David's Tent Recap

Hey y'all!

Thanks so much for all of your prayers, finances and encouragement that have been poured into my life so that I could be a part of David's Tent! It truly was a very unique opportunity that I am very grateful to you and God for!

Just to remind you (or tell you for the first time), here is the history of how David's Tent got started:
-Our leader Jason Hershey was doing an extended fast in 2011, and the Lord spoke to him about a new national gathering, one where shouts of joy and victory resounded from the tents of the righteous (Psalm 118:15). From that place of the Lord speaking, the dream only grew and grew!
-In 2012 a friend of Jason went to the National Park Service, hoping to get a permit to put up a tent for about 40 days on a smaller, less public location here in DC. While he was in the office they offered him The Ellipse, and after filling out the application they got a permit to put up a tent Sept. 25th-Nov. 6th in 2012.
-Over 20,000 people came to David's Tent in 2012, and about 160 unique worship teams came from all 50 states just to worship Jesus and bring Him joy through their praise! (To see the amazing 26 min documentary, click this sentence)
-On one of the last days on David's Tent 2012, one of the National Park Service told us to think about doing the event in 2013! Then Jason immediately started filling out an application for 2013 to start making David's Tent an annual event!

Now, after David's Tent 2013 I can say that this year was amazing as well. We have so many testimonies, but here are the highlights:
-at least 3 known salvations during the tent
-1000s of gospel tracts getting handed out, and very rarely finding them on the ground. People want to hear the Good News! The worship completely to Jesus could be heard across the Ellipse on some occasions!
-incredible relationships with the National Park Service (NPS) and Secret Service, which have only increased from last year
-Someone working with the NPS said something like: "I just have to get to David's Tent because I know it's the only place I can find peace right now"
-Thousands of people all around the nation were encouraged by what God is doing through Facebook, Email, Twitter, etc. (if you haven't liked our Facebook page, please do so by clicking on this sentence and liking it!)
-Over 200 bands from all over the nation have came to lead worship. Over 44 states and 37 nations were represented!!!
-During the government shutdown we were the only organized event on the National Mall (see photo below)
-We got news coverage from CBN (click this sentence to see it)
-But best of all, we were able to pour our love and Jesus and bring a pleasing sacrifice of praise to Him. He is our greatest joy and there is nothing more we desire than just to please HIM!!!

The sign reads: Because of the federal government shutdown, this National Park Service area is closed, except for 1st Amendment activites. If this were a higher resolution photo, you could tell the tent was right behind the sign.

As for the future, David's Tent DC is seeking for national mobilization. We really want this vision of 24/7 worship to Jesus spread all across America, and even the whole world. We believe that as the nation's capitol we are setting a new normal in America, that worshiping Jesus is simply what we do because He is worthy and we love Him with all that we have. If you want to be a part of this vision, please stay connected by going to davidstentdc.org. Maybe you or someone you could know could bring a worship team next year, or you could donate enough money for a few days or even weeks of generator fuel. Maybe you could set up a tent outside your state capitol building and worship Jesus there!

Until the whole world is full of His praise,
Nathan

God paid my taxes! And our sushi dinner!

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33)

When Jesus said those words, He meant it. Jesus has never once lied and being God cannot even be tempted to lie. He is perfect in every way and has never let me down.

Yet earlier this year I was seriously struggling to believe that God really is who He says He is.

The reasons were simple: In April of this year I needed about $2,000 to pay my taxes, while people I respect and love had recommended that I get a paying job and leave YWAM (making me doubt God's call and provision), and I didn't have time to work on my own to get the money I needed in time. I was stuck, and all I could do was cry out to God and be faithful to what I thought He told me to do.

The clock was ticking, and the IRS needed their money.

Wednesday before tax day on the following Monday: I slept most of the day, didn't do anything about the financial situation, and felt hopeless and discouraged.

Thursday before tax day: I made two phone calls to my faithful supporters and within an hour those two people committed to give me $2,400 total. It was a miracle. I felt the affirmation from Heaven that God would not only provide for me in all of my daily needs, including paying taxes to the government, but even more that my specific mission by backed by God. 24/7 prayer in Washington DC really is on God's heart and this financial provision was a huge testimony to me of that.

My God is faithful to His promises and has never let me down, especially in the area of finances. I'm still debt-free and have been primarily supported by others while volunteering with YWAM for the last three years.

Another delicious layer to this testimony came a few weeks ago while I was eating sushi with my friends.

It started out as just another night eating dinner, with casual conversations dispersed throughout our table of 9. Then the question came: who has a testimony?

