God Is Reviving Our Hearts!, with Dan Nold, Harold McKenzie, and Aubrey Brush

God is speaking. Are you listening? Find out more about what it means to hunger for God and experience His revival in your heart in this special anniversary edition of Grounded with pastors Dan Nold and Harold McKenzie along with Aubrey Brush. 

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Episode Notes

• “Hope from God’s Word in a Crisis,” the first episode of Grounded 
• “Expectancy of Hope, with Pastor Dan Nold” video
• “More Than Ever, We Need You” video 
• Revival resources from Revive Our Hearts 

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Erin Davis: Welcome to Grounded, a brand-new daily videocast from Revive Our Hearts. I'm your host, Erin Davis.

Dannah Gresh: And I'm your other host, Dannah Gresh. Erin, with everything shifting and changing around us right now, we just felt like we needed to get together as a community of sisters in Christ and give each other perspective. 

You know, there's one thing that rises every morning whether the sun does or not, and that is the mercies of Christ, which brings us hope. And you don't know, Erin, I'm not prone to fearfulness and anxiety. But lately, that's been an area where I am deeply every morning. And I don't know, if you're feeling afraid. Maybe you've lost some income, maybe someone you know or love is diagnosed with the virus. Those are real reasons to be fearful and anxious. I understand that but we need to lean into the reality of the facts are in, as well as the hope of Christ. 

Okay, so no, you did not just step into a time machine.

Erin: The way back machine.

Dannah: No, I kind of do wish I could go back and get that haircut.

Erin: Yeah, that was a good haircut.

Dannah: Yeah, that was a good one. That was the opening clip from our very first Grounded. It aired March 23, 2020.

Erin: And that makes this a special week for Grounded, because this is the third anniversary since Dannah and I (Portia wasn't with us then) looked into that camera and said for the very first time. Welcome to Grounded.

Portia Collins: And 129 episodes later, we have weathered a global pandemic. We have watched the invasion of Ukraine. We have seen racial upheaval. We have laughed, we have cried, we have prayed. And week after week, episode after episode, we've held on to the truth that hope and perspective can always be found in Christ. 

Dannah: Amen. And some of you have been with us since that very first episode. Some of you are joining us for the first time today. Welcome. You are our friends. You are our sisters in Christ. 

Now, we're going to take some time today to read some of your comments and feedback. Starting with this one, this is from Margarita. She wrote, “I praise God for this ministry. These three hosts have become such dear sisters.” We feel the same way, Margarita. “I started watching from the beginning. I've been through some very challenging experiences since then and found much needed help here.” 

Erin: I love those kind of comments. 

Dannah: Those make it worth it. 

Erin: Yeah, that makes it all worth it.

Portia: Me too. Me too. I know our set certainly has evolved over the last three years.

Dannah: A little bit, yeah. 

Erin: No kidding. That opening clip, Dannah, were you sitting at your dining room table?

Dannah: That was my dining room table. Yes, ma'am.

Erin: Whatever lights I can find blasting the wall behind me. So yeah, the technology has evolved. Our microphones have improved. Our cameras have improved. I hope our hosting skills have improved over the past three years. 

Dannah: Yeah, we hope so. We will let you be the judge of that.

Erin: Yeah, you tell us if we've got any better at this job.

Portia: I've even changed houses since then. 

Dannah: That’s true. 

Portia: So, I'm in a totally different house. I remember the days of . . . Fun fact, I would have to set up my equipment every Sunday night. 

Erin: Yes.

Dannah: And pull it down right after we were done. 

Erin: And not let Emmy get in the cords; it was a whole thing. 

Dannah: Right! Every week. Now I don't have to do that, so that's great. I didn't start out actually in the host seat. But Dannah and Erin were there since the very first episode. 

Erin: Yeah, we fell in love with you as a Grounded guest. We invited you. I remember it so well. We invited you on to talk about joy. You showed up like you were going to the prom. I mean, you look so fancy and so beautiful. And you did so well. We were like, “Get that girl on.”

Dannah: She was a joy bomb from the beginning. 

Erin: Joy bomb from the beginning. So, today we want to revisit one of our earliest videocasts those of you who are Grounded faithful, you're gonna know what this is as soon as it starts, because this is one of those episodes that just grabbed us by the heart. It featured a pastor who is a friend of Dannah’s. His name is Dan Nold. He has a deep a pervasive hunger to see something specific happen in our country. Watch this short clip.

Dannah: Dan, the word revival is coming up a lot. Is that some of what we should be expecting for and hoping for right now?

