It has been so amazing to see so many different hands sowing into this for me! I LOVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD! I love how we all share, we all help eachother and we all lift eachother up! I love my family all over the world.
I am leaving May 28th, all my flights are booked and payed for and everything is good to go!
Some things I am still working on:
1) My visa to come in the mail
2) $2,000 school tuition that must be payed THIS SUNDAY MAY 1ST
3) Getting all my neccessary supplies and figuring how to pack them all under the strict weight limits
4) Travel and medical insurance (have to have these)
5) Neccessary medications, etc.
And a lot of other stuff that needs to be done..trips like this take so much work and preparation. I am not worried or anxious, which is strange for me. But I know the details are going to be fine. Everything is all going to work out. How do I know this? Because this is the path HE has led me on, and since I am in His will entirely, He's gotta take care of it all. And because I know His nature, and He's faithful.
I'M GETTING SO EXCITED. I CAN'T WAIT TO TAKE MY FIRST STEP ON THAT AFRICAN SOIL AND PICK UP THOSE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN AND DANCE ON THE BEACH! Oh thank You Jesus for taking me on this adventure!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Here I Go Again
Getting ready to get on another plane next month and leave again. This time it's a lot farther away from home. AFRICA. For 3 months.
I'm so scared to leave again when I know it's only a season and I just want a place and community where I can stay and call home. Florida was wonderful and amazing, for 20 years. Missouri was incredible and all I could ever ask for. and I never wanted to leave. It was way too short. Now the Lord is leading me elsewhere, into another season. And then it's going to end. My heart gets tied to every season, and then they end. It breaks my heart. But there's always another season coming.
So I step out in spite of my fears, and brace myself to fall right into His arms. He has called, and He is faithful. I don't know what's going to happen, but I never do. I've got to learn how to accept that. You see, I'm always going to be passing through. I am just a pilgrim. The LORD has given me a Pioneer heart. While I wait for the man who is going to walk with me into the unknown, I have to go alone. While I wait for my Pilgrim man, I have to pilgrim alone. But I am NOT alone. I'm never going to know where I'm going, or where He's going to call me/us next. But if we keep our eyes on Him it's OK. He's our security. He's our safety. We never go alone.
I am not going to Africa alone. By myself, yes. But He is with me. He's never going to leave me. I've got to learn to lean on Him and Him alone. People will come and go in my life. ALWAYS. Some day family members may die and leave me here. When I'm married, my husband won't always be with me, there will be times we are possibly seperated, in other parts of the world.
In this season He is teaching me to find my security in Him. ONLY Him.
God alone is the only one who isn't going anywhere. He is unchanging. Everything in life always changes, but He doesn't. He is the First and Last. He's constant and He is a ROCK. When I'm spinning He is my anchor. He is the only one that isn't leaving me. I cling to the LORD with all that I am, and step out, into the unknown, into His arms.
Sweet Jesus, stay close to me......
I'm so scared to leave again when I know it's only a season and I just want a place and community where I can stay and call home. Florida was wonderful and amazing, for 20 years. Missouri was incredible and all I could ever ask for. and I never wanted to leave. It was way too short. Now the Lord is leading me elsewhere, into another season. And then it's going to end. My heart gets tied to every season, and then they end. It breaks my heart. But there's always another season coming.
So I step out in spite of my fears, and brace myself to fall right into His arms. He has called, and He is faithful. I don't know what's going to happen, but I never do. I've got to learn how to accept that. You see, I'm always going to be passing through. I am just a pilgrim. The LORD has given me a Pioneer heart. While I wait for the man who is going to walk with me into the unknown, I have to go alone. While I wait for my Pilgrim man, I have to pilgrim alone. But I am NOT alone. I'm never going to know where I'm going, or where He's going to call me/us next. But if we keep our eyes on Him it's OK. He's our security. He's our safety. We never go alone.
I am not going to Africa alone. By myself, yes. But He is with me. He's never going to leave me. I've got to learn to lean on Him and Him alone. People will come and go in my life. ALWAYS. Some day family members may die and leave me here. When I'm married, my husband won't always be with me, there will be times we are possibly seperated, in other parts of the world.
In this season He is teaching me to find my security in Him. ONLY Him.
God alone is the only one who isn't going anywhere. He is unchanging. Everything in life always changes, but He doesn't. He is the First and Last. He's constant and He is a ROCK. When I'm spinning He is my anchor. He is the only one that isn't leaving me. I cling to the LORD with all that I am, and step out, into the unknown, into His arms.
Sweet Jesus, stay close to me......
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Accepted!! HECK YES!
I AM OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED TO BE A STUDENT IN AFRICA FOR 3 MONTHS! SOOOOOO BEYOND EXCITED!
