No T-shirt No Problem

I've been in Ibiza for a few weeks, and it's all been pretty amazing except for one bit...The Jet Lag! 

While my body is still adjusting to a new time zone, there's still work to be done! I've been back out on the streets of the west end, and it's been pretty fantastic. I've been loving the chance to reconnect with people that I've known through out the years. Seeing those familiar faces always feels good.  

Today I wanted to share a fun story that happened while I was out on the streets last week. Towards the end of the night, my partner and I were approached by two young man. neither one of them was wearing a shirt. One of them had his top slung over his shoulder, while the other didn't have one at all. They asked if we spoke english and when we said we did, their story came spilling out. 

The boys had been in a club dancing when one of them decided it would be a good idea to take his top off and swing it around over his head. In a moment of excitement he decided to let his shirt go. They tried to search for it, but the shirt was pretty much lost forever. 

A lost t-shirt seems like a minor issue. But it became more of a problem when the boys needed to get a taxi back to their hotel. Taxis here in Ibiza can be pretty strict. And one thing they won't do, is let you in unless you're wearing a top. So these boys were wandering around the west end looking for a solution. We tried to help them find a shop, but the issue was that it was nearly 3AM which meant that shops that sold t-shirts were closed.

We started chatting and pretty quickly our conversation turned towards God. One of the boys was in disbelief that God could even be in a place like the west end. We assured him he was, and when we asked if we could pray for them they agreed. 

I prayed they would find a t-shirt quickly and that when it happened they would remember this moment. They would remember that we prayed and asked God for help, and he answered. 

By this point in the night it was time for my partner and I to head back into the prayer room, and the boys were ready to continue on their way. Once we got back into the center, we realized there were actually some spare shirts in one of the cupboards. We grabbed one and proceeded to run back out to find our shirtless friend. When we found him we were surprised to see that in the four minutes since we'd left them he'd already managed to find a t-shirt. 

We all had a laugh and the boys thanked us for coming back out to help. 

The whole interaction was kind of frantic and funny, and throughout it I was reminded of how often I see God answering prayers in this place. Sometimes our interactions and conversations with people are deep and God filled. Other times we're aware of those moments when we get to plant seeds. Moments when we get to remind people that God is in the places they least expect, and that he's listening.

I'm still raising funds for my summer of missions in Spain. Click here to donate! 

God's Answering Machine

I'm in the midst of my 5th summer season in Ibiza, and no matter how much I think I've learned, there's always more. The thing that drew me to Ibiza initially was prayer. I was at a place in my life where my passion for prayer was growing, and I knew that it was a big part of the work out here. 

When we're out on in the west end at night, we work in this rhythm where you're out on the streets for an hour, and then in the prayer room for an hour. I've always loved both aspects of the work, the streets and prayer. But this season my eyes have really been opened to just how connected the two are. 

I've had some nights in the prayer room where I've felt led to pray for something, and then I step out on the streets the next hour and walk right into a situation that is exactly what I was praying about. One of the girls I work with prayed something specific in the prayer room and when it was her hour out on the streets she got into a conversation with someone who then proceeded to word for word say her prayer back to her! 

Seeing God move so quickly fills me with such faith! It also reminds me that God is here. He's present and he's listening. I think sometimes we pray like God has some sort of prayer answering machine. 

It's as if we believe that when we pray, God's not actively listening. It's like we think we're leaving our prayers on his machine and he'll get back to us when he's free!

"And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for."     - 1 John 5:15-16 (NLT)

Truth is, God is listening. Seeing God move so clearly and quickly on the streets has filled my prayer life with such faith. Not just the faith to ask for stuff, but the kind of faith that wants to get closer to God's heart, and start praying the things I find there.

I think this idea of "God's answering machine" comes when we feel like God isn't answering our prayers quick enough. When we pray, sometimes the answer God gives us is...wait. During those tough waiting times, we need to remember that we're not on God's to-do list. He's with us in the waiting! I love Hagar's story in Genesis 16. When she was desperate and didn't know what to do, God stepped in and helped her. In verse 13 she decides to give God a new name. El Roi, which means  "The God who Sees me".  I love that because it reminds me that when things are going crazy in my life. God is there. He sees me.

TL:DR
Pray with Faith. God is listening, he's present. Believe that he's going to move in big ways in response to your prayers. And when God's answer to your prayer feels like it's taking a long time, remember God doesn't have an answering machine. He hears your prayers, he sees you, and he's with you in the waiting!

Bossa

A Week in the Life: Day Four

After a late night last night, waking up to my alarm at 1:00 was a little difficult! I eventually got up and made my way to Play d'en Bossa, which is on the other side of the island. No matter if you're rich or poor, there's a place for everyone in Ibiza. While San Antonio appeals to the young budget traveler, Bossa is for those with a little more cash. The area is home to some of the most popular clubs on the island, including Ushuaia and Hi*. 

*side note: Hi, used to be home to SPACE, the best club in the world. I'm still not over it. Let's continue...

 For several years now different people from 24-7 Ibiza have been praying about how we can best serve the community of Playa d'en Bossa. This season a group of people have been meeting every week to prayer walk through the area. Everything we do here is fueled by prayer. In prayer we're asking God to show us the way. I believe God already has a plan. In prayer we wait and listen for God to reveal that to us! 

A lovely girl named Ellie has committed 6 weeks of her summer to come to the island specifically to pray for Bossa. I'll be spending some of my time praying with her, and I must say I'm a bit excited. 

While we were prayer walking today I had this verse in my head.

Matthew 5:13-16 (MSG)

 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

 I must say I love the message version of this section of scripture.  This was my prayer as I walked today. That we would be salt and light in this place in whatever way God leads us to do that.