News from Winter Camp, expectations for missions week, and oh yeah, it's my birthday! ;)

Hey Everyone! Man, it has been a VERY busy past few weeks! I apologize for not posting more diligently; I'll do my best to fill you all in on what I've been up to! As usual, God continues to do amazing things that leave me in awe and more in love with Him than ever. I MUST tell you about last weekend! As some of you know, I drove back to my homeland to take part in my youth group's annual Winter Camp, and let me tell you, it was exceedingly, abundantly above all I could've asked, hoped for, or imagined! Two of my wonderful friends from School of Ministry, Kate and Libby, came down with me, to partner with what God was doing and to contribute in any way they could to how God was moving among the youth. Even before I tell you of all that God did, I have to interject this: Words cannot begin to express the depth of my gratitude to them for coming alongside me in prayer and action. They gave their hearts and efforts to support my dreams of God moving in greater measure in my youth group, and for that I must say thank you, thank you, thank you for your willingness and friendship. You are an incredible blessing to me.

Ok, all that heartfelt thanks aside, here are the amazing details! The weekend truly left me in awe... It was so incredible to see God bring the entire weekend together... the theme of this camp was "Dispatch and Deploy", which REALLY stirred me up with an incredible level of expectation. My youth group has been in a "waiting room" of sorts for quite a few years now so it has been the cry of my heart to see us break forth into the fullness of our calling and destiny. Needless to say, I started praying for the weekend months in advance, listening for the leading of the Lord, and preparing the way in the Spirit for all the things to come for us individually and corporately. On the other side of the weekend, all I can say is WOW, what an incredible God we serve. I actually found myself laughing at my own preconceived ideas, and completely wrecked and in awe of what the Lord had done. He answered EVERY SINGLE PRAYER and fullfilled every work that He said He'd accomplish but He did it HIS way! Exactly how it should be, and of course, how He would do it because He's God! It was a wonderful revelation to be hit with... that He is God, God who loves to partner with His people to bring about their (His) dreams in the best possible way. Wow. How critical it is to have a foundation of prayer!
Every year, we look back on the year before and see how the Lord just continues to build His work in us through our previous encounters with Him. The ceiling, the highest point of last year's camp, was absolutely the floor for this year's! I was blown away to watch God move as even during our very first session of the camp, the kids were experiencing deep healing and encountering the presence of God together, in worship and in ministering to one another. It was POWERFUL. Throughout the rest of the weekend, kids were being set free in so many ways... 2 people were saved, and one rededicated her life to the Lord. Another was filled with the Holy Spirit and received the gift of tongues, while another was delivered from suicidal thoughts and ushered into a healing power-encounter with the Lord. God just brought so much healing, and that was one way He blew my preconceived ideas out of the water. NOT that I don't recognize the need for the healing work of the Lord by any means! But as I was praying for a "Dispatch and Deploy" themed weekend, I had envisioned much more activation and practice in a grander sense, without taking into consideration in order for us to minister healing, wholeness, and salvation to the world, we ourselves must first allow the Lord to bring healing and wholeness to the areas within us that are lacking. I was very grateful when that "DUH" moment hit me :). He did EXACTLY what we needed: He moved in a deep and powerful way to heal and change our hearts so we can in turn be dispatched and deployed into the world to usher in His Kingdom of life and healing and blessing.
Two other amazing things: From the leading of the Lord through Kate, she and Libby and I took some time to bless and honor my pastors. Kate really felt that it was the Lord's heart that we honor them from the house of Bethel and to extend that covering over them because they were so open to using us and all that we've been equipped to do through BSSM. Not only that but also because their hearts were so open to let the Lord move and to move with Him throughout the entire weekend. So we prayed over them, and washed their feet... it was so humbling , such a beautiful way to honor them. And the other AWESOME thing was that my pastors asked the three of us to lead the entire communion portion of the session on the last day of camp. From start to finish, they gave us total freedom. It was SO exciting! Haha, we were TOTALLY tired when they told us but we just went back to the cabin and said, "Okay, Lord, what do you want to do?" He always comes up with the best ideas :). So we just asked Him for a blueprint for the service, and He began to stir up things in our hearts to share, and gave an amazing plan for the next day! It was so perfectly fitting, so totally HIM. We started by asking my friend Shawn to lead the group in "In Christ Alone", and then I proceeded to share with the kids some things that had been on my heart about the complete victory we have in Jesus, that God met us at camp not just so we could experience Him but so we would carry what He did in us, and that whenever God shows us part of our destiny, He ALWAYS equips, anoints, and empowers us to fulfill it. I talked about quite a few other things too, and then Libby led the kids in an awesome time of taking communion together in groups of 3 or 4 people that they could be accountable to after the camp. She shared from her heart about the importance of having people around you to support you and remind you of all the things that God did, and to encourage and spur you on when life gets tough. After that, I led a time of "sealing" all the kids, something that the Lord had put on my heart even before we knew we'd be leading part of the service! I wanted to seal them for two very specific things: for permanent new levels (that the increase of God's presence and anointing that they experienced in them and through them at camp would be the NEW NORM; that it wouldn't be just a "mountaintop experience" but one that would truly transform their hearts and alter the way they lived their everyday lives), and against any attack of the enemy that would try to steal away what they received from the Lord. This one was HUGE for me to share with them because whenever we leave an encounter or a life-changing experience with the Lord, the enemy will always come at us with lies, telling us that nothing happened, that we're not changed, that God didn't move, that our hearts weren't effected. But it's all LIES! So I made it a huge point to speak over them all that they DID encounter God, that they WERE changed, that they WERE equipped and empowered, and that they will NEVER be the same again! We "sealed" their minds from all those lies, anointing their foreheads with oil and proclaiming that no weapon formed against them will prosper. It was SO AWESOME!! And then as the grand finale, Kate shared prophetically that we were leaving the camp on "March Forth", and proceeded to clothe us all in the whole armor of God, straight from Ephesians 6, to be fully equipped and covered for the conquest before us. So we all marched forth empowered, supported, sealed, and clothed, as sons of God and brothers in Christ! A complete work of our faithful God! WAY more happened throughout the weekend than I am able to share here but as you can tell, God answered and exceeded even our highest expectations and desires. I am so eagerly waiting the months to come to see how His work in us from just that weekend increases and transforms into a greater revelation of our destiny as a youth group!

