I read this book in Rennes. It was my introduction into the lifestyle of Bethel Church in Redding! This year, God has given me many clues into a summer trip to France this year (find out more here: https://www.youcaring.com/sendjoannatoparis.) The following is quite funny, as I have learned that God will speak through anything. Read more below:
Right after I had moved to Redding in August, My friend Loic asked me if I had a heart for France. I thought about the nights I had sobbed in my room because I missed everyone and everything so much.
"I don't know," I said. "But whenever I tell someone I just spent a year in France, they shake their heads and say, 'It really is such a spiritual cemetary there.' People from Bethel!"
"Well, if it is a spiritual cemetary, then God will raise up an army of dry bones," he said.
"You're referencing Ezeikiel 37!" I had first read this passage in France. I was so inspired that I spent the afternoon writing a song about it.
"You really are an inspiration, Joanna. It's said that missionaries have a hard time getting through to French people. You come, and God does an amazing work in your heart. He sets you free through a series of encounters with the French people and His presence!"
The next morning, after a dream about the churches in France, I woke up and knew my answer to Loic's very first question.
Something had just been activated in me.
Right after I had moved to Redding in August, My friend Loic asked me if I had a heart for France. I thought about the nights I had sobbed in my room because I missed everyone and everything so much.
"I don't know," I said. "But whenever I tell someone I just spent a year in France, they shake their heads and say, 'It really is such a spiritual cemetary there.' People from Bethel!"
"Well, if it is a spiritual cemetary, then God will raise up an army of dry bones," he said.
"You're referencing Ezeikiel 37!" I had first read this passage in France. I was so inspired that I spent the afternoon writing a song about it.
"You really are an inspiration, Joanna. It's said that missionaries have a hard time getting through to French people. You come, and God does an amazing work in your heart. He sets you free through a series of encounters with the French people and His presence!"
The next morning, after a dream about the churches in France, I woke up and knew my answer to Loic's very first question.
Something had just been activated in me.
The Journey
"France is written all over your face. From the moment you moved in here, you wouldn't stop talking about it. God told me, 'she'll be back.'"
Within the first eight days of meeting Christy, this is what she noticed about me. I had spent the previous night journaling about the various encounters I had had with people in France (see http://girlmeetsfrance.weebly.com/40/post/2012/09/hungry-for-life.html) I then realized that God was going to prepare me at BSSM, a training center from where I would go back to the base.
. Throughout October and November, I kept having dreams where I was with friends from Rennes, taking busses in Rennes, or being welcomed by churches in Rennes. It helped that friends (some of whom I didn't even know) from a certain church paid of my $250 in tuition one month right after I had a dream that I was being welcomed into their church. In another dream, a French girl was healed during ministry time at a certain church. Finally, I was in Alsace, telling people about Jesus.
Around that time, I began going to the French-speaking meeting. Nearly every time, we would have a visitor come and talk about what God was doing in the Francophone world. Les Juvet discussed the spiritual hunger happening among the youth in Switzerland. One of the visitors explained how kingdom-minded Christian schools were springing up in France, Switzerland, and soon...North Africa. At an open house before the Leader's Advance, I met a contact who brings together many of the spiritually hungry in France--and also owns a dance studio!
Before going back to SoCal, I was thinking and praying about the dates I would go in the summer. I got, "June 7 to August 31." Shorty after this, I was informed that Julian Adams, a prophet originally from South Africa, would be coming to Rennes on June 7! Countless people had told me that my calling was highly prophetic. Besides that, I was about to go to South Africa! And the date matched up with the one that had popped into my head. Of course, I was interested!
After I got back, I couldn't figure out what was holding me back from buying my plane ticket. After getting it, however, I did not feel any peace about it. I did not feel God in it. And I knew that "unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1.) God took me to Genesis 15:6 and Hebrews 11:8--"Abraham believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going." I felt the Lord say, "If I want you there, I will provide for you. I want you to save the funds you used towards your plane ticket, as well as h remaining balance in your savings account, for a specific purpose I will reveal to you when the time is right." Seeing as He had just paid off my mission trip in full, I didn't really have another option but to believe. So, I got a refund on my ticket. I also gave up my idea of traveling all over France. I felt God said I would primarily be focused on Rennes. I spent the next couple of weeks praying into the encounters that people from all nations, including the French, would have with God.