After waiting a few moments, I piped up and began to tell the story you just read about my taxes. Right after I got done telling the story, my friend Gabriel said that the Lord showed him in a vision this exact scene earlier this year. (Gabriel is a very gifted friend who has this kind of thing happen on a regular basis). Basically God showed him ahead of time that he would be in that exact place at that exact time, hearing my testimony, and it came to pass! Gabriel said that when he gets visions showing the future like that he really pays attention when they come to pass because it's a confirmation that everyone involved is where they are supposed to be.

So here in our group we had an amazing testimony that Gabriel was shown would be told earlier that year. Then another girl said she recently had a dream from God in which the message was John 6, which includes the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 miraculously. Then we really paid attention because God was clearly speaking multiple times about His miraculous provision. With many of us urgently needing financial provision we were very encouraged.

Then to top off this amazing night of encouragement, our waitress came up and told us that our check had been paid for, and she didn't even know who paid for it. I think it may have been an angel, but I can't prove it. I just know that God was really speaking to us that we were truly following Him, He really saw us and that He really cared for all of our needs like the greatest Father we could ever imagine.

He knows the hairs on our heads, he knows every longing in our heart, he knows us on our good days and on our bad days, and He loves us the same. How great is our God!

Thanks for all the prayers and support that God uses in my life, and may you be blessed with the assurance that if you seek first His kingdom He will supply your every need.

For the Lamb to receive the reward of His sufferings,
Nathan Uttley

Prayer request: David's Tent and health

Hey everyone!

It's with so much joy in my heart that I can say in two days we are officially starting David's Tent, 40 days of nonstop worship right in front of the White House! Thank you all so much for your amazing love and support that has gotten me this far. I was just reflecting on the fact that I didn't have money to pay for my taxes earlier this year, and I didn't have the time to get a job and raise the money myself. But God provided more than I needed through two of my amazing supporters and now I'm still on staff with YWAM and here in DC to be a part of David's Tent! The Lord is so faithful!

Another amazing testimony that I heard is that until David's Tent 2012 the longest permit ever granted for events on the White House Ellipse was 14 days. But God made a way so that this wild crew could put a tent on the White House Ellipse for 40 days just to worship Jesus! It was unprecedented and totally a work of God!

So it's with great faith in my heart that I humbly ask you to join with me in prayer to our great God for us and this event.

Please agree with God's desires in the following ways:

1. Ask God to pour out His Spirit upon in unprecedented ways. Our greatest desire is His presence with us. A part of this is that we would be filled with boldness to preach the Gospel with those that have yet to follow Him, and that they would be saved and filled with Holy Spirit as well!
2. Ask God to release all the finances we need. We need $15,000 to get on the Ellipse, and then we need at least $35,000 to sustain us through the whole duration of the tent. If you feel led to give, please go to http://www.davidstentdc.org/donate/
3. Ask God to strengthen us to worship Him wholeheartedly the whole time. We would also appreciate more worship leaders, especially throughout the night. If you or anyone else is interested in leading worship for David's Tent, please go to http://www.davidstentdc.org/worship-leaders/
4. Ask God to cause the message of David's Tent to spread all throughout the Earth. We really want to see more and more people getting together simply to worship Jesus and enthrone Him on our praises. You can go to our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DavidsTentDc or just share the website davidstentdc.org with your friends.
5. Ask God to send the media to share the message, and spare us from any unnecessary controversy. We believe God wants to use the media to spread the fame of Jesus all across the Earth!
6. Ask God to move in our President and our government like never before, that all of our government would follow God wholeheartedly.

Also, please pray specifically for me, that the Lord would supernaturally heal me. I've been sick for about 4 weeks and really ready to be done with it :)

Thank you so much!

David's Tent 2012 Documentary

Hey everyone! I just wanted to share an amazing documentary that was made about David's Tent in 2012. There was 40 days of nonstop worship to Jesus from the White House Ellipse! If you or anyone you know is interested in leading worship, donating financially, or just being a part of the nonstop worship, please visit davidstentdc.org for more information.

Enjoy!

