Illuminate Nations

The Lord given me vision to see the church unite to fulfill the Great Commission. A few friends and I are starting a ministry called Illuminate Nations. 

We are unswervingly devoted to express a living and tangible response to Jesus’ greatest commandments, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Illuminate Nations desires to be a catalyst for the body of Christ to unite as one, and so use our gifts and talents to put this LOVE into action. We eagerly endeavor to participate in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth in every aspect, especially among the poor, the destitute, the lost and the broken-hearted.

Currently we are sponsoring local pastors, church-plants, women coming out of sex-trafficing and children homes.

We are sponsoring children homes in Nepal and helping start one in Bangladesh and Varanasi, India.

Here is a video of the children:

Nepal-India Christmas Mission

I step off the low class train, encountering a world like never before, a place of utter darkness, woe and doom. Shiva, the Hindu god of death reigns over this city. The stench of filth penetrates the air; poverty and sickness make for an austere welcome. Small street children glare with wide eyes. There is an acute darkness that looms in the air. The very ground I walk on seems to be cursed. I enter the gates of hell.   
Varanasi, India

I tremble as I touch the small dirty hand stretched before me, dark and beautiful. "Grace, God's grace over you, Beloved!" 

My heart burns for this nation. I feel the Father's mighty hand of love place in my heart a holy ambition to shine with the light and love of Christ among these people. 



I am at the frontline of battle, armed for war. Both hands soaked with the scarlet blood of Calvary. An invisible host of warring angles are marching all around proclaiming, "Glory, ♫ glory ♪ to God in the highest!" I step forward, my feet shod with the shoes of the gospel of peace.  Not I, but Christ in me speaks with the double-edged, fiery Sword of the Spirit coming out of my mouth, calling the Kingdom of Heaven to invade the gates of hell. All at once, the breath of heaven floods this darkest darkness ... shalom ... peace ... I have never experienced such peace, such power of the Holy Spirit as I feel at this moment in the darkest place I've ever been.

L.I.G.H.T.
                 L.O.V.E.
                               L.I.F.E. 
                                               "Jesus Christ brings life to the dead." 
                                                                                         -my account of Varanasi, India Summer 2013

Operation World says this place, "represents the most intense concentration of unevangelized people and groups in the WORLD, and thereby is THE GREATEST MISSION CHALLENGE."

Our Mission- This fall 2014 I endeavor to take this holy ambition and put it into action as I move to Nepal. I will also be working in India and Bangladesh. The TASK lay before me, to love courageously all we encounter with a Christ-likeness. I go to feed the hungry, to heal the sick, to care for the distressed, to set the captive free, to bind up the broken-hearted.

Partner for the Kingdom Sake- I am seeking a team of people who will be willing to faithfully cover me with PRAYER as I endeavor to shine for Christ among the darkness. I invite you to partner with me as I "Go"; whether it be through prayer or financial support.

Online Giving: 

http://oasischurchlive.com/online-giving/

(Type "Holly Liedstrand" in the memo)

or

Make check out to "Oasis Church"         

(Memo: "Holly Liedstrand")

Address: 1008 Biltmore Ave. Lynchburg, VA 24502

I pray for you, my dear friend, asking that our Father bless you, keep you and clearly reveal how he would have you partner in this global expedition. 

May the GRACE and PEACE of Christ be with you,

House of LOVE

 Robert and Sheikha Baidya (Right), a Bangladeshi couple, have had a dream for eight years. They live in Dhaka, Bangladesh amongst the Bihari refugees who were left in Bangladesh (previously known as East Pakistan) after Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan. Their ministry is to these Bihari children living in the slums surrounding their apartment complex. They teach bible lessons and provide food and other necessities to refugee children who live in a home with one small room and their family of often 15. Some of these children are forced to survive on their own on the streets, stealing food and being forced to become "grown-ups" when they are barely old enough to attend school. We were told heartbreaking stories of neglect, abuse, disease, and broken families.
Eight years ago God told Robert and Sheikha to start a children's home to care for Bihari children from the slum. Since then the vision has stirred within them as they have prayed, envisioned, and planned how to take in these children. As they shared the dream with us this summer and as I interacted with the Bihari children and saw the conditions they lived in, I couldn't help but catch their dream. I could see in them a readiness, a maturity and a seriousness about the burden God had given them as they shared their heart with tears in their eyes. I believe they will start a children's home and help change the lives of many of these kids with the love of Christ!

There is just one problem. Money. This couple lives by faith, trusting God will provide thier every need for ministry in the midst of a nation that does not believe in support. They have small ways to raise money such as making peanut butter from scratch and selling it for $3 a jar, but it just doens't cut it. They need the support of America to make this dream happen and even that seems impossible. That's where you and I come in. As the church, it is our responsibility to support each other and serve the God-dreams of our brothers and sisters, no matter where they are in the world. If you feel the Lord burdening your heart to support this dream and these children please email me (holly.liedstrand@gmail.com) and I will give you information so you can support them. 

