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
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