Posted in London by Sarah Schrack on 5/21/2012
Hang around me long enough and you'll hear me say it. "F bomb." It's the perfect interjection. Pulled over for speeding? "F bomb." A particularly convicting point in Sunday's sermon? "F bomb." And lately? I've been dropping a lot of F bombs.  Because life is hard. God has had me in the hardest season I've ever walked through, and it's not fun. Frankly, I'm tired. But what I'm learning is that a hard season requires another F bomb, one that I struggle with sometimes. Faith.
It took faith for David to stand up against a giant. It took faith for the Israelites to keep going in the wilderness. It took faith for the Eleven to go on after the Crucifixion. And it takes faith for us as His kids to go on when nothing seems to be going how we believe He said it would.
For example, while on the Dream Tour I got an email from an organization called Burn 24/7 inviting me to intern with them this summer. This organization creates 24 hour, 7 day a week prayer and worship houses in various locations all over the world for set amounts of time. This summer, leading up to the 2012 Olympics, they are hosting a 30 day "Burn" in London, and I got to be a part of it! All was well until...it wasn't. I didn't hear from them. And time went on. And I emailed them. And nothing. And I emailed them again. And nothing.
WHAT THE F BOMB JESUS?!? I didn't get it. Jesus, You said this was happening right? You set all this up, RIGHT??? And all He said back was "Rest." Ok, yeah I'll do that, JC, but I have to buy a plane ticket and raise money and say goodbye to people and- "Rest."
Rest is simply trusting that God is who He says He is and I am who He says I am. David stood against Goliath because he believed the Lord had already anointed him king. The Israelites kept going because they knew they had a Promised Land. The Eleven waited for the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room because Jesus promised them He would come.  I can rest because He's my Provider, my Dream Maker, my Promise Fulfiller, and my Guide. He calls me a warrior, a princess, His, and He's appointed me to this season in London.
So I rested. And just yesterday, I heard back and today I got to buy my plane ticket to London. I leave June 14 and will be there for 2 months. I still have a lot of needs, but I'm resting in my Papa. Afterall, He's got this.
If you would like to be a part of answering these needs, you can financially support me by clicking the "Donate" button below.
| |
|
Posted in Squadleading by Sarah Schrack on 5/2/2012
"...David was dancing before the Lord with all his might... 'I will become even more undignified than this...'" -2 Samuel 6:14, 22
In the past year, Jesus has done some crazy things within me dealing with worship. I wholeheartedly believe how worshipping the Lord can physically change places. I believe this because I've seen it. I've seen people come to know Him after one worship song. I watched a stranger come into our group during worship and repent of her sins, coming back to the Lord. Biblically, Jehoshaphat sent his worshippers into battle first, thereby defeating the Moabites and Ammonites (2 Chronicles 20)! So yeah...worship is powerful.
Knowing that and knowing that I have a heart for worship and intercession, I was extremely excited to head into what is technically a closed country, China, for Y squad's 8 month debrief. As I was walking around the city, praying for this nation, God reminded me of just how powerful worship is. Later I met up with the worship leader and told him what God had placed on my heart, so during worship that evening, I got to lead Y Squad in a song. I was super nervous, but something happened as we sang. Hearts were broken, prayers were sent up, and the Spirit came down.
But here's the best part: we sang it in China. We sang it as loudly as we could, broken for these people, with our hearts and the windows wide open, over a city that isn't allowed to know their Maker. And every time we worshipped that week, that happened. There is not a doubt in my mind that the worship held in the tiny hostel room with 50 or so believers did something to the spiritual atmosphere of that city. And that just maybe God is continuing to use those prayers even as we've all moved on.
Below is a video of one of our worship nights. It's not very clear; we were in a super dark room. But I pray that as you listen to it, you remember that not all of our brothers and sisters have a right to worship our Papa. That there are so many nations that still need to hear the Gospel but are forbidden to. And that sometimes you just need to be undignified for the Lord.
If you would like to financially support me, please click here.
| |
|
Posted in Dream Tour by Sarah Schrack on 3/7/2012
How many times have you heard a kid say this? Or make a wish equally as big and outrageous? Little kids come up with some seriously big wishes. But Jesus tells us to be like the children. He also says ask and we shall receive.
Jesus tells us to ask. He consistently speaks this idea through the Bible. So why aren't we asking?