Written by my friend and travel partner-

Shawna Jerch 

Beholding God's GLORY

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What does it mean to live in light of the risen Lord? It means beholding the fullness of the GLORY of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

700 B.C.

Isaiah foresaw the fulfillment of the glory of God coming upon mankind when he prophesied, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you...And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (60:1-3)

Isaiah saw the glory of God arising on people from all nations. God would put His glory upon His people to reflect His beauty and majesty.

1446 B.C.

            With a mighty hand, God delivered Israel from the yoke of Egyptian slavery. In the wilderness He gave Israel instructions to build the Tabernacle so He might dwell in their midst. Inside the tabernacle were two rooms, the holy place and the most holy place. A very thick curtain divided the two rooms. Inside the most holy place God’s Shekinah glory dwelt. There was only one item in this most holy room, the Ark of the Covenant, which held the Ten Commandments, a jar of manna and Aaron’s rod that budded. It had a golden lid called the Mercy Seat. Two golden angles were on either side facing each other and in between these angels God’s presence dwelt on the mercy seat.

            Once a year on the Day of Atonement the high priest would come in and sprinkle the blood of a lamb on the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the people. The priest had to be holy before the LORD and if they were not holy they would drop dead when they encountered God’s holy glory. The high priest had bells sown into his garment (Ex 28:35). If the Levites did not hear the bells ring they knew the priest had died. Year after year sacrifices had to be made to atone for the people's sin.

 A.D. 25

            Nearly thirteen hundred years later, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry during the Passover feast Jesus told the Pharisees to destroy the temple and he would raise it up in three days (John 2:19). The Pharisees were enraged saying, "It has taken forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days?" No one understood that Jesus was talking about His body resurrecting as the new temple. 

            Three years later, on Passover, Jesus was crucified on a Roman cross. Symbolically, He became high priest and entered the Most Holy Place just like the priest did on the Day of Atonement. He was the perfect Lamb who was slain and his blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat to atone for our sins once and for all. Jesus died at the 9^th hour, the very time the Passover lamb was sacrificed and the same time the curtain in the temple tore from top to bottom exposing the Most Holy Place. No longer would God’s presence dwell in the temple, for three days later, Jesus rose as the new temple fulfilling his word spoken to the Pharisees at the beginning of his ministry. Now those who follow Christ are the temple of the Lord. Now Jesus' most Holy Spirit, presence and glory dwell in His followers!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “…Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
 

2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1 says, “…For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

We are the temple of Christ. The glory of God has risen upon us. As we bring holiness to completion in the fear of God, we are transformed into His image from one degree of glory to another. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Indian-Nepal Mission Summer 2013

Greetings friends and family!

I pray the Lord’s blessing upon you.

Missions begins and ends with worship. By God’s great mercy let us practice our spiritual act of WORSHIP by offering our bodies as a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy and pleasing to God…Let us DIE to our own wants, needs, desires…let us lay down our lives so every nation, tribe and tongue will see how GREAT our God is! In Genesis 22 Abraham sacrifices his beloved son, Isaac. In verse 5 he tells his young men, Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and WORSHIP...in other words, Abraham is saying, stay here while I go sacrifice my son, whom I love. WORSHIP in all its fullness is sacrifice! Let us follow Abraham's example and lay down our Isaac. Let us follow Jesus who said, "If anyone would follow me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and come after me." MISSIONS begins with SACRIFICE...Missions ends with SACRIFICE. Are you willing to worship? Are you willing to sacrifice?

As many of you know, I have been to Nepal twice in the past year to further the Kingdom work. We have since been able to financially support a few children homes through selling Nepali gloves, hats and purses at local coffee shops (For more information about the children’s homes see our website: http://lighthouses4children.wix.com/light ). It is our mission to be directly involved in reaching the most un-evangelized people groups through prayer support, financial support and short-term missions.

As I still have one year left of seminary, I believe the Lord is leading me to spend another summer (2 ½ months) among the least reached peoples of India and Nepal.

My roommate, Spencer and I will spend a few weeks working among the poor in Varanasi and Kolkata, India. Varanasi is the spiritual capitol of India, often referred to as the “city of temples”. We pray the Lord will use us to SHINE the LIGHT of Christ in this very dark place. We will bus up to Kathmandu and connect with a few children homes. We will trek with a small team of Nepali pastors through the Himalayas sharing the Gospel in many villages.

 
God is doing a mighty work among the people of India and Nepal. I ask for your prayer for Spencer and I as we share the Gospel. Pray for open eyes and open hearts.  Romans 10:10 says it is with the HEART that one believes.

Pray for all the HEARTS we will encounter.

I will be sending out more informational updates and prayer requests.

If you would like to sew financially in God’s Kingdom by supporting my trip or the children homes send a check to:

1008 Biltmore Ave.

Lynchburg, VA 24502

·      Make the check out to: Gospel Community Church

·      In the Memo, put “Nepal trip” to sponsor me, or “Children Nepal” to support the children homes.

In Christ,

Holly Renee

Nepal Update Part 1

GREETINGS!


