and also about whether you feel this is an opportunity to support my spiritual growth in a financial way. While the school includes a trip to Africa i will be unable to go because i am back in school but the rough costs for me will be around $1500. That includes books, conferences, gas, teaching, special speakers, etc. I have been praying as well that the Lord would bless me above the neccesary cost so i can offer an extra financial blessing to Dwight and Candy for their ministry and in a few other places that have influenced my spiritual growth the past 3 years.
Please seek the Lord about any contribution and know that you are not only supporting me in my growth but sowing into the future generations but supporting me in any future ministry the Lord leads me to do. Any donation would be greatly appreciated. Checks can be made payable to Lifegate Ministries.
More info can be found at: http://lifegateinternational.com/
I love you all and pray that the Lord is with you in this season as well, teaching and molding you to look even more like Him. Seek first the Kingdom!! Blessings.
Rachel
