This past fall my dear friend Weslea and I were called on a Spirit-led journey through Europe. With the Syrian refugee crisis and ISIS on the increase, many voiced concerns about us going but we knew God had spoken so we went. This is something that grieves my heart about some in the Church today. Jesus gave us a great example of following the leading of His Father into the darkness, not running from it. As He said, a servant is no greater than his master. We visited seven different nations in just three short weeks. We had a blast seeing the sights, encouraging different missionaries we encountered along the way, and most of all, praying the prayers of His heart over the nations! When we lay down all the different things we may be hearing on the news concerning a nation or people group and just listen to the heart of the Father, we often get an entirely different perspective on them. That is what I learned from our journey. This is a lesson that can also apply with individuals we encounter in life. Sometimes we need to take a step back and say, “Father, what would You like to say to this individual?” as opposed to reacting to what we’re seeing with our natural eyes.

When we touched down in Paris, France, I heard God clearly say, “Do not receive the report of the world concerning France. I am doing a work here.” I prayed into this for a bit, that God would move mightily and be glorified throughout the nation of France and that His people would not resign in unbelief but press in for what He desires to do there. We took the first day for some sightseeing. We enjoyed the Eiffel Tower, walked along the Seine River, and ate some delicious crepes! The following day, Weslea felt strongly that we should connect with the local YWAM base. We had a sweet time of lunch and fellowship with two young missionaries from Virginia and Brazil. For some time now, I’ve thought that if you really want to know what’s going on in a city, you should ask the missionaries there! So I asked what they are hearing from God and experiencing in their missions work on the streets of Paris, and I was blown away at their answer! One young woman proceeded to tell us that in recent outreaches, they are seeing greater openness to the things of God than they have in years. She then explained how the Lord has been speaking to many in the Body of Christ about a fresh move of His Spirit coming to France!

I told her what God spoke to me as we touched down in Paris, and we rejoiced together over His love for the French people. In light of the recent attacks in France, I felt it was important to blog about what God is saying and doing there. Will you join me in prayer for a fresh move of His Spirit in this nation? And concerning America, will you take some time to ask God what He has to say and desires to do here? At times the reports seem grim, but I know He has a better word and plan in mind for this nation. The question, as always, is whose report will we believe? My next blog post will also be about Paris and the profound experience we had the red-light district of Pigalle. Stay tuned for more!