Games, Fellowship & Music Prayer

Sunday March 26, 2017.

Sunday morning I was blessed to be able to serve on the Parking Team for the 11:00am Service.  That in itself was a ton of fun, as usual.   Then right after 2nd service I was privileged to be asked to join Building Security and Safety meeting over lunch.  This meeting allowed me to get a better glimpse at what it takes to run an organization, such as a church, and it showed me a bit more of the Operations role within Koinonia.

After the meeting I went over to a friends house to hang out with some people from the Connect Group I'm, again, blessed to be a part of.   We were there worshiping, eating, talking and playing games until we had to go.  I left early for Twenty20 so I could make it to the prayer group before Twenty20.   This time of prayer over Twenty20 is from 6:00-6:30pm (Twenty20 Starts at 7:00pm).  And I usually am not able to make it because I am serving on ushering.  I'm not a huge fan of this, personally I would love to attend prayer every Twenty20.  

Twenty20 did some changes for the night.  There was no worship and there was no service.  It was a Connect Social, we just played games, talked and ate food.  The first part was just talking and eating some snacks.  Then we got together as a group and played a handful of full group games (there were 60-70 young adults there).     The final group game we played was Guess Who?.  We split up into two teams and picked a team captain.  Then we each got a piece of paper and wrote our names on it really big.  Then each group picked a person to be it and we all then stood up.  The team captains went back and forth asking questions to each other trying to figure out who the person was.  With each question people were sitting down until a select few were left, and so on as the game goes.  It was a lot of fun.
After group games we all went back out into the foyer to eat more food for a bit and then play board/card games scattered about on tables throughout the foyer.  Again this was a ton of fun.  Most of that time I either talked, played Dutch Blitz, or Uno.  I was playing Uno with a group of people when the started closing down the building.   As we finished up and were cleaning up, people were leaving.   A few friends suggested we should play Sardines.  Bryce agreed to stay to lock up the building and play with us.  

While that was getting ready a friend (Matt) and I ended up in the Auditorium with his violin and we did a time of prayer.  As he walked around the room praying and playing his violin, I started walking the rows praying.   It was Amazing and powerful and fun!   At one point during praying I was asking God to let everyone who heard the message today, everyone who heard the worship today, everyone who was here today to be touched and for God to move in them through it.   For a short instant I felt a wind of the Holy Spirit flow through the whole room and then leave.  As it was flowing through I head Him say, "I will."

After this amazing time we headed back out and found that the rest of the half a dozen or so people had just started playing sardines.   This was the first time I've played this game.  If you haven't played before, the basics of the game is one person hides somewhere in the building and everyone else then has to find them (in the dark without turning lights on (except for flashlights)).  Once you find the person, you hide right next to them (even if it's out in the open) until everyone one is there.   I really enjoyed it!

AWESOME With A Capital "A"

Today I was struck with the awesome thought, "Wow God!  I am so amazed and in awe of how you provide for me."  I started to reflect on the past few months, the last year and so on on how God worked with me financially outside what I could understand.  It occurred to me that I feel that my finances are tight yet I am able to give so much, especially for having no income.  For example I've been able to give nearly $1,000 in 2017 already and my budget still seems to be moving along fine.  I look ahead to next month, and to months ahead, and I see that I don't have enough money, but I have enough for the moment I'm in now.  I know that I will have enough in moments to come, for God has told me He will provide and I'll trust him on that.   I don't know how, but I'm in awe how He does every time.   I say all this not to brag but to lift up God in how awesome and beyond comprehension He is and He works.   It doesn't make sense on paper, but I somehow have enough.  God is so AWESOME, with a capital "A"!

A Day Of Blessing

As I said in my last post I had a interesting police encounter last night around 3-4am.  Well last night I went to bed around 3am and got up about 7:30am, that's only 4.5 hours of sleep minus the numerous times waking up and stuff during the night.  However God blessed me yet again.  When I got up (and throughout the day) I felt like I had slept for 8, 10 maybe even 12 hours.  Yet I physically was only likely got around 4 hours.   God is so good.