As I left for South Africa, I told God that He would have to confirm my choice to go to France this summer at least three very clear times. I was a bit confused by it all, not to mention my friends and family who had just seen me sell a perfectly good plane ticket.
It turned out that God ended up making not three confirmations, but thirty!
Margarete is the name of a woman in Rennes who really encouraged me to come to Bethel and has been planning this trip with me. The first woman that I ministered to in a church was named Margaret. On the way to that church was a sign in the middle of nowhere that read, "Margaret."
After we left Stilfontein, we stayed at a conference center in George. Right before you turned into our street, there was an ATM that read, "Rennies: Foreign Exchange." Beyond it was a "Bureau de Change," which can literally translate into "The Office of Change." I had already seen countless French flags, signs in French, and a patisserie. But this time I knew it was God. It helped that I met two Chantals on the same day in the same room. What helps is that one of them was personal family friends with Julian Adams. Five days later, I met two Francois at our celebration party that the leaders of City Transformation in the area were hosting.
"Some of you are called to add your bonfire to a certain city or church's," Francois #1's wife said. I was pretty sure she was talking about me.
On our way back to Johannesburg, I was the lucky winner of a movie called "Skyfall." It seemed to go with the theme of my trip: living without limits. Then, on our way to baggage claim, I saw the following signs:
Rennies Travel: Expect More.
Rennies Travel: Personal.
Rennies Travel: Buy your Plane Ticket!
Another sign read, "AVIS" with an arrow pointing towards the baggage claim. In South Africa, this is a rental company. In French, this means, "Advice." So I followed it! In the next room was a large sign that read, "AVIS: Have someone pick you up from the airport."
Hmm..
As we traveled to our hotel in Johannesburg by bus, some of the billboards I saw were this:
Contact Margaret
Rennie Properties: Contact Pascal (Pascal was one of my teachers from SYA)
While jotting these down, I casually mentioned Julian Adams to Matt W., one of my team members.
His eyes bugged out. "Everyone keeps telling Daneil [our trip leader] that he needs to meet Julian Adams! One day when I was in England, I happened to go into this church where Julian Adams happened to be speaking. He picked me out of the crowd and gave me this crazy accurate prophetic word about the season I was going through!"
As I looked out the window a few minutes later, this was the sign that I saw:
ADAMS & ADAMS
I saw many other billboards during the next few bus rides. I felt like through these, God was speaking to me about what to expect this summer!
Limitless Changes Everything
Everything Could Change in a Moment
I also had prepared a sermon sort with the following passage: Ephesians 3:17-21. I memorized this passage and took ownership of it for my own life. God was able to do far more abundantly beyond all I could ask or imagine. If His love were the sky it would be limitless. If it were an ocean, it would be bottomless. Love+ Possibility=an Explosion!
When I returned to Redding, friends kept giving me similar words:
"I've had this word since the beginning of the year, but I haven't felt ready to release it till now. God really wants you to shine. He is bringing prophetic mentors into your life. I see you leading worship. God is going to do something big this summer."
"When I touched you, my hands caught on fire! There has been lava bubbling over from this volcano, but I felt God saying, 'this needs to ERUPT!"
I saw an advertisement on Pandora advertising the Sims Free Play app that said, "The Possibilities are Endless! Free Play!"
In addition, vertisements kept popping up on my computer that were inviting me to buy plane tickets to Europe from STA Travel (which is the carrier from which I originally bought my ticket.)
God has already started fulfilling the prophecies. Since graduation on May 11, I have had a lot of time to hang out in my room in Redding and just process with God. He is continuously freeing my heart...I was frustrated for a couple weeks, however, because I did not feel released to fundraise for my trip. I clearly felt God tell me to not talk about my trip or my need for finances. In a dream I had, NOTHING was coming in. Then, all of a sudden, people started pouring finances in from all over.
My friends Michele and Loic from Rennes also offered to keep me up in their extra room for the month of June, so that is covered. I got together with some friends to discuss doing a ministry trip in the South of France in August. I advertised my trip on the French videoconference and got a message from Kelly requesting the dates. I booked a ride down to SoCal on May 31. It got the point where I went from stressed to being 100% OK to spending my entire summer with my family, learning to drive, working, and building a support network. God had to make sure I was here first. Because allof a sudden, on Saturday night, I heard the Lord release me to fundraise for my flight.