As I also mentioned, I'm headed off for my missions trip to Tijuana, Mexico in just a few days so I'm bursting with excitement for that coming adventure with the Lord. I have NO DOUBT that I will be stretched, strengthened, grown, and accelerated beyond all I can conceive of at this point . On the outside, I'm sure you'll recognize me when I return but hopefully I'll have been changed in heart, mind, and spirit beyond recognition :). We are going to see lives transformed, people delivered and set free, ransomed from the kingdom of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of God's marvelous light! The trip is from the 13th to the 20th, and I would REALLY appreciate your prayers during that time! In fact, if I could ask at least five of you to commit to pray for me for just 10 or 15 minutes each day, I would REALLY appreciate it. Here's the list of things our leaders asked us to keep covered in prayer:

• Unity in our team/no tension
• Joy!
• God's anointing and favor on everything we do and say
• Servant's hearts
• WIDE OPEN doors for ministry
• Demonstration of God's Spirit and power
• Revival to break out everywhere we go!
• Revival fire to ignite KEY people that will spread it and keep it kindled!
• People radically saved
• Hearts open to the Gospel
• Miracles, signs, and wonders! Ask for specifics like blind eyes opened, hearing to return, limbs regrowing, etc
• Favor with people, pastors, and gov't officials
• Language barriers to be overcome, and successful communication
• Supernatural abilities to speak in Spanish!
• To feel God's love and compassion for the people
• Prayer for the children in the orphanages we'll visit
• Boldness!!
• God's protection from all sickness and harm!
• Traveling mercies! Vehicles to run well both there and back!
• Favor and ease at the border
• God moments everywhere we go!
• Blessing to the people of Mexico and to each other!

Is that a long enough prayer list for ya? ;) Thank you so much for all your love and support! It means the world to me AND to Mexico!

And last but not least, yesterday was my birthday! Yes, I have been roaming the planet for almost two decades. I am SO GRATEFUL for all God has done over this past year, and I can hardly begin to imagine what He has in store for the next few to come. All I know is that my life changes more and more radically each year, and I'm coming ever closer to the realization of my calling and destiny. So here's to another year of earnestly seeking the Lord of my life, the Lover of my soul, and the King of my heart! It's going to be an incredible year!

I love you guys so much and will update you as soon as I possibly can when I return from TJ!

Be radically blessed,

Melissa