I’m Here and Snow Silences Things

Hi all!
I’m here.

I haven’t posted in a while, because frankly, I haven’t thought about it and I’ve been up to other things. A lot has changed since my last post, written in December 2022! It’s both beautiful and marveling to think how much can change within a year.

How many eyes close on earth forever and open in Heaven, how many relationships gradually fade into long distance messages and how new relationships blossom and merge into people’s daily lives.

Life is a quandary. A question mark. An unknown.

We’re always breathing in the air of the present, yet we are constantly given choices of what to do with our future present moments.

With all these decisions to be made, here and now and also in the future, I’m finding silence helpful. When making decisions it’s helpful for me to sit in silence. Just to give myself a minute. A breather. A few seconds or minutes of staring at the wall, or better yet, staring at my eyelids. It does my heart good. My brain, too.

Silence.
It hasn’t betrayed me.

I have found it to be a friend. A peaceful one. A peaceful friend who gives me space and grace and who seems to lengthen time, allowing my breathe to sink into my chest and free my soul, reminding me I’m breathing.

Silence.
A gift I’ve found.

In Iowa, it’s been snowing, and the other day when I ventured outside during the cold, I heard silence.

It’s an interesting thing to hear silence, and even more intriguing is that sometimes we have to look for it to notice it. I don’t think it is a common occurrence, particularly within our minds.

The silence of the snow captured noise, and it was peaceful.

The snow held silence.

Now, to be completely honest, I’m not a huge fan of winter, and the colder months can be rough in more ways than one, but the silence the snow held was beautiful; and I appreciate this season for that.

Whether it’s winter or summer for you (depending on your location, if you’re in the northern or southern hemisphere), I hope you are finding beauty in something grounding in this season of life.

Peace, friends.

Morgan

Asking for the nations from Malachi 1:11 in October ‘22

A photo of the flags here in Kona, Hawaii on the YWAM base

Praying from Malachi 1:11

Every 11th of the month in 2022, we are praying from Malachi 1:11, for the nations the Lord is putting on our hearts.

A few nations have surfaced recently as we’ve been praying and interceding for the nations. For me, nations including Brazil, Nepal, and South Africa have stuck out.

What about you? I’d love to hear the locations on the map that you feel the Lord highlighting. Reach out personally, comment, or hop on IG or FB to pray corporately. Feel free, as well, to read and agree below with the written prayers.

SOUTH AFRICA 🇿🇦

Abba, we ask for South Africa. We ask that You would raise up worshipers in the land who would write and sing a new song in their own languages, to You. We ask that You would get glory from every people group from this beautiful, rainbow nation. We ask for Your presence there and that You would restore the land, the people, and the nation.

BRAZIL 🇧🇷

Lord, we speak blessing over Brazil. Thank You that there is no striving. We ask for wisdom and revelation from the place of rest over Brazil, over the land, and over the people there. Amen.

NEPAL 🇳🇵

God, we ask for Nepal, that a holy fragrance would arise for You and from the Truth of Your presence in that place. May You be known as who You are there. Amen.

What Does It Mean to Give Away Your Oil?

After a conversation with a friend the other day, I have been pondering the question…

‘What does it mean to give away your oil?’

The question stems from a Parable in Matthew 25, the Parable of the 10 Virgins.

The Parable goes that 10 virgins were wise and 10 were foolish. The foolish virgins were running out of oil at the time they needed it, and they asked the wise for more. The wise said, “no”.

I feel like there could be a full stop right there.
A selah.
The wise said, “no”.

As in, it’s ok to say no.

There is sometimes wisdom in saying no.

It’s not only ok.
It’s Biblical.
It’s wise.

Though this isn’t the main point of this blog, it may be the main point for you today. If this is what you need to hear – that sometimes there’s wisdom in saying no, then let’s make it extremely clear.

You have permission to say “no”.
Not only do you have permission to say “no”; you have a responsibility to express your “no” clearly.
You have a responsibility to say “no”, because it is your responsibility to let other people know what your boundaries are and are not.

