Papa I'm Coming Home...Back to my Identity

The Prodigal Son- Luke 15= SO GOOD

I went to prayer this morning at OHSU with a small group of Christians on campus, and we read this parable. It is one of my favorites. We went through this passage multiple times this year, and each time we were looking for something different, but every time I read it it's new again, and I can't help but be blown away by what the Lord is speaking.

First of all.. The Son Coming home, but before we can get into that, WHY DID HE EVER LEAVE? I think that's one of the most important questions we need to ask, because it's the same reasons we leave the Lord everyday. It's the same reasons I walk away from my father, and that's from not understanding who I am.

IDENTITY CRISIS much? The younger son in this story clearly didn't understand that he had access to everything in his father's home. EVERYTHING. There was nothing his Father was withholding, but yet he felt the need to separate himself and do things on his own. How often do we think our plans are better than our Father's? Or when we are doing well, that we disregard that He is with us in the good and the bad. It's not just us making things well for ourselves. When the son left there was no preface, He just chose to leave. He took for granted the fellowship that he had with the Father everyday, and all the blessings he had around him.

REALITY CHECK- Once he is gone and has squandered his inheritance He gets the revelation that "even the servants" in His home are better off than He. Now it sucks that being hungry is what drives his revelation, but who am I to judge, a lot of times it's things in the physical realm, my own "needs" that send me running back to my Father as well.

HUMILITY- I'll give the son some applause here, that he sets off for home with a humble heart. He realizes it was his own choice to set off, and his own poor decisions that landed him in a pig pen and wants to go home not even asking to be brought in as a son, but as a servant. Here is where stuff starts to get good.

ROYALTY vs. POVERTY mindset- Although he is right, he doesn't deserve anything, the younger son still has not gotten who he is, and more importantly, who his Father is. Everything flows out of that truth. His place as the son never changed, no matter where he went or what he did, that's why when the Father saw him coming he received him without condemnation, judgment, or punishment; He was instead received with Love.

How is that possible? CONFUSED? The Father never lost sight of who his son was. Just like the Lord always sees us as the men and women that He created us to be. In Romans 8 we are told that we carry the spirit of the living God, not a spirit of fear, and that we are co-heirs with Christ. Do you understand the implications of that.. the great privilege and responsibility of, like Christ, having access to everything in the Kingdom at all times. To have constant fellowship with the Spirit of the living God inside us. That tells me, I'm Royalty, we are royalty. Children of the Living God. Princes, and Princesses in the Kingdom.

Sound like a FAIRY TALE? Well, it is. It's the best love story ever written. A God, our Father, who loves us so much that through all of our sin and mess He sent His one and only son to take on all of our sin that separated us and die on the cross to redeem our lives, and reconcile us to HIM. Let that sink in. Do you understand what He did for you? And that everyday He is fighting for you. Everyday He sees you as the Man of God, or the Woman of God that He created you to be, and everyday He is free to fellowship. He is longing for you to choose Him so he can receive you with open arms. It's not a fun thing to realize I am the bratty prodigal son, but I rejoice in the fact that I am a son, well daughter, and no matter how far I stray ( which I will..) I have a Father in Heaven who receives me, even throws a party when I return and reminds me that I am His child. I am Royalty.

WHO ARE YOU? Is this new, or is this the identity you are walking in on a daily basis? If you are struggling to figure out who you are or your place in this world, really your place in the kingdom (because we no longer fit into this world) then start with the Father, seek out His heart- who is He? Who does He say I am? Scripture is littered with declarations of who the Lord is, and who we are called to be. I am positive that not once does the Lord say, you are a pauper. But instead, that He chose you, called you, you're adopted, and His plans and purpose for you are beyond your own thinking or capacity.

Just a little tidbit of thought for your day. Walk it out in the confidence that you are child of the King.

Hiding away in his Presence.. shawl revelation

Is anyone else distracted when they try and sit alone with the Lord to pray? I seriously think I could have ADD. If there is anything out of place in the room, I'll start cleaning, and once I get going I can't stop until every room is clean, even the ones I can't see from where I am sitting. It's becoming a problem.

So this morning as I was cleaning, again, I found what I thought was a crocheted baby blanket. Upon opening it I discovered a small cross charm hanging from the corner, and remembered it was a prayer shawl that had been given to my sister. I stood there, holding it, wondering if this was in fact the solution to my ADD problem.