Monday, November 12th:

We arrived in Nepal's capitol, Kathmandu, on a cold overcast afternoon after 40 hours of travel from Washington DC. We crammed into the small taxi and were driven through the impoverished, bumpy streets to Mercy Children's Home. We quickly dropped off our luggage and walked to a nearby church where we met eight pastors and some of their wives.  We prayed with them for the youth camp that we were putting on over the next two days. Sher Lama, the pastor and founder of two children's homes, told me that he and most of these pastors from around Kathmandu had all been raised in the same children home many years ago. It was awesome to see how influential a children's home can be and that so many men and women of God came out of it. Sher Lama's raises the orphans as his own, they all call him, Buwa (father). He cares for the children and raises them up as disciples who love Jesus.

The next day we went to another children's home just outside of Kathmandu (the capitol) where we met another  amazing pastor, Lila Tamang, who also runs an orphan home. He and his wife care for 10 children plus two of their own. He is one of the strongest prayer warriors I have EVER met! When we arrived there was an old lady sitting on the floor. She told us (through translation) that her left hand had been paralyzed for many years and when Lila Tamang prayed over it in the name and blood of Jesus it was healed (this was a few years ago when she became a Christian). We prayed for this lady and her husband who was not a believer. Lila told us many more amazing stories about how people had been healed! My friend Spencer had torn all her tendons in both her ankles. She had been in constant pain for two years and the doctor told her she would need surgery. I had told Spencer that she could not come on the second half of our trip where we were going to hike to remote villages to share the gospel. After hearing all these stories about God's healing power, we asked if he would pray over Spencer's ankles. After an intense time of prayer and to my disbelief, Spencer said her ankle's were completely healed! On our 5 day trek she was in front of everyone the whole time.

Lila said there are around 300 Christians in a city of a 100,000! As we walked through the city idol worship was EVERYwhere! We even saw a lady bowing down and worshiping a "holy" cow!

We also met three adorable new orphan girls who Lila had just brought from the mountains. One of them had arrived the morning we got there! We stayed the night and this video is of the 5 orphan girls waking up the next morning: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100633474529318


November 14th:
Yesterday we helped put on a youth camp where nearly 175 youth came from around Kathmandu. We were able to share our testimonies, teach from God's word, worship and pray over those who were sick.

November 15th:
This morning we are going with Iris Ministry and YWAM to feed to poor and share the gospel. Then we will be going to a Tibetan Children's home this afternoon.

November 16th
Tomorrow we take a long bus ride up to Pokarah and will stay at another children's home. Saturday we start our hike!

Until the whole WORLD hears,

Holly

Nepal Update! Part 2

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

I am just leaving Nepal after two wonderfully amazing weeks.

Yesterday we arrived in Kathmandu after our five day mission trek through the beautiful Anaparuna mountains. The day before we started our trek we visited a Tibetan’s children home called First Love Home. We spent the evening with 13 amazing children between the ages of 4 and 10. We had a time of worship and it was truly the most AMAZING worship I have EVER experienced. I have never seen children crying out to God, weeping, waling, and shouting out with joy and such zeal…it was intense to say the least. After worship the children described the way they felt while they were worshiping. One child said he felt Jesus hugging him and felt so much love, another said he felt like he was in heaven singing with the angels. Another one said he felt that God was much more powerful than a doctor (earlier that night that boy had told me he wanted to be a doctor when he grows up). Another quiet girl said she felt as if she was singing in God’s presence. I asked the children if they had ever seen Jesus and one girl said she had seen Jesus! Another boy said he had seen angels. Seeing their intense worship, I truly believe them. Three boys told me they want to be pastors and take the gospel to those who have never heard. I cannot tell you how intensely touched I was. God is so real to these children as they rely on Him for their every need. (See attached pic)

The next day we took a seven-hour bus ride to Pokarah through the windy green foothills with the white peaked Himalayas in the distance. We spent the night at another children’s home there. We hiked with two of the most amazing men I have ever met! Lila Tamang and Sher Lama are pastors in two different cities and they both care for 10 children in their homes along with their own children (right).

On our trek, we stopped in five different villages where we encouraged believers (if there were any). In one village we met three teenage sisters who hiked four hours to come meet us because they heard that (we) Christians were visiting! They are the only Christians in their village and wanted prayer and encouragement. One of the girl’s who was 14 years old had been suffering from headaches and depression for a few years. We had an intense time of prayer and afterwards she said that her headache was gone.

We also showed the Jesus Film in one village, handed out hundreds of gospel tracks, went to schools to make gospel bracelets for children, went door-to-door sharing the gospel and praying for the sick.  We saw many people healed and a few people gave their lives to the Lord.  One young man, Karma, was a Tibetan Buddhist. After hearing the Gospel and asking questions for nearly an hour he was ready to accept Christ. After he prayed he told Julie (my sister) to cut his Dali Lama necklace off because now he worshiped Jesus! Praise the LORD for His grace.

God is mightily working in Nepal and I want to be part of His work here! This is just a small glimpse of all the wonderful things that happened on our trip.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Until the whole world HEARS,

Holly <><