I had finished college and was in my first year of leading youth ministry in NC when a friend of mine told me about a particular young adult conference in Kansas City. As she described it, I felt a pull in my heart about going. I actually felt resolute that even if no one else went that I would go alone! A few months later I found myself in Kansas City, and literally as I walked into the conference center and heard the singers singing in a way that I had never heard before, I knew that I was made for what they were doing even though I did not quite understand it all!  (I later found out that they were singing the Word in a spontaneous way straight from their heart.)

    I came back to NC and put in my resignation, and because of previous ministry commitments I moved to Kansas City eight months later. I told the Lord that I was giving Him at least one year to fully devote myself to Him without pursuing anything else. I had two prerogatives: 1. I wanted the Word of God written on my heart, and 2. I wanted to be rooted and grounded in love so that I would be confident in love and my identity before God (Eph. 3 prayer). That was my plan, and the Lord has been faithful to meet me in those areas, but His plan is much more vast than mine!  I came pursuing my own personal agenda and found myself in the middle of “boot camp” for the “army” of God’s end-time prayer movement! I came seeking a refreshing cup of cold water and found myself in a mighty rushing river that had been seeking me out—longing to consume me! The Lord was not satisfied in my life with just laying a good foundation in order to move on and pursue life as best as I could hammer it out (as had been my plan).