by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

What’s Your Address?

Part 1: Written while in Maui, HI on September 20, 2018 

Three simple words, or four if you take away the conjugation, that literally have thrown me for a loop. One of the graduates who took my Writing in the Glory workshop and who I had the privilege of helping along in the journey just published her first book, which is incredible! Then she offered to mail me a copy of her book. She sent me an email with those three words that normally make sense but in my season, I didn’t quite know how to answer her. “What’s your address?” I believe sometimes this can also be translated “Where’s home?” And the reason I am writing a blog about something that might seem to very trivial to most people is because in this present season, I don’t have an answer to that question and I am not sure when exactly I will. A few months ago I would have said one thing, a few weeks ago another, today another, and next week another.

Did you know that you are not allowed to apply for a credit card if you don’t have an address? I learned that on my recent airline flight. It’s also hard to order anything online to be shipped to you if you don’t know where it is going, or even where you’re going next.

“What’s your address?”

While I was in Mozambique this summer, I got a message that the house I had been living in for several years in Redding was sold and that upon my return I would have to move out shortly after. Already having made plans to go to Maui before I heard the news, I changed my ticket to a one-way. About a week after I came to Maui, I heard the news of the terrible fires in Redding where many lost their homes. This was so heartbreaking and hard to be away from all my dear friends during this time. After that broke out, I’ve tried to come back to Redding several times, even bought a ticket back that I had to let go of because things fell through and no consistent housing opened up over there for me since my transition out of my previous place. We had already felt led to let go of the Destiny House building this summer and found out YWAM was taking it after us which was a huge blessing. But I personally still don’t have a permanent address or know what is next.

It’s interesting traveling because usually there’s an end time and a place to go back home to. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I’m not so eager to head back to the Mainland, because it feels like there’s even more places to stay here in Maui that have recently opened up versus going back to a city where much of it has been destroyed by the fires. While I admit it does get a bit tiring moving around so much, it is a huge blessing that an address doesn’t define my home. So many beautiful people have opened their homes and their hearts to me here in Maui. I am eternally grateful for these and they are one of the very God-reasons I keep extending my trip.

It’s also a blessing to realize that while at the moment I don’t really have an address, I know one day I will and that no matter what, I am at home in God wherever I go. So many others literally don’t have an address because they are living on the streets or in their cars or their house burnt down. There are many refugees out there who have had to flee their homes with only the clothes on their backs, never to return to their homeland again.

I’m on the other extreme of that and feel so rich to be embraced by the community of saints who would never let that happen to me. Life is such an interesting journey and the more I travel and leave my comfort zone, the bigger my global family seems to become. While there seems to have been many others in major transition this season as well and lots of dear friends who have returned to their home countries, it also feels sweet to know that while at the moment I’m not sure where I’m going to land, I have a place to call home around the world. God is my address. Being home in His heart is where I live. And the family of God has been so gracious and generous to me in this season.  

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Full Circle

Part 2: Written on November 5, 2019 while in Orange County, CA

After the above was written, I ended up staying in Maui nearly another month and a half and experienced quite a shift in my life. Following my 3.5 month sabbatical time there, I went to Virginia and saw God move in a special way, then back to Redding to continue transitioning. For Christmas, I went back to Orange County with family for the holidays where there wasn’t an available room in my home for the first time ever so I couldn’t even stay in my own house for Christmas but had to stay with a friend. The first week of January I went to the outback in Australia to help be a part of launching my friend’s first Iris School of Outback Mission. Instead of flying back like my plane ticket said, a beautiful family invited me to join them on the coast in Byron Bay to experience more of Australia. Since I was going to Germany soon, rather than fly everywhere and be exhausted from jet lag, I thought it would be worth it to invest the extra money to rest. After some much needed time in the sun, straight from Australia I flew to Germany and landed there in my blue jeans and flip flops. I was in no way prepared for the winter time in Europe since I had originally planned to go back and get my stuff before venturing out of the nation again. I am so grateful my mom mailed me my coat, shoes, gloves, and a beanie to stay warm.

From Germany I went to Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, then England before coming back to Orange County for a week then back to Virginia. I remember when I was staying at a friend’s house in England for nearly a week, the longest time I was at one place, I literally unpacked all of my things just to feel somewhat settled and to not have to live out of a suitcase for one whole week. Then in May 2019, I went back to Redding to close the chapter of Destiny House Redding and gather the rest of my things.

