Team USA in Auburn, Alabama

Here we are in Auburn, Alabama on our outreach mission! If you’re late to the game, this is our ministry school year-end trip where we get to pour out everything that’s been poured into us over the last 8 months. We’ve also changed one of our destinations since we last updated here. The host church at St. Simons Island had to pull out at the last minute, and while we were bummed to be missing the beach, we are excited to make our way to Grapevine, Texas (in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area) on April 11 to work with Open Door City Church.

Our time so far in Auburn has been full of listening to the Holy Spirit to lead us. We are partnering with Campus Church to lead several evening services and different outreach events on the university campus. We start each day praying together as a group and have done several things so far. Tuesday night our good friend Tink taught on Prophetic Ministry – which is basically just hearing God’s voice for other people. God’s thoughts for us are as numerous as the sands of the sea, so when we give someone a prophetic word we are asking God to share just a few of those good thoughts (the prophetic always strengthens, encourages, & comforts – 1 Corinthians 14:3).

Drew spoke about physical healing on Wednesday night. It was an especially powerful message since Drew is not fully healed and able to hear yet. But we know God’s will is for healing (Mark 1:40-42), that Jesus healed every person who came to him, He taught His disciples to heal as well, and He told His disciples to teach everyone what He had taught them. Jesus did His healing ministry completely as Man. Although He was fully God, He willingly limited Himself and lived His entire life on earth as a man who demonstrated what it is like to be in right relationship with the Father. We as believers don’t have to wait for some mighty work of God in our lives to start walking in the power of God–God has already given us the authority over sickness, disease, & disablities through His Son, Jesus.

When we’re not leading services at the church or planning meals for our group of 15 (Lori is in charge of meals), we are on campus connecting with students.

On Thursday and Friday we promoted Campus Church’s Open Mic Night.

And several days we have set up a booth on the concourse where thousands of students travel throughout the day on their way to and from classes or the Student Center. We were offering some encouraging words of life and prayers for healing.

So many people were encouraged by the things God had to say to them through us. It blew us away every time God would reveal something to us about the person that we never could have known on our own.

We also had a booth at the Earth Fest event near campus where Drew broke out his pencils and made prophetic sketches for people who came by. He would ask God to highlight something special about the person and he illustrated it on paper.

We’ve also had plenty of time for fun things around town. Our friend Ben took us all out for the famous lemonade at Toomer’s Corner.

And Drew joined a crew from Campus Church in the Auburn Mud Run 5K! He came in 16th out of well over 500 participants. And he got good and dirty!

A group got together to play sand volleyball one afternoon (a tradition for our teammates Ryan & Katie when they were students at Auburn).

And we were able to spend one evening relaxing outside at our host home. Our hosts have 3 dogs and 4 horses and we have so enjoyed staying with them!

On Sunday our team led a packed house in worship at the church.

This is most of our team (minus three of us). Our trip has been a blast so far and we’re looking forward to one more day here in Auburn before we pack up the vans for a 12 hour drive to Grapevine, TX on Thursday.

If you want to see more pictures from our trip (as well as other outreach trips to England and South Africa) you can visit www.sosloutreach.tumblr.com!