"How about $1000 by Friday?"
"All things are possible with you, God?"
Two days later, someone gave me $20 and told me to pray into that seed. I started setting up my YouCaring page, making my promo video, and writing my blogs. For two days straight, this was all I was doing. I booked a trip back down to SoCal for the 31st of May. Then, I released it all.
Now, all I need is anywhere from $1500 to $2500 to cover a plane ticket, a send-off, and more opportunities.
This is my PRE-testimony testimony that is able to abunantly bless me! I believe thatGod has been preparing me for this moment since the beginning of the year. He has done a ton of work on my heart and is now ready to release me to the world...will you be part of this eruptive summer? If so, click here to be part of the campaign we are doing to raise at least $1000 by May 31 , the day I left France one year ago! As a Frech friend said the day I decided to go to Bethel last year, "You are going to begin to know Him as your Father." Through others, my Dad provides for me, because He loves me!
https://www.youcaring.com/sendjoannatoparis
Within the first eight days of meeting Christy, this is what she noticed about me. I had spent the previous night journaling about the various encounters I had had with people in France (see http://girlmeetsfrance.weebly.com/40/post/2012/09/hungry-for-life.html) I then realized that God was going to prepare me at BSSM, a training center from where I would go back to the base.
. Throughout October and November, I kept having dreams where I was with friends from Rennes, taking busses in Rennes, or being welcomed by churches in Rennes. It helped that friends (some of whom I didn't even know) from a certain church paid of my $250 in tuition one month right after I had a dream that I was being welcomed into their church. In another dream, a French girl was healed during ministry time at a certain church. Finally, I was in Alsace, telling people about Jesus.
Around that time, I began going to the French-speaking meeting. Nearly every time, we would have a visitor come and talk about what God was doing in the Francophone world. Les Juvet discussed the spiritual hunger happening among the youth in Switzerland. One of the visitors explained how kingdom-minded Christian schools were springing up in France, Switzerland, and soon...North Africa. At an open house before the Leader's Advance, I met a contact who brings together many of the spiritually hungry in France--and also owns a dance studio!
Before going back to SoCal, I was thinking and praying about the dates I would go in the summer. I got, "June 7 to August 31." Shorty after this, I was informed that Julian Adams, a prophet originally from South Africa, would be coming to Rennes on June 7! Countless people had told me that my calling was highly prophetic. Besides that, I was about to go to South Africa! And the date matched up with the one that had popped into my head. Of course, I was interested!
After I got back, I couldn't figure out what was holding me back from buying my plane ticket. After getting it, however, I did not feel any peace about it. I did not feel God in it. And I knew that "unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1.) God took me to Genesis 15:6 and Hebrews 11:8--"Abraham believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going." I felt the Lord say, "If I want you there, I will provide for you. I want you to save the funds you used towards your plane ticket, as well as h remaining balance in your savings account, for a specific purpose I will reveal to you when the time is right." Seeing as He had just paid off my mission trip in full, I didn't really have another option but to believe. So, I got a refund on my ticket. I also gave up my idea of traveling all over France. I felt God said I would primarily be focused on Rennes. I spent the next couple of weeks praying into the encounters that people from all nations, including the French, would have with God.
As I left for South Africa, I told God that He would have to confirm my choice to go to France this summer at least three very clear times. I was a bit confused by it all, not to mention my friends and family who had just seen me sell a perfectly good plane ticket.
It turned out that God ended up making not three confirmations, but thirty!
Margarete is the name of a woman in Rennes who really encouraged me to come to Bethel and has been planning this trip with me. The first woman that I ministered to in a church was named Margaret. On the way to that church was a sign in the middle of nowhere that read, "Margaret."
After we left Stilfontein, we stayed at a conference center in George. Right before you turned into our street, there was an ATM that read, "Rennies: Foreign Exchange." Beyond it was a "Bureau de Change," which can literally translate into "The Office of Change." I had already seen countless French flags, signs in French, and a patisserie. But this time I knew it was God. It helped that I met two Chantals on the same day in the same room. What helps is that one of them was personal family friends with Julian Adams. Five days later, I met two Francois at our celebration party that the leaders of City Transformation in the area were hosting.
