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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Posted in Squadleading by Sarah Schrack on 11/11/2011
 So it's well after midnight, but I'm up because God did some wrecking me in the last couple hours. He told me to watch the movie "Goodnight, And Good Luck," which I did with my friend Andrea. It's an awesome movie all about McCarthyism and the Red Scare, ie it's a film about fear. So naturally after the movie that's exactly what our conversation was all about. And God just showed up. That's the only way I can describe it.
You see we know what fear can do. Look at history, look at your friends, look at your own life. Fear messes people up. It makes completely rationale people do completely stupid things...like stay in a passionless career choice, or turn neighbors into authorities for crimes they didn't commit, or think a sound in the middle of the night is someone trying to kill them, or commit a hate crime. It sometimes even leads to war. But we also know that Love conquers all. Love never fails. Love wins. So if we know how powerful fear is, but we know that love beats it, then love must be pretty flipping powerful, right?!?
Because real love, the kind that casts out fear and all that amazing stuff Scriptures claims, is like saying, "Because I have God inside me, I have His love, which conquers EVERYTHING. That's inside me! So you have NO power over me. So yes, I'll honor you and let you have your way and love you, no matter what you do because I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU. You don't have power; God does. God is love and I know how the story ends. Love wins. SO YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO ME." If we really lived like that, really believed that we would become fearless. WE WOULD BE UNSTOPPABLE.
But the thing is...we are. We are unstoppable. Because we do have love- the most powerful weapon- inside us, whether we believe it or not. We ARE unstoppable whether we believe it or not. A man with an AK-47 will easily win a knife fight if he knows he has the AK-47 and if he chooses to use it. So right now....at this very moment...I AM UNSTOPPABLE. But fear has stopped me. It's stopped all of us. McCarthy feared communism because ultimately he doesn't trust that democracy can stand up against its opposition. Likewise, deep down, fear is us not trusting that God can stand up in the face of opposition. So the question then becomes: What am I afraid of? And how the heck can I kill it? Because I'm sick of falling short of that fear-trompling love. I'm sick of not believing that God is who He says He is. Aren't you???
THAT'S the insanity of the Gospel. That Jesus loved us perfectly, loved us with no fear that we would reject Him. No fear that it was something He couldn't handle. No fear that we didn't deserve this grace or that we couldn't return the favor. Loved us in this crazy way when we were His enemies (Romans 5:8)! Think about that. That's crazy. That doesn't make sense. That's love. And that's the insanity that continues to change the world.
"...And then there is the love for the enemy--love for the one who does not love you but mocks, threatens, and inflicts pain. The tortured's love for the torturer. This is God's love. It conquers the world."
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Posted in Squadleading by Sarah Schrack on 10/28/2011
I've spent the last month in Rwanda. It's probably one of the most beautiful countries I've visited. They call it the Land of 1000 Hills, and there's a ton of laws to protect its physical beauty. But Rwanda has a past of violence and fear. It was here in 1994 that a massive genocide occurred, wiping out roughly a million men, women and children in 100 days. While the country has gotten back on track, the genocide has clearly marred its present. Missing limbs, machete scars across the face and head, and limps are common. These ever present reminders make the past impossible to forget. The Rwandan genocide was unique in that neighbor killed neighbor. This wasn't a turn-the-other-way, pretend-to-ignore kind of thing. One day someone was having dinner with you and playing with your kids, the next they were literally murdering your wife. At the Memorial Museum in Kigali and in meeting several survivors this month, I've heard plenty of such stories. And it made me think. What would possibly make someone hate like that?
The 1994 genocide was the culmination of longstanding tensions between the Tutsi and Hutu groups. The tensions and occasional uprisings of over 50 years created the Hutu Power ideology, whose basic principle was that the Tutsi intended to enslave the Hutu, and therefore they should be resisted at all costs.
In other words, fear.
Also this month, I've been experiencing my own encounter with hatred, albeit on a significantly smaller scale. About a year and a half ago, I was in Pattaya, Thailand. It was there that I saw firsthand the effects of the sex trade. I blogged about what I saw and how my heart broke for all those involved, including and especially for the men who were buying these women. I saw it. I blogged about it. And I didn't really think about that blog again until last week. When somehow my blog got posted on a pro-sextourism forum, and I started to get a lot of attention for what I was saying. In response to my words, many people were leaving comments that were crude, inappropriate and just downright evil in many cases. They included several outright threats to my safety. And it made me think. What would possibly make someone hate like that?
The answer, once again, is fear. Fear that their way of life could end, or maybe even a fear that I'm right. Because even though these two events are on opposite sides of the spectrum and I am not equating my issue with murder in any way, they come out of the same thing. Fear is the opposite of love (1 John 4) and always leads to hate. It is what makes people threaten blog writers and- at a much larger scale- can even lead to genocide.
At the end of the day, these are the only two kingdoms- fear and love. Eve is afraid God is holding out on her in Eden, and mankind falls. The Pharisees are afraid of losing their power, and Jesus is killed. The rich man is afraid to give up his riches (Luke 18) and doesn't get to Heaven. They all choose fear. On the other side, a group of fisherman give up their livelihood to follow some Rabbi who claims to be the Messaiah. Mary decides to be the mother of God even though I'm sure it gets her into a host of trouble within her community. Apostle after apostle dies a horrible death, refusing to turn their back on Jesus- the One they love. They risk everything for love.
