The short version of how we got to IHOP-KC goes like this: We were involved with IHOP-STL (St. Louis) and led their children’s equipping ministry and came to KC to get training. There you have it: the 30 second or less version, useful in passing.

In reality, there’s a lot more to it. God reached down and rescued us from the American Dream lifestyle. We really wanted a house. Having moved a lot as a kid, I wanted my children to grow up in one house in one neighborhood. A nice house with a backyard, and perhaps a pool. I was in my first year of teaching, and was scheming of how to make more money in less time so that we could buy that house and finally be able to go on a “real” vacation. If I took Masters classes, I could get a raise. If I did my job well, I could one day get my boss’ job (or the equivalent). I wanted desperately to earn Teacher of the Year.

I made decent money. We went to movies a lot and went out to eat once or twice a week. We had extra money to put in our savings account. We could buy everyone gifts for Christmas. We thought that as long as we were tithing, we could spend the rest of our money on ourselves. We thought if we splurged and gave $50 to a missionary, we were being exceedingly generous. We had a list of material things we wanted and were on our way to getting.

We loved Jesus, went to church every Sunday, went to prayer meetings every week, read our Bibles every day.. we were typical American Christians.

We began talking about/praying (but not too seriously) about moving to KC shortly after we were married. At that time it was because I adored Kirk Bennet’s teachings and wanted to hear more. He was at IHOP-KC. We wanted to get grounded in some solid “meat” teaching. And we knew it would be good to get away from family and friends and plant ourselves in a place where we could really grow. We thought way down the line.

We were doing children’s equipping for IHOP-STL… which I found out about because it was launched from and is hosted at my home church.  Before we first launched off on it (at that point it was MY thing, not Kevin’s), a friend and I went to KC to meet with Lenny LaGuardia for some pointers. That was my first visit to IHOP-KC. Blew me away! I was sure we’d move here someday…. down the line.

We visited again for a CEC conference (insert Gen. 7:11 story here – it’s where I noticed the upcoming summit had the same date as that verse) . I started seeing 11s. I visited again in January with some friends. I started dreaming about floods.  Kevin and I came for the CEC summit in February.  We were going to move if I got this “job”. On our way home from the summit, I looked at Kevin and said “Do you think we could just do this thing? I mean, with out a job?” That was in February. We moved in August.

This started the journey of asking for multiple confirmation. We asked for my boss’ blessing (I didn’t even know she was a Christian. Turns out she gave her blessing in the name of the Lord!).  There were a lot of other little confirmations. The dreams continued until they drove me to action. We decided we were going to do this thing! We went to a support raising seminar here, turned in our resignations at our jobs, and began pathetically attempting to raise support.

We got a lot of one time gifts, but hardly any regular supporters. God opened up a place for us to live at the last minute. We packed up and left into the great unknown!

Intro to IHOP was amazing. God wrecked us on so many levels and since then has been rewiring us. We’re so thankful He rescued us from the American Dream and set our sights on a heavenly country. We’ve been awakened to the power and importance of intercession, the centrality of His word, the urgency of the hour, the call to personal holiness (not legalism, but running the race in such a way as to win the prize), and extravagant giving. I love it here. I love the community of people. Never have I been apart of a people that humbly seeks one another’s good like this community. IHOP seeps with meekness and humility.

My favorite thing about this place is the hallways, corridors, and walkways.  Why? Because there’s always someone praying for someone else! I love having to walk around people who are engaged in lifting each other up in prayer. It isn’t contained to the “prayer room”. It’s in the DNA. Before IHOP, if someone would tell me their prayer request, I’d say I would pray for them. Then, sometimes I would! But sometimes I’d forget. I always had great intentions, but life got in the way. Here if someone asks you to pray for them, you say “Okay. Let’s pray now.” Hense the huddles outside the coffee shop, by the welcome center, in the parking lot, etc.

I can’t even express how my heart has come alive here, and it’s such a bittersweet thing to talk about leaving in a year. We did come here to train, with the intention of going back to STL and the house of prayer there. I fell in love with the kids of St. Louis and want to pour into them. But my heart aches with the thought of leaving. I don’t feel like I’m ready. There’s so much more I want to dive into. I want to take more FSM classes, join a prophesy team, etc. But if God’s saying “GO”, we know there’s such blessing in the going. So, we’ll see how this all unfolds. Either way we know we’ll never be the same.