Replacements(n):
An exchange; a person
or thing that replaces another.
Recently
the Lord has been teaching me about replacements; it
started a few weeks ago. Do you ever think about situations, and assume
the negative? My thoughts have power, they affect my attitude you know? Do you remember as a child dreaming? I
remember dreaming of ways the Lord would
move, imagining the miracles that He would do. At some point that
changed, there is a shift in our thinking. Where life gets to us; it
wears us down and
we begin to be more "realistic". I
believe that the Lord longs to take us back to that place of trust, He
desires
to dream with me about what He desires to do in my life. He desires to
replace the lies of death with
abundant true life.
"This day I
call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I
have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose
life, so
that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your
God..."
Deuteronomy
30:19-20a
He
has set before me life and death, day by day I am challenged
to choose life so that I may love the Lord.
Life
replaces
death. Love
replaces
stress. Hope
replaces
despair.Hallelujahs
replace
grumblings. Truth
replaces lies.Freedom
replaces silence. Innocence replaces guilt.Sincerity
replaces
image.
Life
replaces death, death never replaces life.
Over
the past two years the Lord has been teaching me about
love, true abundant love. The love from
the Father. The kind of love that breaks through the highest and
strongest walls. The kind of love that calls us to obey. The kind of
love that beckons me to a life
where God receives all of the Glory. The
kind of love that not only reaches in and pulls us out of the pit, but
the kind
of love that can destroy the pit! Love
and life go hand in hand, love brings life, and life is not really life
without
Love. Think back to the imagination of
childhood...and take it back, it's yours! Take back
the dreams, take back the trust. I
am called to faith and trust that risks and I am taking it back!! God is
Love, and today I expect that He will
do abundantly and exceedingly more that I could ever dream or imagine
because
of His great Love.
"He
called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell
you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you
will
never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself
like this
child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:2-4
Take it back
friends. What needs to be replaced today?
Hello everyone, this is a story of one of the peeps on a Real Life trip that's in Kenya right now. I am working in admissions for the Real Life program with AIM and I wanted to share with all of you a story from the field. I am really enjoying working in the office and helping future participants be placed and prepare for trips. These peeps are binging Kingdom, revealing the Love of the Lord to the people all of over the world. This is why the Lord has me doing what I'm doing.
"God
has placed this vision in the group about doing something greater in the
IDP (International Displaced People) Camps; something that will be
lasting, something that will bring the Kingdom of God down to that place
after we leave in 2 months. When you go to this place there is no hope;
these people have no hope of getting out and you can feel the despair
when you get there. It is almost as if they are there for the food and
that is it. So our group sat down and prayed about the vision that God
has for this place. And we knew that it was something greater than going
there every Saturday to hand out a bag of ugali and feed the kids a
bun.
Discipleship.
I have been reading a lot of Paul's writings about discipleship and the
significance that it has on people. Coming along side of someone,
investing and teaching someone until they can go and do the same to
another person. Holli made a good analogy: it is like you are holding
the hand of God in one hand and the hand of the person you are
discipling in the other and you are there until that person can
eventually hold the hand of God themselves. That is what it is about.
Guiding people, helping them understand the greatness of God, and coming
along side of them so that you can grow God's followers.
So
God has given us this vision of discipleship for the displaced people.
Now how do we go about fulfilling what he has called us to do? I think
it means taking one step at a time and building those relationships so
that the people truly interested in spreading the word of God after we
leave will have been invested in by us. There is so much need in that
place, so much hurt and so much despair. There is no way that we can fix
everything while we are here, but God has given us a vision of
something bigger, something greater than ourselves, something that will
be lasting; now we must step into the fear of the unknown and act. While
it is going to be hard and frustrating at times, It is exciting that
God has given us the ability to carry out something that He started in
us. God is so good.
"For
we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our
gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, wit the
Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you
for your sake. You became imitatiors of us and of the Lord; in spite of
severe suffering you welcomed the message wit the joy given by the Holy
Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and
Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and
Achaia- your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do
not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind
of reacetion you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to
serve the living and true God, and to wait for his son from heaven, whom
he raised from the dead- Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath." I
Thessalonians 1:4-10" Blog byJenna Ghizas, picture by: Katie Duff
To read more about what's going on with our other Real Life trips you can check out their blogs at:
Hello friends I just wanted to post and update everyone on what is going on here in good ol' Gainesville GA. I took some pictures of my work area here...
