Andrew Wommack's Blog, page 28

New Life in Mexico

“The Lord highlighted a girl to me to tell her about His love and how beautiful she was, but I couldn’t at first,” Charis Bible College Colorado student Esther shared. “We had been told not to say much to them because it was the first time for Charis to visit the home. I kept on getting the [nudge] to talk to her, and I got permission from one of the interns to do that. I was glad I did because it was just what she needed. She wept with joy.”

Second-year Charis Colorado students were overwhelmingly blessed by the response they received from sharing the Gospel while on a missions trip to Mexico last December. The team enjoyed various ministry opportunities, like working in an orphanage with Charis Mexico students, and ministering in churches, a hospital, and the marketplace. Almost every day of the trip, someone received either salvation or the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The team was also invited to several work projects at the Christian orphanage “Pan de Vida” (Bread of Life). Projects included painting a ceiling, exterior doors, and a fence, along with hanging cabinets. The Charis Colorado team then prepared a program for the children of the orphanage, and this included songs, skits, and five stations where children could visit for face painting, balloons, crowns, fishing, and more.

Over 300 people attended the marketplace outreach. Games and a puppet show moved into three skits by the Charis Colorado team. The final skit was evangelistic in nature and was followed by a Gospel presentation. An invitation was given to receive salvation through Jesus, and most of the crowd responded by raising their hands.

Charis student Grace Iverson shared:

“My life was overwhelmingly blessed, as I was privileged to travel to Querétaro, Mexico, on a short-term missions trip with Charis Bible College Colorado. […] We traveled to another city where a local church, pastored by one of Charis Mexico’s students, had prepared a market outreach. The day prior, we canvassed the marketplace, passing out fliers and inviting all to the outreach. On the day of the outreach, hundreds of children and families came, and we were able to simply present the Gospel. Many were saved. The simplicity of love—hugging a child or playing games with a child—combined with the simplicity of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ made this a life-changing day for all involved. […] I am so thankful for the opportunities that we as students have at Charis Bible College—opportunities to share all that God has given us with the world!”

Their five days of ministry concluded back at Charis Mexico. Both Charis Colorado and Charis Mexico students enjoyed a special night of sharing experiences. Their hope is that all the lives affected, including their own, will continue in the faith and hope they have in Jesus.

Would you like this to be your story? At Charis Bible College, you can learn how to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit and watch God do incredible things through you. You will also gain a strong foundation in the Word, go on a missions trip, and experience the practical application of everything you’ve learned. It will change your life so that you can change the world.
Enroll today!

Ministers Wanted!

People sometimes forget that ministers need to be ministered to—especially the ministers themselves! So, where can they go to get recharged? At last year’s Andrew Wommack Ministries Ministers’ Conference, licensed and ordained ministers came from all over the nation and the world to be refreshed, receive ministry, and build relationships with other
like-minded believers.

A couple from Indiana had this to say about the Ministers’ Conference:

“This is our tenth year of coming. I remember the first one we came to. We decided to go ahead and buy the barbeque tickets, and I knew what I was getting ready to see. The first person to put meat on my plate was Andrew Wommack and then others. It proved to me that there was something here that I needed.” – Tim

“I love that there is no competition. No one is unapproachable. There is not that competition that you feel in so many ministers’ conferences.” – Peggy

Come and get touched by God’s presence! Marriages were restored, sicknesses were healed, and people left encouraged in their races after last year’s event. Richard from Texas said this:

“This is a place of destiny! Every time I come here, I am encouraged to do something more in my vision.”

Andrew’s Ministers’ Conference is an opportunity for seasoned ministers to pour into you. Ministry can be challenging, and sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself, your family, and yes, your ministry is take some time to be refreshed.

Laurel from Iowa came to this event for the first time and had this to say:

“This is our first Ministers’ Conference. It has been awesome. The teaching and the preaching have been awesome. It has been full and rich—so worth all the effort to get here—[and] the smiles, the love. We have appreciated it very much! We have already made reservations for next year’s conference.”

