New Blog!

I quite enjoy that "I know you're alive... you came to fix my broken life" song. :) I heard it this morning while watching a prayer room set via webstream. My favorite sets are definitely the ones in the morning. So I've been waking up for those.

It's so difficult to be away from the prayer room and IHOP in general. STI was such a life changing experience. I can't wait to go to FMA next fall. This is pretty much the story of what's going on in my life. New blog = New Testimony report, right? :-A

I grew up in a Christian home. My Dad's a pastor/Worship leader at the church I'm currently going to in Lansing, Michigan. Then my Mom is the editor for The Michigan Nurses Association and also plays piano for our churches worship team.

My whole life I have been going to church. Then through church every summer I'd go to Lael Baptist Camp. Every year at camp I'd have on really awesome revelation from God. But because I was only having one of those a year then I'd go home and sort of fall out of sync with God. I wasn't really experiencing Him in my life but only in the context of that camp. Camp is what taught me that Jesus was my buddy and my friend so for that I am forever greatful.

I just graduated from Holt High School this last year and before this summer had the next 10 years of my life planned out. I was to go to a community college in Lansing for 2 years, after one year I could work in the Hospital as a Steralist. Then after the 2 years I could be a certified Surgical Technician. I was then going to use that as a stepping stone/ job as I worked my way through the University of Michigan for my bachelors in Pre-Med then apply for Med. School for an M.D. in Pathology. God however had other plans.

I went to the International House of Prayer for their Summer Teen Intensive (STI) tracks 1 and 3. Track 1 completely changed my view point as a Christian. Even though I came from a charismatic baptist church, I had never really experienced God. Speaking in tounges kind of creeped me out. Prophesy was scary. I thought that as soon as I walked through the doors everyone would automatically know my entire life story. Healing was pretty familiar because I had gone to Green Lake in the past and we had a big healing seminar at my church every year with Mike Evans. But I was still pretty new to ALL of it. Experiencing God completely blew my mind. I wasn't just having one revelation then going home to think about it all year. I was having a revelation once a day! It was a lot to take in and a lot to experience but I am addicted and can't wait to go back. Staying away from the prayer room drives me insane! I bought the online webstream and am pretty much glued to my computer screen a majority of the time. But it's not the same. I am not there when I know I am supposed to be. But I am greatful for this grace period.

Basically during track 3 of STI we were waiting around at FSM (Forerunner School of Ministry) for the worship to start. We had a lot of time so I checked my email. I had received an email from my Mom saying that all of the classes I needed to sign up for to do the surgical technician program were unavailable. Every single one! To say the least I was a bit histerical. Worship started and I tried to put it from my mind and worship while praying. Then announcements started. That weekend there was a Prophetic Conference so they played some videos about the Internships and then about FSM (Forerunner School of Ministry) and FMA (Forerunner Music Academy). During the FMA video I got really cold and began to tremble. I was still shaken from my Mom's email but this felt different. Everything in the video blasted in my ears. I got the forehead pressure thing that I get sometimes and really just knew it was God.

So after being totally overwhelmed, called to the music minitry. I thought to myself, it'd be super cool to go to FMA but it's too late, it's Friday night and their classes start the following Monday. That thought hadn't even left my mind before Derek Loux said "We still have spots open for this semester, so if you would like to consider going here we can audition you before you leave and have you go home and pack to hopefully come back and start classes." I went to the information meeting the next day and filled out an application, had my Mom mail my flute, then auditioned for Voice and Flute the next Tuesday. I got accepted! So we had 5 days to get $2,000, a place to live, books and school material so that I could start a week late that Monday. And I was flying home Thursday. It was super difficult. In a course of about 3 days God changed my 10 year plan for an Medical Degree into a 4 year Music Major.

Because it was very short notice it unfortunately didn't work out for me to be there this year. But I figure there's a few reasons why.

1. It is free for me to go to the community college here in Lansing because I got a Michigan based Schloarship. So this year I'm taking a Writing course that will transfer to FMA, and two Music courses that won't transfer, but will help me be more successful in classes there and are kind of fun. :)

2. I'm teaching a class full of teenagers at my church this year for Sunday School. I'm hoping we can livin things up a bit. We're planning on going to OneThing in Cleveland, Ohio in October.

3. I'm able to practice flute, piano, guitar, voice and theory more exclusively this year so that I can use those things down at FMA and IHOP.

4. I get a whole year to save for School and Board for next year. I'm looking up ministry scholarships all over the place and applying for those. Also cutting back on bad spending habits.

5. Next semester I'm still taking the Steralist course so I can maybe get a job that pays somewhat okay money while I'm down in Kansas City trying to afford school and living. Plus Cherish said she could get me a job at a resteraunt over by FSM.

6. I get a whole year to say goodbye to my friends instead of 2 days.

Right now I'm working on call at Marshall Music traveling with teams that write out instrument rental contracts. There's a lot of good Christian people there. So it's a real blessing being able to work with them. I've joined my churches worship team with my parents and am sort of involved with the IHOP-Lansing. I'm more into Visions (a Christian night club in Lansing). We'll see how this year goes. Also it such a blessing that I get to practice everyday with instruments, voice and theory, so I'm loving that. I need a better paying job so I'm currently in the search of that.

So that's about it. I'm joyful for this grace period and I'm having fun here. God is good. It's funny, both of my parents are music majors and they say they tried to push me into it but I was always like "no way". haha. I guess they get the last laugh. But pray for me if you ever get the chance to read through this.

<3 Abby