Creative Evangelism.

We started "Spititual Warfare" week yesterday with Dean Sherman, who reminds me so much of my Grandpa Smith, it's not even funny! It's been outstanding so far. I'm learning so many things that I had never even heard of let alone thought about. God's working in my life in some amazing ways!
I've noticed lately that YWAM has totally helped me step outside of my comfort zone and not worry about what other people think, sometimes I'll be talking and then just stop and be like wait...did I just say that? I don't mean that in a concieted way by any means, I'm just saying God's rocking my world for the better!
Every monday we have "local outreaches" where we go and serve somewhere in the Denver area for a few hours. It's always led by the phase II students, and they do an outstanding job! The outreaches range from stuffing art supplies in bags to going and cleaning at a homeless shelter. So far I have painted and stuffed a canvas bag full of art supplies to be sent to other countries and I have gone to a Care Center, where mentally handicapped people live, and we just sit and talk with them about some of the most random things, but it's always so fun! Yesterday I was on the "Creative Evangelism" team. Pretty much what we started out praying and asking God what He wants us to do that night. God spoke to us, and told us to go to 14th street in downtown Denver, He gave us visions of homeless people and such. It was pretty fantastic, how cool is it that God takes time out of His busy schedule to talk to US? He's the God of the universe and He WANTS to talk with us, I love it:) But anyways, we went to 14th street with 9 people, a guitar,tamborine,violin and drum. At first I was not into it at all, because I'm new at "hearing God's voice" and I was in a bad mood because it was cold and I don't like ministering to Americans, they make me nervous, take me to ANY foreign country and I can get along just fine but put me on a street of America and I freak. We ended up at a bus stop and just started singing, a group of about 4 went a spoke with a homeless man, another group went and spoke with another and some more with another, which left me and the 3 musicians just chillin' at a bus stop singing praises to our God and King! It was cool, but I don't sing in front of people, and I wasn't enjoying myself at all. There was an older lady who walked by and went to the next shelter...and for some reason I felt drawn to her, all I could think about was going and takling to her...so I did. I didn't want to, but I did, it was a weird feeling. I went and I spoke with this lady, we just started off casually, talking about how cold it was, whether she liked living downtown, and things like that. The conversation ended up getting a little deeper, she asked about YWAM, and I had a chance to explain to her that we are "missionaries in training" and a little bit about our mission and what we will be doing in Colombia. Then I just flat out asked if I could pray for her, and she told me what to pray for...so I did, right there on this street corner, I prayed for this lady named Kathleen who has blessed me more than she will ever know! As I was praying it was definitely not a prayer I have ever prayed before. Before I came to YWAM when I would pray in front of someone it would be a 11 second prayer, but this was LONG! And it was just so awesome! It was totally God speaking through me to bless this lady. After I prayed for her she asked if she could pray for ME!! Of course I said yes, so she prayed for my Colombia trip, and she started off with "Dear Jesus..." and then she started praying to the spirits...which totally through me for a loop and the entire time I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. After she prayed for me I asked if she was involved in church, and she proceeded to tell me that she used to be Catholic and had been hurt by the church, so she just doesn't go to church anymore and she practices a "faith based" belief. I felt horrible for her, and it helped me to realize yet again how important it is for our church to be a safe place and not to judge people, like she said she had been. When we are in church we should only be focusing on loving our brothers and sisters, we should do that everywhere but especially the church!

So...I just wanted to share that super fast, it was a really amazing experience that I always want to remember:)