For me, I think I've been afraid. Which is completely ridiculous if ya think about it. God loves me. He loooooovvvveeeeessss me. And He wants only the best for me. Afterall, I'm His princess. So why wouldn't this princess ask for awesome gifts from her Daddy? Now that the Dream Tour has ended, this is one of the things that stays with me. I asked for things on this trip. Things I needed and things I wanted.
I asked when my team had a need. When we woke up and didn't have a place to stay that night, I asked. When we ran out of money, I asked. When we didn't have ministry to do, I asked. And He answered with 2 days with an old friend, 3 bags of free food and a gas card, and speaking engagements falling into our lap the day of. But that was just the start of it.
I also learned to ask when I wanted something. Over the trip, Jesus gave me free tickets to the International House of Prayer's Onething conference and free tickets to Disney World. He gave me about $40 worth of free pastries in one night, a $50 meal at a super fancy restaurant, and more free cups of coffee than I could drink. One time I prayed, "Papa, I would really like to try that kind of coffee. I've never seen it before." Not 10 minutes later, a barista came up to me with a bag of it that she wanted to offer as a sample!
I'm not saying be greedy and ask for everything. He's not Santa. And I'm not saying He's gonna answer every prayer the way you want Him to. He's a Holy, omnipotent, sovereign King so please don't think I'm suggesting otherwise. But He's also our Daddy. He's a God that wants to lavish us with His love and blessings! A Papa who wants to give His kids our heart's desire!
So start asking! This is one little princess who's gonna start asking for her pony.
| |
|
Posted in Dream Tour by Sarah Schrack on 2/6/2012
"People try to put us down.
Talking 'bout my generation"
-The Who
We're finishing up our third week on the road. We've spoken at a lot of churches. But there's one idea that seems to be coming up again and again. The idea that our generation- my generation- is going to change the world.
 It's an idea that I've kinda grown accustomed to and begun to take for granted. AIM is always talking about it so it's not a new concept for me. But a pastor last week reminded me that biblically speaking every time a Deliverer was going to arise, they would do everything they could to kill off that generation. Pharoah attempted to kill off Moses' generation. Herod killed all the baby boys in Jesus' town. And almost 40 years ago, abortion was legalized. The world has tried to literally kill off my generation and the one before it.
Such oppression only stands when there is such great potential. My generation has such great potential.
Going around seeing my age rise up and become an army that will change the world- that is changing the world- has brought me into a new understanding. Because the Lord is doing something in my generation.I am honored that He has chosen me for such a time and season as this. I am honored to be a part of my generation.
But we're not the only ones called to change the world.
In Joel 2:28, it says that "old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." One of my coaches, Ted Hansen, told me that the problem today is that we've flipflopped this passage. In today's world, the young men have the dreams but they can't see the vision of how to get there. And the old men have the visions and experiences, but they've stopped dreaming. 
We need those older men and women who have the vision and the dreams. We need to be poured into, and coached, and mentored. We need yall. We are that Joel 2:28 generation. And together, we'll change the world.
If you would like to financially support my ministry, please click here.
| |
|
Posted in Dream Tour by Sarah Schrack on 1/31/2012
It's kinda hard to explain the Dream Tour. We never really know what we're gonna do tomorrow, or sometimes even today. The gist of it is to push people into their passions and declare that the Kingdom is HERE! So everything we do is geared toward this.
It's been a wild two weeks. We've met a ton of dreamers, and we still have another three weeks! Each person in this video, and each person that we've met, represents someone we've gotten to pray for, a passion we've gotten to speak into, a heart we've gotten to encourage, and a life we've gotten to share....
If you would like to financially support my mission, please click here.
| |
|
Posted in Dream Tour by Sarah Schrack on 1/25/2012
Last night, I got to be a part of a movement. It started this past August in Houston, Texas because a Governor requested prayer. A United States political figure requested prayer for our nation. And the Church responded.
It started in Texas, but soon the movement was carried state by state. And last night, it landed in Orlando, Florida. In nature, The Response is just a prayer meeting. What sets it apart, however, is that it is a prayer movement for every Christian. Denomination, age, gender- none of that matters. The Church uniting and crying out to our Savior for our country is what matters.
So I went last night, and simply put, I was blown away. Boys in skinny jeans and men in business suits. Girls with glitter in their hair and women in stillettos. People shouting in tongues and people quietly kneeling before our Lord. Cheesy Christian t-shirts and t-shirts from Bike Week. Hymns, prophetic songs, contemporary worship. It ran the gamete. At one point, there was an older gentlemen in a suit with his hands raised. To his left, was a young Latino man with tattoos from his shoulders to his fingers with his hands raised. To his right, was an old hippy guy with a long gray ponytail with his hands raised.