Many who come are blessed by the like-mindedness they experience with the speakers and fellow ministers. A lot of people who follow AWM feel isolated in their communities and churches, and this conference is an opportunity for you to find fellowship that you can’t get anywhere else.

At the 2016 Ministers’ Conference, you will receive teaching from world-renowned ministers and speakers like Andrew Wommack, Janet Boynes, Bob Yandian, Duane Sheriff, and Bob Nichols. You’ll enjoy the camaraderie and build relationships at the annual Grace or Faith Golf Tournament. And last but not least, you’ll sit down to great food and fellowship at the
Colorado Barbecue.

The conference is being held October 3-7, 2016, and is exclusively for ministers. So, take your ministry to the next level and register today by clicking here!

Post a comment below if you’re coming!

Bianca’s Healing Journey

A young woman from Norway was ready to stand against the disease that had robbed her of her vision, thanks to the free teachings of Andrew Wommack Ministries. Since childhood, Bianca Vlastuin had been stricken with rod-cone dystrophy—a rare and incurable disease that often leads to blindness.

“When I was a child, I could see everything,” recalled Bianca. “But the field [of vision] was going smaller and smaller until I only had vision in the center. In 2008, I had an examination, and they told me there was only 10 percent vision in my right eye and 15 percent in my left.”

Despite being legally blind, Bianca did her best to live a normal life. She accepted her infirmity until a friend from church, Elizabeth Muren, introduced her to Andrew’s teachings. “She gave me her card and wrote on the back, ‘Go to the website of Andrew Wommack because it changed my life, and I think it’s what you need,’” Bianca continued.

Bianca went online and started watching Spirit, Soul & Body with her husband, Gert. They both were blown away by how simply Andrew explained Scripture. “I thought, Why have I struggled twenty years to figure this out, and now I’m hearing all of it, and it’s all I need?” Bianca said. “After that, we saw God Wants You Well and You’ve Already Got It!”

Realizing that she did not have to live with rod-cone dystrophy, Bianca was determined to receive her healing. She continued listening to Andrew’s teachings and started posting Scripture all around her house. “I was sitting and reading the Bible, and I just started to praise God and thank Him for everything that He’s done and that He doesn’t need to do something to heal me,” Bianca explained. “He already did that on the cross.”

Bianca took her revelation one step further. “I spoke to my eyes and said, ‘Eyes, you were healed in the name of Jesus, so you must see. You must see now!’” The healing did not go through immediately; however, Bianca was undeterred. “I told my eyes again, ‘You are healed in Jesus’ name!’ And when I opened my eyes, they were totally clear!”

For the first time in her adult life, Bianca was able to see the world to its fullest. “I could see everything, and I thought, Wow, that is so amazing!’ Bianca said. “I could see the trees outside, the flowers, everything. It was so good! That first week, I actually had a headache because I [was] seeing
so much!”

Although Bianca had received her full healing, the Enemy was not willing to let her off that easy. As the days passed, she noticed her vision declining to its old ways. “I was mad about my eyes because it was like the devil was knocking to see if I [was] open,” Bianca recalled. “And I said, ‘No! I’m closed! I am closed. I am healed. So, eyes, you must see in Jesus’ name!’ And then after that, they were opened again.”

From being legally blind to having vision certified as better than 20/20, Bianca now sees the world with eyes of love and compassion, using her testimony to help others experience the free gift of God’s unconditional love and grace.

Thanks to the free teachings made available by Andrew’s partners, Bianca has had both her physical and spiritual eyes opened. Consider partnering with
us today!

If this has blessed you, please post a comment below.