I started out in prayer and quiet time.  God has put a number of specific people on my heart lately along with a handful of people who have specifically asked for prayer.   I then decided to go to the market, though God took me on a detour that I enjoyed and gave me more alone prayer time.  Then When I got to the market I went to get a hot apple cider with whipped cream on top (sounds odd but it tastes like apple pie almost).   Instead, at the recommendation of Ariel (SLI Year 1 classmate from last year; and, of course, a good friend; plus she works at the coffee shop at the market) I had their specialty maple syrup latte something something.   It was good actually, and it helped wake me up a bit more.    Then I walked around and kept asking God, as I try to do every time I'm there, "how can I be a blessing?" or "who can I bless?"  I walked around for a bit. Then I settled up on the 2nd floor of the newest building just people watching, leaning up against the railing.   While I was doing this I just started praying for people.  People on my heart and random people that I saw.  It was an awesome time.  God pointed out people to bless.  I got to give two kids $20 each, pay for someone's coffees, and I offered to buy several other people's purchases, but they wouldn't let me.  God then told me, "Freely give, freely receive.  Don't be offended when people don't receive what you freely offer."   I also kept walking around the 3 buildings over and over again and again, praying observing and listening.   I did this for about 4 hours.  Then I started home on a path that God told me to go on (revealed to me one turn at a time).  But then he asked me to take a turn the opposite direction I was planning to go.  Suddenly it hit me, this is the road to Costco, "God, can I go to Costco?"  He told me that was where He was taking me.   I had been wanting to restock my water bottle supply (I can get 35-40 bottles at Costco for less than $3).  I got the water bottles, ate some samples and left.  God talked to me and had me praying for certain people the whole time.   I was truly blessed.

Police Encounter: 3:00 am

I've never woken up at 3-4 am to a cop shining a flashlight into my eyes and drilling me with questions, that is not until last night (not a joke this time dad 😄).

Last night I had a wonderful and powerful time with a connect group I'm a part of.  Time sure flies and when were with God in worship, fellowship, prayer and ministry, time flies all the more.  We started at 7pm and within what seemed like a hour or so it was suddenly 2am.  God has spoken a lot to might during the night, so as I sat in my car I journaled it all down. Then I felt peace about just sleeping in my car for the night again.  I drove to the church parking lot and noticed as I pulled in that the parking lot light poles were not on.  Anywho I parked on the far side near the back of the lot and sat with God for a bit.  I nearly fell asleep on the way there so I was ready to fall asleep.  I got out and popped the trunk, thankful yet again for the blanket's and pillow I keep in there for times like this (thanks mom and aunt Jane for them).   I cuddled up and leaned my seat back.  The last time I looked at the clock for I clocked out was 2:50am.  I left the car idling all night (thankful again that diesel don't burn much fuel idling).  Ne next thing I knew was I was waking up to something, a noise of some sort.  I noticed a white light outside and I initially thought that the light poles had come one.  But I also noticed that there was a car outside my window.  I sat up and rolled down my window, realizing that the car was a cop car.  The cop was in his car about 5 feet away, window down and his flashlight pointed right at me.   Now when I said he drilled me with questions, that may be a bit exaggerated.  He asked me a lot of questions though.  He asked me if I was sleeping and I said, "on and off" (since I was waking up a lot).   He asked why I was here, I told him that I was out late with friends and I was too tired driving home.  He asked where home was, and I told him I'm from the States and am visiting.  He proceeded to ask if I was drunk or anything, to which I again honestly replied with, "no."  He asked a bit more, and I decided I would take the time to tell him the whole story in detail, but God decided to satisfy him and he drove off.  Before he did he told me that he was just a bit skeptical that a person was in a car idling in a parking lot at 3-4am laying down with blankets and stuff.  He said it seemed a bit sketchy, which is fair.  Also the whole time I felt strangely awake and a supernatural peace.

Father-Son Night

Oh the value of the precious Father-Son time together!  Last night I spent the night with my heavenly father.  He took me out to dinner and then to a movie, Beauty & the Beast.  We talked together and had a great time.  He revealed to me lots of things and spoke directly into my life.  He showed me many things applicable to life in the movie.   And to top the evening off, He paid for it all!