9:56 – Video: Dan Nold

Dan Nold: I can't help but be expecting for that. I think for 20 years, that's all I’ve prayed for. I think when God was saying, “I'm doing it,” that's what He was referring to. I think He's on the move. I'm seeing it in stories, not a cascade. But more than a trickle of both prodigals, people coming back to Jesus during this time, and of people who just weren't even interested in God. 

And the Church, you know, I just think people are praying like never before. I keep running into people . . . One woman said to me, “I think I'm getting obsessed with prayer. Is that okay?” 

I said, “I think that's okay during this time.” So I do believe that the move is coming. I'm very, extremely hopeful for that.

11:55 – Good News (Aubrey Brush)

Dannah: Well, guess what, my friends? The move has come. It is here. Revival has been breaking out in our nation. And you better believe Dan Nold got himself to Asbury to have a front row seat. He's with us today to talk about it along with his friend, Pastor Harold Mckenzie. I got a frog in my throat just watching that clip. I haven’t recovered yet.

Erin: I was going to say, a love started to rise, because I remember that episode. I remember we through tears said to each other. “We cannot stand to see the world go through this global crisis and not emerge with a need for Jesus.” And it did seem like for a while that pandemic was wasted. But it wasn't. God doesn't waste anything. So, we're seeing it, and we're going to talk about it today. Before we talk to our pastor friends who are with us, we need some good news. Dannah, I hear you're bringing the good news today.

Dannah: I am bringing you the good news today. It is literally the good news bursting forth in someone's life. You might have noticed that the headlines are abuzz with the word revival. And it's not just a Christian media, which is exciting. Listen to this article title, “Prayer, Revival, and Jesus Revolution. Is Our Rotting Culture on the Verge of Something Big?” I love that. That was the Washington Times. How about this one? “Christian Revival Is No Accident, says Hispanic Evangelical Leader. God is in Charge.” That was Fox News. 

But my friend, headlines don't touch hearts, testimonies do. We've got one for you today from a young woman who began experiencing revival on February 3, just five days before God's Spirit descended on Asbury University. Hers is just one of countless stories we've been hearing about or witnessing ourselves, as revival breaks out in many places across the United States. Now here's the thing. Aubrey Brush is my friend and works on my ministry team, helping me get the word out about my books. Welcome, Aubrey.

Aubrey Brush: Hello, Dannah.

Dannah: Hi. I love you. 

Aubrey: I love you, too. 

Dannah: Hey, Aubrey, go ahead and describe your faith walk until recently. What words would you choose? 

Aubrey: Yeah, I think up until recently, I was trying really hard. I think that's what I would say about it. I was trying really hard. I was trying to do all the right things. I was a little bit desperate because I didn't feel like it was working. Whatever it was, I just could tell that I didn't have it. And it wasn't just wasn't happening to me, why? I saw it was for other people.

Dannah: So then something happened on February 3. Tell us about that.

Aubrey: Yeah, so February 3, the day before that, our ministry had our annual day of prayer. We usually go and we pray for everyone on our team in different ways. It's really beautiful and amazing. And for some reason, we actually ran out of time before we got to pray for me that day. And usually, I wouldn't really care too much about that. But I went home that night, and I was really upset because I felt like there was just something that God wanted to do for me. 

So, I actually texted to my close friends. I said, “Hey, can we meet tomorrow? We are already planning to hang out and watch a movie, but I would love to pray before we do that, if that’s okay.” And that's kind of weird. That's not really something that I would do normally. But they said, “Yes, of course, we'd love to.” 

And that night, we just came together. We ended up praying for, like, four hours. It was incredible. There are some things in my life that I had been struggling with. And actually, something that you had said the day before . . . You were talking, and you said that stubbornness is building your life to protect the one thing that you don't want to give to God. 

That was something that kind of came up when we were praying, and I realized what the thing was that had come in-between God and I. I had injustice holding me back from experiencing total freedom and relationship with Him. And we prayed through that. Then I apologized that we didn't get to watch a movie because our girls might turn into something different.

Dannah: I'm so glad you never got to watch that movie. You prayed right until what? 12:30–1 o'clock in the morning. 

Aubrey: Yeah.

Dannah: That's really exciting. You used a prayer model that actually our guest today, Dr. Knowles wife taught me and how exciting it is to see what's been going on in your life. Now, what would you describe your faith like walk today?

Aubrey: It feels fresh and new and exciting and beautiful, and a little bit scary sometimes, because it just feels like I'm seeing the world through different eyes. I think when you see the world through different eyes, you're just so much more aware of what God is doing. 

