I returned to Boone, NC from the Yale Institute with a fire burning on the inside of me that had been ignited by others with a similar passion for revival on college campuses. At the Institute, I had met the President of Campus Renewal Ministries, Jeremy Story. It was because of his message that my dreams were awakened. I heard him share testimonies of what he had seen at the University of Texas and I wanted to see those same things at ASU. When I heard him minister, it felt like my heart was going to explode with love and compassion for the college campuses. In that moment, I knew my specific calling. After hearing Jeremy, my passion to reach the nations through the universities and colleges became my purpose in life. My life has never been the same since the first time I heard him speak. I was also captivated by the story of Gipsy Smith. For the next several months I spent three to five hours everyday worshiping Jesus in my bathroom. Why the bathroom? Because Smith drew a circle around himself with chalk and asked God to fill the circle with revival and, in my apartment, the bathroom was the smallest room. I asked God to fill that area with revival so it would pour out onto the entire campus and into the nations. Worship music would play from the speakers I placed in the bathroom as I read my Bible and spent time with Jesus in the bathroom. In those moments, I became confident in knowing that what God had spoken would come into being.
These are some of the words Jesus spoke to me in the summer of 2006:
“The Mountain Mission Movement coming out of Appalachian State University is greater than the Student Volunteer Mission Movement of the 1800s.”
“Appalachian State will be known on the map for their football. It will be a gateway for media coverage as my Spirit expands on the campus.” (ASU beat Michigan in 2007 and were back to back to back national champions).
On October 25th, 2006, I met the man of my dreams at a prayer meeting I hosted in ASU’s Student Union. After that meeting, several of us went out to eat at Dos Amigos. That night at dinner my dad discovered Jonathan’s heart to host a meeting on campus to teach students on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. My dad encouraged Jonathan to meet up with me to plan the gathering, which we later called Presence: Out of Apathy…Into Power. Jonathan and I began meeting the next week in the Student Union to plan Presence. We would read over and add to the blue notebook Jonathan had written his dreams, ideas, and goals in. It took several months of rejection until we finally had a time and place approved for the meeting: March 27, 2007. In the meantime, we began Holy Spirit Parties that we intended to lead for only 3 weeks. However, they continue to this day.
In the midst of continuing to plan Presence and hosting Holy Spirit Parties, we met several other friends who had the same heart for prayer and revival. We truly lived a lifestyle of prayer and fasting. Every week, I fasted with no food and only liquids from Sunday to Wednesday evening and again all day Thursday until after the Holy Spirit Party. From that semester to now, we have seen thousands come to know Jesus and receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Many miracles, including physical and emotional healing have also taken place.
We continue to share what Jesus is doing at ASU because testimonies spread the goodness of Jesus! An individual prayer for revival at Harvard expanded into a vision for the nations and generations to know Jesus. What may seem like small beginnings are such sweet memories that set you up to change the nations!
Indulge in how good God is!
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. -Psalm 34:8
Keeli Fawcett
