Nantes
Daytrip with Loic
On the last Friday of June, Loic and I took a daytrip to Nantes. This is what we saw: A giant mechanical elephant that stomps around le Place de l'Ile and blows its trumpet year-round. Plastic heads bobbing up and down in the water by the local chateau. Several eggs plastered on top of buildings. Why?
"Parce que c'est Nantes." As strange as the city decor was, the daytrip itself was “sympa.” Within the first hour, I was walking into a cathedral, just like my friend Brenton had prophesied over me in South Africa. As Loic and I took a promenade around Le Passage Pommeraie, we ducked into a choclaterie,
where he asked me to pick out my favorite chocolates. After a quick stop at La Chaise Longue, he asked where I would like to go to lunch. We ended up at a quaint little restaurant where we cheered to Sangria and he treated me to a "fromage nantais." In those two hours, I truly felt like a daughter of the King!
On the last Friday of June, Loic and I took a daytrip to Nantes. This is what we saw: A giant mechanical elephant that stomps around le Place de l'Ile and blows its trumpet year-round. Plastic heads bobbing up and down in the water by the local chateau. Several eggs plastered on top of buildings. Why?
"Parce que c'est Nantes." As strange as the city decor was, the daytrip itself was “sympa.” Within the first hour, I was walking into a cathedral, just like my friend Brenton had prophesied over me in South Africa. As Loic and I took a promenade around Le Passage Pommeraie, we ducked into a choclaterie,
where he asked me to pick out my favorite chocolates. After a quick stop at La Chaise Longue, he asked where I would like to go to lunch. We ended up at a quaint little restaurant where we cheered to Sangria and he treated me to a "fromage nantais." In those two hours, I truly felt like a daughter of the King!
Weekend Trip
I decided to go back to Nantes for five days later on in July. A friend from Bethel had been there in January and encouraged me to "meet Cecile, who knows everyone in France." Many contacts talkd about Nantes quite frequently as well.
Within a few minutes of arriving on Friday, a girl named Vickie texted me, saying she wanted to meet up. We spent the evening walking around downtown and praying for people. Afterwards, I went to a worship evening called "Nantes en Feu" which is linked to the organization "France en Feu." I had wanted to attend some of their meetings for a long time--everything fit together! Afterwards, I met up with Cecile and Jonathan. We stayed up until 3 am sharing our stories. As they talked about how they had quite accidentally met in South Africa, gone out onto the streets in Nantes and seen many heaings, spent three months at Harvest School in Mozambique, and prepared to spend the next month in a potentially dangerous country in Africa, everything felt so right. I was so inspired and felt the presence of God.
On Saturday, Nia and Yowell had prepared a "program" for me. We took the boat across the Loire where we enjoyed a picnic and prayed for one another. I saw Vickie at church the next day, where a guy named Philippe was leading a two-hour prophetic dance workshop. Apparently this is normal there. Before that, I was asked to help lead worship at the front of the church--in French! This was another prophecy that was coming true. Finally, Philippe and his wife Lydie drove me to the House of Prayer. I had never seen someone intercede for his own country as much as Philippe did. He had already described his vacation trip: a tour of all the prayer houses in France, with a quick stop in Geneva. Sounded like my kind of thing!
Finally, on Tuesday Cecile invited me to share my testimony at "Les Feux de Reveil," a meeting they held. "We are trying to teach people how to break the mold and live radically for Jesus. You are a great example, especially to young people," she explained. So, for an hour, I spoke in French and answered questions about my life. Vickie, who has felt God's call to go to Bethel, said it was so encouraging.
I decided to go back to Nantes for five days later on in July. A friend from Bethel had been there in January and encouraged me to "meet Cecile, who knows everyone in France." Many contacts talkd about Nantes quite frequently as well.
Within a few minutes of arriving on Friday, a girl named Vickie texted me, saying she wanted to meet up. We spent the evening walking around downtown and praying for people. Afterwards, I went to a worship evening called "Nantes en Feu" which is linked to the organization "France en Feu." I had wanted to attend some of their meetings for a long time--everything fit together! Afterwards, I met up with Cecile and Jonathan. We stayed up until 3 am sharing our stories. As they talked about how they had quite accidentally met in South Africa, gone out onto the streets in Nantes and seen many heaings, spent three months at Harvest School in Mozambique, and prepared to spend the next month in a potentially dangerous country in Africa, everything felt so right. I was so inspired and felt the presence of God.