Psalm 31:15a

I've been having a wonderful night with God tonight.  He took me out to eat and He's taking me to a movie later on tonight.  He blessed me with two meals spread out.  In between them He revealed this to me.


Psalm 31:15a, "My future is in your hands."

My future is no longer a concern of God's
My future has already been seen by God.
My future is in His hands.
---His hands protect.
-----My future is protected.
---His hands provide.
-----My future has been provided for.
---His hands guide.
-----My future knows where it's going.
---His hands lead.
-----My future follows Him.
---His hands embrace.
-----My future is being held by God with Love.
---His hands bless.
-----My future is blessed.
---His hands build.
-----My future is built.
---His hands plant.
-----My future is growing, is alive and strong.
---His hands overcome.
-----My future has nothing to fear.
---His hands care for.
-----My future is cared for, loved and is seen.
My future is covered.
My future is none of my concern for God is already there.

Naan Bread

Over the past 10 days I have been dog/turtle/house sitting for a family in our church while they were in Florida.   While there I helped myself to their Naan Bread.   I love Naan bread!    I used it as a good time to experiment with it and see what tasteful creations I could find.  

CONCLUSION:

Naan bread can be used for and with every part of a meal.   It can be used with fruit; with meat and cheese; with peanut butter and jelly; with Nutella; with tortilla chips; with Ice cream and whipped cream; with cream cheese; with butter; with humus; with caramel; and on it's own, and still be great!

Here are some of the ideas I did:

1. Baked Naan layered in cream cheese and topped with fresh cut blueberries and strawberries.  
2. Baked Naan dipped or layered in Nutella.
3. Baked Naan layered half in peanut butter and half in jelly.  Folded in half as a sandwich.
4. Baked Naan layered with butter.
5. Baked Naan dipped or layered with humus.
6. Baked Naan spotted with melted caramel.
7. Tortilla "Scoop" chips filled 1/3 with peanut butter, 2/3 with jelly - baked.  Baked Naan layered with Nutella and topped with a  baked PB&J "Scoop" chip.
8. [My favorite thus far] Bake Naan bread.   (flat side up) Fold in half, then unfold.   Place cheese on one side of line and thin sliced meat on the other half.   Bake.   Fold in half as in a sandwich.  Cut in half (in two wedges). Result: Baked Meet & Cheese bites.
9. [My second favorite thus far].  Bake Naan bread.  Cut into 4 or 6 pieces.  Place flat side up on plate, randomly.   Place several scoops of vanilla Ice cream throughout Baked (and still warm) Naan.  Top with chocolate, fruit or other types of sauces.  Top with whipped cream.  Eat.   Result:  The Naan Desert Platter.
10. Baked Naan cut into small pieces (size: 1-3 inches wide).  [Great snack to much on while working on something]
11. Plain Cold Naan bread.

Beauty & The Beast

Last night I went with a group of friends and saw Beauty & the Beast in 3D.   I am not a fan of musicals usually, but I really enjoyed this.   It's a very well done movie and it is not very "fake".   I was quite impressed with it.  I would give it an 8 out of 10 rating, and I recommend watching it.  I was so blessed to be able to join a group of friends that I love spending time with to watch a movie that I couldn't afford to see.  My budget is very tight right now (and yet loose in another way) and someone offered to pay my ticket for this move.  I was, and am, so honoured.    God has blessed me so abundantly!   Glory to God! For He is good, and perfect in all His ways!

The Curious 7

Today Was an amazing day.  This afternoon I was privileged to go hiking with a group of friends.  It was so beautiful.  It was about 31*F (-0.6*C), and snowy - for those who don't know, this is almost perfect packing snow.   We met up and started down a trail and we didn't get anywhere quick.  I do not think we went more than 5 minutes at a time without stopping and getting sidetracked - which was cool.