"Some of you are called to add your bonfire to a certain city or church's," Francois #1's wife said. I was pretty sure she was talking about me.
On our way back to Johannesburg, I was the lucky winner of a movie called "Skyfall." It seemed to go with the theme of my trip: living without limits. Then, on our way to baggage claim, I saw the following signs:
Rennies Travel: Expect More.
Rennies Travel: Personal.
Rennies Travel: Buy your Plane Ticket!
Another sign read, "AVIS" with an arrow pointing towards the baggage claim. In South Africa, this is a rental company. In French, this means, "Advice." So I followed it! In the next room was a large sign that read, "AVIS: Have someone pick you up from the airport."
Hmm..
As we traveled to our hotel in Johannesburg by bus, some of the billboards I saw were this:
Contact Margaret
Rennie Properties: Contact Pascal (Pascal was one of my teachers from SYA)
While jotting these down, I casually mentioned Julian Adams to Matt W., one of my team members.
His eyes bugged out. "Everyone keeps telling Daneil [our trip leader] that he needs to meet Julian Adams! One day when I was in England, I happened to go into this church where Julian Adams happened to be speaking. He picked me out of the crowd and gave me this crazy accurate prophetic word about the season I was going through!"
As I looked out the window a few minutes later, this was the sign that I saw:
ADAMS & ADAMS
I saw many other billboards during the next few bus rides. I felt like through these, God was speaking to me about what to expect this summer!
Limitless Changes Everything
Everything Could Change in a Moment
I also had prepared a sermon sort with the following passage: Ephesians 3:17-21. I memorized this passage and took ownership of it for my own life. God was able to do far more abundantly beyond all I could ask or imagine. If His love were the sky it would be limitless. If it were an ocean, it would be bottomless. Love+ Possibility=an Explosion!
When I returned to Redding, friends kept giving me similar words:
"I've had this word since the beginning of the year, but I haven't felt ready to release it till now. God really wants you to shine. He is bringing prophetic mentors into your life. I see you leading worship. God is going to do something big this summer."
"When I touched you, my hands caught on fire! There has been lava bubbling over from this volcano, but I felt God saying, 'this needs to ERUPT!"
I saw an advertisement on Pandora advertising the Sims Free Play app that said, "The Possibilities are Endless! Free Play!"
In addition, vertisements kept popping up on my computer that were inviting me to buy plane tickets to Europe from STA Travel (which is the carrier from which I originally bought my ticket.)
God has already started fulfilling the prophecies. Since graduation on May 11, I have had a lot of time to hang out in my room in Redding and just process with God. He is continuously freeing my heart...I was frustrated for a couple weeks, however, because I did not feel released to fundraise for my trip. I clearly felt God tell me to not talk about my trip or my need for finances. In a dream I had, NOTHING was coming in. Then, all of a sudden, people started pouring finances in from all over.
My friends Michele and Loic from Rennes also offered to keep me up in their extra room for the month of June, so that is covered. I got together with some friends to discuss doing a ministry trip in the South of France in August. I advertised my trip on the French videoconference and got a message from Kelly requesting the dates. I booked a ride down to SoCal on May 31. It got the point where I went from stressed to being 100% OK to spending my entire summer with my family, learning to drive, working, and building a support network. God had to make sure I was here first. Because allof a sudden, on Saturday night, I heard the Lord release me to fundraise for my flight.
"How about $1000 by Friday?"
"All things are possible with you, God?"
Two days later, someone gave me $20 and told me to pray into that seed. I started setting up my YouCaring page, making my promo video, and writing my blogs. For two days straight, this was all I was doing. I booked a trip back down to SoCal for the 31st of May. Then, I released it all.
Now, all I need is anywhere from $1500 to $2500 to cover a plane ticket, a send-off, and more opportunities.
This is my PRE-testimony testimony that is able to abunantly bless me! I believe thatGod has been preparing me for this moment since the beginning of the year. He has done a ton of work on my heart and is now ready to release me to the world...will you be part of this eruptive summer? If so, click here to be part of the campaign we are doing to raise at least $1000 by May 31 , the day I left France one year ago! As a Frech friend said the day I decided to go to Bethel last year, "You are going to begin to know Him as your Father." Through others, my Dad provides for me, because He loves me!
https://www.youcaring.com/sendjoannatoparis