An Awakening (Moving to Pennsylvania, pt 2)

In my last blog (New Season), I explained that I was moving to Pennsylvania. It was a rushed post, as I mostly just wanted people to be aware so it didn't come so suddenly to them. Here, I want to explain more of a background, as well as my thoughts and reasoning why I'm moving to Pennsylvania, and also what I feel God is calling me to do while I'm there.

On November 11th, 2009, what we call the "awakening" broke out here at IHOP–KC. Ever since then, my life has been thrown into a sort of whirlwind. It's been crazy, really. About the second week of the awakening, God spoke directly to my heart some very specific things. He said that the year 2010 was going to look much different than what I thought. The first thing that came to my mind after that was "I don't think I'm going to be working for IHOP's marketing department next year". This was weird for me, because I didn't see any other open door for me to go through. I just figured I would keep working for marketing and stay on full time staff here at IHOP, and that would be that!

Well, the fruition of that word took hold on March 17th, the day before I went to Pennsylvania for a vacation / ministry trip to Pennsylvania (to see my friends Darren and Gentry). Due to new direction that IHOP is taking, many departments had to release some of their operations staff due to insufficient finances. I was let go because of this. Please understand (for those of my friends and family back home) that I was not let go of full-time staff at IHOP, I was only released from my job on the missions base (which was about 75% of my financial stability). I am still on full-time staff at IHOP–KC. I had a lot of peace about this entire thing though, because God had given me the word last November. And besides that, if some family underground in China now is able to watch the prayer room (due to IHOP–KC's release of the free webstream), I would gladly have my job sacrificed for such a thing!

The second part of the word that God spoke to my heart during the awakening was that He would present many opportunities before me, and that they were all good—but I would have to pick and choose which ones to run with. I didn't really know what this meant until the beginning of this year when I launched my own photography business. But that was only the beginning. I've had lots of different opportunities come my way (some involving staying here in Kansas City, some involving moving elsewhere), but the one I want to focus on here is Pennsylvania. On March 18th (the day after I lost my job), I went to Pennsylvania as planned. I had a great trip (I was there for almost two weeks), and I had a blast! I got to sing on my friend's worship team, lead in some prayer, and spend time with some of my closest friends. I felt so much peace about the possibility of moving there and joining up with them in everything they're doing. I asked the Lord for confirmation (in the natural, and supernatural), and I got them both (I won't go in to that, but it was pretty cool)!

After deciding that I was for sure moving there (around the second week of May), I started to realize that everything that God was doing was very strategic. I feel like me moving to Pennsylvania is for more than I realize. I'm not moving there for me; I'm going to partner with my friends there in uniting churches in that area to ask the Lord for an awakening and revival in that region. I don't know how it's all going to happen, but some pieces are already starting to fall in place, and it's really exciting!

As I make this transition, I ask for your continued prayer and support. If you feel led to support me financially, please contact me. I have a paypal link on my facebook page (on the bottom left of my profile), or you can make checks out to me (Jarrod Tishhouse). These finances will help me to make my transition to Pennsylvania over the next month, and provide for my rent and basic needs while I become stable there. I am praying that my photography business starts to flourish, but that's a little rocky right now when moving to a new area and establishing myself will take awhile to accomplish.

I will be in Kalamazoo, MI the first or second week of May, and then I will move down to Lancaster, PA about mid-May. Your prayers are greatly valued and appreciated.

Jarrod

New Season (Moving to Pennsylvania)

Hey everyone!

There is much going on in my life right now, and I wanted to be able to update everyone on what's going on. So I figured a blog would be the easiest way.

Before I get in to what and where the Lord is leading me, I want to provide some background. Back at the very beginning of the Awakening here at IHOP–KC (last November), God started speaking some different things to me. One very specific thing that He told me was that 2010 was not going to look what I thought it was going to look like, and that I would have many new opportunities presented to me. Well, fast forward to March, 2010 and that word has started to take root in my life. Many different things have been shifting and changing for me, and God is closing doors in this season for me in Kansas City. At the same time, He has been opening new doors for me in Pennsylvania.

In all of this whirlwind of change, I have gotten very specific confirmation from the Lord and peace about all of this, and I have decided after much prayer that I am moving to Pennsylvania at the beginning of next month (May). I have decided to step down from full-time staff here at IHOP–KC (whether for a season or indefinitely, I do not know), and move to Lancaster, PA to live with a few of my closest friends out there. Most people I encounter immediately ask me "what are you going to be doing out there?" My first answer to that is "I don't fully know, but what I do know is that I am supposed to be there." I feel such peace from the Lord about moving to PA, and such discontentment if I were to stay in Kansas City right now. So, above all else, I'm moving there because I feel that I am supposed to. I do, however, have an idea what I'll be doing while I'm there. I have many awesome and very close friends out there that I am excited to join with—they lead worship and prayer at a few different churches in the area, and I would be jumping on board with that and helping out anywhere and everywhere I can. There is also a house of prayer out there that I plan on looking into getting involved with as well. My main objective is to be obedient to the Holy Spirit in all that I do, so I must obey His calling on my life and go where He says to go.

I do feel, at this time, that moving to PA will only be for a season (I'm thinking anywhere between six months to a year), and that afterwards I will move back to Kansas City and rejoin staff at IHOP–KC. However, it's entirely in God's hands as I never know where or what He'll lead me to next.

I am greatly excited and greatly scared of the near future, as this is a big step of faith for me. I appreciate all of my friends here in Kansas City. It has been an honor to run with you for these past two and a half years. I appreciate all of my friends and family back in Michigan as well, and I thank you for your continued support in all that I do. I plan on stopping back home for a week or two before I finalize my move to Kansas City, so I hope to see you all. And lastly, I thank all my friends in Pennsylvania (new and old); I'm excited to move forward and see what God has for us in this next season as I take part and join you. Thank you all for your continued prayer and support. I am trusting that God will provide all of the financial aspects of this, and am praying that He expands my capacity for ministry and all that He has called me to.

God is faithful. Amen.