Jim Omi—An Employee with a Charis Heart

Jim Omi believes that being a custodian at Charis Bible College includes more than just cleaning floors and straightening chairs. He cares for the people he serves and connects them to one another and to their community. Jim credits this influence, which he calls a kind of vision, to
his mother:

“She was an American, but because she was of Japanese heritage, during World War II, she was split up from her family in an internment camp. Her family’s property was taken from them, and they temporarily lived in horse stables. She was never bitter; neither was my father. My mom’s faith in the Lord was strong. I received patience from her and a love for people.”

Jim’s job description doesn’t limit him from reaching beyond the physical walls he cleans. It was almost from the start of his employment at Charis in 2014 that Jim approached his supervisor, Facilities manager Tom King, to propose an outreach to Woodland Park High School. Jim asked if he could bring physically and mentally disabled students to Charis to train them in janitorial work. So, Tom and his supervisor worked with Bob Piercefield of the Woodland Park School District to make it all happen. During the school year, Jim brings these students in for one hour, three days a week. He says he just keeps it simple:

“I teach them with a towel and cleaning solution. I teach them how to straighten chairs. They get exposure to people here. They love the music and the students…. Let me tell you about Octavius. When he started coming, he was slumped over in his wheelchair. Now he has been sitting up over time. That may not look like much. Although it’s quiet, it’s huge.”

It’s not just Woodland Park High School students who are being connected to Charis. Jim found out about two first-year Charis students who were talented at baseball, so Jim contacted the Woodland Park baseball coach, Mayor Neil Levy, and asked the coach if he could use a couple of “great guys from Charis” to help with their baseball team. Coach Levy was happy to have the help.

Then there is Adam Stone, coordinator of the Charis Creative Arts School, whom Jim was able to give a helpful connection to during the Christmas season. As Charis was preparing for The Heart of Christmas, Jim connected Adam with Sara Lee in the drama department at the high school.
Adam explains,

“We went to see their props department. They supplied us with so many props and costumes. The best was a wooden wheelchair for [the character of] President Roosevelt. We thought there was no chance they’d have one of those. But sure enough, they had the exact
[prop]—amazing!”

Jim is a man who benefits people wherever he goes. Though he’s not a graduate of or even a student at Charis, he has internalized what the school is all about, and it shows in the way that he fulfills Ephesians 4:16:

“He [Jesus] makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

New Living Translation, brackets added

“Jim exudes Charis,” says Tom King. “His heart is for students and for his job. It really shows in how he does his job and leads his team.” Jim is a great example of how no matter what your job title is, you can play an important role in God’s kingdom. One way you can discover your role is through seeking God at Charis! Click here to learn more. 

If Jim’s story blessed you, share a comment below!

The Porter Healing Journey

Porter familyIn the midst of a medical emergency, we as believers have a choice—believe what the doctors are saying or believe God’s Word. For Trina Porter from Glasgow, Scotland, this choice meant the difference between life and death when her husband, Alistair, had a
near-fatal accident.

It all began with a phone call one ordinary day in January. Prior to then, Trina had listened to every teaching of Andrew’s that she could get her hands on. She knew that healing was always God’s will. She knew the power of imagination and how, if not careful, unbelief can counteract faith. Trina knew everything necessary for countering an attack from the Enemy; however, what she did not know was that the phone call she was about to answer would demand that she put it all into practice.

On the other end of the line was David, her husband’s coworker. “All he said was, ‘Al has fallen off a roof. We’re going to get him to the hospital.’” Trina recalls, “I said to God, ‘Al’s fallen off of a roof… What’s going on?’ God just said to me, ‘He’ll be all right.’”

God’s words comforted Trina to a point that she expected Alistair to have only minor injuries when she arrived at the hospital. This was not at all the case. “His head was so misshapen and bloated, he almost looked unrecognizable,” Trina remembers. “His eye was so swollen, it looked like someone had taken a tennis ball and stuck it underneath his eyelid.” Alistair had fallen thirty-five feet and landed headfirst on the concrete.

