Love in Action

Love in Action // Eau Claire, WI
During our break times at the Power and Love conference in Madison, WI last month we took the opportunity to walk out what we were learning.

Does someone tell me where to go during the “Love in Action” times?

No, “Love in Action” is simply you living out your life in Christ around other people and applying what you are learning. If you are hungry, find a good restaurant! If you need to buy a pair of shoes, go to a shoe store! We do not tell you where to go. We DO encourage you to step out to love someone with the Love of God!

// Power and Love FAQ page

We pray "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" but during these times I saw that. It was such a beautiful thing to walk around a shopping mall and ask people on crutches or at kiosks if we could pray for healing for them and have them say, "How many of you are there? This is the fifth* time I've been prayed for today!" (*the amount of times was different based on the individual touched) It was like a revelation to hear that from people over and over, to realize that it should be normal to hear from people everywhere we go because the Body of Christ is in the world and people encounter us all the time. How often when they do do they also encounter Him? It should be every time. It can be. He died to heal relationship with Him, to bring us near again, so He could be in us -- here and now -- as well as with us one day in heaven.

There was nothing to it, it wasn't organized outreach with training and a script to use, it was just knowing the Love of God and showing it to people. I met a young man at Power and Love named Dionta who came from Michigan. He leads a group of people from his church back home in practicing walking this out each week. We didn't get the opportunity to go out in the same group during any of our breaks but we talked on the final night, I told him I wanted to "bring this back to Eau Claire" and he was excited to help me do that. He prayed for me, and he hasn't stopped since. He's become a dear friend to me. He helped me brainstorm when and where to start to lead a group of Believers and kept me accountable through encouragement to go out and to invite others along consistently. He and one of the girls from his group back home are quick to pray for and encourage me, to cheer me on and then rejoice with me after I step out.

For four weeks now I've been going in to downtown Eau Claire to one of my favorite summer events, Music in the Park, and have walked around with no agenda just a willingness to be used to show Love. The first week I invited nearly a hundred people... and no one came along. I felt very small but I knew the power of obedience in faith and I wanted to be a vessel for love to touch lives that I would usually just pass by. So I went, by myself. There was no way of knowing who I would encounter, who the Lord would highlight to me, or what He would specifically want to do in or say to their life. There was no planning or preparing to be done, I just stayed present and aware and kept abiding in Him. The next week I had talked with a few people about the concept throughout the week and felt pretty sure that one or two of them would be going out with me for "round two". Music in the Park night rolled around again and I was going by myself, again. I went to stay consistent but it was discouraging to go alone again when I had thought I was going to be encouraging my brothers and sisters each week in walking this thing out, not just doing it myself. Week three came and again Believers had been interested in joining me but ended up not coming and I went alone. I was not feeling awesome on my way to the park. The Lord showed me what was going on in my heart and He ministered to it and I was prepared again to go and simply be love. Fourth week, same thing, just me, in spite of invitation to others, and my heart was burning in prayer.

See, He is doing something here. I'm being moved to intercession as a result. He is doing many things. Every week He has touched lives down at the park with His love through me. My satisfaction comes before anything ever happens (because its in Him), my faith is stretched as I wait and then I am encouraged by the fruit of it afterward. It is a blessing to be a vessel. Jesus is shaping and sharpening me through the process. He is planting seeds through me. He is stirring His people. I've had more encounters with Believers through Love in Action than non-believers. See, He loves to show His love to people who don't know it through me (and you!), but presently through my example He is stirring in people who do know His love to realize that we are to show love, not just know it for ourselves. I may not to be in Eau Claire for much longer but when I leave there will be a plethora of seeds already planted for the brothers and sisters, who rise up to take over leading this example and teaching others and encouraging them in walking it out as well, to water and see the Lord grow to fruition.

|| If you're in EC and you want to go out with me, you're very welcome! Just let me know. If you're not in EC but your heart was moved by this, remember me in prayer. I'm not truly alone when I go out alone, Jesus and I are walking the streets together. There is a lot going on in the spiritual though and things come against me every week. I'm always victor through the Lord's strength but your prayers are invaluably empowering and encouraging. I'm so grateful for you all. You're just fantastic and Jesus is crazy about you!