New OTI starts today

Six months ago at 11:00 on a January morning, I walked into the Herrnhut clubhouse to check into my new apartment, full of nervous excitement and disbelief. I'd waited a long time for that moment. Now it seems as if the internship flashed by. It feels right that that season in my life is over, though I cherish all the memories -- even on the really bad days and even with the brutal schedule, I would stop and think of how blessed I was to be at IHOP. The internship was one of the best things that ever happened to me and I always was so proud that I was a part of it.

Today is the next group's turn. The July '06 Onething Interns have started arriving and moving in. Many come voluntarily, holding their heart up to G-d with all their dreams, fears, and prayers. Others come reluctantly, holding onto sins but still secretly hoping they will change. All of them, every single one, will be transformed this next half-year. 41 girls, 18 guys. Six months. 18 hours of teaching, 30 hours in the prayer room, and all three services. Enforced community, to embrace or to try to reject. Meals together in the cafeteria, hugs in the hallway and the bathroom, moving as an organism to class and the prayer room. They signed up for G-d, but they've been tricked -- they get G-d and they have to deal with each other. Once they accept that, accept the schedule, and say to G-d, "Here I am, as I am. Enjoy me!" -- they will be in for the journey of a lifetime.

I am so excited for them. I hope I can be here for their day of consecration next Monday so I can pray for them. I plan on prophesying over the interns any chance I get. For sure I will hang out with some of the leadership -- Withit, Hotness, Garner, Timber, and a few others -- so I hope I'll get to know some of the interns too. I'll also be interested to see what kind of character and personality the internship as a whole develops. Each internship has a different identity. I know that July '05 was hardcore for intercession, and January '06 -- my internship -- was contemplative, deeply rooted by the river like it says in Ps. 1.

I will certainly keep praying for this new internship. I love Fire in the Night, but Onething will always have first place in my heart. G-d does amazing stuff with people who are stuck with Him (there really is nowhere to run) for six months.