#Rethink: Revival, Writing, and the Holy Spirit
Join me as we ponder the concept of revival, question this book I wrote, and explore the work of the Holy Spirit.
#Rethink - February 2023
This month we are pondering the revivals or awakenings that seem to be happening on college campuses, questioning what I’m supposed to do with this book I wrote, and exploring what it would look like for us to believe in the Holy Spirit and His power in our lives.
Is Revival Real?
Almost two weeks ago, a normal chapel service at Asbury University in Kentucky didn’t stop. After the service, a small group of students stayed to pray, repent, and sing. More and more students trickled back in to worship, pray, and share stories of what God was doing in their lives. This has gone on for days now around the clock.
Curious people have begun to make spiritual pilgrimages to Asbury, looking for their own awakening, a word from God, healing, etc. The college has had to make rules, bring in security guards, and organize volunteers to deal with the crowds that are waiting for hours in half-mile long lines just to get into the chapel.
In the meantime students from other universities who traveled to Asbury with friends and experienced the movement of God have brought it back to their own campuses. Spontaneous worship, repentance, confession, and prayer groups have begun at Cedarville, Lee, Samford, Campbellsville Universities, and more.
These are the facts. What do we make of it?
I’ve been creating reels on my Instagram where I’ve talked about various aspects of revival and what is currently happening. There are many reasons why I believe this is an authentic movement of God. But I also have cautions.
It started organically without hype or pressure and without any specific person leading. People were drawn in through confession, repentance, and salvation. I’ve heard many stories of young people trusting Jesus as Savior for the first time. That’s huge.
In the beginning days, I heard attendees talk about the peace and calm they experienced. It was simple. I’ve seen more chaotic video clips recently but this has been since outside “pilgrims” have descended and are bringing their own expectations.
It’s been interesting to me to see who has not talked about the awakening. An article I read specifically mentioned a group of people who have been silent even though they are always calling for revival—conservative Christians who border on Christian Nationalists. This move of God doesn’t fit their agenda. The deconstruction/deconverstion community has also been quiet, probably for similar reasons.
At the core of our human hearts, we long for deep connection with God. Many of us don’t know how to get there. I think this is why a revival or awakening is so powerful. But we cannot live in a constant state of intense revival. At some point we have to go back to normal life. We have to do life with Jesus that doesn’t always feel spectacular or amazing. But we have constant access to that same Holy Spirit. We don’t have to be in a specific place to experience His Presence because He is always with us.
What do you think about the Asbury Revival? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I Wrote a Book, Now What?
In January, I told you about the book I’m writing. Two weeks ago I took a little weekend writing retreat and finished it! What a wild feeling. You can find the whole journey on my podcast, but long story short I had a little hissy-fit with God and told Him that after a decade of trying to publish a book, I was done striving. If He wanted it published, He needed to open a door.
Literally a few minutes later, I received an email from a local hybrid publishing company expressing interest in the book. I’ve emailed and called Tim Beals from Credo Publishing House over the past few weeks and honestly I’ve never met anyone who got me and my heart for this book so well. It was crazy. It felt like God had thrown open a door.
But in hybrid publishing, the author assumes the gamble rather than the publisher. There is some up-front capital expense that if the books sells well, you will easily recoup and if it doesn’t you will lose. This is why a hybrid company will take on a relatively obscure person like me when a traditional publisher won’t. I thought I knew how God was going to provide. It made total sense. I expected it to happen on Friday. And then it didn’t.
So now I’m not sure what to do. Will you guys pray with me? That God will make my next steps clear? And that the enemy won’t have any say? Thanks, friends!
What Does it Look Like to Really Believe in the Holy Spirit?
Twenty years ago I was young and crazy. I had a ridiculous amount of faith. I was convinced that God worked in the simple things of life. Probably because of this, I saw God doing things around me all the time. Then I grew up.
I became more seasoned and mature. Maybe I should say skeptical and rational. Until recently.
I don’t even know what started it, maybe a soul hunger for more of God? Maybe desperation and disillusionment with this broken world? Maybe just God deciding I needed more of Him?
Weird God things have been happening to me again. Holy Spirit promptings. Random meetings. Verses for people that pop into my head and turn out to be just what they need. Stuff like that.
Like the other day when I was going to a coffee shop to write, but I got lost and ended up at a different coffee shop instead. And it was packed so I chose a table in the back. And there just happened to be a young woman sitting in a chair nearby with her back to me. I overheard her talking about Jesus with a couple of people. Then the Holy Spirit was like, “Talk to her.”
And I said, “No, that’s weird. I don’t even know her.”
But He kept poking me, so finally I gave in and awkwardly introduced myself.
We talked. Turns out she was struggling with feeling like she needed to do all the things to make God happy with her but she was exhausted with the effort. Turns out this is what I love to talk about.
Did I really get lost or was I led?
What would happen to us if we acknowledged the Holy Spirit as real, living, and with us at all times? I don’t know about you, but I want more of this! This is real. This is life-changing for everyone involved. This is what my soul longs for—a genuine relationship with the Living God. How about you?
Thanks for taking a moment to #Rethink some of our religious traditions and beliefs. I know that it can be scary to deconstruct and reconstruct our faith, but finding the Real Jesus is absolutely worth it. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, or comments.
You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook, my website, and on my podcast Looking for the Real God. I’d love to connect with you on any of these places!
I think any movement of the Divine, whether it be Christian or otherwise, is always welcome. Christianity can sometimes be a great entry point for young people.
As far as the deconstructionists (which I can identify with, although it's not my identity) they're often a pretty glum crowd. Too much cynicism. So it would make sense that they're largely quiet, or more likely too focused on throwing tomatoes at the various Christian circuses.
I hope something positive comes from Asbury. I don't fully understand these sorts of things, but then again I don't think anyone does. We're far too confident as a species that God wants us to know what it is.
It's given us enough clues, the rest is up to us.
What a great post!