While I was in montana I watched a movie called YENTL with Barbara Streisand, and at one point she takes her father's prayer shawl and starts singing (of course she does) to the Lord. She sings about entering the Holy Place, and asks why it is only allowed for men? and then she covers her head and eyes completely, on her knees and begins to pray... Now while the movie itself doesn' t have much in particular to do with what I have been wrestling with on prayer, that scene in particular ran through my mind as I held this prayer shawl.

I will try anything to step into the Holy Place, to get away from distractions and commune with my Papa. This morning I made my tea, and cleared away a clean corner in our living room got to my knees, and lifted the prayer shawl over my head letting it fall on my shoulders and drape in front of my eyes. As I did, I slipped away to the secret place with my Father. I refused even when I felt antsy about how much time had passed to lift the veil until I was done spending time with the Lord. I cried under the shawl, I cried out, I whispered, and to all who know me I dozed off a couple of times. But distractions there were not, and when I finally emerged there was nothing left for me to tell me Papa, there had been nothing that had come between us, and it was 3 hours later!

Now I don't post this boastfully to say, "look I prayed for several hours today", because quite frankly others pray more, and some days I will pray less. I post it to encourage you to step into the throne room of God undistracted. Willing to give up your time, because it's not yours it's His. He desires and craves time with you. Take off your watch, find a corner and hide away in your shawl to spend time that is so precious with the one who made time, who is over time, and who gives you time. Everything flows from our relationship with him. We have the honor and the privilege of access to the kingdom of Heaven, of warring for our brothers and sisters in the spiritual, of hearing his voice, and of laying our burdens at his feet. I pray that you all will try anything to escape into his presence and truly show him that there is none more worthy than HE, and no place you'd rather be than in his arms. I love you all and am fighting for you. Send me your prayers, and as I am covered I will cover you.

The Adventure begins..and SO I GO...

LIVING ON LOVE IS BORN

Since I landed in the US November 19th I have gone from Los Angeles to Seattle, Seattle to Portland, Portland to Albany, Albany back to Portland, Portland to Big Fork, MT, and now back to Portland. I arrived this morning on the train from Montana. This really is month 12 of my race. I have already done more traveling than most of this year, and it's not over yet. My 14 hr train ride back wasn't much different than other trips I have taken this year, except for that I was alone, the seats were huge, and it was eerily silent.  Thus, I was left to my thoughts and journaling since I still don't posses an Ipod of any kind. I have become accustomed to sleeping during the day and pondering at night. I'm not sure my body will ever be back on a normal schedule at this rate. I stayed up journaling the end of my race. As per usual I am behind in my journal, but have found a positive in being alone- that I have plenty of time to write. It's the acceptable version of talking to myself. 

Funny thing I realized while writing was if I pulled out a journal from last year, beginning of december, a lot of my thoughts would have been the same, give or take a few characters involved. How is that possible after such a transformational year? I am a completely different person. I shouldn't be making the same dumb mistakes my former self made. I spoke at my grandparents church yesterday and one of the scriptures I shared with them was Ephesians 4:22-24:

" Throw off your old sinful nature, and your former way of life which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God- truly Righteous and Holy..."

Throwing off the old sinful nature. I either want no sins or I want new ones. Isn't doing the same thing again and again with no changing result the definition of Insanity? Speaking at the church was exactly what i needed to finally start this new season. I came home feeling like I was floundering, not really knowing what to do with myself. But as I began speaking, not knowing exactly how I was going to give the entire year justice through a 40 minute talk I realized this is where I come alive. Sharing what the Lord has done, speaking of his good works, and singing his praises. And that's because it is what I was born to do. It doesn't matter if I am in Asia, Africa, or the good ol' US, it is wired in who I am. 

