Up, up and away

So since my last update (9 May) this is what has happened:

• First I went into a bit of a panic! Then I stopped and thought: "Hey God! You're big! AND strong. AND able. I'm handing his over to You." Turns out this is not a once-off deal. You still have moments of fear and panic after a prayer like that, so you just have to keep right on, praying it again and again :o)
• I started the VISA application process online (still waiting for the money to be able to pay for it!). The earliest date I could get at my pre-selected centre was 31 May, which would have been waaaaay too late. Needless to say there was more panic whilst driving towards a travel agent for advice. But as I was driving along, I suddenly realise that all the way along Port Elizabeth's rather long beach drive, I had only ad green traffic lights. I felt like God was saying, "Hey it's all good. No red lights for this - just green all the way. God for it!" Was able to change VISA appointment date to 19 May :o)
• Took a bus to Johannesburg for the VISA interview. I won't bore you with the tales of bus horrors (which included a mother changing her kid's nappy on the seat in front of me... in that stuffy bus air... :/) Literally walked in and out the embassy in under half an hour! They didn't ask for most of my documents - including my bank statement. Which was MIRACULOUS... at that stage I had all of R2000 in my account! They just stamped away and sent me off :o)
• Money then started pouring in from all over the place. In the space of a few days I suddenly had R32 000 in my account! CRAZINESS! A very large chunk of that was due to my unbelievably generous mother. Words cannot describe my immense gratitude to EVERYONE who has given anything, and aslo everyone who has prayed!
• I've just paid for my tickets today! Still can't quite believe it! I also have nearly enough money to pay my school fees (2200 USD, a very kind friend Donnae has already paid 200 USD for me!). The exchange rate has just gone up, SAD, but I am convinced that if God has managed to do so much already, He will see to every other detail too. Need about R 6000 - R 8000 more, so please keep praying with me!

WHAT an adventure! It's been such a crazy few weeks. I have never felt so utterly out of control, ha ha! But it's been a good feeling - there was nothing I could do but sit back and watch God perform miracles :o) Obviously, I'm super that I get to go and learn so much, and hang out with some cool people. But I'm even MORE excited that I get to go and bring BACK whatever I learn. I beliebe that this trip is part of the inheritance of His People Grahamstown. My lovely friend Fiona Matier (His People Potchefstroom) sent me this:

“It’s not just a cool Ella experience, it’s part of the inheritance of HP Grahamstown. Seriously, I see you coming back with keys – to unlock the worship treasures that have become a little dormant and covered in dust. It’s time. And the Grahamstown church is going to be instrumental in equipping the rest of the EN churches in South Africa in worship. See the bigger prophetic picture. Remember the former glory – well, that was just a taste of what is to come. But you need some deposits for that to fully happen. Do it Ella, we need it!”

My dad also sent me this:

“I had an extended dream as I woke up today asking God for His provision for North Carolina. I saw a train called ‘The Provision of God’, and we were in the dining car toasting your travels. Your coach was called ‘Joy of the Lord’. So together with all your friends, we thank God for your provision and travel.”

And that's where it's at... thanking God for His OUTSTANDING provision :o)

MPD adventures continued... and some VERY exciting news...!

I'm in PE at the moment, continuing with the MPD hunt. It was really wonderful being back in Grahamstown briefly after the worship school - catching up with people, and trusting God to impart some of the things we'd learnt at the worship time to our church. We had MANY great times of just soaking in God's presence, letting His love chase us down and surround us. There is nothing more life-changing then realising that God loves YOU, just as you are, just as He created you to be. Not for what you can achieve, or how well you've behaved. And also not because He *is* love and it's His job (or obligation) to love you. But His specific love for you. It can actually be quite a scary thing to still your heart, and ask God, "How much do You love me? Who do You say I am?" because we  kinda expect that He'll reply with a dismayed shake of the head, full of despair and frustration... "When are you going to get it right? Why are you making so many mistakes?" But that's just not true! He looks at us and is captivated by us, astonished by us. And everything He has to say to us is full of love, full of encouragement and joy. How crazy?! Anyhoo... we had lots of fun just hanging out with Dad :o)

So it felt like a great pit-stop before hitting the road again. I'm staying with a great friend in PE, and it's been fantastic catching up with her. She helped me get my hands on a Christian Business Network list, full of contact details. So I've been doing a lot of cold-calling, working me way through that list. I've had some VERY interesting conversations, ha ha! And found some great new partners.

But I must say that all of this has been somewhat eclipsed by some news I got today...

When I was at the worship school in Johannesburg a few weekends back, I saw a flyer at at the resource desk. I picked it up to check it out, and even before I’d read it, my heart started pounding so hard, I thought it was about to leap out of my chest! I flipped the flyer over, and read about an exciting worship school called The 18 Inch Journey (18 inches being the distance from head to heart). I got so excited, I thought I might explode on the spot! It’s hosted by Jonathan David Helser, his family and his worship team; and is based in Sophia, North Carolina. I applied for it as soon as I could, even though I knew they would only accept 15 people (from MANY international applicants), and it was therefore an incredibly long shot.

I’ll spare you the agonies of the wait (which I found long and difficult!)… I received an email from them tonight informing me that my application has been accepted! YAHOO! I believe it is a God-thing, and am so VERY excited. We learnt so much in one weekend with this team, that I can only imagine what 2 months of living in community with them will do to me! And imagine what I will be able to bring back, and sow back into our church! The whole weekend I kept thinking to myself: “These are my people! I need to hang out with them and learn from them more about worship!” And now here's my chance :o) It starts rather soon (eeek), and runs from 1 June to 31 July. It’s going to cost 2400 USD (which covers accommodation and food etc), and I also need to pay for VISA application and flights, of course. I’m thinking it’ll probably add up to a total of R30 000, possibly a bit more. So it’s really going to have to be (or continue to be!) a very large miracle! That feels overwhelming at this point, but I know God can do it! You can find out more about the school at http://www.aplacefortheheart.org/aplacefortheheart/18inchvision.html and you can see the BEAUTIFUL 52 acre place it's held at here: http://www.aplacefortheheart.org/aplacefortheheart/The_Facilities.html

Please pray with me for funds to come through! Eeeep!

EXCITEMENT :o)

Victory Weekend

Victory Weekend is always one of my highlights from our annual church calendar. It's a time when we go away and allow God to radically deal with us. "Radically" in a very literal sense - in that we allow Him to deal with the very root of all the gunk in our lives. It never ceases to amaze me how we can walk around for years fill of hurts from traumatic experiences in our past, unresolved relationships, sin that we've never dealt with.. all this stuff. And in one short weekend, if we allow Him to, He can remove and heal it all. So it's always a very exciting time - seeing people set free, restored to what God created them to be. Do you know that when God looks at us, He sees Himself reflected in us?! How crazy. He looks at little old siff me and sees holiness, righteousness, purity, joy... That cheers me up no end! :o)