Home Is Where He Is.

“How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house, ever singing Your praise!”

Psalm 84:1-4

Hello! Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! I hope that this Thanksgiving you spent time with those you are grateful to have in your life and a lot of delicious turkey! I pray that as we enter into December all of our hearts are refilled with the comprehension of this astounding name of Jesus: Emmanuel- ‘God with us’.

In recent months my heart has reflected on this word: “home”. I have had the privilege in these last few years of gaining family all over the world and leaving bits of my heart in many homes.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul writes on the unattractive life that the apostles lived. One word he uses to describe them is “homeless” . While I wouldn’t trade what I get to do for anything, sometimes there is the question “God, when will I plant again?” “When will I be home for the long haul?”

Since this last June, I have prayed and sought the Lord asking Him about what is next. I’ve asked about places He’s recently brought me to - California, Springfield, KC, the Middle East, and even North Africa which is one that I’m only about to step into. What do I hear in response? “I am your home.”

As much as I long to be with those that I love in the places I love all over, how much more does God desire to be with us! How much more were we literally made for His presence! We see this from Genesis as man walks with God in the cool of the day and to Revelation when all things are made right and God makes His dwelling place among man!

I can go anywhere in the world, and make the name of Jesus known where it hasn’t been heard all I want. But if my entire being doesn’t faint for the courts of the Lord and does not find His dwelling place as more lovely, then is there even a point? Jesus is the purpose and He’s the eternal one. Even all these homes I’ve made will one day be burnt up, and He will be the one thing that remains. How I hope we all find a home among the Lord of hosts.

DTS UPDATE

We are quickly stepping out of month of lecture phase and entering the beginning of outreach phase! This DTS has flown by!! This has been one of my most growing seasons – marked by life and so much joy! Our students look different than they arrived. Just last week we had a baptism moment for them. We had students not only getting baptized, but baptizing others! Our students have been preaching the word at local outreaches and leading out pure undignified worship beautifully! We’ve seen salvations, in our community of Kansas City as a result. These students fight for freedom in themselves and in one another. We have had a tremendous response as we’ve shared the great need for laborers in the harvest field of the 10/40 window. About 85% of our students have voiced feeling called to places in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia long- term! Many of our staff are answering that call as well and seeking the Lord about their next steps following the school.

TRANSITION IS IN THE AIR

With all of this being said, I will be in transition this coming Spring. To be completely transparent, I am still praying and not quite sure what exactly is happening. I feel that God is going to speak to me significantly about next steps while I’m on outreach this Winter. Please be praying with me! I have felt to not renew my my one year lease in Kansas City, which will expire at the end of January. Our outreach team will return to KC in February. After our students graduate and I debrief with my team, I will be stepping into a transition that I believe will be a large step into many answered prayers.

Due to me being on outreach with lack of electronic resources, I may not have the ability to write email updates like this until I return, but I will absolutely keep all of you who have been following this journey and co-laboring alongside updated as soon as I know more details. If you have not joined my missions facebook page and would like to be added, please let me know! I will have more immediate updates about what is next while there on outreach. I wish I knew more details now, but Jesus is inviting me into deeper trusting, and I can only hope to respond in a way that forms me to look more like Him.

Due to the nature of where I’ll be, I cannot communicate as freely about missions as I normally would. I am aiming to keep immediate updates about transition on my missions facebook page (If you aren’t on there but would like to be added, let me know!) Posts may not always come from me while I’m on outreach, but my mom will make them on behalf of me. Overall some ministry related testimonies will have to wait to be shared until I return to the states for protection of local believers. I will be using the app ‘Signal’ to securely message and call my family while I’m there. If you would like to connect while I’m away, please let me know!

PRAYER

Please pray for clarity on the next steps I take after DTS
Please pray for my students, pray that they would just run so hard to Jesus long after DTS graduation and never stop!
Please pray for our three outreach teams going to the Philippines, South Africa, and Northeast Africa. We will be flying out December 10th. Please pray for protection, wisdom, favor, and for the Lord to go before us in the preparation of hearts to receive the gospel. I personally am praying for the Muslims our team is going to meet to already be having dreams of Jesus.
Please pray for my finances, I have not gotten fully funded for this outreach.
Pray for America as we are quickly stepping into the transition of legislation as a nation. Pray for peace in the hearts of everyone in the streets and the Lord’s hand over our nation’s leadership.
Pray for the Middle East. Great news of a ceasefire in Lebanon! Continue to pray for peace throughout the region and for Jesus to be made known as the Son of God to Muslims.
Please pray for my co-leaders, Booker and Jake. They are great friends I’ve gotten to staff with. Please just pray for good health over them throughout our trip, for continued unity among the three of us, and deeper revelation of Jesus.

GIVING

Thank you for all of those who have labored with me in taking the gospel where it has not been heard this year, and for providing the tools to effectively disciple the next generation. Your generosity has profoundly impacted me and many others!!

I am still fundraising for this 2 month outreach that I will depart on December 10th. I was able to pay the deposit for my plane ticket because of your generosity! This week I will need to pay the rest of the ticket as well as send in funds for the rest of needs for this next half of DTS (includes: contribution to ministry tools/gift baskets, love offering for the base we’ll be partnering with, food, lodging, health insurance). I’m looking to raise $2,700 within the next week. It’s a lot but I believe God is going to provide! Will you pray and ask if there’s any part you have to play in this? Maybe it’s giving, maybe it’s praying for funds to come in, or maybe it’s sending this to someone you know that is looking to give on this upcoming giving Tuesday!

Here are tax-deductible giving options!

YWAM Kansas City: https://giving.ywamkansascity.com/support/jessica-lawrence

My code: V_L325

EquipNet: https://www.equipnet.org/missionaries/jlawrence

My code: Equip4613

Non-tax deductible giving:

Cashapp:$jessrmarie

Venmo:@Jessica-Lawrence23

If you’d like to give by check please message me and I’ll send you more extensive information for how you can give! It has changed, as there has been issues with our mailing service in Kansas City.

Thank you so much, I couldn’t do this without you!

Sincerely, Jessica

You Shall Be Witnesses