Fun desk where I can make phone calls to people interested in trips, and answers e-mails and all that fun stuff!
Pictures of friends and family from back home as well as my sisters from FYM :)
My wall of trip info, and the urban word of the day sign! Yesterdays word was "Mondaze" we need to update that!
COLOR CODED PENS!!!
Post-Its=necessary
So all of that said I am enjoying helping out in the office, I love getting to talk with people who are interested in trips and helping go through the process of getting on the field. I learn something new pretty much everyday and it's good for me! Anywho I hope all is well y'all :)
"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?" Isaiah 58:6-7
Father what does it mean to loose the bonds of wickedness? Show me what it is to undo heavy burdens. I long to hear chains break as the oppressed go free! The Holy Spirit is the great liberator and a God of redemption and reconciliation. Do you know that the Holy Spirit lives in you? I remember being told "The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in you." I hear that a lot. But it's even more than that...
"Then Peter stood up and addressed the crowd...'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved..." Acts 2:17-21
The same Holy Spirit that inspired Peter to address the crowd and preach at Pentecost lives in YOU...
"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick." Matthew 14:14
"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek." Mark 1:25-26
The same compassion and power that was in Jesus that drove Him to heal and cast out demons is in YOU...
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."
This is a command from Jesus Christ to His disciples...brothers and sisters I am a disciple. You are a disciple. There is example after example in scripture of how we are to live as Christ did. We have freely been given the Holy Spirit; we have been given hope and LIFE. I know that this may be a bit crazy but I am taking this literally, I believe that the Lord is going to use me to heal the sick, to cast out demons, and to raise the dead, not because I can but because HE can. And you know what, it's not a matter of IF...if He will raise the dead or heal or deliver. The question is, how many?!?! Haha!! I have been accused of being a little crazy and maybe I am, but again I ask, how many??? I am asking the Lord, how many people do you desire to raise from the dead today? How many divine appointments for healing do you have set up? How many broken hearts do you desire to mend and whose chains of oppression are You going to break today? He wants to use me, He wants to use you. The Holy Spirit lives in YOU and He wants OUT!
On my team blog for the World Race we were ask to make a post about our expecations for the trip, I just thought I could share what I posted. :)
I do not expect to be in the United States for 11 months.
I do not expect to get a hair cut.
I do not expect for my knowledge of the National Anthem to be tested.
I do not expect to know where I will be living along the way.
I do not expect to paint my face like a lion for Halloween
I do not expect to see my family or friends back home for 11 months.
I do not expect to have a cute little boyfrannnnn.
I do not expect to go office supply shopping.
I do not expect to learn how to ride a unicycle.
I do not expect to get any new tattoos.
I do not expect to have a pet rabbit.
I do not expect to ribbon dance for a large crowd of Romanians
....the list could go on....
I should know exactly what to expect from the race, but if there's one thing I have learned over the past year and a half it's that things change, and nothing is ever what you expect. I have thought about writing this blog a lot and have thought about my expectations quite a bit. I expect the Lord to show up. I expect that I cannot do this, I know that I cannot do this.
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matt 24:44
So last week we I had the opprotunity to help with another Real Life training camp. These groups of peeps are heading to Kenya, Swaziland, and India. We started off the week again with a night in Atlanta...
After the night in the ATL they came here to the training center in Gainesville. It was 3 days full of learning about the Holy Spirit and empowering them in their faith. Each team was given a blank black piece of cloth they were told to pray and paint something that represented what their time wanted to be about or work towards while on the field...
It is so great to be a part of these training camps, to see these peeps have new realizations of their faith and who the Lord has created them to be and what He has created them for; to see them come alive. It is so special to be there for those moments. The moments when they realize that the creator of the universe created them and created them to go to Kenya or Swazi or India at this time. I learn a lot from them, their passion is inspiring.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Luke 4:16-19
For this blog I would like to share with all of you what it next for me. In June I will be leaving on an 11 month trip called the World Race. Over the 11 months I will have the opportunity to travel to 11 different countries and learn how to minister in these different cultures. This will be an opportunity to develop my leadership skills, and learn even more about what it is to love the way Jesus loves. He has given me hope abundantly and joy that surpasses all understanding and He has put in me a desire to share that with the people around the world...
