The first week of Fire in the Night!

Wow, so much has been happening these past days, I can't even begin to write it all. I have been journaling everyday during prayer room time, teaching, and classes almost every time and yet I still didn't capture near all of it. So, I will try to highlight some of the main things that stuck out to me and some of the things I feel the Lord is teaching me in this time. Sorry, once again this is going to be random. Because its over the span of about 30 hours of prayer room, teaching, and classes :)

Here are some points on intercession that we covered combined with some of my thoughts.

Impact of Intercession:
Intercession develops and draws us into intimacy with God.
Intercession unifies us with the people of God. In the place of unity God commands a blessing.
Intercession brings humility in us
Intercession trains us to function in his government.
What we say moves things.
Prayers transform your heart, our hearts become like God's heart. The more we pray for the things on God's heart the more we begin to develop passions for those things. And the more we develop passions for God's passions, the more our hearts change themselves, and our lives will reflect the change.

Random things on my heart :)

1. Everything bears fruit (in this case, I'm using fruit to go either way). Therefore, in everything we do we must examine the fruit of it. Does it draw us closer to the Lord or does it pull us from him? I would really encourage everyone to seriously consider some of these questions...I want to really search my own heart and life to find the things that I do and enjoy that do not bear good fruit. How can I cut those things out of my life? What things bear good fruit? How can I cultivate those things? Matthew 3:8 tells us to bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

2. The need for balance. I love the fact that I get to spend what seems to be endless hours in the presence of the Lord, in teaching, in worship, in prayer, in discussion of his word. But I feel the urge and need to have an outlet to the Lost as well. Actually at our sunday night service, the preacher spoke on evangelism and it was amazing! I felt the teaching spoke to what I was exactly feeling! Of course, during these three months I realize I won't have much of an outlet to the lost and that's okay. But I am talking about a rule for my life. As good and biblical it is to surround ourselves with amazing Christian people who love the Lord, it is also very biblical to step out of our “bubble.” We need to let our light shine, instead of keeping it hidden inside of that bubble. Things work so amazingly in the Kingdom of the Lord. For example because I am spending so much time with God and learning about Him and his word it only fuels my loves for him. My love for him creates an urgency and desire to share him with those around me. And that in turn will give me boldness for evangelism. It's a never ending awesome process! :)

We had a good teaching on whole hearted love for God that I would like to share briefly.

- Matthew 22:37.
- Loving God with all of our heart is the great commandment because it is the one that encompasses all else.
- The only way to fulfill the Great Commandment is to fall in love with a real person. We cannot love Him unless we love him in a very personal way. This commandment demands a holy lovesickness, a fierce passion for Jesus. Only those who are pierced by the passion of love in a personal way will overcome the hindrances of love in heart, soul, mind, and strength.
- The self-giving nature of love. Love always gives itself. Real love does not withhold and is without reserve. We need to yield and obey Jesus in every area of our lives to truly love him.
Realizing that when it seems Jesus is distant it is us not him. Jesus is filled with compassion, he does not put distance between us. When we don't give ourselves up completely in love, we are actually resisting him. That resistance produces distance and the feeling that he isn't listening or doesn't care. Do not accuse Jesus of what is in your own soul. Although the Bible has a lot of power, it is the person of Jesus that uproots the sin in our hearts, the things that were resisting him. That is why it is so crucial to be in love with the person of Jesus, to know him.
- He is asking us to give him our everything. But not for nothing, we are giving it because he gave us his everything. Wow, what a powerful thought. When we do not withhold anything in our hearts from Jesus both love him in everything, we are truly give him what he desires from us.

Love is so huge. Seriously. Actually it was kind of cool, one night I was reading my bible in the prayer room. I think I was in Matthew or something, not sure. All of a sudden I felt drawn to read 1st Corinthians, the “love chapter.” I ended up reading it through over a couple times. As I was reading, a fellow fire in the night-er went up the microphone and began praying about the Love of God. It was in reference to the city of Kansas City, I believe, for reaching the lost and the churches. But she kept talking over and over about love. It was so cool :)

Well, I suppose I gave you guys a lot to think and pray about. May your hearts become more like our heavenly father's as we meditate on his word and spend time talking with him and praying for the things he is passionate about to come to pass.

Love,

trisha

First day of Fire in the night! :)

Here is kind of a hodge podge of my thoughts and prayers...just the things the Lord is stirring in my heart at the beginning, this new start. Beware, may seem very random. May you be blessed by some part or all of it :)

This is an awesome verse about being watchmen of the night.