When Jesus was dying on the cross, He was making a choice to love us. He was saying, "Yeah, I know you're gonna hate Me and reject Me and break My heart, but I'm still gonna love you." And He was saying, "Yeah, I know you're gonna hate Me and reject Me and break My heart, but I'm still gonna entrust you with My heart." God chose to make Himself that vulnerable for us. To love and trust us with His heart, knowing we would fear the change He asked of us and hate Him. But He's our example.
Love is the only answer. Love conquers all. It never fails. It never ends. It's the most powerful weapon there ever is and ever will be. Love wins. God wins. So I choose love. I choose that sword and that Kingdom.
And I hope you do too.
If you would like to financially support my mission, please click here.
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Posted in Squadleading by Sarah Schrack on 10/12/2011
Squadleading has taken me all over Africa. We've crisscrossed Kenya, Uganda and here in Rwanda. So needless to say, we've seen some awesome things. I've gotten to be a part of prison ministry, live with 300 orphans, play and sing songs at many many schools, participate in crusades, take out jiggers (tiny flea like bugs that dig into skin and be quite painful) and perform an all night prayer and worship vigil, among other activities. Some of my other favorite moments include...
In Bugiri, Uganda I met a baby named Alex. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. He'd been in the hospital for several days and was refusing to eat. Instead, he just slept all day every day. His mom asked me to come pray for him, and all I could think to pray was "Alex, wake up and eat." I prayed this over and over. As soon as I said Amen, he sat straight up, looked me in the eye and let out a huge wail. His mom picked him up and he immediately began eating. His mom had tears in her eyes, as we just stood and watched, amazed!
In Busia, Kenya we met 40 plus street kids. The contact for the team there had such a heart for them but could never find where they were staying. As soon as he announced that we were going to start an official ministry for them, the team ran into several of the children who, without us asking, took us to the area where all the street children live. We got to feed them and give them new clothes. We also recently got an email from that pastor, who told us that many of those children have started to regularly attend church!
Later in Kenya, we were doing door to door house visits. The Lord had told me earlier that day that there was a leg that was going to be healed. Sure enough, first house we go into there's a woman walking with a cane. I tell her, "God wants to heal you today," and start praying. When we finish, she stiffly walks us out but she walks us out! 10 minutes previously that was impossible for her! The next day, we get a call from her. She wanted me to know that she woke up with NO pain and she threw out the cane she's been using for years!!!
 Of course, as squad leader, my main and favorite ministry is my squad. I've gotten to see some crazy things happen to them as well, which has by far been the most rewarding bit for me! I prayed over one team leader who told me she wanted tongues. When she said that, I just replied, "Well let's just pray and expect something extroadinary to happen!" Something extroadinary did happen. The Holy Spirit came over her so heavy she couldn't speak or stand, and then out of nowhere tongues started shooting out of her! A week later, I was praying with another squad member. He has a history of being told he is unworthy and not a man of God. I prayed truths over him and cast out the Spirit of Unworthiness, inviting in a Spirit of Sonship. It was with heavy tears in his eyes that he finally looked up at me and said, "I am a Son of God."
Now, none of this is possible without supporters and donors. So to those of you who have given financially, thank you thank you thank you. I really can't thank you enough. Because of you, I've gotten to be a part of physical healings, salvations, unlocking new found freedoms, loving on orphans and widows, and feeding the hungry. And it is thanks to you that I am now just $2000 short of being fully funded. The deadline is fast approaching, though, so if you would like to financially support me please click here. There are so many more Alex's and street children and women that need to walk and jiggers that need to be taken out! Thank you for being a part of what God's doing!
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Posted in Squadleading by Sarah Schrack on 10/3/2011
It's funny. I had a completely different blog to post. It was literally all written out, edited, put up here, ready to be read by all yall. But God stopped me. I don't really know why. And I don't even know if this blog will make sense. But I'm definitely just supposed to state the obvious right now, so here it goes...
I'm broken.
God is still good, though.
He still loves me.
I am still His Daughter and Princess.
I hear from God.
I have no idea what He's up to right now, but He's up to something.
He is better than His promises.
I really do love Him.
So yeah...that's pretty much it.
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Posted in Squadleading by Sarah Schrack on 9/11/2011
My ceiling is their floor. It's something leaders at the World Race say
frequently, myself including. The idea is, of course, that I want where I ended
to be the starting point for my squad. That I can impart as much as I've
learned and tell them enough about my experiences that they can start at that
point. As much as I say it, it wasn't until this past week that I really saw
what that means.
Y squad finished its first month in Kenya. All the teams met up for a few
days for some fun on the Nile (rafting, bungee jumping, etc- no big deal). It
was such sweet fellowship as I heard story after story from groups that had
been placed all over the country. One girl told me that she was already having
God dreams and visions, something I didn't even think to ask for until several
months into my Race. Another told me a story about preaching at a prison where
after his sermon 53 prisoners gave their lives to the Lord! 53! I heard stories
about physical healings, spiritual warfare and many many salvations. And it hit
me. This is what it means for my ceiling to be their floor.
Because, real talk, after my month 1, I was still struggling with praying
out loud in front of my team. I was not discussing demonic posessions with
teammates and asking Jesus for prophetic words for strangers, like my squad now
is. And that's ok because that's the timing and lessons the Lord had to give
me. But already after just one month, Y squad has surpassed many of the things
I saw and experienced in my first half of the Race. That is incredible to me!
This is a group who still has 10 more countries to travel to! 10 more countries
to change! 10 more places to encounter God! I am so honored that my ceiling not
only can be, but is their floor! And I'm so excited to see how far
they'll go! Y squad had an insane and amazing month 1, but there is more
coming!
If you would like to financially support me,
please click here.
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