With absolutely no intention of buying a thing, a few days before I was about to head back down to Southern California, I went into the Crowning Jewels store to say goodbye to a few of my friends from Destiny House who worked there. Then I realized I needed a few thank you gifts for people so I started shopping a little bit before I saw this one necklace that totally stood out to me.

It said “Home” on it.  

I knew I had to have it since my life was so up in the air during that crazy season. I still had no idea where I was going to land except for the fact that I was continually being drawn to Europe. When I bought the necklace, it came with a prophetic card. My friend went into the back to have another worker write it out because she wanted someone who didn’t know me or my situation at all. When I opened it, my eyes began to water in the store and I felt the presence of God. The note said something to the effect that usually home means a place but for some reason she felt that home was not about a certain location for me in this season but a reminder that God is always my home. I was so touched by God in that place and it came from so out of the blue. It was lovely to see my friends and I walked out of that store wearing my necklace that said “home” on it. I wore that necklace much of the summer. Every time I put it on it was a reminder that even though I still had no idea where I was going to land, I knew that God is always my home and safe place.

This necklace stayed on me as I went back to Maui for a short visit, then to Orange County again briefly before embarking on another European adventure to 5 nations in Europe, my second big trip in the year. I went to Norway, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Belgium, and France.

On September 13th when I was in Belgium launching the third of our Schools of Revival, I received an email from a professor at Vanguard University who wanted to connect with me about potentially teaching a class there. When I saw the email, I didn’t have the capacity to even think about it much as I was still right in the middle of the European Tour and loving it. Then as my trip was coming to a close, my last day in Paris before flying home September 23, I was able to have a phone call with the professor and agreed to meet with him the following week when I was back in town. The very next day when I arrived back in the U.S.A., I received another email from another dean who was a part of a University in Dallas, Texas wanting to fly me out to teach an intensive master’s course in the Spring of 2020.

I was still very much feeling drawn to explore relocating to Europe but also open to seeing what God might be doing and if He was leading me into a new season. I was also feeling after traveling for over one year straight and loving it that I was ready and really needed a season of being in one place for a period of time.

September 30, I met with Tommy, the professor at Vanguard University and he talked to me about potentially options to teach adjunct online classes. I’ve taught online before but prefer being in the classroom with the students. When he heard me say that, he told me that if I was in town, he would give me his class to teach. His class was History of Pentecostalism which is basically a class about the The Azusa Street Revival. 

I was a bit torn because I had set my sights on Europe and at the same time something in the mix felt like this could indeed be God. I met with him again the following week and saw the favor and potential to be present with the students there instead of online teaching. After prayer and counsel, I really felt this was indeed the Lord. Within one week, everything changed and became clear. This opportunity was so out of the blue but I began to get more and more excited as the pieces began to be put together.

So after over a year of not knowing what’s next and following my heart to plant seeds of revival in the nations, God has finally revealed to me the next steps I am supposed to take. Twenty years after graduating from Vanguard University suddenly, and on its 100 year anniversary as a school, I will begin teaching a class primarily all about the Azusa Street Revival. My Ph.D. work was significantly focused on the Azusa Street Revival. Actually one of the original reasons I went to pursue it many years ago was so that I could teach at Vanguard one day. This was a dream in my heart I had long forgotten about but that God waited twenty years to fulfill! God is so faithful! I am so grateful for the season of play, rest, pioneering, traveling to the nations that God gifted me this past year and I am excited to dive in to what is awaiting in 2020.

I had forgotten about my gold “home” necklace as time went on until today, November 5, 2019. Today when I woke up to get ready to go to the prayer meeting at Anaheim Vineyard where I grew up, I felt like I really wanted to wear my gold necklace that said “home” on it. And this time as I put it on, there was a sense of relief and gratitude. Previously, I needed to wear this necklace to remind myself that in all my journeys and adventures this past year and a half where I had no address, God is always my home and always provides family. But now, today, after over a year of not knowing what was next, where was next, not having an address or consistency in my life when I put it on, it was like a breath of fresh air. It was a reminder of God’s faithfulness. He had brought me full circle and back home in more ways than one.

