Significant Moment in the Year
There have been a lot of significant moments for me this year, it’s difficult to choose a single specific moment. One moment that was a true marker moment/big rock moment for me was a Word from God that came through Pastor John in a session. I was questioning what my life would be and what I would need to do for the future. Those thoughts I was having was making me stressed and anxious about my future (just from the anxiety and stress I should’ve known that those thoughts were from the enemy trying to put pressure on me and to make me second guess things that weren’t meant to be doubted, but i that state I wasn’t aware that it was from the enemy).
We went into a session of, “In the Footsteps of a Prophet”, and in that session those thoughts came up and I started to worry about my future again. Pastor John was talking about Brian Rudd and how he spoke directly to Brother Jerry about his future in ministry. Pastor John kept quiet for a little while and then he said to me (in short), “God’s got your future covered.” That was so comforting and reassuring to me and since then I haven’t worried about what I must do for my future or what my future holds. I speak to God about my future but not because I’m worried about it. It was a big rememboral moment for me.
Practical Skills I've Learnt
I used to enjoy coding in school. We were introduced to it a little the year before I left school, so it was very basic coding. I’ve been enjoying learning how to make a website. There isn’t any coding, but it reminds me of it. I was struggling in the beginning to figure it out but once I did figure it out it was really fun to add to my website and see the additions and effects work. I really like art and I was previously (before coming to MiXchange) trying to become a tattoo artist to have a career in the art industry.
When I came to MiXchange I was honestly disappointed that I couldn’t be a tattoo artist, my mindset was, “I will do MiXchange this year and go back to be a tattoo artist next year.” Obviously the Lord dealt with my heart and spoke to me through Pastor John. Pastor John told me, “Your artistic gift isn’t meant for the world, it is meant for His kingdom and the church.” After that I was so ready for what God had for me here. I basically forgot about wanting to be a tattoo artist. I can now use my gift to serve Him. In having this gift I’ve been able to learn how to do digital art, design brands and how to work collectively with to make a project be successful.
Love In A Time Of War
In the beginning I had no clue of how the production was going to turn out. When we started it was complete chaos… well not really but it felt like it. It was an experience trying to get coordinated with everyone especially under pressure of having to have the production perfected by the weekend. I really enjoyed spending the extra time at the office with everyone and working on the marching and having dinner (pizza) with everyone and just having great fellowship in between the practice sessions. The outcome of the production was so amazing. I really didn’t expect it to turn out like that, but I should have expected it because the Holy Spirit’s anointing was on it. I’m looking forward to the next production that’s to come, it’s going to be absolutely amazing!!
Ivory Tour - Big Rock Moment
I had an encounter with the Lord in my tent after one of the sessions with Pastor John. I went to my tent just to gather myself and to have some alone time and then I just felt that I should give thanks to the Lord, so I started praising and giving thanks to Him for all the amazing opportunities that He has given me, everything that He has provided for me and just for His amazing love that He has shown me. I had a moment of silence and then I just felt His presence with me and I was just overcome with warmth and peace, it was so peaceful; in His presence and listening to the nature around my tent.
Highest Level Conference
The Preparation
The preparation was very busy, but I enjoyed it. Pastor Garth taught us to practice being uncomfortable. During this preparation time, I got put out of my comfort zone a lot. I got asked to make stickers for the conference, to design them, and to print and cut them. I was okay with designing them but I had never printed or cut them before so it was a whole new learning curve. Preparing the church was also a lot of work but the more we did the better the church looked and we got some permanent changes to the church and they look amazing. I was preparing spiritually for the conference too. I read more of In The Footsteps of a Prophet and I’m so glad I did, I learned a lot. I read about when Brother Jerry got called to prophesy in Kenneth Copeland’s ministry and he kept saying no when Kenneth Copeland asked him because he didn’t want to make a mistake. Kenneth Copeland said to him, “The biggest mistake you will make is, worrying about making a mistake” or something along those lines. That really helped me because I was one of those people who didn’t want to make a mistake and that’s what kept me back for so long so when I read that I just decided that I’d yield to the Holy Spirit and let Him minister to me personally, publicly and that it would be powerful. I expected to be changed by the end of the conference.
The Conference
Before the conference I wasn’t one of those people who jumped, shouted or raised both hands to praise. After the one service the Holy Spirit came in and moved on everyone and I was worried I’d make a fool of myself, the only thought that came to mind was that part in the the book and I just thought that “I’m going to yield to the Holy Spirit” and soon after that I was shouting, crying, laughing, jumping, holding both of my hands up and praising Him with all my voice that I had. So PRAISE The Lord!! I will never be the same again! He met my expectations and went over and above with ministering to me during the conference time.