I do not know who that was for, but I bless you to carry on, in peace. I bless you to say “no” to some things, in order that you can say yes to the important things. May you say “no” to guard your heart well and to keep your peace.

Now, carrying on with the parable of the 10 virgins, here is the story.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

After reading and pondering this, the question remains…

What does it mean to give away your oil?

I will continue to sit with this and ponder over it, but I would enjoy hearing other perspectives.

Let me know your thoughts!

This is my way of opening up conversation to get different ideas from multiple people. I’m looking forward to hearing the diversity of thought and perspective here.

Praying & Fasting 2/11/22

WHAT’S HAPPENING?!?

What: Praying & Fasting
Why: Jesus is the desire of the nations, and He desires the nations to know and love Him
When: Every 11th of the month
Where: Wherever you are. It’s a global invitation to everyone in the world to partner with the heart of the Father for the nations of the world.

*You can choose to pray for countries that the Lord has put on your heart. Today I am praying for Brazil, Canada, and Albania.

PRAYING FOR BRAZIL
I am praying over Machado (our city), in Minas Gerais (the state) in Brazil, and specifically over Colegio Alianca, the school where Kelli and I are currently English teachers!

This is a view of Machado, a city that Jesus loves and wants to inhabit.

Father,

We ask that You would have Your will and Your way in Machado. I ask for the gift of hunger here. I ask that we, in Machado, would become more hungry for knowing You, that we would desire You above any other thing. We are asking that You would pour out a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You, Jesus, and that You would open the eyes of our heart. We ask that You would root us and establish us in Love, in Yourself, because You are Love. Help us to grasp how wide and long and high and deep Your love is. Give us an understanding of love that surpasses knowledge. Fill us to the full measure of who You are, Lord. Even in our lack of understanding, thank You for meeting us where we are. Thank You that You want to be with us. We want more of You and are excited for what You have for Machado. Help us to see and know when You’re doing something new here, Lord. Help us to partner with You!

PRAYING OVER CANADA

Father,

We pray from Ephesians 3, that Canada would be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit. We ask that You would strengthen the Church in Canada. You love Your body. You love Your Church. We ask for bravery and courage for the Fellowship in Canada, that they would have a holy boldness like no other. That there would be a new courage You’re pouring out in the Church in this country. I ask that their roots would be deep, like a tree, planted by streams of water. I ask that they would be refreshed and strengthened in knowing Your Truth. May Your Truth set them free, Father.

LIFTING UP ALBANIA IN PRAYER

Father,

Would You give the Church in Albania a Spirit of wisdom and revelation? We ask that You would mark them with Your beauty, that they would be in awe and wander of who You are, and that they would have understanding of the book of Revelation. I ask that You would give them knowledge about Your throne room, and about what’s happening there, even right now. Would You pour out Your Spirit in Albania and connect with the Believers there in a new and fresh way? I ask that You would mature the body there, that they would become strong leaders, ready to give their lives for You, Jesus, willing and ready to share the Gospel with any passersby. Strengthen Your Church in Albania, Abba.

Amen.

The Just Judge Is Ravishing

Written by Morgan Gascho
Th. 1.27.22

Maybe the fight for Truth won’t seem so forefront in Heaven, since what’s in front of us is obviously undeniable.

The Father on His throne,
Full of Righteousness,
Full of Justice
Amazing in all His ways,
It all transforms my life

Where I cannot take my eyes away, because His beauty captures me, and His love keeps coming to me, even amidst shame or regret from my own judgments of myself.

The Judge on the Throne has a better opinion of me than I have of myself.
Since I’ve submitted to His Lordship, I must, at some point, succumb to the Higher Reality that His thoughts are higher than my own, and I no longer own my thoughts but have willingly given my heart in agreement before I know what He will say.

Trust is easier when there is a Just Judge on His Throne saying good things about me, thinking better thoughts about me than I think about myself.

He remembers my name.
He calls me by it.
The name He gave me is the one He uses.