And I thought, this is what Heaven will look like. All of us, all together, worshipping our God.
Because in the end, it doesn't matter if you go to a Methodist or a Megachurch. It doesn't matter if the idea of prophecy or the idea of singing old hymns gives you the heebie jeebies. Jesus is what  matters. The Church stepping into our identity as Christ's Bride is what matters. He listens to His Bride. The Response's leader said last night, "When the Church is the Church, God responds...and a nation is changed." Prayer meetings change the world. They have. They do. They will.
So Church, keep praying. Our nation needs us to. Our God wants us to.
If you would like to financially support my ministry please click here. | |
|
Posted in London Initiative by Sarah Schrack on 1/17/2012
I have a dream. I want to see revival in the city of London. I want Love and Freedom and Truth to conquer the strongholds there. I want the Spirit of the Lord to sweep through her streets. I want Londoners to encounter the Living God. It's a completely broken city, but it's a city I fell in love with and a city that is so key to God's plan for Kingdom on this earth. I believe prayer and worship are always at the heart of just such a revival and real change so I want to start a 24/7 prayer and worship house right in the center of London. But I also know that Jesus didn't just love in prayer, He loved in action. So I want this house to be a place where we also tangibly meet the needs of the community- be it feeding the homeless, crying with the broken, taking care of the drunks at 3 am, whatever. That's the dream. And up until 5 days ago, that's all it was- a dream.
But 5 days ago, something amazing started to happen. Something that is turning this dream into a reality. I was at this thing called Project:Searchlight, which is a conference for World Racers coming off the field to figure out what their passion is and how to logistically make it happen. I was talking to Clint Bokleman, a leader at AIM, telling him my dream. He, like every other leader I had talked to, was basically saying, "That's so nice but we're not gonna help you at this time." He was listing all the people that had tried to start something in London and failed. He was naming off people that had the same heart I did, but how still nothing had happened.
"I know there's a lot of people with the same heart I do," I responded, "but no one's willing to go first with me. No one's willing to be a forerunner. I'm ready and willing to be a forerunner." Boom. Just like that, it was out of my mouth and I couldn't take it back no matter how hard I wanted to. And those words changed everything. Immediately, I knew I meant it. I knew that if being a forerunner is what it takes for London to be reclaimed for Jesus, I'll do it. And as that shift happened in me, a shift happened in Clint too. All of a sudden, he was fighting with me, agreeing to help set up a long term ministry there, with me leading it.
As that day wore on, people kept coming up to me, referring to me as the 'London Girl,' and discovering that they had the same heart for London and for worship that I do. Somehow I was forming a team without even trying. So the next day, I spoke with Clint again and told him about all this. Told him that I had formed a team by accident and didn't really know what to do about that. He just smiled and said of course this was happening and planned a meeting to start setting up all the things we need to get this thing going.
So there it is. I've been given a ministry in London. We're still in the beginning stages, of course. But it's starting. All because I stepped into this piece of my identity I didn't even know existed. All because I said yes to what God was already speaking over me. And I'll never be the same. And neither will London.
If you would like to financially support my ministry please click here. If you would like more information or would like to join my team, please email me here.
| |
|
Posted in Dream Tour by Sarah Schrack on 1/5/2012
Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. (Lk 9:3)
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. (Mt 10:8)
Ask and it will be given to you... (Mt 7:7)
Consider the lillies of the field, how they grow...But if God so clothes the grass of the field...will He not much more clothe you... (Mt 6:30)
...if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. (Mt 17:20)
These are all things Jesus said. Some of these He says multiple times in multiple Gospels. And for too long now, I've heard Christians and Christian leaders try to soften the blow. Try to say things like His words are symbolic or a metaphor or you have to look at the context. I believe that God is an intentional God. And so I believe that when He says to heal the sick, He means to heal the sick. Or when He says that He will take care of me better than sparrows or lillies, He will. That He means it when He says He is Jehovah Jireh- the God who provides.