And also, aware of, where people are hurting, and who needs help and how to step into situations. So that's been really cool, but also challenging, because it wasn't like, oh, I prayed and got some time to relax and just sit in the fun of a new relationship situation. Like pretty immediately after like, “Okay, now this person, this person, this person, so . . .”

Dannah: Yeah. What it reminds me of, if I could describe your faith walk now, I think you described it right accurately. Before it was like trying. Now it's like a river of living water, which the Bible says that when Jesus enters into us, when a new Spirit is in us, what flows out of us is like a river of living waters freeing up with life. And that's what you are like now, Aubrey. It is unbelievable to see. And everywhere I go, I hear you prayed with someone, you ministered to someone, you took someone to lunch and counseled their heart. You are a completely different creation. 

Tell me about somebody that you've been praying for recently, or counseling recently, how has what has happened in your heart, the Spirit descending on your life impacted somebody else?

Aubrey: So, it's actually so crazy, because there's so many different stories that I could share right now for just the past few weeks. But I think one of the biggest ones was just praying with someone else that I knew had kind of been struggling a little bit with some of the same feelings, like there was just something in the way of her living totally like, in the way that God wanted her to. 

And so, she asked me to pray and one of our other team members, and I ended up praying with her. And it turned out that she actually had a misunderstanding of who Jesus actually was for her in her life. She was telling about how she walked out that relationship. I just felt like I was supposed to ask her, “Hey, like, what version of Jesus do you think you actually have been living for?” Her eyes just kind of like got really wide, and she started crying a little bit. And she's just said like, “The Jesus that just tells me what to do.” 

And so, from there, we were able to just talk through and work through who Jesus actually is and what He does for us, and it was really beautiful. She actually prayed and accepted the order to her life for real. And she's actually taken that and prayed with other people since, so. 

Dannah: Exactly. And this is I can say this is another member of our ministry team whom I thought was saved as the sunrise every day. But she would tell you that she received Christ through that because you were revived in the beginning of February. She received Christ and now she's passing it on. I am telling you revival is contagious when it's real. I'm watching it happen with my own two eyes. 

Aubrey, what advice do you have for someone who would define their faith the way you just did a moment ago? They're trying, but it's a lot of hard work. It's like climbing up hill. What advice do you have to them?

Aubrey: I think first I would just say, like, keep trying a little bit. Maybe that doesn’t sound like the right advice, but I know that I'm still kind of young. But I would say this is something that I've been praying for and wanting to have in my life since I started working here, so like five years. I know that all our journeys look really different. It's been a really long time that you've been trying and, and working towards this and just trying to stay close to Jesus. And I think that staying close to Jesus, even when you don't really feel like it, is probably the safest place to be until whatever God needs to happen in your life happens. 

So, keep holding on, keep trying, and get in community, and be open with the people around you that love Jesus, too. Let them know what's going on in your life and be honest about the areas that you're holding back from God. Because often we think that it's what God is holding back from us. But for me, at least, I kind of realized that it was what I was holding and being stubborn and protecting.

Dannah: Yeah, I love it. I love it. I love the new you. You have caused revival in my heart. So, thank you, my friend. You are good news today.

Aubrey: Thank you.

21:39 – Grounded with God's People (Dan Nold & Harold McKenzie)

Erin: I love that girl. I've loved that girl for a long time, but I haven't heard that story. Something inside me, like, stood at attention when she was talking. So, so beautiful. What a great good news story. We're gonna pivot to getting grounded with God's people. Dan Nold is a Grounded favorite. He really is. We've had him on before. You saw that little clip. He's the pastor of Calvary Church, which is a multi-church site church in central Pennsylvania, where Dannah lives, and she made this connection. So hello, Dan, welcome back to Grounded.

Pastor Dan Nold: Thank you. Great to be with you.

Erin: Dan, I heard through the grapevine meaning I heard from Dannah, that you went to Asbury during the outpouring of God's Spirit that happened in February last month. Be our eyes, be our ears. What did you see God doing?

Dan: I was in Dallas for a leadership conference and decided to reroute my back. I got in on Friday night, the 17th. I think it was 10 o'clock at night. It was about 30 degrees, a little bit of snow in the air, 10 o'clock at night. And I thought, Surely there won't be too long a line to get into the chapel. And the line went for blocks and blocks and blocks. And so, I just decided to stand in the front. They set up a big screen TV and speakers, and I just stood in the front for, I don't know, an hour and a half to two hours worshiping with a couple hundred people outside. I ended up making it inside a little after midnight and was there till two in the morning. That's when they closed it for the first time to the public. But it was amazing. 

