Why am I here? What is my Vision? What is my goal for this year? These are the questions that I am now being forced to answer for myself. This is good, this is what I need to do and this is what I am in the process of doing. To be honest, I was very surprised by what I found when I got here. Everything is great, seriously, but it is just super different than what I was expecting.
When I was in the states raising money and getting ready for this year, I had a VERY broad vision. I had so many ideas and dreams that I wanted to see happen in this Island. And vision is good, don’t get me wrong. But I am now having to narrow my goals down to something more achievable for this specific year. I am learning that sustainability takes time, and I am willing to take the time. This is what I am giving my life to. No matter what this thing looks like, I am giving it all to God. I don’t want and CAN NOT do this by myself. I am surrendering my hopes for life and letting God do the work.
My point is; I think that…. well I know that this year is going to look so much different than I am thinking it will. God is going to do so many great things through this team, but who knows what that looks like?
My main goal this year is to see Burn Bali sustained. We will do this by RELATIONSHIP. Imparting our vision and hearts to the local musicians is the only way we will see this thing keep going after we are gone. We want to see the Burn merge into the Balinese culture to where it can become apart of them. This is what I want to see.
When that is going strong, then we will start to go out to different islands spreading other furnaces.
I know that this is where God wants me right now, and I know Burn Team Asia has a purpose and I am THRILLED to see this vision become reality!
God is good and Jesus reigns in Indo.

**Britt

Brittany’s thoughts….

This is it! This is what I have been anticipating for 8 months now. Burning in Bali has been a vision and a dream, but now it is actually happening! I must admit it is very different than I imagined it would be. We are just in the beginnings over here right now. Intimacy is the key. Our focus is listening to the voice of the Lord and seeking direction on how to win this Island.
Bali is the window into Indonesia. This is the only island that has not been taken over by the ever-growing Islam. It is so great to be apart of this wonderful group of people who have a heart to see people changed and the spirit of the Lord be manifest all around. One of the best things about the Burn is the community it brings. This is slowly drawing the believers from all around, feeding them and refreshing their weary hearts. We need to do this together or we will not be able to get through anything.

“….. that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that you sent me.”

We need to come together as ONE BODY. We can’t do this alone people! Joining forces is the only way this army will stay alive. I am so tired of seeing the “church” being separated into different categories! This is war. Will we fight affectively? Will we fight together?
Our team has really been meditating on this concept ever since we have been here. We have come to the conclusion that our team dynamic should be our constant lifestyle. Brothers and Sisters.

Rob’s thoughts…

What can I say about our first Burn in Bali? It was solid. The atmosphere was thick with warfare. Our team has been getting hit with multiple occurrences and annoyances from sick team members to broken instruments and tons of tedious bumps in the road. But much like warriors on a battle field, we have a simple choice, Fight or Flight. Punching through the barrier of darkness was like plowing through dense earth, but on the other side is the most amazing place. The presence of God was almost euphoric, lacking time and agenda. The counselorfviyfryi was here consoling, healing, and comforting our battered weary souls. There is only purpose for us here. There is only the choice to war. Our victory is coming and is already here.

John’s thoughts…

What is the definition of warfare? Many people would say it is a spirit thing, or having to face some kind of adversity. Although we have faced both, I think it is something much deeper. With the first note that was strum, there was a heaviness just like when we first landed here. Getting thrown into the Nyipi Festival and seeing a people blinded by tradition and the way things have always been for them and their culture. As we pressed on, you could start to see the windows of Heaven starting to open and start to feel a real sense of the presence of God in the place. In this place we saw locals as well as foreigners worshiping our Father, to see a change in this land. As much as the Burn was warfare, there was also a sense of AWE that the Lord brought, telling us not to fear because the Battle is already won. We are here because He is here! We didn’t bring anything special, He has already been doing stuff in Bali since the foundation of the earth. We are just here to behold His Glory and let it shine on our faces.

Natalia’s Thoughts…..

The Burn - It was so refreshing. We only got to start out with 5 hours because we are building connections. At first it seemed like we were sending up worship and there was this enormous wall that we kept hitting. There was a presence that wanted to stop what we were doing. After about an hour or so, it was like we charged through this wall, and the Spirit of God became this sweet thick cloud that surrounded  me. I was in the throne room of my King and I was home!

John……

I love how God does things totally out side of the box. I think that
its funny how just a week ago now, we really got to meet the core
people that we are going to spend the rest of this year together with
and how God just makes it seem like we have known them for years. God
has brought people from all over the world to see a change in Bail. To
see His people git to the root of what His church is all about; not a
building, not a place to gather but a people unvailed and broken that
love each other for how they are. Its not what they do or what they
can do for each other but  how Christ is in each other. Jesus told us
to Go Love Him and Love people and that He would build His church. It
my calling, my commission from heavan to Love people, not with my kind
of love but the kind of love that I would sind my only son to die for
them. That is the kind of Love that is in me because Christ is in me.
It is not my love but His love that changes the hearts of men. It is
that love in side of me that has brought me to this dark place to see
Him, to shine all though out Bali and to the ends of the earth. I am
here to do what Jesus preayed to His Father in Heavan in John 17:24″
Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where
I am, that they may behold my glory which You have given Me; for You
loved Me before the foundation of the world.” We the team are here to
be with Him were He is in Bali. We are here to behold His glory; to
let it shine on are faces just like Steven did and to let His power
,His love, and His grace manifest what ever we do, were ever we go; we
are His until death and to the ends of the earth!!!!!!!

