BALI I AM HERE!

Hello friends and family! Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support! I am so sorry that I havent been able to update my blog or reply to your individual emails. It has been really hard for me to get internet or phone service out here so my time is quite minimal for the internet.

Abbey and I got to Bali safely. It is actually working out super well because the ORU (Oral Roberts Universtity) Worship team is here as well! The day after we flew in we went to Lembongan Island. The first day we got there, we went to the village and did worship with the children. The children were so excited to just play and sing! It was really awesome because I was taking photos of all the children (can't show it to you now I cant upload photos) and they never seen a digital camera before so they were so excited to see a picture of themselves. My eyes were open at that village. These people live in huts and literally no bathroom or anything. The people's jobs were to clean seaweed all day. It broke my heart I started thinking that it wasn't fair that it was like this. But I realized who am I to say what is fair and what is not. These people are the poorest of the poor. I couldn't even believe it. But it was so amazing to see how happy the children were just to sing and dance. They loved it!

That night we showed a movie on Joseph. The government on Lembongan island wouldn't let us show a Jesus film so we showed a movie on Joseph. That night was so crazy because there were so many people that came to see this movie in the middle of the jungle! But the whole entire time I was praying. I was feeling the darkest presence at that movie. Even when I landed I can feel the spiritual warefare. It is soooo spiritually dark here I was so scared the first 3 nights. I am still scared but the Lord is definetly working through me and teaching me so much and I have only been here for 3 days.

I was reading today in Romans 8:31 "What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" God is bigger than all. God is for me and even if the enemy is against me, GOD IS BIGGER. Then my train of thought went to 1 John 4:16 "God is love and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgement, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in the world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." What really spoke out to me was perfect love casts out fear and only GODS LOVE IS PERFECT. God loves me and HIS perfect love casts out all fear. and yes I am scared and afraid because of my selfish physical self. I am scared of getting sick, BUT MOSTLY scared of the reality of the spiritual warefare and the enemy. But God is with me and his love.

I recieved an email from one of my young life girls and she metioned this verse: John 8:12 "I am the light of the world, If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." Light is considered a pilar of fire, which represents Gods presence, protection and guidance. God is with me protecting me and guiding me. His presence in my life is becoming more real as I am here. It is crazy but also having faith that God is protecting me and guiding me. I was thinking more on the word follow me which led me to Mark 8:34 "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the good news, you will save it." WOW the Lord totally spoke to me.

PLEASE PLEASE PRAY that I can learn to give up my life for Christ that this fear will be expelled for GOD LOVES ME and I am so blessed for this opportunity to serve him and grow. Also please pray for the rest of the ORU team and our safety and protection, spiritual replenishment and encouragement. We are all the body of Christ and it is so encouraging to be in fellowship with them. Also pray that bugs don't keep attacking me! haha.

Thank you so much for your prayers and please keep on praying. I love you all and I will try to update once a week. Its really difficult for me to reply to individual emails it is easier if you commented my blog. Thank you so much!

Love, Lauren