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I sit at my computer typing this in the wee hours of the morning, because I cannot sleep for the sheer joy that is flowing through me. As I lay in bed giving praise to God for the salvation of another young soul, my spirit sang out – “I want to shout it from the housetops, to every living thing!”, which led me here.

 

In Acts chapter 2 verses 38 and 39, Peter made the statement, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and (emphasis is mine) FOR ALL WHO ARE FAR OFF – FOR ALL WHOM THE LORD GOD WILL CALL.” Later in the chapter, we read how the fellowship of believers gathered together in their homes breaking bread and devoting themselves to the apostles teaching, and how the Lord added daily to their number.

 

As I read the verses in chapter 38 and 39, I was reminded also of John chapter 17 verses 20 – 26 in which Jesus prays for all believers. He prays, in summation, that we might be as one just as He and the Father are one. He prays that we might be also in them so that the world will believe that He was sent by God. He goes on to say that He has given us glory and that He is in us and the Father is in Him and as such we have complete unity, and that such unity will show the love and reality of Jesus. He states to the Father that He desires for us to be with Him. He wraps up by saying that He has made God known to us and will CONTINUE TO DO SO, in order that the love that God has for Him will be in us and that He himself will be in us.

 

I am struck by the depth of these words tonight as this is exactly what is happening here on The Drove, in the yurt. It is that “for all whom God will call” and the “continue to do so” that the scripture talks about. It is such a work that placed me here at the keyboard tonight. I was just falling into that place of good deep sleep when my phone went off. I, quite honestly, groggily decided that whatever it was would wait until morning as it appeared to be a message in the youth group chat. I knew this, because Lee’s phone also buzzed. Shortly after, as I settled back in, my phone alone buzzed. Again, I decided I would leave it till morning, but now I was being nudged within my spirit not to do so. After the back and forth, I relented and checked the phone. There was a message in the group chat (which by the way also warranted addressing), but also one from a young lady who said she needed help and didn’t know how to ask.

 

I realized of course, that whatever she needed, needed attention now and not in the morning. So, I replied. Her urgent need was this, “How do I accept God and give more of my life to Him?” Needless to say, that what followed was a pointed sharing of the message of salvation and a surrendering of a young soul to Jesus. A sweet, sweet child of God had experienced the drawing of the Holy Spirit on her heart as she has been learning of the love of Christ and this was her moment of salvation. There aren’t adequate words to express the humbling experience it is to be blessed to share that moment in a young person’s life, and ya’ll – it is a recurring event out here. Why, because the Dunamis power of God is at work among His Drove (flock).

 

We are watching young lives being transformed by the love of Jesus. They are receiving and securing their salvation AND they are sharing with others where to find the Bread of Life and Living Water and He continues to pour out upon them. In the past two days alone, I have watched a young man minister to a younger lady who was struggling. He spoke life and love over her the same way Jesus did, and he helped her walk through a difficult moment. I have witnessed teenagers sharing scripture verses with one another to help them walk out their days a little more like Jesus, with strength and purpose. In the last few weeks, we have seen yearlong grudges mended and healed as God brought together kids who in the past refused to be in the same room because of some this or that. We have baptized 13 teenagers and now have 2 more seeking baptism. We have witnessed the ripple effect of the love and healing power of Jesus to restore souls and mend hurts, and even begin to ripple out into our community in very real and very tangible ways.

 

I stood recently chatting with a parent of a couple of our young people and our conversation led us to a place where we stood discussing in agreement, the fact that God was at work among them and that He was breaking generational cycles. Vocalizing together how they were going to be the ones through whom God would bring about change, and He is and they are. God is adding to His family and writing names in the book of life and all of our lives and faith are being blessed and increased.

 

Nothing compares to watching the way that God calls His children together and strategically places them for the work to which He has called. Even moving entire families and individuals geographically from across a nation, setting them in place “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). I could go on and on and share countless stories of how God is connecting a whole network of folks that He brought here. Many whom came in the exact same year and close to the same month! All who did not know one another in any capacity until God aligned our paths, and yet He was speaking to each one of us in “complete unity”, because He had a plan to bring salvation to His children and glory to His name. Even more, we know that, although we have our socks blown off weekly and sometimes daily by His presence and work, He is only getting started. Sometimes, as they say – when you know, you know, and we know that He is doing and will continue to do “immeasurably more than we can conceive or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).

 

The take away, if you need one, is this: if you want to see the power of God at work in your life and all around you; if you want to witness what only God can do, then give yourself over to allowing God full reign in your life. There is nothing about any one of us here on the Drove (those who live here and those who minister here) that is exceptional except this, we long to see the salvation of souls and to live our lives with Kingdom perspective. We falter and we fail daily, but the Grace of Jesus covers us and He knows our hearts. He didn’t choose us because we are holy and righteous, He chose us because He loves us and we let go of the reins (even if we sometimes try to grab them back) and He will absolutely, 100% do the same with your life if you allow it. That’s what these kids know, because they too are letting go and giving over to the power of the Holy Spirit to transform their lives. “God is who He says He is, God can do what He says He will do, I am who God says I am, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. God’s word is alive and active in me” (Beth Moore, Believing God), and as one of our kiddos would say, “Indeed – Indeed!”

 

Until next time… ~ Jen ~