Warsaw's Church of Glory conducted it's first and finest women's conference on March 7th, 2015. Women from all over Poland participated, and enjoyed going up to a new level. Pastor Ula started the sessions off with talking about arising in God. She is not the same woman that came to Kansas City three years ago. She is like a Polish Kathy Gray, and preached with fire. She had such compassion for the women who came, and her passion would erupt with tears. Next Pastor Agnieszka Onyszczuk, preached a gripping sermon on Hannah, and no longer being barren. She talked about dying to yourself, to produce what God wants in your life. Seeking first His Kingdom, and God granting you the ability to produce. As my translator was talking, God began to deeply touch my heart. I haven't cried in a long time, and tears began to flood my eyes. It wasn't the words being translated that touched me, but it was the Spirit of God in the message that captured my heart. After Pastor Agnieszka, Marta spoke on going after living water, and being a carrier of it. No longer being a broken cistern, because you're not doing things God's way.
In the middle of Marta's sermon, God began to speak to me. He said, "I want you to depend on me, not your laptop." At first I thought it was my own voice, and immediately refused the idea. I had just typed up everything the way I wanted it the day before, and was going to have that pink laptop up there with me. I kept feeling that nudge in my heart, and knew it was God. Now, I did take the laptop up to the platform with me (I don't even know why I did this), but once I looked at the women...I shut it. I shut that laptop, and stepped out there to do something I had never done. I have never been a speaker at a conference, and especially at a Polish women's conference. So it was extreme faith, and being stretched.
My topic was raising kids in revival. I told them that I was not a mother, nor did I have any kids of my own. However, I was a spiritual mother, and I have been in children's ministry over a decade. The principals taught by our senior pastors at WRC, Bobbie King, Karen Dehaven, and many more seemed to just pour out of me. There was such joy when my translator Ania and I spoke. The women were definitely responding to the principals I shared, and had open hearts. After the services that evening, I spoke with a friend and she said, "even though I don't have kids yet, as you were speaking, I felt like I did." I talked a lot about creating a home where God feels comfortable, and our kids feel safe. I also spoke on taking responsibility for our children's spiritual life, and not allowing the church to be the sole place where they get something from God.
On Monday and Tuesday, I was given the privilege to speak at the school of ministry connected with their church. I spoke on six different topics, all relating to children and youth ministry. I wasn't so confident about speaking on youth, because I have never been a youth minister. However, I have seen the right way to do youth ministry, and have that expectation in my heart. Plus, I felt that God was not going to let me get away from speaking on youth. He would not relent, and at times would not let me use my laptop either. Can we say stretch?
Monday I laid a foundation for having a world class children's ministry, raising kids with a heart for God's house, and spoke heavily on honoring God. I also discussed creating a safe place for children to be ministered to. I happened to have a copy of the safe sanctuary policy, the one children's workers sign at WRC to work in children's ministry. I talked about the harsh reality of people not having good intentions for children, and how we must be of 'sober mind.' The students had a look on their face like, "why didn't anyone ever tell us this before." Unfortunately, I could see tears in the eyes of some, and could tell that they were not protected as children. This was heartbreaking, and I hope that my passion became their passion.
Tuesday I led worship (in Polish) for the school of ministry. On my laptop I happened to have the music we do in Cieszyn, and God backed me up. All those years of privately worshiping God in my home were paying off there in that room. I encouraged the students who were a little stiffer, to do something different. I had them stand together as a group, and encouraged them to flow in the power of all. Every song was about establishing God as Holy, the King, our reward, and the one that matters. God began to just come into the room, and His presence filled that place. People began to bow, and some even got on their knees. They had such a good response, and were so open to try something different.
In the room that day were a few youth leaders, moms, pastors, students, and God gave me everything I needed to say. I talked a lot about loving our teens, and giving them the attention they need. I exposed the secret life that teens live, and how to gain access to it. Also, how to rescue them, so that they could step into their destinies. I borrowed a phrase from my friend Lisa Demeo, "youth are not just the church of tomorrow, but the church of today." I again hit that issue of having a heart for God's house, and not putting up with youth who are cold to God. I gave a lot of great examples, and shared the potential youth have when they are being challenged to go after God.
So, it has been a fantastic few days of being stretched, and watching God move in Warsaw. I had the most incredible hosts that took extraordinary care of me. My friends and family would be overjoyed at how they took care of me, and how honorable it was to those who sent me to Poland. I did get to do a little sight seeing, and continued to learn more about the history of Warsaw. I would highly recommend my friends in the U.S. to do some studies on the Jewish ghetto, and the Warsaw uprising. It is fantastic history, and information we Americans don't usually hear about.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart to those of you who prayed for these events. Everything I needed God provided! God backed up his word, and touched the lives of many people.
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