I once found a white stone.
Someday I believe I’ll be able to read it.

He sees what He sees, and I am grateful I cannot undo His judgment over my life.

I recently heard His Throne of Judgment is also His Throne of mercy. I have experienced the latter, and am grateful for it.

He sees what He sees.
He already called me Righteous.

It is done.
It is finished.
My Judge has deemed me free
And His.

I belong to a Judge who thinks more highly of myself than I, and I am learning to agree.

Pruning Can Help Heal A Bitter Tree

A Poem by Morgan Gascho
Written January 11, 2022
In Machado, Brasil

Bitterness is a nasty disease
Alternating joy to false connected gossip,
Baking fear to the smell of weeks’ old ripened fruit, fallen in the heat
Using grace as an excuse instead of a gift, to box in love, which like a rose, has no choice by to die without oxygen
Bitterness is a nasty disease

Bitterness is a nasty disease
Aiming to cover the heart like a wrapped, bleeding wound
A million-dollar wound giving the gift of new eyes to the precious value of life
The heart, wrapped so tightly to not let the blood seep out, allowed no time for breathing
With no oxygen allowed, the heart dies like the rose, no chance of air

A festering infection grows, smelling rotten like the trees bearing fruit in all seasons,
Having been pruned far too less for their own good

What could have been fruitful is now smelling evil, wanted not even on the outskirts of the city, let alone in paradise

The tree, once wanted, becomes a tree untamed, because the fruit remains hostile to the Gardener’s Hedge of protection, which sometimes comes in the form of a knife.
The knife cuts down to the bone and marrow, beyond the bark, beneath the skin, below the history of the rings showing years of experience

This is where bitterness grows.
Under the bark
Beneath the stem
Below the skin
Beyond the biochemistry of the fruit

Bitterness is a nasty disease.

Gardener’s know.

Pruning can solve everything.
Cutting back for a season,
A winter, taking away the shallow, the weak, leaving the stem, strong, to grow in the wind and to possibly be blown back and forth
Back and forth
Back and forth

The rhythm of growth
Trial and tribulation
North and south winds combined
To facilitate divine growth of mature life

Allowing for strength to be made known to the Maker and to that which was made
The pruning, done for the better good, not for the latter good, but for the best
Cuts through the disease of bitterness, allowing for trees that grow side by side with deep roots, living by the streams, planting seeds, just like oaks of righteousness, fortifying cities and making pathways, producing fruit in every season

Bitterness is an ugly disease,
And pruning can make all the difference.

Praying & Fasting on 1/11/22

On the 11th of every month, we will pray and fast, praying from Malachi 1:11, that the Lord’s name would be great among the nations.

We will fast as the Lord leads. Perhaps He puts it on our hearts to fast from social media, to fast from lunch, or to take a 15 minute break to pray for a certain nation He’s placed on our hearts. Whatever it looks like, we have the opportunity to partner with the Lord and to love Him in this way.

Today, on January 11th, I am praying from Malachi 1:11, and I am focusing on Brazil and on the United States.

“For My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations,” says Yahweh of Hosts. – Malachi 1:11

God,
I thank You that the nations are on Your heart. Even when talking to Abraham way back when, You had the nations on Your heart and You wanted to make Yourself known in every place. You are the Creator of the Universe, the One who made all the nations, the One who loves us all perfectly and perfectly well. You are great, and we love You!

We want to bless Your heart and partner with You by praying that Your Name is made known in every country, people, place, language, in every dialect, and that every person knows Your glory.

God, we ask specifically for America and for Brazil. We ask that You would bless the United States with a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. Would You release Your love that is undeniable? Would You release Your love that surpasses boredom, that surpasses distraction, that pierces the heart and lets us know that we can be fully alive in You? God, would You wake up America and have intimacy with the Church, the people of God, in the United States? God, thank You for Your heart. Thank You that You have a plan and a future for America. Thank You that You are on Your throne, and that You love Your people well. Help America receive Your love, in Jesus’ Name.