You know, I would say probably the thing that sticks with me, two things that stick with me, the hunger of people. My goodness, hundreds of people who are there to worship. The hunger of people to stand in line, to drive hours and hours and hours to be there. And then the second thing was just the next generation Gen Z being there in the room. I mean, it was multi-generational, but obviously, God had targeted, is targeting the next generation. My goodness, it just filled my heart up. It was good.

Erin: I think that's what's exciting. Pastor Harold McKenzie is also with us. Hello, Harold. I'm going to throw some questions your way in just a minute. But Dan, you were there. The last time we saw an outpouring of revival at Asbury was in 1970. I'm not trying to date you in front of all the people, but how did being a part of that revival in the seventies impact the rest of the nation? Take us back there.

Dan: Yeah, well, you know, I'm not I'm not that old. But I actually lived in California a little bit before that time. I was born in ’62. Our family lived in California during that time, and it impacted my parents, and we moved back to South Dakota when I was a kid. That was one of the last times we had a move of God that affected more than just a community more. People are seeing it now, and Jesus Revolution movie, and seeing a tie to Asbury, and just a lot is going on. It’s very, very hopeful.

Erin: Yeah, I feel like people are coming out of the woodworks in my own life that will point to that movement of the 70s that now I just look at them and see them as very faithful followers of Jesus. I've never taken the time to explore when they came to Christ or how they came to Christ, but they’ve lived these really fruitful lives for all this time, and God was working in and still working. 

I want to bring a good friend of yours into this conversation. Pastor Harold McKenzie of Unity Church of Jesus Christ, also in Pennsylvania. They're in State College where Daniel lives, and he has a heart for revival. So welcome back to Grounded Harold.

Pastor Harold McKenzie: Good morning.

Erin: Harold, I understand that your church was birthed out of revival, can you take us back to how your own church was born?

Harold: Well, go back to around 1974–75. My wife Sharon and I became a part of a university Gospel Choir called the United Soul Ensemble. The aspect of that is that we didn't live in a state college; we were not students. We were actually young adults working and living in Lock Haven. But somehow, we became a part of this choir that predominantly was all university students at Penn State. The founder, Gerald Lloyd, was there as a grad student. And one of the things that happened in that choir was God's presence began to come in a very definitive way. It was very much unexpected, very much life transforming. What we saw were students, even though they were seeing the gospel of Jesus, maybe we're just not anchored in as much as God wanted them to be. 

God's presence would come and arrest rehearsal, or at the end, over and over again, we would find students who gathered to the fray just to close out rehearsal, or maybe sometimes we'll be at someone's house just to have dinner, and pray in a circle. Over and over again, people would find themselves in the middle of a circle, dedicating their lives to Jesus, or rededicating their life to Jesus. Out of that choir is where our church started. From that town, that choir, we moved to a house-to-house Bible study, from house-to-house Bible study, to be meeting on campus, and moving forward to where we are today. My wife and I are original members. But now I have the honor of pastoring there.

Erin: I love that because it shows that true revival has lasting fruit. It's not a flash in the pan. It's not a feeling, it's not a trend. You are now a part of a church that was born out of revival that's been thriving for all these years. 

As I hear that, part of me wants to celebrate, and part of me has that longing, that you were describing Dan, because I don't want to just hear about revival. I want to be the one in the center of the circle. I want to experience it. Lots of people are reading the headlines, a hunger is stirring for revival. So how do we poise ourselves to be a part of what's happening? Dan, let's start with you. And then Harold, you can answer how? How do we position ourselves to be a part of what God's doing?

Dan: When I when I came back from Asbury, my wife, Lynn asked me that question, what do you think is different there versus here? And I think, at least then and still now, I would say, one of the primary differences is just the act of paying attention. You know, we're so stinking distracted by everything that's going on in the world, by social media, by our phones. We look at our phone screens far more than we would pay attention to God. I think what happened at Asbury was there was a small group of people over the course of decades who have continued to pay attention to God. Then at the right time, a few more started paying attention to God, and then a few more, and God has drawn to the attention of our hearts, “The eyes of the Lord seek to and fro through all the years seeking those whose hearts are committed to Him.” 

And committed to Him doesn't just mean, “I say that He's my God.” He gets my time and my attention. I just say that the American Church has not paid attention to God. Maybe Sunday morning two or three times a month. If we join together in a building, and we pay attention to God, but in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces, in our families, we're not. I think He'll calm the response to that.