Trina Porter“The doctor said, ‘He’s got three embolisms. It would only take one to kill him, but he has three.’” Trina continues, “And he said to me, ‘We don’t think he will survive surgery, and if he did, he will have mental and physical disabilities.’ While he was speaking, I pictured Al strapped into a wheelchair, unable to move and unable to take care of himself.”

At that moment, Trina had to choose whether or not she was going to allow those negative thoughts in her imagination. “I knew in that instant, I had to eradicate that thought and go back to seeing Al well,” says Trina. “And I told the doctor, ‘God told me he would be all right, so I want you to do the surgery.’”

To everyone’s amazement, Alistair survived the surgery. As days went by, however, Trina noticed that he was starting to relapse, and she called for the doctor. “He took one look at Al and said, ‘Get him to the emergency unit; we’re losing him.’” Trina remembers, “I had to sign a form because they were going to have to cut away a part of the brain to reach the blood clot farther back.”

Although the surgeon seemed apprehensive about the outcome of the procedure, Trina did not lose hope. “Again I said, ‘God said he will be all right. So, you go in there, and I promise you, this will be the best day’s work you’ve ever done.’”

Alistair PorterHours later, the surgeon came back with news: “It was the middle of the night, and he came into the waiting room with the little mask hanging around his neck. I said, ‘Best day’s work you’ve ever done?’ With a smile, the doctor responded, ‘Yep.’”

Alistair spent a total of only three weeks in the hospital, and his recovery shocked everyone. When it came time to check out, one consultant in particular shared his professional opinion with Alistair. “He said, ‘Someone up there likes you a lot. You are a walking miracle,’” Alistair relates. “This [came from] a consultant. They’re very scientific!”

Today Alistair continues to be a walking miracle, inspiring everyone who hears his testimony. Both he and Trina are very thankful to Andrew’s partners. Alistair shares, “I want to thank the friends and partners of Andrew Wommack Ministries because I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for them.”

Make testimonies like Alistair’s possible—partner with us today!

Post a comment below if this has blessed you.

The Answer’s Simple—Obedience Is the Question

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Have you ever wondered why people genuinely find the answer to that question puzzling?

“And God created…every living creature that moveth…and every winged fowl after his kind…. [22] And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful,
and multiply.”

Genesis 1:21-22a, emphasis mine

The answer is only puzzling if you don’t know what God’s Word says about it. The chicken came first.

Knowing God’s answer is not the only thing that matters, though. Once you have an answer from Him, your obedience to His Word becomes the question. In Andrew’s Lessons from Elijah teaching, he demonstrates how Elijah’s life teaches that both hearing and continuing to obey God’s voice are important.

Elijah “appears on the scene with no introduction” (p. 1) during a time
of wickedness:

“And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him. [31] …he took to wife Jezebel…and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.”

1 Kings 16:30-31

The word of drought that God gave Elijah to declare to Ahab changed everyone’s circumstances—even his own. Today, too, in a climate of confusion and darkness, believers are looking for answers. But as Andrew puts it, that’s not really the problem:

“It’s not a lack of words [or answers] from God that is the problem; it’s the failure of people to realize what they have in God’s Word and [to] act on it that is the problem today” (p. 3, brackets mine).

In other words, the real problem lies in believing an answer God’s provided and taking the next step of obedience to what He has said:

“We want to have the entire picture before we step out on God’s Word. Elijah didn’t have that! He didn’t know that the Lord was going to make supernatural provision for him. He just had one word from God: ‘Tell the king a drought is coming.’ Then after he was faithful to go and speak forth that word, God revealed the next step” (p. 7).

I faced a time like this in my own life. In March 2013, I attended Charis Campus Days in Colorado, thinking I was just there to find out about distance learning. In one of the sessions, Andrew said, “Someone here is thinking— I can’t come to school because I have older parents, my son will have to switch schools, I have a business, I have a dog…” I felt like there was a giant neon arrow pointing down at me. I knew God was speaking. Then Andrew said, “If that’s you, stand up.” I felt as though I had on a 100-pound lead suit. I struggled to stand and was the only one standing. Slowly others stood. He prayed that we would never forget the moment that we got the call to come to school.