Today I got my first dose of the Balinese children. Natalia and I had the privilege of working with a street kids ministry in Denpasar earlier this morning. Wow, we had so much fun. The kids are absolutely beautiful and all they want is someone to pay attention to them. There was a little girl who was sticking to me like glue, and got to teach her a little bit of English. The kids here, even amongst the darkest spiritual atmosphere, have such pure hearts. They are so broken and have experienced stuff that my mind can not even comprehend, yet they have this joy about them. You can actually see the longing in them for something more. Children are the key. They are the next generation. If we can take hold of them and help disciple and raise them up out of the rut they have been born into, there is hope for this island.
God has really been pressing this in my heart for the past year. He has called me to be a mother to the motherless. I am still trying to figure out how that will play out in my life, but all I know right now is…. I have a heart to see these children be found and taken out of this hopelessness.

The team is doing great! Our electricity is back on, PRAISE THE LORD, and Natalia is back in action. God is already stretching us in many ways, but He has been giving us this urgency to get out and do this thing! We have been here for a week now, and are finally starting to feel a little more at home. Now it is time to get GOING….

Our first Burn is coming up tomorrow night! We are starting it off small right now, going from 7p.m. to 12 a.m. This will grow as we find more musicians and intercessors that will contend along with us. They are out there, we just need to get connected. God has them….

Thank you for all of your prayers… we can feel every single one.

Jesus reigns in Bali (:

Burn Team Asia has finally arrived to our new home. We landed at 3:00 p.m. in Bali on March 6th. The past few days here have been a little crazy here! As soon as we landed, we went straight to our house in Kuta, cleaned up a little then went straight to the annual “Nyepi Festival”. This festival is held once a year in the whole Island of Bali. The purpose of this “Balinese day of silence” is to clear their spiritual minds and start off a new year of “holiness”. The whole island starts off with a huge parade filled with demonic looking statues dancing around the streets made to scare off the evil spirits. Then, that night at 12 a.m. starts off the day of silence. The ENTIRE island of Bali totally shuts down, even the major airport here in Denpasar. No one is permitted out of their houses, not even the lights are aloud to be on! One article said that the Balinese use this holiday to remind the foreigners who actually RULES this Island. We had to sit in the house for a full 24 hours! And this is what we came into! This is reality here.

I can not even begin to explain the emptiness that is in the people’s eyes here! They are searching……

The Burn Facility here is even more beautiful than I imagined! Drew, Sarah, and the members of Abba Love have been working their butts off to get this facility up and running! And their hard work has paid off.

Be praying…. Our first “Gathering” is being held tonight at 5:01 p.m. We finally get to meet the group of people who we will be working with this year to see this Island changed!   JESUS REIGNS IN BALI

BURN TEAM ASIA DEPARTING THOUGHTS

NATALIA’S THOUGHTS……
This is so surreal. As I look back on all my packing lists and financial notes, I am so amazed at how wonderfully God pulled it all together. These last couple days have been so incredibly hectic, I had absolutely no idea how I was going to make it. But now as I sit on the plane, those stressful memories just become a big blur, as I feel anticipation rise up. I am going to Bali, Indonesia. I never would have dreamed this in a million years. I am going as a stranger in a foreign land, but even more than that, God is a stranger to His own children. That breaks my heart. I am going to bridge the gap, to bring Christ to the nations. WOW!

JOHN’S THOUGHTS….
As we set out from the airport, you can only think about what our lives and the future hold in Indonesia. We will never be the same. There is a fire inside that burns bright with the Glory of God, and I want to tell everyone I see. As I look forward, I can only look back and say, “Our God is so great! How He has provided for all of us to go and serve the people of Indonesia.” You can think about the signs and wonders, we will see but really all I can think about is this great love my Father has for these people. I start tearing up just thinking about the Father Heart of God and how He wants to break through to the people. Letting them see how much He loves them and wants to set them free. I have been blessed to see the Lord move in powerful ways in the past 3 years as the He has had me move all around for Him. But I know He wants to do so much more. It says in I

Corinthians 13, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all the mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

There have been a lot of great movements in the church, but the movement I know the Lord is having us to start this year is one of His pure love. Let His kingdom come and His will be done in me so that His love in me will change the world and everything that our team touches. Hell knows no furry like the army of God on its front gate, pushing it down and free those who are oppressed. We are going to fight fight fight, for the Glory of the Lord!

ROB’S THOUGHTS…..
It’s day one and I’m sitting on a plane headed toward the next big adventure that the Lord has for me. After no sleep for a couple days and a full spectrum of events, all there is to do now is look to the Lord and the future. I expected a dry goodbye with the family, but to my surprise I was filled with incredible emotion and comfort from the Lord. There is truly nothing greater than the continuity realization of the Fathers love. I am so, so blessed. What is to come? I really have no idea. But to look back past the glitz and glamour of it all; there is true joy in the Lord, in His plan, and in His covering. I will rest under the shadow of His wings, even amongst the crazy world around me. Bless me, oh God, guard my steps and move with me. Your love is sweeter than wine and the forgiveness of this world.

BRITTANY’S THOUGHTS….
These are the first hours of the year in INDO. I am filled with so much excitement about the people we are going to meet and the things we will see. So many new smells, sounds, and feelings. I am embarking on this journey not alone, but with 3 of the most amazing people. Although I have not known them for very long, we have a special connection between us, and I know that God has put us together for a very unique reason. I really LOVE them already.
I feel like this isn’t real. Maybe I am dreaming? The reality of this vision has not fully set in yet. We are going RIGHT NOW! Not in the future any more, this is the present now. It is finally happening.