The love for others overcame me

I thought this post would be about telling you about my experiences in the States, but I was wrong, because God has put on my heart to write about my desire to experience and see the flourishing work of God in another place- country- continent. I wanted to visit America first because I loved the language and then because I wanted to see the flourishing of the valley in the darkness of that part of this fallen world and to experience God's presence in the places which have blessed me a lot in the past few years through internet. My desire was to see the Word of God produce fruit in His people on the other side of the earth.

I was able to attend the OneThing Conference in Kansas City, the Passion Conference in Atlanta, the Johnson's Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta and the Forerunner Christian Fellowship Church. I wanted to be connected to these parts of the Church, the whole church, not just my sphere. God loves the Church, not just the part I'm involved in and throughout this trip I realized that a love started to rise inside of me towards the WHOLE church and not just the part that most looked like my own. I wanted to sincerely be informed about God's work in other places and see them with my own eyes. What I encountered is more than I can relate, but I'll try to do my best. 

As going from place to place I was overcome by such a love for the church. I never felt such a deepness for people. I was amazed and I haven't really realized that my soul started moving more swiftly to God's voice. Before I was even aware, I was like moving forward without any resistance to the Holy Spirit, which meant that I was overcome and powerfully moved by God's heart. I was surprised by the new movement of my heart. I started experiencing deep feelings for the people I was with. A very good example depicting this was on a day in Kansas City when I was coming out of the One Thing Conference auditorium alone to go grab some lunch. While exiting, an African American lady stopped me and started speaking to me about the previous session. Then she asked my name and she was very amazed when I told her that I'm Rose. It was because she was Rosie. We talked and I was overflowing with joy to be able to testify about how God brought me where I was and how He opened amazing doors for me. We grabbed some lunch and set on the conference hall's floor as many other young people. A staff member saw us and told us we weren't allowed to sit and eat there, but she said we could stay in a larger door niche where she will send others too. So that's how we met a young couple coming from Chicago (I suppose, I don't remember exactly anymore) and we talked about life, the conference and family. The guy started to tell us that he was raised by his grandmother because his dad was in jail and his mother was drinking a lot and wasn't at home. He grew up going to church with his grandmother, but they lived in a bad neighborhood. All the neighbors said that nothing good will come out of him and his siblings. The enemy used this lie to allure him into the world. He started doing some illegal things and lied to his grandmother. One day she stopped him and told him: "You're walking on the bad pathway and you know that you are stepping in the footsteps of your father, which you already know where it will lead. Stop and repent!" Those words touched a chord in his heart which started a tidal wave of events, where he completely gave his life over to God. After that he started his own business and has been doing good. God proved the enemy and all those who watched these kids that He can do anything, even in impossible surroundings. We prayed together and while doing that, I felt such deep emotion for these people and I stood in awe in front of a God who allowed me to see how personally He works in each and every life. He knows every detail of our hearts, because He the Creator knows everything about the creature. "On the canvas of each soul, He paints His beautiful love. With different colors and diverse shades, He expresses His affections with meticulous skill... With immeasurable care and attention, He weaves each beloved soul to Himself. And thus, all across the earth and throughout all of history we find beautiful, individual, distinctive unions with God, each a unique display of the Master Craftsman" (Dana Candler). As this realization caught my attention, I started weeping and I was overwhelmed by the strong love I was feeling for people. God has met me with love for others in a way that surprised me, one reason for it is because it happened unexpectedly and suddenly. I was amazed by His care and affection for each and every person.

I'm sure that God prepares people whose souls are swift to move forward in love, desire and concern for other parts of the church and wants to see His purposes regardless of the differences or the immaturity they have. The problem isn't with seeing or doing things like "we" do them. We should look at the virtues that are still small, but present and developing in these ministries. We get into error when we try to define people by the earthly realm. To attempt to put faces and names on who is in what group is to yield into spiritual pride, pretending and confusion. There is nothing more delightful and pleasing to God than the love that flows from His children's hearts to Him and to people.