And I'm tired of saying I believe in His provision, but relying on my debit card. Or that I believe in taking up my cross, but only helping people when "ministry" is scheduled. And so, I'm starting on yet another journey. Known as the Dream Tour, it consists of speaking engagements with various ministries, churches and Bible studies as we roadtrip around the United States. The purpose is to awaken the many sleeping giants living in American churches. To remind Christians that Jesus wasn't just a nice man or a good moral guide. He is Lord. He is King. He was a revolutionary that turned the world upside down. That He has given each of us a dream, and there should be NOTHING stopping us.
The catch is we base it off of Luke 10. We follow Jesus' words to "Carry no moneybag (v. 4)." So we start with a tank of gas and not much else, including no debit or credit cards. We follow Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan, helping along whoever we meet (v. 25-37). We worship and listen the way Mary worshipped and listened because we believe Jesus meant when He said she chose the good portion (v. 38-42).
I fully expect many of you to think I'm crazy to do this- to get in a car with a group of people I don't know, taking nothing with me, and praying for God to provide food, shelter, gas and ministry. But I'm also fully expecting God to do crazy things. I'm expecting Him to be faithful because that's what He promises, and to provide when I'm sure He can't. I'm expecting to do the impossible because Jesus said I could.
If you would like to financially support me on my mission, please click here.
| |
|
Posted in Squadleading by Sarah Schrack on 12/19/2011
So I've been "home" for 15 days. Which is kinda a rough place for me to be. That's partly because I don't really know where home is. In the past 2 years, I've been in 25 countries. I've flown through 24 airports. I've slept in over 40 different beds (yes I counted). Home? Where's that? So I think a little bit of confusion is understandable and ok. But now, here I am back in the US, and I'm sad. I'm sad to be back where my passport says I belong. And yes, it certainly has a little to do with my wanderlust, but no, there's something deeper.
I don't know how to be me in America. The past two years, traveling and serving, I've done and seen some amazing things. I've led 40+ people into new freedoms and bringing Kingdom. I've gone up to strangers and prayed for them. I've handed out  Valentine's Day cards and preached on street corners. I've worshipped in London tubes and on Ukrainian sidewalks. I've befriended Buddhist monks and Thai political revolutionaries. I've seen people give their lives to Christ and be physically healed and hear for the first time that Jesus loves them. I've gotten to be a part of God healing this broken world and pouring out His Spirit. So why can't I do that here? Why can't I have the faith and joy and intimacy and love that I have on the field here, in America?
Yes, American culture makes it difficult to live that kind of lifestyle. But I think that's a cheap answer. I think the truth is I didn't really believe who I am and I didn't really trust that God is who He is. And I hate that I did that. I hate that last time I was home, and even for a bit this time out on the field, I was controlling instead of honest, timid instead of bold, focused on God's promises instead of on Him.
The only difference between me here and there is the title I put on it. It's "missionary work" when I'm in London or Manila or wherever, which somehow makes it easier to be myself. That's stupid. It's just loving God and loving people. And I can do that.
Because I am a woman of God. I am a faithful woman of unfailing love.
And that's exactly who I'm gonna be. And exactly what I'm gonna do. Starting here at home. Because home is just a title; it's just a word. It doesn't change anything. Even if it does have four letters.
Thank you so much to those of you who have supported my mission the past 6 months. I'm still in need of financial support, so if you would like to donate please click here!
| |
|
Posted in Squadleading by Sarah Schrack on 11/25/2011
Last night, I got to be a part of the BEST Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Ever. And I didn't even eat. That's because last night my squad helped put on a carnival and dinner for street kids and homeless families. There were games, facepainting, and balloon animals. There were also more serious booths like a nurse station and place for brushing teeth and wet wipe showers. I, of course, manned the Princess Booth. Every little girl got a tiara, made necklaces and had their fingernails painted. It was wonderful, and was soon followed by a big spaghetti dinner, a magic show, movie and more treats.
I saw some of the most amazing things happen last night. I saw kids more excited to learn how to brush their teeth than play with plastic swords. I saw a prostitute not take off her tiara once. I had a little girl paint my nails (and hand), and a little boy run up and give me each and every one of the stickers he'd won. I watched teenaged boys spend hours coloring, and laughed with kids covered in birthday cake icing. I saw 30 World Racers' hearts break. It was an incredible evening, and I was thankful for it. Thankful that I got to be a part of Jesus performing 92 miracles in an alley in the Philippines...
And if you would like to financially support me, please click here.
Full Bellies and Alley Ways from Melissa Diehl on Vimeo.
| |
|
Next 10 Articles >>
|
|
|