Isaiah 62:6-7
On Your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves and give Him no rest until he establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

We went through pages of rules and regulations and Clay Edwards (our main, fire in the night director. He is totally awesome and hilarious) was talking about how we need to learn to embrace rebuke from Godly people...as if they are doing us a service, because they really are. He was challenging us to grasp the truth from rebuke, even if the rebuke is given unfairly or in harshness. I was so amazed by the humbleness he had when he spoke, and the challenge he gives us to be Godly even if it seems "they don't deserve it." Of course if you are not obviously in the wrong, take it before the Lord. Ask him to highlight the truth in the rebuke...and evaluate it in prayer.

Then he started to take it even furthur....challenging us to be obedient to the law that we live under....even in the little things. God commands us to obey the authorities in place in our lives and yet it is something we often belittle or ignore....take speeding for instance. I too, am very guilty of course. But that doesn't make it okay. Or stoping at a stop sign...I know this may seem so trivial or unimportant. But it just means we try to live in obedience to our Father in everything we do. Even the little things.

Then, when I was sitting in the prayer room, I wrote this...kinda like a mix between a prayer and a song....describing my thoughts and prayers about this time here.

Father, I come before your throne
To look upon your face. I was created for this.
Father, be my one desire
Be the reason that I breathe

Bring revelation, revelation of Your love
Make me more like You
One with you, Jesus

That all else will fade away
That I will only see Your face
Shape me and mold me
Into who You created me to be.
May I never lose my thirst
For more of You.

Purge me from my sins
Strip my heart, I lay it bare.
Purify me, Almighty One.
All of me belongs to you
Use me Father. Please, use me.

Be my one desire
Be the reason that I breathe
Be my comfort
Be my thoughts
Be my dreams
Be my home
Be my passion
Be my vision
Be my purpose
Be my everything

I have arrived!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I arrived safely in Kansas City. I am now sitting in my apartment room that I share with two other awesome girls. I am so excited to be here. Even though everything is so new, I love it already! God is definately proving, already, how he set this all up for me. I feel so at home, even though its only been a few hours....crazy, I know :) Today is basically a "get to know each other" chill day, we only spend like an hour in the prayer room tonight. But they still make us stay up until 4 am! I unpacked some of my things already but then lost my ambition...I just packed it all like yesterday, not really in the mood to unpack it all already....lol

Well, I should get going I have to get ready for the meet 'n greet meal. My parents will be there too which is pretty cool, they leave tomorrow though. Then I am officially on my own. Wow, what a new feeling. I love it though!

The excitement has definately hit, I just can't get over how at home and at peace I feel about being here...it really is amazing!

If anyone wants to come visit me during the next three months, let me know! That would be awesome!!

bye for now

Today is a significant day...

Today is a day of change, a day that has come much quicker than I could have imagined. Today is the day Jordan started his YWAM DTS. His truck was packed with his things and we took a last errand run into town together. His life is turned upside down, starting today. Today is my last Sunday at home for a very long time. Because I hope to update this blog every Sunday, I figured I would give one last account of my thoughts before I am started with my internship. I leave on Wednesday morning, for those of you that don't know, probably around 4:30 am.

I feel so emotionally drained...I have cried several times at the thought of leaving everything behind...of not being a part of the live's of loved ones back home, or at least not a big part...I didn't think it would be quite this hard to grasp....like a really large pill the doctor gave you to swallow. You didn't realize it was that big, till it gets stuck halfway down your throat. The longest I have been away from my family and life as I know it, is a mere two weeks. Three months seems like an eternity! And to not hear Jordan's voice or write him an email, but to contact only via handwritten letters for THREE months....seems impossible to wrap my head around- and maybe I never will. And yet, I know, beyond all doubt. This is what the Lord is calling me to do. To follow him with both feet, willing to lay everything else aside to focus upon His holy face. And I know that in my obedience to him, His grace will carry me through.

Don't worry, I am very excited for my time! I know the Lord will do awesome and amazing things. It's just that everything has come so fast now, and I never was really ready for it all. I am just feeling rather overwhelmed even though I know it will get better quickly. As far as being ready practically, I have purchased toiletries, cosmetics, extra clothing, notebooks, etc...But I have yet to pack. And put everything in my room into boxes so that anxious brother Alex can move in. It just doesn't feel right...packing up MY room...never thought I would be anything but super excited to move out from home...so yes, the journey is beginning already and for Jordan is has already begun. I shall keep you posted, and feel free to write me at trishafitn@gmail.com

trisha

My Adventure Draws Near...17 days

I was accepted for the Fire In the Night Internship! So, I am leaving for the International House of Prayer in Kansas City in just over two weeks! I am very excited to see what the Lord will do and discover more of who I am and the plans he has for my future. I plan to blog at least once a week throughout the three months I am there, so be sure to check back as often as you want to see how things are going. I will try to give a synopsis of the things God is teaching me through teachings and through the intense hours of prayer and intercession, but I will also include the basics such as how life is going physically and emotionally. Well, thanks for reading! Love you guys!