It's been happening for years now.
This steady, consistent, perpetual - almost harping from the Lord, about a certain region of the world.
It started way back in the early summer of 2012....
This bombardment of information, and inklings, and longings and likings - that spurred up out of no where.
From people, books, sermons, videos, visions, dreams...it's been hitting us from every which way.
Even from within....receiving a sudden homesickness for a place I've never even visited.
It's like I was suddenly downloaded with a new heritage or legacy to chase.
The amount of times He has brought this country up to us...is so uncanny and so crazy - that it evokes a type of reverent chuckle in our home these days.
So going into last weekend.....my few days away to seek God, and listen in, and hone after the holy - I had a list.
A list of prayer requests and petitions and questions and topics that have been on my forefront and heavy.
So, hearing from the Lord on this particular region - was on it.
Right there, listed along with:
Writing
Career direction
Salvation for family members
Joy.....
........
........
was England.
As I'm sitting here typing this - my eyes are pooling with moisture out of the sheer longing and weight and nearness I feel to this place - and what the Lord did last weekend regarding it.
I also feel a bit vulnerable....after all this time....handing you this here.
I haven't brought it up on the blog before - because I've never had a rounded out view of why the Lord is hounding us on it. (Still don't.) But I also haven't brought it up....because it's not Africa, or India, or Haiti.
It's Great Britain. London. The United Kingdom....A sprawling, thriving, first-world nation.
So I sit here now - meekly unclenching my hand....to show you something that is very real, and dear, and intimate, and precious to me - knowing all the while that it sounds ridiculous to have a Spirit-led affection and passion for such a wealthy, booming empire.
It makes me feel a bit shaky to share all this. I feel somewhat embarressed and hesitant.
But long ago, the Lord reprimanded me by telling me that I should not apologize for the way He speaks to me. I'm assuming that He doesn't want me to be apologetic over what He speaks to me either.
So share I shall....
Going into last weekend I prayed the following:
"Lord, please either make the England thing stop....or throw me another bone about it."
And I left it at that.
On Saturday morning - I was receiving prayer from a group of very kind individuals at the church we were visiting - and they were praying somewhat prophetically over my life. Very broad things....but pretty pertinent. At one point - the lady stopped praying and looked up at me and said that she felt like the Lord was wanting to encourage me to write.
Ha!
That fit.
But being my usual skeptical and somewhat cynical self - I shrugged it off as a lucky guess.
After thanking them for their sweet time and prayers, I retrieved my purse and headed for the door.
But before I could make it across the room....one of the guys praying for me reached out and said...
"I'm sorry, but I just feel like there is one more thing the Lord wants me to mention."
With my encouragement to continue, he looked me square in the face and said....
"Does the United Kingdom mean anything to you?"
I dropped my purse on the floor - and my jaw right along with it.
I felt as though I had seen a ghost.
In that instant - I felt so known, and seen, and heard. I felt so validated. I felt so relieved that indeed yes.... all this time I had really been hearing from the Lord on that region - that it wasn't me seeking it out or digging for more at all.
It really was Him.
The guy then went on to share a few more details and sentiments about what He felt like the Lord was saying - and then I left there floating high on faith.
Yes.
So....the theme continues.
Another bone has indeed been thrown.
And my prayers and spirit will continue to be filled with thoughts and petitions concerning that Old World. And I trust that before too awful long....the reason will be revealed.
There is a reason. Of that I am certain.
The weekend didn't leave me wanting thereafter.
Upon listening to the Sunday sermon - I suddenly had an intense hunger and drive to do two things:
1) Repent
2) And seek first the Kingdom of God
Those two desires were just plopped ever so gently right into the pit of my gut somehow - and ever since, I have been insatiably hungry and thirsty for His righteousness...
driven to scripture...
filled with a fresh faith...
and flat.out.awed.
God is real.
He speaks.
And He has plans for you and me.
Leave this post - knowing and embracing that.
