Colorado Springs, CO

LONGING FOR MORE...

For centuries, those who have endeavored to scale majestic mountains are usually characterized as individuals who don't settle for the view from the valley. They are the ones who are on a pursuit for the grandest view--the ones who long for more.

On a warm March weekend, nestled at the foot of snow-capped Pike's Peak, Colorado Springs was the site of hundreds of women who were on a spiritual pursuit for the heights of faith- for more than just the bare minimum God has to offer. From nearly 40 different states and five different countries, these women came longing for more than what the average Christian seems to settle for.  They longed for MORE...of Jesus. And they received....

MORE OF JESUS - Through Hearing His Word

Sharing from the Bible passages that took the attendees right into the upper room with the disciples the night Jesus was betrayed, Anne challenged the women with her own heart's cry ... for MORE of His Voice in Our Ears as we determine the authenticity of a message because it is biblical, personal, and powerful; MORE of His Courage in Our Convictions, as we stand out and speak up for Jesus; and MORE Of His Spirit In Our Lives as we yield to the Person, the power, and the priority of the Holy Spirit.

MORE OF JESUS - Through Prayer

Those in attendance didn't just spend more time hearing about Jesus. They spent time with Jesus...in prayer. In a fitting complement to Anne's teaching, Sheila Bailey's main session drew us aside, close to the heart of Jesus.  The directed prayer time, based on the Syrophonecian woman's plea on behalf of her daughter in Mark 7, took all into a "Spa" for body and soul.  The "s" reminded us to seek the person of Christ; the "p" encouraged us to persevere through the silence of Christ, and the "a" challenged us to attain the promises of Christ.

MORE OF JESUS - Through Singing His Praises

Fernando Ortega's plaintive, haunting and very stirring worship focused each attendee on the Lord's presence, lifting our spirits beyond the temporal to the eternal.  His inspirational music was laden with freshly-arranged hymns of the faith...Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Be Thou My Vision, O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing and others... and was a spiritual tonic for our spirits.  Each selection carefully reinforced the teaching messages and prepared the hearts of those attending to hear God's Word.

In addition to Fernando, Sheila Bailey's guided prayer session was complemented by the music of Babbie Mason. Babbie's songs were lively, thrilling and unforgettable, from her rich arrangement of Amazing Grace, to her all-time classic, All Rise. She had women singing at full volume - as unto the Lord.

MORE OF JESUS - Through Studying His Word

On the very first evening of the BreakAway, Anne challenged all attending to grow in their personal relationship with God through listening for His voice as they read His Word.

That challenge turned into action as she led three Bible study workshops designed to equip the attendees to read, study and share God's Word without the help of a "middle-man."  By the end of the weekend, the women experienced firsthand a fresh encounter with God as He spoke to them personally through the pages of their Bibles.  As they dug out the "treasure" that is hidden underneath the surface of the words, they voluntarily shared their insights in what was truly an exciting group discussion.

The final workshop culminated in women standing to testify to how this simple Bible study method has helped them "turn God's Word loose" in the world between their own two feet. One by one, they stood to share their experiences: sharing God's Word with the children in their home, with the women in their workplace, in large-group Bible studies in their church, with youth in a public high school, in chat rooms on the Internet, and even using phone conferencing technology to link Bible study participants from different parts of the country. By the end of that final workshop, there was a creative buzz as everyone was thinking and talking about how they could use the simple Bible study method to draw others within their sphere of influence into God's Word.

MORE OF JESUS -Through Fellowship

Meal-times, break-times, and just walking to and from the venue enabled women to interact in a wonderfully encouraging way.  Many roomed with someone they had never met before and discovered in doing so they had made a friend for life.

One unique aspect of the BreakAway was the fact that it was attended by eight of our former Just Give Me Jesus revival chairs.  Anne had the opportunity to introduce each one to those who had gathered.  These ordinary women who had accomplished such extraordinary things through the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus name, for the glory of God, brought greetings, then prayed:  Beth Sanders and Sierry Tendero from Manila, the Philippines; Anne Christiansen from Oslo, Norway; Vicki Bentley from San Diego, CA; Linda Osterhout, Sherry Griggs, and Judy Lauterbach from Des Moines, IA; Dana Iverson from Fargo, ND (now living in Colorado Springs and also one of the tri-chairs for the BreakAway).  Their participation gave all of us a sense of being part of a global network of women who are on the same passionate pursuit for MORE of Jesus.

Perhaps one of the most tender moments was a spontaneous one. On Sunday morning Anne asked Fernando and his beautiful wife, Margee, to come to the platform with their two-month old baby girl, Ruby Aveline.  Anne introduced Ruby to the audience and held her up for all to see.  Ruby gazed calmly at the hundreds of women before her.  Then Anne prayed for God's blessing on this very beloved family.

The BreakAway concluded with a very moving and meaningful time of Holy Communion.  Each woman was given opportunity to privately and personally seal in her heart what God had said and what He had done through our time together.  Our prayer is that our pursuit of MORE of Jesus might be contagious and ignite genuine, Spirit-filled disciples who go out into all the world and make other disciples by drawing them into God's Word.

"....that your love may abound more and more in the knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11

If you missed the BreakAway but also long for MORE of Jesus, you will find each of Anne's teaching messages and the two foundational Bible study workshops in her newest video-based Bible study curriculum, Pursuing MORE of Jesus.Click here for more information.