Circuit Riders recap

Thank you all so much for praying for us as we went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania for a week of training, called Circuit Riders. It seriously was one of the best weeks of ministry I've ever seen or heard of! Here are some highlights:

• about 500 students enrolled for the whole week to get trained up in saving the lost, reviving the saved and training them to go and do the same
• At least 320 salvations on the street within one week, which included 4 hours of scheduled evangelism
• one of our deaf students wrote on a paper back and forth with a person, eventually leading them through praying to follow Jesus!
• Some of the students went to talk to someone on their front porch. After praying the sinners' prayer together, they looked up and saw their neighbors praying to receive Jesus as well!
• Two girls had appointments to get abortions. But, after encountering one of the students at our conference, and receiving prayer, they immediately canceled their appointments and decided to keep their babies!
• The lost were so hungry for Jesus! One of my friends was on her way to the bathroom, and someone approached her and said: "Can you pray with me, I want to know God." While she was sharing with her, 4 more people showed up. All 5 people were led through repentance, received Bibles and got connected to local churches all because one girl was so hungry to know God and approached my friend!
• One of the student in our DTS had a specially favor filled week. He name is Bruce, and he just became a Christian about 6 months ago. During this whole past week he personally led 6 people to the Lord! This first day of evangelism we talked on the phone and he told me, "We just led 4 people to the Lord, we need more Bibles!" and my jaw just dropped!
• There were so many people coming from the community for our nightly free sessions that we kept adding more chairs but more people were coming that we had about 1,500 people at the most, and 300 of them had to sit on the floor! Our meeting hall was seriously packed out!

We are all walking from the past week more encouraged than even. God has given me faith for all of America to be saved like never before. Please join with me in pressing in for that reality!

Prayer Request: Circuit Riders

This whole next week, both DTSs (The American Sign Language DTS and David's Tent DTS) will be gone in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to do an intensive school called The School of the Circuit Rider. The three main goals are to save the lost, revive the saved, and train them all! Please be praying for us, as we will probably be doing daily evangelism on the streets and hope to see God do amazing things. Thanks!

Enjoy this amazing video, and click here for more info!

God still heals!

One of my favorite verses of the New Testament is Acts 14:3: “So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” (ESV)

And of one of my favorite things in life is when God shows up in miraculous ways to confirm his word! While I could try to explain what happened, I'll let Brooke tell you! She is on an outreach team that spent their three month lecture phase in Kona, HI and spent about 4 weeks in DC with us and will soon be leaving for the Middle East.

"As our time in Washington DC comes to an end, I can’t help but to smile as I think about all that the Lord has done in this city as well as what He has done in my life. Ever since watching Darren Wilson’s “Finger of God” a few months ago, I’ve had an itch to see God show off before my own eyes. This brings me to my favorite moment out of the four weeks we have been here. Every night our team travels out to DuPont Circle, a popular hang out spot for both locals and tourists. To paint a picture for you, just imagine a park with a pretty fountain in the center surrounded by restaurants galore, embassies, shops, and lots of traffic. A large portion of the homeless community call this place their home. The first night our team decided to evangelize in groups of two. With that being said, Grant, his ukulele (aka companion for life), and myself were off. At this point I’m thinking to myself okay lets take a lap around the park and scope out our bait, but Grant just goes for it.

We walk up to a group of four homeless people hanging out on a bench and begin talking about life. Grant takes Mitch who is a universalist and I take Bree, Kevin, and Brett who gives me every reason not to believe in God. Bree has a past of rejection, abuse, and confusion so it was a challenge getting her to open up. Kevin deals with self worth, oppression, and fear that causes him to remain silent. Brett grew up with no stability, love, or acceptation. After nearly two hours of conversation, my hunger to see God move is out of control. It’s like waiting for your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant. All the sudden Brett moans and complains about the pain in his leg. My ears perk up and I realize my favorite meal at my favorite restaurant is about to be served. Brett can barely walk, even with his cane because he was hit by a car which caused a serious meniscus injury. I asked if I could pray over his leg and he said yes! After praying I asked him to stand up without his cane. His reaction is one I will remember for the rest of my life.

Standing in awe, his jaws hit the ground and he says, “There is no pain in my knee.” Still limping, I insist we keep praying that God will completely restore his entire leg back to its original design. Grant walks over and we both pray for full healing. Brett stands up once more and exclaims, “I feel like I have a new leg! Lets walk to California! What the....” Completely dumbfounded at what just happened, Brett tells us that he’s going to share with his mom (who is an atheist), this miracle of how God healed his leg! Bree insists that we pray for her dad who has cancer and Kevin was willing to receive prophetic words, affirmation and prayer too. The atmosphere shifted in that moment, a moment I will never forget. Time and time again I will hear various people from the homeless community speak about how Brett doesn’t walk with his cane anymore. They say he uses that cane as a testimony of how God healed his leg. And that my friends, is the beginning of an awakening in DuPont Circle."