Just a quick intro -
the International House of Prayer University (IHOP for short… not to be
confused with the tasty restaurant chain) is located in Kansas City,
Missouri. It has many different facets -
a university with different schools (Ministry, a music academy, missions,
etc.), mission work, and a 24-hour prayer room … just to name a few. IHOP also puts on a myriad of different
conferences throughout the year and has many influential people come and
speak. The conference I attended is
called "One Thing". It is an
annual conference located in KC and has anywhere from 20 to 30 thousand people
attend. These people are all ages, from
all walks of life, and from all over the world.
It lasts four days… and get this - you bring in the new year there! I'll get to that later. Now, here starts my story.
I was in a Bible
study with some wonderful women last fall semester and our leader (and one of
my best friends) had casually mentioned that she was going to a conference in
December called "One Thing" and asked if we would pray about going. I was just in this place with God… you know,
when He is really moving in your heart.
Well, I started praying about it… not very much - just here and there. The dates were Dec 28 - Jan 1. I was talking to my mom one day in November
and asked what she wanted for Christmas and she said that she just wanted me to
be home the week of her break. How could
I deny her the only thing she asked for?
I wasn't home last year (I was in Europe) and this was all she was
asking of me. So, I figured out that One
Thing would take up that break… I told my friend that I would not be able to
make it to the conference.
I didn't really stop
praying about it though… I kept asking God for more clarity because I felt
discord in my heart. When I was home for
Thanksgiving, I mustered up some courage and asked my mom if we could talk about
her Christmas present. I told her about
the conference and said that it was the same time that she wanted me home, but
that God had placed it on my heart and I felt called to go. Her eyes welled with tears and she told me
that I absolutely had her blessing to attend.
It was beyond what I had expected!
I had felt such a burden because I did not want to disappoint my
parents, but they were both so supportive of my attendance.
I applied and paid
the deposit. Money has been a little
tight for me lately since I decided to only work one job this semester and
really focus on my last year of school.
What an answer to prayer it was when we received an e-mail that the cost
of the trip was reduced by $50! One
Thing itself is completely FREE! It is a
free conference - so you can attend worship and teachings without spending a
cent! I went with a group called Prepare
(prepareministries.com) and spent around $200 - which paid for the bus ride
down, four nights in a hotel, and three meals a day! I loved going with the group - as you will
later read. Anyway, it was just a huge
blessing to have the cost reduced!
Okay - so that is
the start of my story… my journey was pretty epic. God revealed so much to me and sent some
pretty amazing people into my life. I
cannot wait to tell you more!
His Peace and Love,
xx
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