There are so many details I have to figure out - that's always the case when going to another country - but all of that is nothing. The Lord will accomplish His purpose for me. Even down to the last little detail. Taking care of flights, payments, visas, packing, funds, EVERYTHING.
A little more than a month! Around May 27th is when I will be leaving.
AFRICA HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are so many details I have to figure out - that's always the case when going to another country - but all of that is nothing. The Lord will accomplish His purpose for me. Even down to the last little detail. Taking care of flights, payments, visas, packing, funds, EVERYTHING.
A little more than a month! Around May 27th is when I will be leaving.
AFRICA HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Are You Willing?
When God awakened me 5 years ago and I in turn pledged my entire being to Him for eternity, I could have never anticipated all that would happen. Along the way I found that the cost was great and so was the reward.
I didn't know all I would have to lay down, but I didn't need to know it then. Those things would come at their proper time as God was free to lead me and nudge me gently when it was time to lay this one down, and then that one. Not all of them at once. It is a daily cross to bear.
If you say yes to God, to His call on your life, it's going to cost you everything.
I will be the first to tell you I never wanted to be a missionary. But now I can't imagine doing anything else. Jesus just likes to do that. :)
When I was 18 I was standing on a balcony overlooking the land of Haiti, and I knew that something was about to happen in my life. I didn't know that thing was going to be heartbreak. In that moment I felt the nearness of His presence as He nudged me to respond to Him. I stood there with tears welling up in my eyes and said "Lord, I am not afraid for my heart to be broken."
As soon as those words left my mouth I let go of control, and He could finally take what I had been grasping so tightly for so long. I only had a few days left in Haiti at that point, and those few days He showed Himself faithful to do what I asked. He broke my heart. I left this country WRECKED, little did I know it was just beginning. My heart had only started to crack.
In the months that followed as I was back home, my heart was BROKEN. Into pieces. And here I am 3 years later, and I survived. And my heartbreaking was absolutely neccessary. He is so good.
I can tell you firsthand: What you will gain is 10,000 times better than what you will lay down.
Say yes to the Lord and His purposes, even if you're scared. There's something about that free fall into the unknown that is so liberating. If you don't do it, you're going to always wonder what could have happened if you did.
There are no limits to what God wants to birth through you and all it takes is a willing, obedient vessel.
Do you want to find favor with God and with men? I'm gonna tell you how. God's favor rests on the heart that says yes. The heart that burns in the private, secret place where no one else sees.
Will you be a lover of God who will get down on your knees in your closet where no one can see you and labor in prayer? Then you can have His favor.
Will you be a child that longs for purity? Then you can have His favor.
Will you be a servant who loves people even when it hurts, who loves when it isn't repayed, appreciated or even noticed? Then you can have His favor.
It takes a lot. But it gives more.
If you say yes to a life of love, to a sacrifice of your own plans and desires, you will reap rewards you never imagined that will come when God swings wide the doorway of your life and heart and blows your mind with His presence on, in and through you.
And when you are 85 you will look back and remember the day you gave Him everything, the day your heart broke, the day you were on your knees in tears before Him, surrendering your life and laying everything down, and say "It was worth it."
I didn't know all I would have to lay down, but I didn't need to know it then. Those things would come at their proper time as God was free to lead me and nudge me gently when it was time to lay this one down, and then that one. Not all of them at once. It is a daily cross to bear.
If you say yes to God, to His call on your life, it's going to cost you everything.
I will be the first to tell you I never wanted to be a missionary. But now I can't imagine doing anything else. Jesus just likes to do that. :)
When I was 18 I was standing on a balcony overlooking the land of Haiti, and I knew that something was about to happen in my life. I didn't know that thing was going to be heartbreak. In that moment I felt the nearness of His presence as He nudged me to respond to Him. I stood there with tears welling up in my eyes and said "Lord, I am not afraid for my heart to be broken."
As soon as those words left my mouth I let go of control, and He could finally take what I had been grasping so tightly for so long. I only had a few days left in Haiti at that point, and those few days He showed Himself faithful to do what I asked. He broke my heart. I left this country WRECKED, little did I know it was just beginning. My heart had only started to crack.
In the months that followed as I was back home, my heart was BROKEN. Into pieces. And here I am 3 years later, and I survived. And my heartbreaking was absolutely neccessary. He is so good.
I can tell you firsthand: What you will gain is 10,000 times better than what you will lay down.
Say yes to the Lord and His purposes, even if you're scared. There's something about that free fall into the unknown that is so liberating. If you don't do it, you're going to always wonder what could have happened if you did.
There are no limits to what God wants to birth through you and all it takes is a willing, obedient vessel.
Do you want to find favor with God and with men? I'm gonna tell you how. God's favor rests on the heart that says yes. The heart that burns in the private, secret place where no one else sees.