Since I have been back I have never felt as at home as I did in front of the church trying to put into words all the Lord revealed to me this year. I was crying half of the time I spoke to the Little Brown Church, especially when I spoke about our community. Now don't get me wrong community was hard this year. Half the time I wanted to be as far away from them as I could, but actually leaving them opened my eyes to how lucky I was. And that was light bulb number 2- community. Again the same truth that it doesn't matter where you are if you are surrounded by people who love you. If you are surrounded by a community seeking after the heart of God, and wanting desperately to bring the kingdom of heaven here on earth. A group of people who's heart is to Love everyone we come into contact with no matter the cost. It is something to move for, to leave everything for- it is priceless. I finished my talk with declarations I had just written in my journal the night before. They said: 

I have THROWN off my old nature. This NEW nature is now SEALED in me and there is no going back. I now look at a completely DIFFERENT person in the mirror. No matter where I am or who I am with I will be a person who is LEAD by the spirit and standing on truth. I believe the impossible is possible through our God. Healing and moves of the Holy Spirit and the Lord speaking still happen. My God does as he pleases and can speak, move, and just plain do whatever he wants. I will not limit how he can work in and through me. I will be His girl. A daughter of the King that worships at my best and worst moments, ESPECIALLY my worst moments. I will FIGHT to discover who God really is, because he is an endless ocean and no matter how hard I SEEK him I will never run out of new things to discover. I have ACCESS to the kingdom of heaven. I prophesy, preach, pray bold prayers, encourage, and speak life at ALL times because I carry the spirit of the living God WITHIN me. .NO matter what comes in front of me I will CHOOSE to sing Hallelujah, because though we are unfaithful He remains ALWAYS faithful. ( 2 Tim 2:13)

I closed with declaring truth and praying healing over the body of the Little Brown church, and then they asked if they could lay hands on me and pray. "Are you kidding? Of course!!"  I was weeping. " Yes, please," I said. And then Pastor BIll said exactly what I needed to hear. " I believe that instead of welcoming you home Rachael, we are sending you out again. This time we are sending you out into America. This is not Radical Chrisitanity, but simply Christianity as the Lord intended it, and American needs the Lord deeply." And in that moment I was commissioned to America. For how long, I am unsure. But for right now I am here. 

Not only did the Little Brown Church Welcome me, Listen to me, Support me, Pray over me, Hug me and just straight up Love on me, but they took up a love offering for me, which knocked me off my feet with gratitude. But that wasn't all it did, that Love offering was confirmation I have been waiting for. As soon as Pastor Bill announced that they were taking a Love offering for me, I heard " Living on Love" in my head. Living on Love was a phrase the Lord gave me a couple of months ago when I was praying what my next step was. I knew the Lord wanted me to speak. Over and over he brought me to Psalm 107:

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! 

His faithful Love endures Forever.

Has the Lord Redeemed you? Then SPEAK OUT!!

Tell others He has redeemed you from your enemies.....

Let THEM praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.." 

I thought I was supposed to be going around the county to invest in people who had supported me; to sit and have coffee with someone everyday and talk about all the new things the Lord was doing and teaching. But I put the idea away, because I didn't have a car, I didn't want to be on insurance, and it would be again depending on the kindness and generosity of others to get by. But since I have been back the doors that have been opened are leading me to the east coast, and already 7 different states are on my "Tour" so to speak. I am still in the same position with no car, and really no plans yet at this point, but I am trusting the Lord is going to open the door to the places he wants me to speak and the people he wants me to meet and stay with. 

I am trusting that I can live out of my backpack stateside.

I am trusting the Lord will provide.

I am trusting God for an adventure. 

I am trusting that there is enough Love in the States to live on as well. 

And so on Jan 1st I will start my "Living on Love Tour" with the Search light conference at Adventures in Missions in Gainesville, GA. From Georgia I will travel to South Carolina to stay with a friend. From there, North Carolina, then possibly Texas, and Westward from there. That is just an outline though, and wherever I feel like the Lord is leading is where I will go. I will have an updated route on the blog site so ya'll can keep track of me. 

I am so thankful to everyone who supported me this year and cannot wait to come and spend time with you, encourage you, pray with you, and talk for hours about what the Lord is doing now and how your heart is. He is always doing a new thing, and I want to be a part of spreading his fire in the states. I'm looking forward to staying with friends, family,  fellow Racers, and whoever else the Lord brings into my life by his divine appointments across the States. If you want me to stop by or come to speak to the youth, college groups or any church service or function please contact me at LivingonLoveTour@gmail.com, and follow me at www.LivingonLoveTour.blogspot.com. I'll share stories of his faithfulness and all the adventures and quirks I have along the way. God Bless and hopefully see you soon!!

Luke 12:33-36

"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. 

Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, 

a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, 

where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Be dressed and ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 

like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, 

so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him."

I want to be ready for the Lord. Bringing his kingdom to earth is where my heart is and I want that reflected in my decisions, how I spend my time, my money and the Love that I show others!