Paradagim shift

My trip to the house of prayer was life-changing. And as I come back here I feel as if things are transitioning.

I didn't know what I was going to do my freshman year. It didn't feel like there was anyone else that wanted to make a difference. But I stepped out of my box and I found them. We started a Morning Devotional group. It took off. Now we're changing days so that we have something every day for students to go to. Mondays-Wednesdays is morning devotion (which we're soon changing the name of) Thursdays is Timothy Club and Friday is FCA. Something for students every morning. Opportunity.

Today in church we hit a new place. It was like a river. We had experienced like that in youth group or on Face nights or at conferences, but I'd never seen a movement like that on a Sunday morning service. We encountered God in a new way. It was like he came in and was beckoning his body to draw near unto him, and at the same time people were going. The worship was flowing. It was like a new place opened up for our church. And all I can say is that it's going to keep going. It's going to keep getting bigger. And we're going to expand in areas we're called to...

Auditions for vocalists are coming soon to the church, too. This is new. I'm excited. Opportunity. Knock-knock. :)


Things are changing. School is changing. My church body is changing. Lives are changing.

Change never stops.
It's going to keep getting better. Even if it feels like a downward spiral at times, I'm confident that nothing can separate us from his love. And that's all that matters.

:)

Called to the Sound

I looked up at the building towering just above me. This was it. Small. Insignificant-looking on the outside. But I knew what was inside. This was it.
I entered through the doors from the outside, the cool air blowing in from behind me along with the sounds of people bustling about as they ran about the daily routine duties of campus-life. Warmth and the light from the indoors was comforting. But I wasn’t to stop here. I could hear the music behind the other doors… and it was as if I could feel his presence seeping through the very cracks, leaking into the lobby.
This is it.
For the first time in my entire life, I entered through them. As I stepped over the threshold into the room, the thickness of the atmosphere engulfed me like a wave. It was as if I could feel the very presence of God dwelling here, as a kindling flame in the depths of this prayer room. On-going for 12 years thus far. Non-stop. There was almost a sacred thickness about the room. The music rang into my ears; the prophetic words being proclaimed here.
The room was lit but rather dim. People stood and sat all around the area in chairs that were rowed throughout the room. Flags of the nations lined the back wall along with a world-map replica painted onto the wall itself, where a man was laying his hands on countries with his head lowered. A few people walked up and down the isles in a repetitive manner, some with an open book in their hands and some walking just slowly and empty-handed. One would call it pacing, or even crazy if they didn’t know any better. But the thoughtful look in their eyes as their ears lay attentative to their thoughts and to the music said that their concentration was elsewhere. Some of their mouths moved in prayer, and others didn’t, as if they were listening to God’s audible voice itself when it really came on the inside. Some people sat or stood. Others leaned against the walls…

Some stood on the stage with an instrument in their hands.

I sat down, lowering my backpack beside me and looking around, soaking in the atmosphere carefully. But I couldn’t stay here. I lifted my head to look at what was ahead of me, stood up, and walked toward the front. I was slightly timid, having not been here before. Slightly nervous at moving to the front, but the boldness and desire in me broke fourth. My heart carried me closer and closer to the place I knew I was suppose to be. I stood in the front as a few others did and I watched them, but listened to his voice. I felt the presence of God moving around the room as they played what their hearts told them to. As they spoke the sound of the words they sang into existence. As if every word and chord was meant for more than entertainment to others…
and it was.

This was the place I was suppose to be.
The calling of it rooted me into the ground.
The musicians and the singers pushing the ongoing sounds of heaven. I knew I looked up to them as leaders. But It wasn’t the musicians themselves as people that made up the prayer room.
It wasn’t the instruments or the voices alone.
But it was the fact that the entire place and the entire stage was meant for prophecying and bringing glory to God- singing his songs and playing his heart as a melody.
I knew I was drawn to this place. Here. I knew I belonged here. I prayed, sang, studied, hung out. Then I left, and almost cried leaving it behind. But I knew in my heart that I was called to go back home and take what I’d received from the prayer room and the conference back to give out.
On the inside I knew I’d be back. And I knew one day I’d be one of the prophetic musicians on the stage. Singing his songs and playing his heart as the melody. It’s what he put in me…. And it’s what dwells in my heart.

Working on this!