Will you be a lover of God who will get down on your knees in your closet where no one can see you and labor in prayer? Then you can have His favor.
Will you be a child that longs for purity? Then you can have His favor.
Will you be a servant who loves people even when it hurts, who loves when it isn't repayed, appreciated or even noticed? Then you can have His favor.
It takes a lot. But it gives more.
If you say yes to a life of love, to a sacrifice of your own plans and desires, you will reap rewards you never imagined that will come when God swings wide the doorway of your life and heart and blows your mind with His presence on, in and through you.
And when you are 85 you will look back and remember the day you gave Him everything, the day your heart broke, the day you were on your knees in tears before Him, surrendering your life and laying everything down, and say "It was worth it."
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Update + Letter
Hello to my wonderful friends and family.
I wanted to give you all a picture of what I believe this next year is going to hold for me. As many of you know, in March of 2010 I went to Kansas City, Missouri to do an internship with the International House of Prayer. I was there a total of 6 months and returned home in September. During my time at IHOP, I prayed a lot about my next step, what to do, and where to go. The Lord really spoke to me.
I remember one night at a worship service when an older gentleman came up to me and began to pray for me. He said in essence “Get oil for your lamp, because you’re going to need it for the journey. Use this time to pray and seek the Lord and fill your lamp with oil. Prepare for where the Lord is going to take you.”
So I began to seek the Lord for the remainder of the 2 months I had in my internship. I prayed “Lord, get me ready for the adventure you have for me. I want to be strong and steady so that I will not be shaken no matter where you take me and what You do. I want to always keep the First Commandment close to my heart, and in every situation I find myself in, I want to be found walking it out. I want to love You with all my heart, mind, soul and strength, wherever I find myself.” That became my heart’s cry and it still is.
I know that I will be a missionary for the rest of my life. I don't know exactly what this will look like, but I know that God has called me to be an intercessor, planted in a house of prayer, and to go from there to many places, here in the U.S. and overseas. I have chosen to live the missionary lifestyle. The Lord has called me away from the normal pathway of college/career, etc. to venture into His heart for the world. Sometimes this may look like spending months or even years in another country, and other times it may look like staying in the place of prayer, here in the U.S. Either way, I will embrace the lifestyle of a pilgrim and trust Him as my provider. Sometimes this calling scares me, but I know without question it is the life He has planned for me.
I have chosen to return to the International House of Prayer and make this foundation even stronger. I am open to the Lord’s leading and timing and plan to stay as long as He tells me. The main thing I will be doing is spending time in prayer and intercession for the nations and standing as a watchman in the night hours, as well as preparing my heart for the adventures that God has for me in the future. During my time here I will have opportunities to sing with worship teams, to join an existing dance team or lead one of my own, and possibly travel and go on short-term trips with teams that are sent out from here. Also, I am planning to work with the Children’s Center as well as several other ministries such as Hope City (a prayer house in the inner city that serves the poor, addicts and homeless), and Exodus Cry (working to abolish human trafficking).
With all of that said, before I make the move to Kansas City, I have a wonderful opportunity before me that I believe will be an amazing experience and open doors to even more.
It is called Harvest School and it is about 2 months long, located in Pemba-Mozambique, Africa. It starts on June 1st, and ends in early August. This school is part of Iris Ministries of Africa, under the leadership of founders Rolland and Heidi Baker. In 2008 I read a book they have written called ‘Always Enough’ and it changed my life. Ever since then, I have been considering this school. I will learn Portuguese in order to communicate with the Africans and my teachers, playing with orphans, praying for the sick on outreaches, and taking part in village churches in the middle of nowehere among many other amazing things. I will be living in a small house with 8-12 other girls and be part of a student community of around 150 students. The idea of spending my summer in Africa with amazing people always gets me so excited. If you would like to know more about this, you can go to http://www.irismin.org/missions/harvest
The worship that is being released from this place is incerdible and I would be so honored to be a part of it. This is a beautiful picture of Isaiah 42:10 which says, “Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.” , and Isaiah 24:16 which says, “From the ends of the earth we hear singing: Glory to the Righteous One.”
As you can see, this is a wonderful opportunity and would be a life-changing experience. During this next year and probably many more, I have chosen to live a very simple lifestyle in which I will be cutting out unnecessary things. In order to do what the Lord has called me to, I am in need of financial partners. After I raise the funds for Africa and return home, I am planning to make the move to Kansas City as soon as possible. I will need monthly supporters in order to stay in the house of prayer. I am currently working a part-time job here in Florida and have been saving funds, however I am in need of much more than what I can do alone.