In the journey, I learned that no matter where I am, God is always my home and safe place. When I wore that necklace today, I was overwhelmed with gratitude of a good good Father who always knows the way. No matter where I am or what circumstances I find myself in, I can always rest in His arms. He is such a faithful Father. Throughout all the years, He has never let me down. He has always remained my safe place. His heart is always where I find my home.

*To read newsletter I sent out sharing more about this story and turn of events, go HERE

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

The Sabbath rest is one of the most rewarding gifts we’ve been given. If God needed to rest after 6 days of creating the world and everything in it, then I can follow in His example. Too many times though, we overlook this gift of rest that is built into the rhythm of abundant life offered to us by God.

Is there Purpose in our Busyness?

There’s something numbing about keeping ourselves busy and running around from here to there that gives the illusion of importance. If someone asks me how I am doing and I tell them that I am super busy does my busyness make me feel super important because I have so many things to do? Sometimes the tape in my head goes like this:

If I am busy, that means I am important.

If I am important, that means I have value.

If I have value, that means I will be loved.

But if I am not busy does that mean I no longer have worth or am loved or have value or am important?

I think if we’re honest, filling up the moments of our lives with stimulation, busyness, going from one place to the next, seeing one post to the next, and driving with one hand on the wheel while we eat fast food in the other and check our social media accounts on the way to another meeting is a normal part of some of our worlds. What’s the true benefit of working overtime again and again, striving to get more so we can continue to be encaged in the hamster wheel of running faster and faster to nowhere? At the end of our lives, will we be satisfied?

I am not saying that we can’t fill our schedules up or that if we do have full schedules it means something is wrong. What I am saying is as we enter toward the end of this year, let’s take a step back to re-evaluate our commitments to make sure that what we are intentionally investing our time into are things that we are born for, are building the Kingdom of God, and life-giving. As we dive into the new year, we must be able to choose the good over the best and let go of the silver to embrace the gold. Too many times it’s those good things that fill up all the space in our lives, leaving no room for the best to enter in. Until we are courageous and willing to let go, that is.

One thing I Learned in my Sabbatical time in Maui

This summer I learned a very important lesson on rest. I decided to take a small sabbatical time of rest and refreshing in Maui after running hard for 6 years with Destiny House and entering into our 7th year. While there, I felt like God was inviting me to extend my time on the island more than once. The first extension was easier to say yes to. But then when I had to decide in the second month whether to stay yet another month, I struggled. I had to decide whether to come back to the mainland in October to teach at multiple schools of ministry and other obligations or stay another month in Maui, extending my time of rest, surf, play, and to be refreshed for a women’s conference in Virginia in November that I felt was significant.

I didn’t want to let down all the people I had committed to. Would they think I am a flake? Would they think I am irresponsible? I am a person of my word and I felt I would be letting so many people down. I still hadn’t secured housing for my time on the mainland so I would have had to sleep on a couch for a month all the while doors kept opening for me to stay longer in Maui.

Would I do what I felt I should do or would I follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and give my soul the attention it needed? If I knew I wouldn’t let anyone down and they would understand me caring for my soul, if I trusted that God would provide for me still, what would I choose? The real question I needed answered was what was God saying in the midst of all this noise in my head and what season did He have me in?

I knew deep down that I wasn’t ready to return and dive back into full time ministry and teaching. I knew that my heart still needed more restoration and rest. I knew that being at the beach and surfing the waves is one of the gifts God put in my life that helps restore my soul. I wondered what it would look like to enter into the clear yes in my spirit of the Virginia trip in November fully rested and ready to go rather than worn out and tired from running around doing good things that I really do love but that didn’t fit the extended season of rest God was inviting me into. I knew what my heart needed but still battled with what other people would think and how they would view me. I didn't want to let people down.

I also felt like this decision would be a turning point for the next 40 years and next era of my life, shifting me from what I’ve know and always done into the spirit of pioneering and stepping out of the boat like Peter did to walk into the unknown. The fact that I was presented with these decisions at the same time and in the midst of filming the Walking on Water Encounter E-course there on Maui and getting ready to launch The School of Pioneering Revival is not an accident. These are all about stepping out of the boat to be closer to Jesus at all costs.

