What I thought this morning.
So, what’s been going on the past week?
A lot.
We’ve been living in a small village in the Carpathian mountains. In short, we’re working with a local ministry, helping them put on concerts, so the locals can come and hear the Gospel. Many souls have come to meet Jesus, and it’s beautiful.
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It’s hard to tell how pale and placid your relationship with Jesus is until you have something else to compare it to. Most of the “Christianity” that I have seen represented in America seems just that, pale and placid. We Americans only desire a reserved amount of Jesus, because the rest is filled with careers, houses, cars, food, ect. Dear American, don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’re “sold-out” for Jesus. The more food you have, the less you hunger for the Bread of Life. The more sustained your earthly shelter, the less you long for your heavenly home. The more secure your income, the less likely you will act extravagantly on behalf of the Kingdom.
I have no right in saying these things unless I have experienced such things. Quite simply, I have experienced such things. Of course, I don’t have it all figured out, but I have figured out that I want Jesus in His full capacity. I want my life to be filled with as much God as possible. Everything else is futile. I believe the “funeral test” is safe way to project your life’s worth. What do you have to show for when you die? A couple cars? A 3-bedroom house? A full pantry?… Impressive.
I have met some here who desire Jesus in His full capacity. They have very little material wealth and see no value in hoarding piles of dust and dung. You can tell by their prayers how much they want God. Their prayers are usually loud and heart-felt, not for show, but for the groaning in their spirit. All of their desire is wrapped up in loving God and bringing that love to others.
That’s what I want to bring to my death bed, the relentless loving of God and others. I hope I begin to sound redundant in saying such a thing. The King did say it’s the two most important things we can do…I mean be.
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You might just write me off as an immature 25-year old idealist who doesn’t understand the concept of a secure future. Check the red letters. You’re actually writing off a 33-year old Savior-King-of-the-Cosmos who IS the Future.
King of Diamonds
Two nights ago I slept on the floor of the Bucharest train station. They say train stations are one of the most dangerous places to stay over night, but they’re really not that bad if the God of the Universe hums over you all night.
It was about 3 o’clock in the morning when an old drunkard stumbled down the corridor towards us. He poised himself in front of us. He kept shaking my hand and smiling. He almost puked on Kevin then laughed about it. It was funny.
I would say it was about 3:30am in the morning when Jeremiah and Kevin got hit up by some prostitutes while they were peeing behind a bush. It was awkward for them. That’s also funny.
It may have been about 4am when a couple of deaf-mutes rolled up. One of them was in a wheelchair. He was missing a leg and chugging a beer. They proceeded to ask for money and take turns doing card tricks. I enjoyed it. During one of the tricks, the one with both legs showed me the king of diamonds. He pointed at me intently, telling me that I was the king of diamonds. I want to be the king of diamonds, reflecting the King of Kings.
I hope I entertained angels that night.
So, the sun starting coming up at 4:30am and the halls of the station started echoing footsteps. We were fine. I got a Greek Wrap from McDonald’s (they’re everywhere) as a toast to our night in the station.
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Daddy, I thank you that you glow around us whether we live in the suburbs or spend the night in the Bucharest train station. Here’s to You.
Make me a king of diamonds,
Nathan
An informal thought spewing.
I wanted to write a blog, but I am having a hard time making my thoughts fluid. So, I am just going to spew them. I hope thats ok with everyone.
I met an uncommonly cordial Ukrainian woman at the Kiev train station, yesterday. Jesus was deep inside her. Her name was Katherine. We talked about the ministries we had been doing in Ukraine. She told us about the ministry she is involved in. We prayed together. She prayed fervently for us. When she left my spirit was raging with joy and encouragement. Ten minutes later she walked back in the front door of the train station only to give me a gift. It was so evident Jesus was in her, all over her, glowing in her eyes. I love Jesus in people. I love Jesus in you, Katherine.
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After 34 hours on a train, I’ve made it Bucharest, Romania.
As soon as I got off the train, something stirred in my heart for the people of Romania. My spirit is ecstatic to be here.
I’m experiencing some training camp nostalgia. The whole squad is spending the next few days here together. I love these people. They are my local body. I eat with them, sleep with them, pray with them, praise with them, just be with them. I love them.
I think I know what stirs here. It’s the Holy Spirit. We want God. We want God together.
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Im hungry and thirsty. This morning Jesus told me to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Sometimes I think He’s crazy. He portioned me a piece of his heart and poured me a cup from His veins.
It’s hard to swallow, but if I do, I live forever. I get to abide forever.
I don’t want to forget why I am here on Earth. I am here to eat and drink, and become the love of Christ to the Earth by abiding in Christ’s love.
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My apologies for the sporadic post. Still, I hope Christ is glorified and hearts are encouraged by it.
Interview 6.21.10
Interview 6.21.10 from Nathan Boaldin on Vimeo.