Erin: You've already heard that in this episode. I didn't know you're gonna say that. I didn't know what Aubrey was gonna say. But she was talking about paying attention when the Lord was doing something in her heart, when she felt like she should say to her friends, “Let's pray instead of let's watch a movie.” She listened. Harold, what do you think? How do we position ourselves as followers of Jesus as churches, to be ready to respond to what God's doing?

Harold: The Word that really serves in my heart is hunger. Starting individually, asking our Lord for a hunger for Him. And then not only a hunger for Him. And by a hunger for Him, I mean, not just to see Him do stuff, but to know Him, to walk and commune with Him, to walk into the fellowship of His presence. But then, a hunger not only for Him, a hunger for holiness, asking him for a hunger for holiness, like 2 Chronicles 7:14, the opening our hearts. “Lord, do whatever you want to do in me that is corrective, building, rebuilding. I position my heart to receive it, so that nothing can stand in the way between you and me.” 

I want to live a posture of surrender to You so that You have access to me and build and correct whatever You want to do. A hunger for souls. That is because that's our Lord's heart. He's hungry for souls. And so, my relationship with You, I love what You're doing in my life. Give me a hunger for those who do not know You, a passionate love, like You love people. Jesus help me to love the loss that way. 

I think if we look at those two views that we ask God, Lord, I desire that hunger for You, for holiness, and then a hunger for souls. But then also, “Lord, I humbly pray not only that for myself, I pray that for my brothers and sisters in Christ, so the body of Christ would see ourselves the way you want us to see us ourselves—as salt and light to this world as your principal outreach program to the world. 

And so, I think if we pray that way, as we humbly pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ that way, I believe God is responding. 

Erin: Yeah, I agree. As you were both talking, I was thinking about Jesus doing miracles when He was on the earth. Everybody wanted their own miracle. But it's remarkable to me how many of them did not choose the kingdom, even when they got the miracle. Jesus didn't come for miracles; He came to bring the kingdom. He came to call the lost. He came to show them who God was. 

So, you're talking about a deeper hunger than just I want to go sit on the front row. I hear your shepherds’ hearts just oozing out. There's some debate about what do we call it? Let's call it a sovereign stirring. The Spirit is doing something. I hope it's revival. We hope it's the beginning of true spiritual awakening in America. I want to hear from your shepherd's heart. What do you want the sheep to know Harold?

Harold: Not to be redundant. But what I just said, I believe, just earnestly believe. That is wonderful grace that our Lord has chosen to make us His outreach program, that we are the key to his redemptive plan for a world that does not know Him. And that we will begin to see that way, how He wants by His grace, He has entrusted us with the ministry of reconciling the world to Him. And so, those areas kind of become the foundation of that. But if we can see it in our eyes. Just pay attention to that. I think that’s going to happen. 

Erin: I think that’s going to happen. Dan, anything you're saying to the sheep in your church or in your home that you want the wider Church to hear?

Dan: Yeah, I think for me, the thing to the whole Church is that during COVID, I think 95% of the pastors that I talked to would say we have not have gone back to normal. You know, we're telling our people, we're not going back to the normal. And then I think in this last year, we headed back to normal just as quickly as we could. And, you know, the talk about new wineskins for revival or coming out of revival is real. 

We need to not see the Church as the be all end all of God's purposes, of Christ purposes. If He's doing a new thing, it's not just going to be a better old thing. It's going to be a new thing.

And, you know, I think part of it is getting outside of the Church walls. I mean, part of that is the the mission like Harold was talking about, but it's not meant to be a revival that is just going to fill up our buildings on a Sunday morning. That's a self-serving revival. I think looking for a new thing, radically new maybe in terms of the church, that's what I keep trying to tell our folks.

Erin: I want it. I need it. Harold, would you pray for it. 

Harold: Yes. He said, “Go make disciples, teaching them what I taught you.” 

And so, Lord, I just thank You. Because You were just by Your love, Your grace, and Your mercy. Move in our hearts to us, but also our brothers and sisters. I ask that You will give us a hunger for You—a hunger for holiness, the openness and posture to let You have full access to our hearts. But also the hunger for souls. I asked that even as Dan was praying that we would just let you expand the Church into what you've always wanted us to be—a Church that has a hunger to go and make disciples for You, and perpetuate the principles and love and teaching that You have given us. 