Staying in Maui another month would be me letting go of what had been familiar ad stepping out of the boat. It would mean going off of the map into the unplanned, and into a completely different direction. Because I believe there is safety in walking with the family of God and not off on my own in isolation, I invited a significant spiritual mother and spiritual father into this decision making process. They both readily and quickly confirmed my decision to stay and felt the Lord on it. This was a huge gift of safety and strength in making this shift.

Then I did something I rarely ever do. I called to share my heart and cancel all of my engagements for the month of October on the mainland. I was able to give some of these opportunities away to other friends so they could be blessed by them. I let go and trusted I heard God. I chose to make space for what my heart needed to enter more fully into this season of rest God was giving me. I extended my time in Maui for the sole reason of resting.

When the time in Maui was complete and I finally did come back to the mainland to go to the Women’s Abide conference in Virginia in early November, God moved in great power and touched many lives in a significant way. God even blessed me financially. Triple the number of Writing in the Glory attendees signed up and my books all sold out, releasing continued revival fire even after I had come and gone. I even extended my trip another week to hold a few more revival meetings. To read some crazy testimonies of what God did there, see Acts of the Holy Ghost in Charlottesville, Virginia. All that to say, when God invites us into a season of rest, we can trust that He will take care of us and all of the details. There’s no way I could have lived 3 months in Maui without God providing the body of Christ to welcome me in. So many beautiful saints poured out hospitality again and again for which I will forever be grateful for. My prayer is that my recent journey deeper into God’s heart through rest would be a prophetic encouragement for you to embrace the Sabbath gift of rest God wants to give you today.  

Stewarding Rest during the Christmas Season: The 10 minute Challenge

What would it look to steward rest in the midst of this busy holiday season? What would it look like to not run around trying to please everyone with extravagant gifts but instead slow down and give people the gift of our presence?

Now I know not everyone has the freedom to be able to stay in Maui for months, but we do all have 10 minutes each day or even once a week where we can get alone with God to encounter His love. What would happen if today we STOPPED everything and spent 10 minutes in pure silence waiting upon God?

If you want to know what’s really going on in the depths of your heart and experience deep peace in the midst of the craziness all around, I want to encourage you to take 10 minutes today and STOP everything and just be still. Stop all in-take, all reading, all listening, all moving, and simply BE. Listen to God. Welcome Him to meet you in a special way. Listen to what He has to say. Put down your journal writing, Bible reading, phone until after the time. Turn off your music and any other stimulation just for this sacred set apart time. Let’s practice Psalm 46:10 where it says,

“Be still and know that I am God.”

I will warn you right now, to get 10 minutes of absolute silence and focused engagement on God, to be fully present with Him alone, you will may to fight a million battles. So many distractions will try to come against you. But this ONE THING I ask of the Lord, King David says in Psalm 27:4, is “that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” And the more you practice cultivating space to listen and be present for God to move in your life, the easier it gets.

So I pray that as you begin to build this beautiful gift of stewarding rest into your life, that God’s grace would be upon you and that He would give you rest. Rest for your souls. He is waiting with open arms for you to enter into the Secret Place with Him and to remind you that JESUS is truly the reason for this season. May we never let busyness distract us from this simple truth. May His stillness go deep into your heart and permeate you with His rest for your soul.

 Key verses: Exodus 31:15, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 91, Jeremiah 6:16, Matthew 11:28

Experience the Fruit of my Sabbath in Maui: NEW Walking on Water Encounter E-course

In retrospect from my time in Maui, I am now realizing the significance of making these crucial decisions all the while of filming my Walking on Water Encounter E-course in Maui and getting ready to launch my online school and dream come true, The School of Pioneering Revival. If I am not able to step out of the boat and follow the leading of the Spirit into the unknown and trust in Him, then how can I encourage others to step out of the boat? To experience some of the fruit of my time in Maui, I want to invite you to watch a 10 minute video of me sharing more about The Secret Place and Cultivating a lifestyle of Intimacy with Jesus in the first session of the Walking on Water E-course. There is a free preview once you register here or feel free to sign up for the whole Encounter Course to unlock a season of intimacy and destiny.

Blessings and Mahalo and a huge thanks to the Maui tribe for loving and taking me in!

Jen