God, we also ask for Brazil. We ask that this nation would fully operate in it’s design of knowing You, loving You in it’s own language and culture, and receiving everything You have for it. We ask that Brazil would be a nation that diversely represents who You are. We ask that Brazil would show many different facets of Your face, of Your character, of Your beauty. We ask that You would be made known widely, and that the Covenant of Your Love and the Truth of Your Word would reign freely and run and be prosperous, not returning void; and instead that Your Word would be fruitful in all ways!

Amen.

MY NEW BOOK IS RELEASED!

Think in Decades: Hearing God While Drumming Mute is now available in paperback and e-book on Amazon! Click here to purchase!

In her book, Think in Decades, Morgan encounters the Lord during a 5th grade chapel service, where He stirs her heart to go to the nations. When she finally gets the opportunity, she signs up for a study abroad program during her junior year in college, and she heads to South Africa on what she hopes is the journey of a lifetime. A year later, feeling defeated and coming back to the states to finish her last year of university, she finds herself mute and diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

Thankful the story didn’t end there, Morgan documents these two decades of her life from being called, being obedient, being hurt, and being healed. You will journey with her through the ups and downs and find yourself laughing at the ironies of humanity while also growing your faith in God’s goodness.

Dinner

Purple, like the wine to be
Hard pressed on every side
Struck down, but not destroyed
Squeezed, sweet, and fine; let’s dine

If I could put emotions on the table,
Serve them for dinner,
I’d slide anger out in the open middle
To serve it up, first platter

One to get out of the way
Like an appetizer no one remembers later
But we all eat, because we’re at the table
And feel the hunger for justice inside

2nd course, main dish, I’d set out creativity,
Rejoicing in the enlightenment of meat,
Where I’m filled with the most satisfying of dishes
Which energizes body, soul, and spirit

By this time, we’re all stuffed to the brim,
Reveling that we tasted and saw that it was good,
Happy from being satisfied in the present, since we hungered and thirsted for what we previously didn’t know existed

With no money, and invitation in hand,
We came to buy, to eat, to drink
Wine and milk without cost
Even milk for babes, from their mouths come praise

3rd course, embraced by the warriors who endured
Like an army ready for the promised land 
Milk and honey on broken bread with drinks overflowing
Oil stuck on beards like common unity clings to nation’s Kings

Emotions of great sadness in memory of those not with us,
Great rejoicing for those who are,
And drinks clinking together at the table as our enemies watch us celebrate lives to come

Dinner is over, but the eating has just begun.

Selah

Pruning is for Sons and Daughters

When you’ve done all you can do, stand
I’ve one upped the stand ard
And stood, putting one front in front of the other
Figuring something is better than nothing

The garden I planted in spring, 
It froze in the cold of the night
The summer was too short
To produce a plentiful harvest to enjoy

I just came inside from tending my garden
Where pruning wasn’t an option, as plants have already died
What I planted in spring, I expected would survive
I guess some seasons exist to teach lessons that living things still die

Death a harsher reality when faced with it’s existence
In theory, not too hard, but full of pain in real life instances
What I thought would grow, what I thought was good
I don’t know what’s more frustrating, that it died or that I thought I understood

Seeds, maybe they’ll all take their own route
I can plant and water, I can pray for healthy harvest
I can invest in and speak blessings over living things
And in the end, there has to be a will to live

I’ll bless, I’ll grow, I’ll love a healthy garden
It’s the blood, sweat, and tears, the effort worth the time
Not just the produce I’m looking for
Time well spent, it’s all been worth while

Incorruptible seed, find your season
I’ll pray I’m aware and liberated to watch your germination
And even if you grow beyond my passing,
I still believe it’s true that I’ll see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living

Pruning is for survivors, chosen sons and daughters
Who weather the storm and hold tight in high winds
Who learn fear is a lying counselor, who’s unwilling to weather
The enemy silhouettes watching us eat at the Father’s table where we gather