When I went home, I found out that there were real obstacles to my obeying God. However, as I faced each situation, it was as if I had been given a machete and was hacking my way through a jungle. For me, it became a question of continual obedience. By August of that same year, my belongings were in a trailer going west, and my son and I were traveling toward Colorado in a car the Lord had provided for me just two weeks earlier.

Andrew teaches through Elijah’s life that God sends provision to the place He intends you to be. He calls this principle “a place called ‘there.’” Because God is good, He may give you supernatural incentives to make your obedience easier, but—

“Your place called ‘there’ isn’t necessarily a specific geographic location. It’s often more an attitude of wholeheartedly moving toward doing what God has said for you to do” (p. 21).

The outcomes of my obedience have been wonderful. My three years at Charis Bible College healed and changed me. The Lord has positioned me in the Andrew Wommack Ministries Publications Department, from where I am blogging today. Lessons from Elijah makes it clear that you will find God’s answers for your life—obedience is the only real question.

Partner with AWM and Charis today! Click here to find out more.

The Warmth of His Love

“God wants me to give you a word—just one word,” a woman told recent Charis graduate Denise Mize. “Maybe you know what it means,” she continued. “The word is Russia.”

“Throughout my first year at Charis Bible College, I had a strong desire to go to Russia on my second-year missions trip,” Denise said. “So, when the time came to submit our choices, I wrote Russia right at the top. [While] waiting to hear, I never really doubted that it would be Russia, and it was! Knowing God gave me a word through a woman I had never met gave me peace and joy. I knew He had a purpose for me in Russia.”

Like a blanket of snow that freezes all living things in its tracks, religion has been covering Russia, crippling God’s children who so desperately desire the love of their Father. This is where Charis sent a team of second-year students, who took with them the light and warmth of their heavenly Father.

After the students arrived, they were divided into teams and sent out for two days to minister to one family, being reminded that deep relationships take time. When Denise and her teammate Shalom entered the home of Masha, a dear Christian woman who lived in a small village outside Izhevsk, Denise instantly felt a special connection to her. “I just couldn’t love on this woman enough,” she recalled. “I soon felt that two days just wasn’t enough. I didn’t want to leave. My love for Masha was greater than any inconvenience.

“When we first arrived and realized the bathroom was a crude, wooden outhouse in the frozen backyard, I quoted Philippians 4:13 and promised the Lord and myself [that] I would not complain. Now I think, Outhouse? No big deal! If given the opportunity to go be with Masha again, I would jump at the chance—and I would bring some of those disposable toilet seat covers!”

Not only did Masha receive the healing she needed, but Denise noticed that Masha was also receiving the Father’s love through them. Denise insisted that their translator, Sergey, read Proverbs 31 to her.

“As he read the verses describing the skills [the virtuous woman had] of preparing food and sewing for her household, he pointed to the food on the table and lifted up her crocheted rugs [that] we had been admiring,” Denise said. “After he finished the reading, he translated my words: ‘Masha, you are a Proverbs 31 woman. You show the love of God to others in so many ways.’ I will never forget her smile. Masha and I both cried when we said goodbye. I think about Masha and pray for her every day.”

As a supporter of Andrew Wommack Ministries and Charis Bible College, you are a part of bringing life and healing not only to the nations, but also to the students who visit them. Recent Charis graduate William Bellamy, injured in a snowboarding accident just before his trip to Russia, asked for prayer for his shoulders while he was there—and something quite unexpected came his way.

“As the people began to pray for me, I received total healing in both shoulders instantly,” recalled William. “While they were praying, one woman put her hand on my lower back directly where I had major pain from an injury I received during the Iraq War. The area began to get warm, and instantly the pain
was gone.”