The scenery was so beautiful.  The snow was coming down light (weight wise) yet lots of it, and they were huge snow flakes.  It was one of the most beautiful snowfalls I have ever witnessed.  I was in awe of God's beauty and creation!   The pictures below cannot even begin to describe, reveal or compare to the stunning experience we had.

We had many fun adventures while walking and getting sidetracked.  We found a field which was beyond beautiful in sight, and we raced through it, talked and laughed in it.   We played "snow baseball" and stopped to sight see some ducks in the creek.   One of the guys in our group found a fallen tree that was pretty bouncy and so 4 of us (there were 7 of us) piled on it until it started creaking, then we all jumped off and carried on.

Some of climbed some trees.  In doing so we learned some great lessons.  For example when hanging on to a branch facing upwards, keeping note of the branch you are on is helpful: never hang on an evergreen branch that has no evergreen on it, it may dead.   Yes, there was a bit of fall, but everyone is all right, praise God!   We had some good laughs and joke from it.

At the end of the trail (or at least where we stopped) was a dam, man-made.  it was cool since there was a lot of ice and snow, yet it still flowed.   We stopped at the dam for a while before heading back.   In total we were hiking for about 2 or so hours.   It was well worth it.  I am so blessed to have a group of friends like this, it's a group like no other!  God is good to me.

*Thanks to Elsbeth and Daniel for some of the pictures below*

In this picture I, on the far right, appear to be in a less natural position.  This is because as we were walking Daniel ran ahead aways and turned to take a picture.  Except we did not know what he was doing for sure.  So we were debating if we should stand still or slowly walk towards him.   I believe this was taken right as the decision was made to walk towards him.  

Here is the dam that was at the end of the trail.  One person in our group actually ran down a ways to the right to a little bridge and ran across to the other side.  

Elsbeth was apparently talking some pictures with other people, but I didn't know that, so I'm looking another direction.  Yet the picture as a whole still turned out really well.

So that tree that four of us decided to sit on (you can see someone sitting on it on the far right) had a bit of a steep, snowy and slippery slide down to it.  

One person climbing a tree.  Unfortunately for sharing a visual memory, no one got a picture of the fall.  

A few sights of the path, creek, river, and beautiful snow falling.

Now here is the first two people to jump on the bouncy, dead and cold branch.

Fun memories start with that one person who steps out in curiosity. 

There was also a train bridge.  On person in our group climbed up on top of it and walked around for a bit before we continued on the path.

Periodically the path would have little stops with a bench to rest on.

Now here were the two main ducks that we crossed.

Budget = Tight; Finances = Blessed

I feel so blessed right now!   I am just looking back at now and the past at how God has provided and has been faithful.   In the past two weeks I have had two movie tickets paid for me (which is amazing since I didn't have the money in my budget, so I wasn't going to go).   I also got the opportunity to dog sit for someone while they were on vacation and I didn't expect them to pay me, but they did.  And the amount they paid me, after the exchange rate and all, was within cents of the exact amount I was short in my budget for the month of March!  God told me that He would provide the extra money each month but He didn't tell me how.  I am amazed how He worked that out and am looking forward to how He provides for the months to come.   Plus, then this morning I had someone I had asked prayer for, approach me and ask me how my finances were doing, and as I told him, he said, "I would like to sow into that."  Then he gave me $40 and left!   What!! God you are blowing my mind in how you are blessing me!  In the past 8 months I have had two people just walk up to me and hand me $40, one person whom I have no idea who it is to this day, give me an encouraging card and a $100 bill, and numerous people just give me $20.   Plus this person for dog sitting blessed me, plus the movie tickets.  I'm just like WOW GOD!!!  

Baked Nutella Naan PB&J Bites With God

Ahhh, a perfect way to spend the wee hours of the morning after a great evening/morning of fellowship, games and worship!  This was all spent with worship music (harder to add into the picture)

I feel that my passion and excitement are multiplied in the wee hours of the morning in worship and prayer, especially after a great evening/morning to set it up.   Right now it is 2:04am, I just got home, and I am loving it!     God is good!