An evening in Ukraine
An evening in Ukraine from Nathan Boaldin on Vimeo.
GLOW
Hey Guys,
Meet my team. We are known as GLOW, God’s Light Over the World. We will be living, traveling, ministering and communing with each other for the next year. I love each one of these dearly! The names of these lights from left to right are:
Ashley VanHouttum
Anmari Rivera Molina
Daniel Montenegro
Brittany Jackson
Andrea Gosselin
Nathan Boaldin
Please pray for us as team and individually. Most of us have met our financial goals to be able to launch on June 16th, but I think Ashley and Anmari still need some money to be able to leave with us. Please consider looking them up on the World Race site and donating to their accounts!
Much love,
Nathan
Real
I struggle with skepticism. But, if there is one thing that blows my skepticism out of the water, it is tangible, experiential evidence. The Holy Spirit is both tangible and experiential. This past week at World Race training camp I experienced the Holy Spirit in amazing ways. One specifically:
On night three of training, about 150 missionaries spent the evening seeking hard after the presence of God.
According to the words of Jesus,
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
I believe this verse is especially true of His children asking for more of His presence in their lives. I kept asking and He kept coming.
The music was beautifully loud, as were the voices calling out to the heavens. I was reluctant at first, but I wanted more of Jesus. Amongst the dances and praises of my brothers and sisters, I raised my hands toward the sky and began to say one word over and over. I didn’t whisper. I didn’t speak passively. I shouted. I yelled. I sang.
“JESUS”
“JESUS”
“JESUS”
“Jesus, come be with me.”
He heard me. He was behind me. He boldfaced turned toward me, put His hand on my shoulder and began pouring living water into my mouth. His presence comes in waves and gets more intense the more you seek him.
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me… one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
Like John, I felt dead. My heart was thinly beating and my chest was shaking with heavy breath. I was a goner. I could no longer bring intelligible words to the surface. They were drowned in the flood of tears, water that was poured in now flowing out.
I am not claiming the same experience John had in Revelation, but I am claiming one similar. I am claiming that the same glorious Jesus that visited John in his vision also visited me as the Holy Spirit.
How seriously do you want Jesus? How fervently do you seek his face? How often does your assumed theology or religious structure get in the way of you communing with Him?
He is there. He is right behind you, waiting on you to invite him in for an evening of communion. But, be careful. He may drown you in Living Water. For the time He is around, be prepared to feel like a dead man under His immense Glory.
Training Camp
Hey guys,
So, I have been in the beautiful hills of Georgia since Sunday, breathing heavily and deeply of the Spirit of God. That sounds like a super-spiritual statement…because it is. Daddy has been tearing off my flesh, and blanketing me in His Spirit…Yes.
I am not the only one here. My amazing new family is here with me. I have only known the members of my team for 4 days, but the Love of Ages is blowing through our community, making it seem like we’ve known each other our whole lives. We all keep saying, “How long have we been here?”
“Man, it’s only been __ hours.”
“That’s insane.”
That’s how the conversation usually goes.
In my life, I have never experienced a better version of Christian community. A couple days ago, about 150 of us spent the whole evening beckoning Jesus to come and dwell with us…He did. It sounds like a cute, common occurrence. It was no such thing. I could hardly speak or move for the time He exploded His glory on us. It was beautiful. Almost too beautiful. It’s been 10 years since I have communed with Daddy like this. Too long.
I dare you to go outside and scream out the name of Jesus, seeking for even a short period of time. The God of the Universe will meet with you, because you will have beckoned Him from deep within.
So, I’ll be in the hills for a little bit longer, then to Dallas for goodbyes, then into the Earth for the Kingdom. Pray for me.
That’s all for now.
Much love,
Nathan
What is it like to Die to Self?
World Race Newsletter
Hello family and friends,
Time is flying by! I leave for training in 11 days. What?! I am so, so excited. I am finishing up my last days at Compass Church and making final preparations for the trip. That means trips to REI are becoming more frequent and a series of goodbyes has begun.
Please do not forget about me while I am gone. Your earnest prayers are of utmost importance in pushing back the darkness in the world. I need you to push back the darkness with me.
Guess what. I now have 9100 of 14300 in my World Race account. Amazing. Thank YOU for giving. Thank you for listening to the Spirit Wind blowing through your heart. Of course that leaves me with 5200 left to raise. If you can help with that, please do! I hope to be fully funded by the time I launch in June. That leaves more time for True Religion and less time of me asking for money.
I was reading through Revelation this morning and it left two things on my heart: Our God is huge and glorious beyond our imaginations and we are mere microns in the grandness of His creation and story. This is evident! Who are we that He is mindful of us? Seriously. Read Revelation.
I can’t wait to start blogging about what I am doing while I am out! Ill talk to you guys soon.
Much love,
Nathan