Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The curious case of life.

Well hello all! It sure has been a long while. I'm always struck by the times in life where you seem to have everything thrown at you at once. It seems like I have been going non-stop for the past week and a half of my life and I realized tonight that it feels that way because I HAVE been going non-stop for the last week and a half. To be honest, I feel like a different person and this afternoon that was confirmed as someone said to me, "You are a different person than you were last week." Huh, thanks! :)

My life is amazing. Hard. Beautiful. Super complicated. Wonderful. Seems like we get the hardest as we learn to handle the greatest. Don't know if anyone can relate, but that is so much where I am right now.

For those of you that don't know, I moved into a house last Saturday. It feels like it's been a month, but it hasn't even been 2 weeks yet! Crazy. It has been wonderful. The house wasn't left in very good shape so the 4 days were totally committed to cleaning. Now that things are clean(er) my life has been dedicated to painting, and a random assortment of other things that need to be done. I have had many moments of victory (like installing my own shower head) and many moments where I have sat on the floor (as I currently only have dinning room chairs) and weeped out of exhaustion and frustration only to have God stand me back up and basically yell at me that 'these are your feet, I've given you them to touch and bless nations, you can do this!'

It has truly been one of the most shaping weeks of my entire life. I haven't opened my bible more than 3 times (gasp). I haven't spent time in worship (double gasp). And I certainly haven't had much quiet time (i know, I'm a heathen). ;) But I have had some of the most intimate, deep, wonderfully painful conversations that I've ever had in my life with God, and I am certainly learning the most I ever have. I can literally feel myself getting stronger in every capacity. I have always known that God is simply enough, and now I am learning it firsthand. I am eternally grateful for this week, for this time.

For some people there would be a tendency to wonder what I'm 'doing' in ministry right now. Besides getting ready for Ireland, and I'll get to that in a bit, my life right now is this house. I've been given an amazing opportunity to help get this house ready for another midwestern girl who will be moving here this fall for school. Because of the way the house was before I moved in, I am really viewing this as just as much as a ministry as anything else. I get to prepare the atmosphere as a worshipper. I get to change things physically so that God can change things spiritually. I think of all of the people who will walk into this house in the future, and I am hugely honored to be able to be the starting point of all of that.

Pastor Bill talked this last Sunday about celebrating the favor you've been given no matter what the favor is. I have been given great, GREAT favor in this house in this season. It is this favor that I will now use for the Kingdom. I have it set in my heart that in my house impossibilities will bow. That all who enter my home have to leave changed; more aware of His presence, more full of joy, blessed financially, rested more fully. One of these things must be done. This is the favor I've been given and I will do it well.

So yes. Besides the house we are almost 3 weeks out from IRELAND! I am SO SO excited to get my feet on the soil there. After months of planning we are itching and ready to be there. We are praying, so that you can join us, for God to invade and change Ireland through us. We have had so many amazing words, promises, and declarations over this trip. We believe that revival fires will burn bright once again in Ireland, we are believing for the restoration of families, we are believing the 'impossible' will happen in every avenue of Ireland.

That being said, I am so happy and excited to announce that because of amazing, amazing people like you I have received all of the funds that I need for this trip to happen! I am totally in awe of God and the generosity of all of you. Thank you does not even begin to cover it! God has really begun a deep work in me in my time here in Redding concerning my heart and role in the nations. I do not know what all is coming, what it will look like and where but I do know that my feet will be on foreign soil. This is my first official 'missions trip' overseas, so thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for your first seeds money. I pray that all of you will receive the 'first fruits blessings' that you all so deserve! I would, however ask that you would seek if you are to continue to give towards this trip. There are still people on my team that need more funds, and I am very boldly asking that you would give towards their tickets. If one part of our team needs money, we all need money as far as I'm concerned. If you want to give towards this trip you can email me at larahochstetler@gmail.com or just send me a check! I'll make sure that it gets to the right people for Ireland. Just write Ireland in the memo line.
My NEW address is:
Lara Hochstetler
5343 Stonethrow Ct.
Redding, Ca 96003

I LOVE being able to say that! Please send me mail! I love getting mail and sending mail! :) It's one of my favorite things, actually. (old school mail).

So, I think that's pretty much it for now. I'm so glad I finally had time to sit down, take a deep breath and update all of you crazy, amazing, passionate people that love me so so well. I love to hear back, so PLEASE don't be shy. I cannot even express what is going on in my heart except that it's big and most of it unexpected! It will be fun to see all that God births out of this season. Love you and miss you all.
-L-

Some pictures, as always to send you out with...
My first declaration over my house.
This is my house! :) Come visit me!
Post cleaning/vacuuming. Pre-painting. Everything will look completely different when I'm done.