I know I haven't posted in a while. Things get busy- not writing makes me feel slightly out of kilter but it's alright! I'll be posting pictures from my trip to the House of Prayer soon... God did a lot and is continuing to do so much. :) I'm excited to see what's happening. So many ministry opportunities. In the meantime, I need to keep up with things like my Geometry homework and Mid state music... I'll be posting soon!

Love,
Hannah

An Opening Book; a Turning Story

The past few months have been very life changing for me.

Today I'm leaving to go to International House of Prayer in Kansas City for a Prayer and Prophetic conference. I will honestly say that I'm expecting change. Typically when I go on a youth retreat or something things change- meaning as far as new experiences, what to pray about, what God sets on my heart and things that he puts on the inside of me that he wants me to share with others.
I'm looking forward to this change.
I'm looking forward to being equipped...

and I'm SO looking forward to seeing Matt Gilman and Misty Edwards in person!!! :D


One thing I've realized again is that sometimes following the plan of God isn't easy. I mean nobody said it would be a piece of cake.
But as my father, I trust what he puts in my heart. I need to.
And I know that by going in the direction he leads me will lead me to better places than I can lead myself.
As an inspiring friend told me yesterday, God didn't create us to put the weight of the world or even the weight of our own lives on our shoulders. God made us to trust our lives with him. By going our own way it's as if telling God straight to his face "I don't think you can handle this. I can probably do that better."
But in reality, that isn't the truth at all.
I'm human and I've messed up.
I've disappointed people in ways I never wish I had.
I don't want to. I never want to hurt or disappoint anyone.
I can ask for forgiveness, pray for understanding and comfort, stand up, and keep going.

We've got to learn how to love God, how to love others, and how to love ourselves and see him the way he sees us. It's what we were made for.

God has a plan...
He has timing for everything.
I'm going to have to take a step of faith and trust fall into his arms.
There's so much inside of me that he isn't finished with yet.
But when he's finished...
it'll be great.
That I will promise. And that is a promise I will not break. :)


Love you guys. Have a great week.

Sincerely.

Spontaniety.

The seasons change
like the winds reverse
the stars turn skyward
as they sing the second verse
of the season's change-
how often they repeat
but now there's something in the air
that I cannot find myself to repeat.
I'm not sure exactly where,
but this is going somewhere.
Like the seasons change,
I don't feel ready-
but come the next step
I find myself already steady.
The warmth fades into these
crisp nights,
When the cold rushes in
sweeping across past the lights.
I close my eyes
and
I want to be safe wrapped
in someone's arms,
listening to their heartbeat,
protected-
here I know I'm safe.
The cold fades away into a
warm MidSummer Night's Dream
laying beneath the sky
whispering on a dream
these warm nights fade into the
summer rain,
summer rain fades into the
quickly fading sunset;
It's coming around again.

It was a God-Thing. (The Wreck)

Yesterday morning I was sitting in my room when I got a phone call from my friend Miranda. She told me that on the way to a competition, our school marching band was in a bus wreck. An SUV had swerved into the lane of one of the buses, causing a head-on collision with the bus.

My heart dropped.

I heard her quite down as a man's voice in the background was giving instructions for everyone to call their parents and notify them of the incident.

She explained to me that only a few students had gotten injured; however the bus driver had broken both of her legs and the man that was driving the car was instantly killed.

Later it was said on one of the websites of the local news channel that the man had a heart condition and possibly had a heart attack behind the wheel although they aren't exactly sure what caused him to swerve.

It was also said that if the bus driver would have swerved away from the car rather than just taking it head on, the bus could have flipped over and the students could have gotten injured. If not killed...


Once in a life time chance.

In an instant it's as if you're looking at the borderline between life and death.
In an instant they could have all died. People I'm very close to although I may not be a marcher.
The bus could have blown up if the car hit the gas tank.
It could have flipped.
Miranda's parents could have died instead if they wouldn't have stopped somewhere before the collision having been driving in front of the bus.



One life was lost. Few injured.

THAT was a miracle.

I don't think it was his will for the man behind the wheel of the SUV to die, because it isn't God's will for people to die. He doesn't kill people.
But I strongly believe that God saved those kids even if one life was lost.


Today around 3 pm the Marching Band students gathered in the parking lot of the high school to pray for the family of the man who died and to pray for the injured students, their families and for future protection, security, etc.




These things can be traumatizing but it can bring people closer together.

I'm glad everyone else is okay. Please keep the man's family and the bus driver in your prayers.

I love you guys. <3

http://www.wsmv.com/story/15595807/students-pull-together-for-band-involved-in-deadly-crash