And that is where you come in! I would ask you to consider supporting me, either by becoming a monthly supporter, or a one-time gift. Any and all donations are definitely welcome! I can’t do this next year alone, and I would be so thankful to have you as a partner with me. If you cannot donate, I would ask you to pray for me. Please contact me by email at iheartsu@cfl.rr.com if you would like to donate. Note: Every penny you give will go DIRECTLY into these expenses. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and if you have any questions about Harvest School, my life in Kansas City or anything else, please ask!
Bless you! : )
Hannah Ledford
Galatians 2:20
I wanted to give you all a picture of what I believe this next year is going to hold for me. As many of you know, in March of 2010 I went to Kansas City, Missouri to do an internship with the International House of Prayer. I was there a total of 6 months and returned home in September. During my time at IHOP, I prayed a lot about my next step, what to do, and where to go. The Lord really spoke to me.
I remember one night at a worship service when an older gentleman came up to me and began to pray for me. He said in essence “Get oil for your lamp, because you’re going to need it for the journey. Use this time to pray and seek the Lord and fill your lamp with oil. Prepare for where the Lord is going to take you.”
So I began to seek the Lord for the remainder of the 2 months I had in my internship. I prayed “Lord, get me ready for the adventure you have for me. I want to be strong and steady so that I will not be shaken no matter where you take me and what You do. I want to always keep the First Commandment close to my heart, and in every situation I find myself in, I want to be found walking it out. I want to love You with all my heart, mind, soul and strength, wherever I find myself.” That became my heart’s cry and it still is.
I know that I will be a missionary for the rest of my life. I don't know exactly what this will look like, but I know that God has called me to be an intercessor, planted in a house of prayer, and to go from there to many places, here in the U.S. and overseas. I have chosen to live the missionary lifestyle. The Lord has called me away from the normal pathway of college/career, etc. to venture into His heart for the world. Sometimes this may look like spending months or even years in another country, and other times it may look like staying in the place of prayer, here in the U.S. Either way, I will embrace the lifestyle of a pilgrim and trust Him as my provider. Sometimes this calling scares me, but I know without question it is the life He has planned for me.
I have chosen to return to the International House of Prayer and make this foundation even stronger. I am open to the Lord’s leading and timing and plan to stay as long as He tells me. The main thing I will be doing is spending time in prayer and intercession for the nations and standing as a watchman in the night hours, as well as preparing my heart for the adventures that God has for me in the future. During my time here I will have opportunities to sing with worship teams, to join an existing dance team or lead one of my own, and possibly travel and go on short-term trips with teams that are sent out from here. Also, I am planning to work with the Children’s Center as well as several other ministries such as Hope City (a prayer house in the inner city that serves the poor, addicts and homeless), and Exodus Cry (working to abolish human trafficking).
With all of that said, before I make the move to Kansas City, I have a wonderful opportunity before me that I believe will be an amazing experience and open doors to even more.
It is called Harvest School and it is about 2 months long, located in Pemba-Mozambique, Africa. It starts on June 1st, and ends in early August. This school is part of Iris Ministries of Africa, under the leadership of founders Rolland and Heidi Baker. In 2008 I read a book they have written called ‘Always Enough’ and it changed my life. Ever since then, I have been considering this school. I will learn Portuguese in order to communicate with the Africans and my teachers, playing with orphans, praying for the sick on outreaches, and taking part in village churches in the middle of nowehere among many other amazing things. I will be living in a small house with 8-12 other girls and be part of a student community of around 150 students. The idea of spending my summer in Africa with amazing people always gets me so excited. If you would like to know more about this, you can go to http://www.irismin.org/missions/harvest
The worship that is being released from this place is incerdible and I would be so honored to be a part of it. This is a beautiful picture of Isaiah 42:10 which says, “Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.” , and Isaiah 24:16 which says, “From the ends of the earth we hear singing: Glory to the Righteous One.”
As you can see, this is a wonderful opportunity and would be a life-changing experience. During this next year and probably many more, I have chosen to live a very simple lifestyle in which I will be cutting out unnecessary things. In order to do what the Lord has called me to, I am in need of financial partners. After I raise the funds for Africa and return home, I am planning to make the move to Kansas City as soon as possible. I will need monthly supporters in order to stay in the house of prayer. I am currently working a part-time job here in Florida and have been saving funds, however I am in need of much more than what I can do alone.
And that is where you come in! I would ask you to consider supporting me, either by becoming a monthly supporter, or a one-time gift. Any and all donations are definitely welcome! I can’t do this next year alone, and I would be so thankful to have you as a partner with me. If you cannot donate, I would ask you to pray for me. Please contact me by email at iheartsu@cfl.rr.com if you would like to donate. Note: Every penny you give will go DIRECTLY into these expenses. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and if you have any questions about Harvest School, my life in Kansas City or anything else, please ask!
Bless you! : )
Hannah Ledford
Galatians 2:20
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