This Week: Wires & Fire Safety

So This week has been a bit different in Serving in SLI compared to previous weeks.  Why? Because the Academy is on March Break.  I normally get to spend 4-6 hours a day in the kindergarten classroom, but they are all gone on break.  So this week I've been finishing up projects that I've been asked to help with by the facilities team and the IT team.  

Monday was actually a quite productive day, I was able to get a lot of things knocked off my checklist of things to do.   I've had the privilege to help with the Fire Safety side of things, and I've really enjoyed it.  Yes at times it's seemed to get long, but to have much of it done at this point, it's quite satisfying.   Fire Safety, what I do for this is a handful of things.  First I have located all the (nearly 40) fire extinguishers in the building and created a detailed list of where each one is located along with creating a map of the building with their locations.   Also locating all the Fire Alarm Pull Stations.   I got to find all the pull stations, the condition they are in, what their missing (protection cases and such).    I've also had the privilege to help update the Fire Safety Plan.  The operations / facilities team has reached out to the Fire Chief of the county the church is in and he sent us a template to base our updated plan on.   I've been working on that, using the previous plan and some new information to complete the new plan.  I still have about a dozen questions that I personally have no idea about, and I've reached out (as with other areas of the template) to the Operations team to help find the accurate and correct answers and information.  

I've also spent a good amount of time assisting the IT technician at the church.  Yesterday (Wednesday) we worked on connecting a hallway projector to a sound booth.  However the trick to it was it we had to run it through different buildings (kind of).  The sound booth was part of the an older addition to the building than the projector was in.  So we worked at that for a while, running tons of wire up and through all the ceilings and attic.   I actually really enjoyed doing this.  One of the challenges was getting a 25ft ladder up a flight of stairs (with a 90* turn 2/3 the way through) and then back down again.  Coming back down was harder than I thought.  Well taking it up and down weren't really the problem, the hardest part was getting it through the door that's right at the bottom of the steps was the trick.  It doesn't have a door stop, and it has a strong pull to close.  so coming back down I realized there was no good way to do it without scratching the walls or door.  I wasn't sure how I had made it up so easily. So coming back down I asked a custodian to hold the door for me.  

Deuteronomy 28:27

As I am reading through Deuteronomy 28, I’m stuck at the warning that is continued in verse 47.   I am challenged, “Do I serve God with joy and enthusiasm in all I do?”   For He has given me much to be joyful and enthusiastic about, but do I serve Him with them?    Well I suppose that would depend on what it means to “serve” God.   Do I serve all the authorities God has placed me under with Joy and enthusiasm? Parents? Guardians? Bosses? Teachers? Leaders? Employers? Government officials? Police officers?   Do I serve those who are in my sphere of life with Joy and enthusiasm?  Those around me?  Friends? Family?   Strangers? People who are stuck in the same traffic I am in?   I was struck with this, so I went to the 1^st American dictionary (1828) to see what serve means.   A few definitions of serve: “to obey; to submit to; to be sufficient to, or to promote; to obey and to worship (God); to be a servant; to wait; to answer; to be of use; to do the honours of.”  Now, knowing these I can take back each of these definitions to each of the challenges above.   Do I obey with joy and enthusiasm?  Do I submit with joy and enthusiasm?  Do I worship God with joy and enthusiasm?  Do I honour with joy and enthusiasm?   Do I promote others with joy and enthusiasm?  Do I wait with joy and enthusiasm?   

The Shack Again & Applied

"I look at my life and all seems fine.  I am moving forwards, but then I stop and look around me.  I let the memories and scenes settle in.   I look at the path behind me and what lies ahead.  In this moment I am hit with what I’ve called, “life: past and future.”    I look and I see my worries surfacing.  I see fears and confusion bubbling up.   I see a sea of lack of understanding.   I’m looking down at my life and my focus, my attention is on things that are causing my heart to say “oh no!” and freak out.    The boat I’m in is sinking in the lack of understanding.  It’s driving me crazy because I can’t figure out how to float in it.  I want to know, I want to see, I want to understand and control, yet I can’t.   I am so focused on my problems and what I perceive to be wrong and what I see or do not see, that I barely hear the soft, calm, voice of Understanding.   I hear Understanding say, “look up.”   I hear Him say “Look at me, keep your eyes on me.” Understanding says, “Don’t focus on what you see, lack of understanding, but look at what I see, understanding.   How much more clear will my view be than yours?   How much more real will my view be than yours?   How much more true and pure will my perspective be than yours?  How much more helpful will my understanding be than yours?”  