Ireland
Ukraine
Romania
Israel
Egypt
Uganda
Kenya
Explore Africa
Cambodia
Thailand
Explore Asia
This is my route for the World Race, I will be posting a blog next month about what ministry could look like in these places. I just wanted to post a quick blog about where I am at and what I am up to, the Lord has me in Gainesville Georgia helping with AIM in the admissions department until leaving in June. I cannot wait to share more about what the Lord is doing and how He is being glorified!!
Like everything else I cannot go alone, I am asking if any of you desire to partner with me in this financially or in prayer please let me know. I have already raised about 4,000 dollars of what I need from monthly support that will be in by the end of the trip, but there is still a need for 10,000 more. You can donate money through this blog by clicking the “Support Me!” link the trip cost is 14,300 and I believe He will provide every penny, He has already started. It you are already supporting me monthly you can continue doing so, I am still receiving that support for this trip If you desire to partner with me through prayer, or just have any questions let me know by sending me an e-mail at brittanypriess@gmail.com or commenting here on the blog. I will be posting my support letter within the next two weeks with a full financial breakdown.
Thank you all so much for your prayers. I see the Church come alive every time I read an e-mail from one of you, or get to talk with you on the phone, or receive a gift of support from someone. You are all answered prayers and such an encouragement; I thank God for you, and pray that the Lord will bless each of you and that we may all together come to a realization of the height and depth of the love that the Lord has for us!
Hey all!! So I am back from Busia Uganda and happy to get to spend some time with family and friends for a bit. My time in Busia was short, but rich. We had the opportunity to visit a church in the bush and minister to the people there. There is a strong spirit of religion in Busia, this "performance" based faith, so it was good to speak into that a bit and empower the peeps (Jesse and I decided to call the students "peeps" ha) to speak out against it. The peeps will continue visiting other bush churches as well as doing ministry in town, with house visits and what not.
I just really want to take a moment and tell you all how much I love these teams. Alison, KC, Tara, Brittany, Nadia, Kathleen, Kyle, John, Jenessa, Tara, Cherise and, Jess, they all have a very special place in my heart. The Lord has used these people to teach me more than any of them will ever know, I was very sad to leave them but I know that the Lord is doing big things in and through them. I will keep y'all updated on the team as I get updates :)
I'm home until all of my support is raised, so I don't know exactly when I will be heading back to Georgia but hopefully mid January. I will post another update about what next year may look like, I will working with AIM stateside for a while, then who knows. God is good, three years ago I never would have pinned this as my life. I thank God for what He has dreamed up for me.
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Oh hello all!! We left for Uganda on Nov 23 and arrived in Busia on the 25th, it was 50 hours of travel, 23 of which were in the air, oh boy! It was good though and we have arrived safely. Busia is beautiful, it is very green and quite rural. Walking around town yesterday I was comforted by the friendly African faces I have missed so much. It's great to be back on this continent, it's amazing how different it is from Jeffreys Bay but it's great to be here.
We are a mere 30 degrees from the equator, and I am already quite "sun kissed" haha! Time to slather on the SPF holla back! One of the first things we did when we arrived here was got bikes for the team, that's how everyone gets around here. We live right near a village and close to there is town that is lively with market stands for fruits, vegatables, fish and other meats. I am learning a great deal about the culture here in Uganda and am excited to learn more. Okay: NEWS FLASH! I had my first squatty pottie expierience! For those of you that don't know what that is, it's a hole in the ground used as a bathroom, just think Slumdog Millionare :) All I have to say is between the biking and squatting we are all going to have some sweet let muscles! BAHAHA!
The team is doing really well, we are still getting rested and recovering from jet-lag but all is well. We have started learning some songs in Swahili that we will use along with testimonies and dramas to minister to local church plants here in Busia as well as some in the bush areas. We are working with a ministry called Helping Hands Ministries, they planted the churches and we will be assisting them in some furture church plants.
That's a bit about what we are up to, I love you all so much and miss you! I don't think I will be able to recieve mail so feel free to send me e-mails at brittanypriess@gmail.com or comment on here.
it has on people. Coming along side of someone,
investing and teaching someone until they can go and do the same to
another person. Holli made a good analogy: it is like you are holding
the hand of God in one hand and the hand of the person you are
discipling in the other and you are there until that person can
eventually hold the hand of God themselves. That is what it is about.
Guiding people, helping them understand the greatness of God, and coming
along side of them so that you can grow God's followers. 
r him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?"