We will see ourselves as the key catalysts for what You want to do in a broken world. We are the salt and that we are alive, that we are your ambassador warriors, reconciling the world through to You by Your grace. We are Your outreach program to those who are lost so that You can glorify Your kingdom and can be greatly manifest, that not only revival we're praying for, and awakening breakcore but ongoing building of your kingdom in a dark world. Yes, I ask this in Jesus’ name. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Dan: Amen.

Erin: Amen. Thank you, Harold and Dan, so grateful to have you shepherding, so grateful for your words today. I'm going to take them right to heart. Keep leading the charge, please.

Dan: Thanks. Bless you. 

Harold: Thank you.

Erin: Well, it's so good to be here three years after Grounded began, still hoping for revival, still believing God can do it three years after there was that sense among so many of us. It chokes me up to think about it, that God was poising us for revival and we're seeing Him do it. 

He doesn't answer to us. He didn't have to do it just because we prayed for it and wanted it. But He is moving. He is calling, and He's using us to be a part of it.

So, we've loved being with you for every single episode. We've loved offering you hope and perspective that we needed. And we know you needed it just the right time. If the ministry of Grounded has impacted you, and man, I hope it has, I can't bear the thought of the fact that we've done all of these episodes and they haven't impacted your heart in some way. 

But if they have, and I just trust they have, I hope that you'll prayerfully consider partnering with us as we continue for the next three years, maybe the next 30 or 40 years. I don't know what God has planned there. But He does. So, here's a short video about that.

38:54 – Video Clip (Become a Revive Partner)

Dannah: Is the Lord using Revive Our Hearts to help you grow? Do you appreciate the teaching you hear through podcasting or videos? Or have you benefited from a conference or resources or online materials? These are possible thanks to the Revive Our Hearts Monthly Partner team. The daily source of truth provides regular infusions of God's Word, but without Monthly Partners, there would be no podcasts, no videos. Revive Our Hearts conferences wouldn't exist. The resource shelves would be empty, the website blank. And in a world flooded with confusing messages, we need them more than ever. Thanks to them, Revive Our Hearts can continue calling women to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ through all these channels and many more. 

Woman 1: Listening to your program has changed my way of thinking and released my mind from unnecessary junk.

Dannah: With more Monthly Partners, more women can be set free from chains of sin to live in freedom.

Woman 2: I started reading Lies Women Believe. I’m 80-100 pages into it and it's rocking my world. It's already one of the most important books I've ever read.

Dannah: More partners will help more women live in fullness so the greatness of God's power can be marvelously displayed. 

Woman 3: Revive Our Hearts has been a lifeline for meas in a time of doubt and discouragement. 

Dannah: More partners mean more women leading fruitful lives for Christ and impacting those around them

Woman 4: As a pastor's wife and mother, it's so good to just sit and receive from others.

Dannah: As you partner with Revive Our Heart, you know you're giving is helping the daily ministry to continue. We want to equip and encourage you as you encourage us. You will receive our exclusive Daily Reflections devotional, special resource offers, registrations to our conferences, and so much more. Join the family today at ReviveOurHearts.com.

41:10 – Grounded in God's Word

Dannah: I hope you will join our family; we'd love to have you. I want to tell you about something that happened last Sunday in my home church. It was truly unusual. We tasted a little bit of heaven. And I gotta tell you, this story is worth sticking around for, my friend. 

Let me read to you from John chapter 6, verses 41–48. This is what our elder Andy Mayland spoke out of last Sunday. It reads. “So, the Jews grumbled about him because he said “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 

I want to stop right there and say I had no idea Pastor Harold McKenzie was going to talk about hunger when I chose this passage to share with you today. But I think God knew, it continues on. 

They said “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know? How does he now say I have come down from heaven?” Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the father who sent him draws him and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets and they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God. He has seen the Father. Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life.” 

He invited us to spend last week feasting on the bread of life Jesus, increasing our appetite for Jesus. “Read the Word,” he said. “Pray,” he said. “Worship Jesus with friends, eat the bread of life. It is truly our hunger that matters so very much.” 

You know, unlike a good morning bagel, which always leaves me craving another one about an hour or so later, the bread of life, Jesus, satisfies me. He sustains me like nothing I've ever known on this earth. If I could describe to you what I'm seeing in Aubrey who testified moments ago is that I see satisfaction in her. We talk often about freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness at Revive Our Hearts. Aubrey wanted freedom from something she was suddenly withholding from God, and she spent time in the Word in prayer until she received freedom from that and fullness of the Holy Spirit. He filled her that night that she prayed at length and waited on Him. And now, she's fruitful because she’s satisfied. 