On Saturday, Nia and Yowell had prepared a "program" for me. We took the boat across the Loire where we enjoyed a picnic and prayed for one another. I saw Vickie at church the next day, where a guy named Philippe was leading a two-hour prophetic dance workshop. Apparently this is normal there. Before that, I was asked to help lead worship at the front of the church--in French! This was another prophecy that was coming true. Finally, Philippe and his wife Lydie drove me to the House of Prayer. I had never seen someone intercede for his own country as much as Philippe did. He had already described his vacation trip: a tour of all the prayer houses in France, with a quick stop in Geneva. Sounded like my kind of thing!
Finally, on Tuesday Cecile invited me to share my testimony at "Les Feux de Reveil," a meeting they held. "We are trying to teach people how to break the mold and live radically for Jesus. You are a great example, especially to young people," she explained. So, for an hour, I spoke in French and answered questions about my life. Vickie, who has felt God's call to go to Bethel, said it was so encouraging.
La Rochelle
At the beginning of July, a group from Rennes spent a weekend at La Rochelle, a city by the sea three and a half hours south of Rennes. I lived one of my dreams by dancing three times in front of a church. Once, during the Healing Rooms. Then, during a worship night. Finally, during the actual church service. Many people came up to me later and thanked me, saying that "I planted seeds" through dance. My friends and I had a lot of fun in the pool and on the beach. But the best part of the weekend was on Saturday morning. I had been dancing when I decided to sit down next to Nell, a friend whom I had met at a French high school in November 2011. For several months, I had been telling her about God. Every time I asked if she was ready to accept Him into her life, she would reply, "No. I am too scared. I am scared it will all be too good to be true."
So when I sat down to her and heard God whisper these words, I almost said nothing: "If she accepts me, her life will never be the same. I will not be like other people who have abused her. I will never leave her nor forsake her. So ask her, 'are you ready?'"
I repeated this anyway. And when she said yes, I think I simply stared at her for about 30 seconds. And all the time we were praying, I was crying.
So when I sat down to her and heard God whisper these words, I almost said nothing: "If she accepts me, her life will never be the same. I will not be like other people who have abused her. I will never leave her nor forsake her. So ask her, 'are you ready?'"
I repeated this anyway. And when she said yes, I think I simply stared at her for about 30 seconds. And all the time we were praying, I was crying.
Rendez-Vous
Towards the end of August, I decided to go to a Christian camp with people from "La Rencontre." So on July 20 at 3:15 am, the minibus was loaded up and we were ready to make the 11-hour trek down to Gagnieres: me, Nell, Beth, Nadyn, and our courageous driver, Loic. The week flowed so smoothly. I was able to reconnect with people from church, be there for Nell as God touched her, and cool off in the rivers! I spent a lot of time at RDV Jeunes, where I watched Nell sob as the Father touched her, and get whacked by the Holy Spirit. The whole time, I was in the back interceding for the young people. It was strange to think that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit or healing the sick were foreign concepts to them. I hadn't realized how much of a normal part of my life it had become after a year of BSSM. As Nell said one night, "the change in you is HUGE." It was so encouraging to see her smiling one night. "Joanna, I really do believe that the force of Jesus is in me. I can't wait to go out on a treasure hunt. I am going to pray for your arm!" Something was coming in alive in her. Very quickly. "When I compare the energy of the young people here to the people at my high school, I realize how much they are missing out on."
Because it was such an emotional week for her, I was surprised by how calm I was.
Because it was such an emotional week for her, I was surprised by how calm I was.
Taking off Now!
During First Year, I received many prophetic words about my future and my calling. By the end of RDV, I realized that some of these promises were already happening. I was traveling to nations and helping people recognize God's voice and His presence. I was dancing and leading worship in front of churches and bringing freedom to people through creativity. I was releasing identity and freedom to young girls and orphans. And the churches and ministries I had added to my mindmap were happening easily (JEM, Agape, France en Feu...) I am inpiring and teaching people...it is exciting! In the next months, I am hoping to continue to grow in independence and in God's love and power.