After Conference
After the conference, I can feel that I had a lot of breakthroughs in my personal relationship with God. I feel like I have gotten a better understanding of His love. That was one of the things I was struggling to understand, I always asked myself, “How can He love me if I sin and I miss the mark more than I should?” Not that anyone ever told me there was a certain amount of marks you could miss that would make Him change His mind about loving me, but it was a thought that I had and also, “How much could He love me? How much is His love?” I couldn’t understand that in my mind. I had a talk with Pastor Garth and He was trying to describe God’s love to me and it was beautiful the way he described it, he said, “His love is wide, His love is deep, His love is huge.” It sounds simple but the way it was worded and sounded made me cry. I wanted to understand how it felt. After the conference, I feel like I have more understanding because He showed me His love at that conference. I want to spend more and more time with Him and I am endeavoring to do so. Praise God!!
Break Free
I really enjoyed Break Free and serving there. It was a lot of fun to work with such a big team. I was on the painting team. It was a lot of work but I still enjoyed it. I dont think my back has been bent for such a long period of time it became sore to stand up straight. I really enjoyed the atmosphere at Break Free too, it had a peacful feeling and I really enjoyed just being outside in the fresh air.
I was in thought at some point and I made a connection that just as Break Free is a rehab for people who want to get clean from drugs and other things, MiXchange is a rehab for people who want to get clean from the world and the things of the world. Break Free and MiXchange have things in common; both have structure and lessons in what is done, submission to authority is a big role in everyday life in both of them. It really opened my eyes that MiXchange is to clean you of the worlds dirt and contamination.
Prayer Intensive Weekend
My Expectation
I’m expecting to be touched by God and to have a really powerful and personal moment with Him during this time. I want to feel His presence. I want to feel and experience His love and His glory in everyday that we have together thise weekend. This isn’t prayer as per usual, it is big and I expect big things to happen, not only for me but for everyone around me. I also expect that great miracles will happen for people, that prayers will be answered in this time together.
Money With A Mission Weekend
A highlight from the weekend
A highlight for this weekend was a point that Ps.John brought, he said, “If you have sorrow with your money, it is because you don’t have a purpose for your money.” That was really big for me as a believer we should always have a purpose for our money; tithe, saving, sowing seed, giving to the poor and everything else that we do as believers. I think another big thing is that we don’t give into the triggers that the world brings to us, because that’s another way that the enemy can take our money (if we don’t have strong self-control) and in those triggers could be addictions that we have had or a habit that we have had and that gets triggered and it may cause us to buy or pay to have that habit so we are basically giving money to an idol in our lives.
My new view on money
My view on money has changed. I had a poverty mentality and I had the mentality that I had to perform to get results from the Lord. This weekend it became a lot more clear that the Lord wants me to live a good and prosperous life and I don’t have to perform to live that life. My view of God also changed quite a bit this weekend. I have struggled to understand the love of God and His heart but this weekend I saw His heart as a Father more. Money is a tool for us to use for His kingdom, that’s the just of it.
BANK 2 BUSH
Bank to bush was such an awesome experience as a supporter. The event was for the cyclists and by the sound of it they really enjoyed the experience too (you should go check out their websites to hear more). As a supporter it was a very busy but very fun experience, from waking up before the sun and the birds to cook breakfast for the cyclist, to staying up late to make the next day’s lunch, along with setting up camp for them so when they were done cycling they could just come into camp, eat, chill and sleep.
My favourite part of the trip was driving between destinations. We had a vibe in the car, we had good snacks and plenty of them, we had good music and even better conversation. I drove with Marelize and Megan. I haven’t spent that much time with them like I did on the trip so it was super cool to get to know them a bit more.
I also enjoyed speaking to some of the cyclists after they finished cycling. I spoke to Bernice and Melissa about their experience after one of the days and they made it sound like it was so much fun with the stories of how they struggled but then they overcame it, they also showed me pictures of the journey they went on on the cycle, like the scenery and the routes that they took, that was really awesome to see because the supporters didn’t got he same way the the cyclists went, our scenery was pretty cool too.
I enjoyed being a supporter on this round of B2B but in the future I think I want to experience the trip from a cyclists perspective, so maybe next time there’ll be a different journal entry and I’ll be sharing my experience of B2B on the bike.