You know, Andy landed on verse 44, which isn't about the bread of life. It's the verse that says, “No one can come to the Father unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” No one can come unto me rather unless the Father who sent Him draws him. And Andy reminded us that we have in and of ourselves no ability to even desire to eat the bread of life, no ability to create hunger in ourselves. But we need to pray, “Lord, draw me. Draw me, Lord. Lord make me hungry.” 

Well, funny thing. I've been praying that very thing since before the new year, almost three months now. I've been praying five words over and over since the last few days of December—Lord awaken my heavenly appetite. I pray them almost every day. I guess that it's just another way of saying, “Lord, draw me. Give me a desire for the bread of life.” And I gotta tell you, the Lord is answering me. 

In the mornings when I wake up, I sense the Lord inviting me to be with Him. I mean, I've always drawn nearer to Him in the morning and spent time with Him. But it's different. I wake up, and it's just such a clear sense of invitation as if He's saying to my heart come to Me. All this year, the Lord has been drawing me, and I go. And the thing is to go to Jesus, you have to not go to other things. Social media, one of my go-to screens, another go-to is work. Another thing I struggle with, friends’, is busyness, or might I say, you can't go to things like food and porn and shopping. 

You have to feast on the Bread of Life, my friend. And slowly, your tastes will change. My tastes have changed this year, my desires are changing. I've been so hungry for revival, praying for it in my own little town, in my own church. It got pretty loud last Saturday morning, a week ago, I want to tell you something. 

I want you to listen to it as what it is. I had a dream. I have a lot of dreams. I'm a dreamer. Some of them are real pizza dreams, and they're crazy. I don't claim that this dream that I'm going to tell you about was anything more than a dream. But in it, I was with several women, many of them. I didn't know but two of them—Janet and Ashley. 

And all I know is that we wanted more of God, we were hungry for Him. I sensed a hunger in us for Him. We were seeking Him. And in the dream, I fell to the ground. I had about a two-second taste of what it feels like to experience revival, or at least what I imagined it felt like if I could describe it—a simultaneous awareness of my sin while I was experiencing the perfect and acceptable love of God, an awareness of my sin and unfathomable love all at the same time. It was magnificent. 

And then I woke up. And let me emphasize, it was a dream. But that day I saw Jesus and everything . . . Everything, even the snowflakes reminded me of manna from heaven. I looked up into them, and I just praised Him. I wanted to worship all day long.

I made myself a worship playlist, and I just enjoy the Lord. I saw Jesus in everything. At night when it was time to relax, my husband was traveling. I picked up the remote to the TV and I was just like, I don't want to watch TV. I went to bed with my Bible and my Bible study. I went to sleep worshiping. I was so full of Jesus. 

When I showed up for Andy's message on Sunday, last Sunday, after Andy spoke during the final worship song after he'd said we have to be drawn by the Lord, we have to hunger for Him. I was compelled to go whisper to him during that worship song. I have been being drawn lately. Could I testify? 

My heart was beating out of my chest. I know you think because I'm a host of Grounded that I probably am completely comfortable doing something like that. I assure you, I was not. I was terrified. I stood up and I told our a little congregation what I just told you, how I've been hungry for God, how I've been praying for the Lord to awaken my heavenly appetite, and how He has been. 

And then we worshiped some more, and Andy closed us in prayer. He dismissed us. But everyone just sat there. Quiet. Still. Unmoving. Reverential, like waiting, seeking, hungry. The worship leader began to play, and for two more hours, we just sat and asked the Lord to draw us.

It wasn't like what's happening at Asbury, but it's not normal. It's not the same old thing. It was something different. There was something holy. We texted friends and canceled lunch and said no to our other afternoon plans. We feasted on God. 

Now, it wasn't revival, but it was something. I cannot help but keep asking Him to draw us week after week. And that there's more. There's more for our little congregation because of that hunger we expressed in that short time after service a week ago. I want to invite you to ask God to draw you, to make you have a heavenly appetite. We have no power to create revival, and we have no power to draw ourselves to God. He Himself must do it. But we can petition Him to make us hungry. I think today through the words of Pastor Harold McKenzie, as well as this passage that the Lord put on my heart, He wants just that, for us to ask him to awaken our heavenly appetite. 

Portia: Dannah banana, you know, as you were saying this, and then also paying attention to what Dan said during his interview, I would have probably missed the revival that God has been doing in my own life if God had not drawn my attention to it for the past couple of weeks. It's just been like hunger in this fire, to just sit in my Bible, not with a heavy study or with all the commentaries and Logos Bible software. But like God has literally been drawing me just to simply sit in His Word. I've started journaling, and just nothing else but me and my Bible and just a worshipful heart. I would have missed that. It was almost like God was just saying pay attention, because I'm doing something new. 