We may never know the full effects of what happened in the frozen tundra of Russia this side of eternity. However, we do know that this is just the beginning, as more and more students are realizing who they are—and Whose they are—and are going out to proclaim it to the world.

Click here to find out how you can help support missions trips like this through AWM!

What Do You See?

Intimidation is a powerful weapon. Satan wields it through people and circumstances to interrupt, deter, or completely stop the plans of God. Have you ever been afraid to do what you felt God wanted you to do? The prophet Elijah could relate to that feeling. In his Lessons from Elijah teaching, Andrew shares from Scripture a specific incident. Elijah had just finished slaughtering 850 prophets of Baal and of the groves, who had been fed at Queen Jezebel’s table (1 Kin. 18:19). This means Baal worship was the state religion (p. 97).

“Jezebel didn’t like Elijah, because he was a prophet of the Lord. Upon hearing the news of all Elijah had done, she became furious and took an oath saying, ‘May the gods make me like one of these slaughtered prophets if Elijah isn’t dead by this time tomorrow!’ Then she sent a messenger to tell Elijah what she was determined to do. ‘And when he [Elijah] saw that, he arose, and went [fled] for his life’ (1 Kin. 19:3, brackets mine)… So what did Elijah see? He saw himself like one of those dead men he had just slaughtered. Jezebel painted a word picture, ‘So let the gods do to me, and more also, if you aren’t like one of those dead prophets by this time tomorrow!’ Elijah’s mind flashed back to that grisly scene and he saw himself dead. That’s why he
fled” (p. 98).

When you confront Satan’s kingdom, he will work through people and circumstances to try to intimidate you. As Andrew points out in his book, Jezebel was trying to intimidate Elijah. If she had really planned on killing him, she would have sent a soldier, not a messenger.

There is a reason Elijah had the courage to challenge the prophets of Baal:

“The day before, he had seen the word God had put in his heart. He saw himself challenging the prophets of Baal to a duel, calling down fire, and slaughtering them. He told the Lord, ‘Let the people know that I have done these things at Your word.’ He had seen these things already in his
heart” (p. 99).

What do you see in your heart? How do you see yourself, and how do you
see God?

If you read Elijah’s whole story in the Bible, you learn that God took care of him, even though he didn’t always handle every intimidating circumstance well. If God did that for Elijah, He will do it for you. Let that be an encouragement as you remain steadfast in the midst of your circumstances! Andrew continues:

“Due to his boldness to proclaim the word of God, the king had sought him in every nation on the face of the earth (1 Kin. 18:10). If you stick around long enough, you’ll see the word of God put you in a position of authority every single time. However, you must be truly speaking God’s Word, not just your own doctrines and opinions. Sooner or later, the word of God will always exalt you” (p. 72).

[image error]Are you facing an intimidating situation or person? Learn from Elijah’s mistakes and successes through Andrew’s Lessons from Elijah teaching. It’s available in CD, DVD, book, and study guide formats. You can get the book in Spanish as well. You can also watch Andrew teach Lessons from Elijah on the Gospel Truth broadcast.

If this has blessed you, post a comment below.

I Am Willing

[image error]“When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. [2] And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ [3] Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”

Matthew 8:1-3, New American Standard Bible

What was the number one force behind Jesus’ ability to heal the sick or work miracles? This one factor—in a single moment—determined the future quality of life for some of those alive during His life and ministry. Let’s look at some of those people whom He healed. The centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant (Matt. 8:5-13), the two blind men who received their sight (Matt. 9:27-30), and the leper mentioned above are just a few. All of these people used their faith to draw on the compassion of Jesus—His willingness to heal!

To know what God is willing to do is to know His character. At last year’s Healing Is Here Conference, many people discovered an aspect of God’s character regarding healing. Through biblical teaching from Charis Bible College instructors, they were able to operate in the power of believing in God’s willingness to heal them.

