I recently arrived in Greece to meet with women leaders from Cyprus, France, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland returning for LUV Workshop Two in our 3 1/2 year journey equipping women to Transform & Multiplyin Europe. On the trans-Atlantic crossing we went through 3 exhausting hours of severe turbulence, during which time I said at least once, “I’ll never fly again!”
I once read “One man’s fear is another man’s thrill.“ Flying is not my thrill! After 35 years of traveling, my flesh still recoils from the risk and discomfort of being trapped and out of control at 40,000 feet! Turbulence exposes the weakness of my flesh which is useless and a hindrance in times of crisis.
On the other hand, it releases my spirit to break free from my flesh and strain towards untapped levels of faith in the One who is greater and higher, the One who called me to this journey. This evening, safely on the ground, I’m thankful once again for God’s keeping power in the storm!
Following Jesus is a risk of being uncomfortable in sometimes frightening and often painful journeys with Him that don’t make sense. I hate turbulence, but it has a way of immediately humbling me, setting me free from religiosity and the works of my flesh. It creates desperation for Jesus, redefines my priorities and expands my faith to trust in His power alone. It is His unconventional equipping and empowering for the task ahead. Not by might nor by power but by MY Spirit says the Lord. Zechariah 4:6.
Oswald Chambers wrote “During the three years following Jesus, the disciples increasingly misunderstood Jesus. Their discipleship grew more and more strained until the strain was so intense that it all snapped. They all forsook Him! What happened during those three years? Jesus Christ revealed Himself to them. He put them through crises to reveal to the disciples themselves who they were. After the resurrection, the disciples’ eyes were opened and they understood Him, then they understood that God had given them the mighty Holy Spirit. But during the early period of discipleship they were put through crises that revealed their own weakness.”
We can only lead others as far on the faith journey as we have come ourselves. Most women join LUV workshops to be equipped to minister to women and make disciples. But rather than being equipped in tools and processes, the Holy Spirit leads us through a journey of crises and experiences which challenge our faith, expose our weaknesses and bring us to the end of ourselves where we learn to yield moment by moment to the Holy Spirit, and trust in His power alone. The crisis may not come at 40,000 feet but the Lord provides His own training ground for each one of us to know Him and experience His transforming resurrection power.
Thank you for praying for our workshops last month. During their fourth workshop, leaders from Lithuania, Arizona, Oregon and Orlando encountered another level of transformation as the Holy Spirit revealed deeper roots and strong holds of fear and bondage – hindrances to their ability to follow Him completely and to lead other women to freedom. They shared what the Lord was teaching them below:
- “I’m learning I need to follow before I can lead.”
- “Intimacy with Jesus is lifting the veil that was over my life. I’ve been in a desert of religiosity and I need to walk in the freedom He is giving me.”
- “I need to let my kids see me walking out trust in the Lord on a daily basis, possessing the promises God has given me.”
- “After the pain, He is giving me a broken heart for the Lord, I have emptied out my heart, I need Him to refill it with truth.”
- “I
will never be the same again. I’ve had anxiety in my heart but the Lord
is walking me through a very difficult situation. He is working in ways
I had never experienced before, teaching me to rest, abide, dwell. I
feel more refreshed than in years.”
- “My heart is burning to bring other women to the feet of Jesus to hear this message and experience this freedom.”
Looking ahead to Workshop 2 in Europe tomorrow – Marie Carmen from France and Diana from Lithuania will be there to assist me. They have each experienced their own testing and trials crossing the Atlantic many times for Workshops in Orlando. Their commitment to be equipped and empowered to bring freedom and healing to women in their countries is bearing fruit. They are witnessing the Holy Spirit powerfully transforming women’s lives in the workshops they have started in France and Lithuania this year.
Please pray for our Europe workshop Monday, November 18 – Friday, November 22;
- Safe travel for women coming from Cyprus, France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Spain & Switzerland;
- For spiritual transformation in each woman as the Greek word “metamorphosis” means – completely transformed.
- The Holy Spirit will begin a movement of His Spirit among these women which is unstoppable.
- The Holy Spirit will give me words they can understand, and open their ears to hear, as English is not their first language.
- The Holy Spirit will lead the workshop bringing fresh revelation of His word to heal wounds, reveal hidden fears and set women free to live with greater faith in the freedom and leading of His Spirit.
- We will seek to know Jesus more intimately and learn to “abide” in Him wherever He leads.
- God will fulfill His purposes in His time, to transform, equip and empower each woman to bring transformation to women in their own country.
Thank you for praying with us – not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit! Grateful to be here. In His love,
Liz
Liz Dickson
Founder & Executive Director
Love UnVeiled