Hello all!!

I just realized that it has been one month since my last post! Let me just apologize for not being more proactive in updating you guys. It is my new goal to be more diligent about sharing how God's goodness has been pouring into my life.

7 weeks have already passed since I have left home and we are already half way through lecture phase. I cannot tell you how much I wish time would slow down. Every single day the Lord has a new revelation or word or vision for me that it is almost too much to take in. However, one thing a DTS is excellent for is giving students time and space to process. That has definitely been a gigantic blessing. Plus, I have a mentor here who I can go to for anything. Her name is Carol and she is one of the most amazing women I have ever met. I am so extremely appreciative for our weekly one on one times where I can just pour out my joys and my sorrows to her. We can talk about anything under the sun, and trust me, we have!

Each week we are graced with a different speaker assigned a particular topic to teach. I have definitely grown through all of them, but two people in particular have so changed my way of thinking that I must share my experiences with you. First of all, two weeks ago, a man named Ted Garry came and spoke about The Father Heart of God. He was just so open and honest about the importance of viewing God as the ultimate and perfect Father that the reality of the absence of my own Earthly dad hit me like a ton of bricks. However, the story doesn't end with heartache- actually, no story of God's ever ends in heartache- but what strongholds were torn down in my life, Jesus replaced with love and assurance. Moreover, Ted so demonstrated the love of a dad through his actions and words that it was almost like God was giving me a true to life picture of what His heart as a father is really like. What an awe-inspiring concept! Viewing my Savior as a Daddy absolutely revolutionized the way I interact with Him. Now, I run to Him for everything because He is interested in ALL I have to say. What a gift <3
Also, one of the highlights of that week with Ted was his prophecy over my life. He just confirmed so many things inside of me that I had been struggling with that I knew, that I knew, that I knew it was God. Christ spoke through Ted and told me that I am genuine and authentic, that I am beautiful in His eyes, that I am not broken but restored, and that I am a woman set to run the race for God and His Kingdom. How freely I wept, for those were the exact words I needed to hear.
Finally, Ted ended the week by having us each write a letter to our Earthly dad confronting him, forgiving him, and blessing him and a letter to our Heavenly Father. Let me just say- WHEW! What a breaking of bondage there was in my life and the lives of my fellow brothers and sisters. I will never forget those 5 days.

The next speaker I want to tell you about is actually the woman who is talking to us this very week. Her name is Ellen and she too is from the United States. However, she is teaching about "Finding Your Destiny", and man, God has really been challenging me on this one. My favorite quote Ellen shared that sums up the weightiness of this topic is this, "If you can accomplish the dreams that you have on your own, you are not dreaming big enough". Since she uttered those words, the Lord has not allowed me to limit Him and what He wants to do through me. Can I just tell you, my horizons have expanded so dramatically that a life of normalcy seems ludicrous now. There is no way that I can go home and live an ordinary life where success is my ultimate goal. No, I will not stand for that. I have been called to "make disciples of all nations" and I am set on doing just that very thing. God has not revealed just exactly how He wants me to go about accomplishing such a huge task, but every day I am learning to trust Him more and more. I know that when the time is right, the Lord will take me to the next step, then the next, then the next, and one day, His visions for my life will come to pass. For now, though, I am enjoying exactly where he has me today- reveling in His presence and falling more and more in love with Him with each passing day. 

The last thing I want to tell you about is how God is using me. Even before outreach has officially begun, I feel like He is confirming in me different gifts. Last Sunday, I had the privilege of preaching to a church in Nairobi. At first when Joram asked me, I flat our refused because I did not feel qualified to give any sort of instructions to the body of Christ. Then Jesus just blessed me with His grace and the oil of His anointing, and I agreed to teach. When I sat down to write out what I was going to say, the words began to flow like an unstoppable river and before I knew it, I had a 30 minute sermon sitting in front of me. I knew then that God had something  very specific to say to the congregation of that Nairobi church. Thus, I said, "Okay, God, this one has to be all You because there is no way I am getting up to speak in front of all those people on my own". On that Sunday morning, though, I just had a sense of overwhelming peace and from there I surrendered full control to the Holy Spirit and allowed Him to do the talking. I shared my testimony- the good, the bad, and the ugly- and then continued on to talk about God as the FINISHER of our faith. I just so strongly felt the need to say that everyone in that room was alive for a purpose and to restore their hopes in a GOOD God. It was such an honor to be used by Christ in such a particular way.
Since then, I have been asked to speak again at a local high school on Tuesday. Please keep me in your prayers! I get butterflies just thinking about it LOL.

Anyways, I have to go to work duty now. I have so much more I want to tell you about- like my 3 new sisters and our crazy adventures-but I guess that will just have to wait for another time.
I love and miss you all so, so much, and I pray for you always.
Forever yours,
Fran