Many Christians are taught in church that “if it is God’s will” to heal, then they will be healed. Assuming what God does or does not want to do can radically affect a person’s core beliefs about God’s nature, steering them toward something that may or may not be true. So, it’s important that what we as Christians believe is rooted in Scripture.

It could be a temptation to base what you think about healing on past experiences. The man at the pool of Bethesda waited thirty-eight years to get healed (John 5:2-15). He was focused only on trying to get into those waters for his healing—until Jesus came along and showed him another way.

While you don’t need to go to a conference to get healed, sometimes being in a different environment—one filled with faith—alongside other, supportive Christians can encourage you to receive from God like never before. Many have received the manifestation of their healing at Healing Is Here.

Are you desiring for God to “make you clean” like the leper but you think God can heal only if He wills it? Well, thank God, He has already made up His mind about that at the cross! First Peter 2:24 says,“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (English Standard Version,
emphasis added).

Jesus already displayed His willingness to heal—to the point of being humiliated, beaten, and eventually giving up His life. He did His part. Now it’s up to you. Are you willing to receive?

Make plans to attend the 2016 Healing Is Here Conference. You will receive healing ministry, learn how to minister that healing to others, and experience the love of God. Some who have come in the past were healed just by sitting under the Word! For more information and to register, click here. Please share a comment below if this has blessed you.

When Your Dream Seems Forgotten

My lazy eyes roamed over the view I had from the top of the bluff I hiked that evening. While taking in the grand splendor that is Colorado Springs, I let my thoughts wander to the central issue of my life at the time: What exactly am I doing here?

As someone who has loved media her entire life, making the decision to go to Charis Bible College to pursue God and leave behind all dreams of a future in media was no small feat. My dream was to attend the University of Georgia and study broadcast journalism. My plan was to become a sport’s broadcaster. But as my high school graduation day drew closer, it became obvious to me that God had other plans. I shared a little more about this in my previous blog post Dreaming Big with God.

Moving to Colorado seemed like the death of every dream I ever had for myself. And yet, because I had been pursuing God so strongly, I knew in my heart that this was the right thing to do. So, sitting on the bluff that day, even though I felt like the setting sun was taking all of my dreams along with it as it disappeared behind Pikes Peak, I knew I was where God wanted me.

In Andrew’s teaching Lessons from Elijah, he explains,

“I really believe that God doesn’t show you His perfect, total will for you all at one time. He does it in steps and in stages…. So, God is going to show you things one step at a time, and if you want step number two or step number ten, you’ve got to start doing step number one.”

A lot of people thought I was crazy for moving to Colorado without a solid plan. I thought I was crazy. But it wasn’t until I made the decision and took the first step that I began to see God’s plan unfold in my life.

Andrew continues,

“[Elijah] didn’t get the second word from God about how God would protect him and sustain him through the drought. He didn’t get that until he had delivered the first word. Step out in the direction that God is calling you to go, and then God can direct you and confirm. But you have to take the word that God has given you and act on it.”

Taking my seat in the first-year classroom the next day, a special announcement was made. Charis would be starting a Third-Year program featuring several different schools, including a Media School! I don’t think I heard anything else after that.

It wasn’t even the school that impacted me the most; it was the fact that God was speaking directly to me. In that moment, He showed me how all of the dreams that had been in my heart since I was a little girl were in fact from Him and that they mattered. I didn’t have to give them up to serve God. Rather, in using them, I would bring glory to Him in a way that only I was created to do.

Andrew concludes,

“Are you doing what God called you to do? Are you obeying everything? Is there any leading that God has put into your heart that you haven’t yet stepped out on? If that’s true of you, well then you know what, God’s provision is going to where He told you to go. There is supernatural anointing, peace, rest, finances, and people that are going to help you. Everything that you need is there. Are you there?”

Nothing in my original plan could have brought me to where I am today. God knew what He was doing all along. I just needed to trust Him and take my first step.

If this has inspired you, post a comment below.