And so yeah, I love that. Thank you for sharing so much, Dannah.

Dannah: You’re welcome. 

Erin: Thank you. So good. 

Portia: Well, have you ever wondered if there is more to the Christian life? If so, you probably need revival. We have a collection of resources that will draw you into a deeper awareness of God's presence and open your eyes to the truly free, full, and fruitful life that Christ offers you. And so, we're going to drop a link, and you can check that out. Look at the link in the comments. Or you can go back and check it out in the show notes.

Erin: There's gold in them there hills if you're wanting to understand what revival is, how to know when or how to experience it. There's all kinds of goodies there in that link that we're going to drop. 

I want to look right into your eyes. I'm imagining your faces to tell you how much we have loved bringing revival to your heart these past three years. You are a source of tremendous joy to us. We look forward to being with you. Even though we can't see you, we know you're there. And we look forward to being with you week after week for these three years. 

I want to read a comment from Diane. She said, “I was having such a hard day today. I needed encouragement, desperately scrolling through and saw this video from Revive Our Hearts. I cried while watching it. It was exactly what I needed.” And that's probably the thing we hear most from you. This is just what I needed to hear today. God knew I needed to hear this. Sometimes we hear, “I don't even know how I got to this video. God knew I needed to be here.” So, we’ve got to give Him all the glory. He's the one that drives you here, but it's our high honor to serve Him.

Dannah: I love the reference to tissues there. We do say some of our programs are three tissue episodes. 

Erin: Sometimes they are. It's true. I don't know if you would believe me, but I am actually not an emotional woman, but I cry on Grounded.

Dannah: That ship has sailed, my friend. Listen to this note from Amber she writes thank you to everyone involved in this ministry. “I don't get to watch live, but I look forward to going back and watching. God's grace and peace to everyone who works to make this ministry happen.”

Erin: Yeah, that's kind of a shift that has happened over time. We used to be live every morning and people would watch us live when we were on lockdown. Now we've scattered and gone back to routines, but we don't care how you watch it. We don't care when you watch it. We don't care if you listen to the podcast or watch the video. We just hope you get your weekly dose of hope and perspective.

Amber's on to something there. It does take a team to Grounded happen. There is a whole team behind the digital curtain. I wish you could see them; they love you. They are eager to serve you week after week. They talk us hosts off the technology ledge often because we can't get our microphones to work or cameras, but without them Grounded just would not even be possible. So, I do want to take a moment during this celebration episode to say thank you to Nathan to Tom to Mac to Rebecca to Phil to Graham to many others who have helped us along the way today, to serve you.

Dannah: And today we have a junior here. Yes.

Erin: Today there's a 10-year-old celebrating his birthday in the tech booth. 

Dannah: There’s a 10-year-old intern in the room today. 

Erin: Yeah, that's right. The littlest intern. 

Dannah: Yeah. Happy Birthday, Caleb.

Well, this is not the finish line for Grounded as we head into this third lap, our third year of hope and perspective. We believe we're just getting started. So, we hope that you'll share your hope with others around you. Share your hope, and share Grounded with the sisters that you know. We really do want you to share that right now. In fact, Portia, what's one word you want us to share your hope today with our Grounded sisters. Hmm?

Portia: Love. 

Dannah: Yeah. 

Portia: Oh, I have grown such a deep love for women that I don't see all the time. Like, I know you're there. I see your names in the chat, and I feel like I just know you. You are sisters. And I know that is the love of Christ that's bonding us together. Like when we get to conferences, I actually get to put faces with names and hug you. It's just amazing.

Erin: That was more than one word P, but those are some good words.

Dannah: Erin, what's your one word? Let's hear yours if you can do it.

Erin: Onward. My one word is onward, until Christ comes. 

Dannah: Onward. I'm gonna go with hunger today. May the Lord stir it up in all of us.

Erin: Yeah, drop your word. What is your hope for your Grounded sisters; you can have more than one word if you want to. But as we think ahead to the years ahead, what do you hope to see God do? I hope He revives us over and over and over again, and we just grow in our passion for Him. 

So, thanks for celebrating this happy day with us. We love you. We love spending our Monday mornings with you. You keep us grounded, and we're gonna continue to do the same for you.

Portia: Absolutely. And I love saying this. Let's wake up with hope, next week on Grounded.

Grounded audio is powered by Skype. Grounded is a production of Revive Our Hearts calling women to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ.

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