I don’t want to live in not understanding, but if I do I want it to be of God.   Meaning, if I am going to live in not understanding, I want my lack of understanding to be because God has said, “you don’t need to understand right now” or “it’s not time yet” or “it’s not right that you know” or “you will benefit and grow more if you don’t know.” 

I look around and I see that when I look up at Understanding, when I look up at my father, my worries and fears slowly fade away.  The “problems” and situations are still there, but when I keep my eyes on Him, I see another perspective that wasn’t and isn’t humanly possible without Him. "   

- thoughts walking out of seeing The Shack a 2nd time

Multi Cultural Revelation Song

I apologize, I told a couple of you that I would post this last week and I completely forgot.  

Our Church's 33rd anniversary celebrating "Together in Christ"!   Revelation Song in Romanian, Nigerian, Dutch, Spanish, French and English.     The Church is not a building, it is not a place, and it's not even a thing.   The Church is a People.   The Church is not limited to one nation, tribe or tongue.  The Church is world wide celebrating, worshiping, following, overcoming and living Together In Christ!  

 Every tribe, every tongue, every nation.    Your denomination does not matter, what matters is your heart.   Are you living in Jesus, are you living in complete submission and surrendered to Him?  The heart of the person, not the name of the church.   We live and celebrate with Christ, in Christ, and through Christ.  We are the Church, we are His Church!  Together in Christ!

"How Can It Be"

"How Can It Be?" - March 11, 2017

As Death approached, and Hatred screamed,

The cross awaits, the bloody scene,

Oh Jesus Christ, How can it be,

That you would do this, to rescue me?

You paid the price, you felt the shame,

You heard the cries, and endured the pain,

You were mocked and scorned, with beats and blows,

You lifted my pack, with all my sorrows,

You took my guilt, and all my pain,

You lifted me up, and gave me a name,

You looked my way, and without a doubt

You said, “Don’t fear, oh little sprout.”

And then you breathed, your very last,

As screams of pain, and torment past,

Your body laid in a darkened tomb,

All alone, in a stillness gloom,

The earth rejoiced, at it’s defeat,

But the angels kneeled, at your feet,

For goodness comes to those who wait,

Then Heaven’s Glory opened its gate.

The Savior rose, defeating the grave,

Out of the ashes, a path was paved,

The enemy fled, for his deed,

The captives now, have been freed.

The One has come, above them all,

In whom before, I will fall,

In the name, above every other,

Walls will fall, and deceit will smother,

Your name is great, your heart is kind,

Your love is strong, I was blind,

For now I see, Your grace is here,

And you wipe away, every tear,

Your embrace is pure, your mercy alive,

This is how, I know I’ll survive,

For you are good, in all your ways,

And you will live, past all my days,

Your love has come, your love has won,

Your name is great, all fear is done,

Your heart is here, Your life is true,

Oh what a joy, to honour you.

So I ask again, for now I see,

Oh Lord my God, how can it be,

That you loved me so, and on that tree,
You died a death, to rescue me?

Dog Sitting

Well I've been blessed with yet another opportunity and blessing.  A family in our church was planning to be out of town over March Break and asked me to dog/turtle/house sit for them while they were gone.    I am in awe of all the things God puts in my path.   Since I will not be returning to the Sates over March Break (this coming week) I was more than willing to help them out while they were gone.   I am enjoying my time here, not that I wasn't at the Baxter's, but it's something new for a bit.  I will be here for 10 days until they return from their vacation.  

Yet another blessing came with that:  
A while ago God showed me that my budget was leading me to being completely broke before SLI was over in June.  At that time I redid my budget and cut a lot of saving and spending categories (almost all of them sadly).   Anyways there was one area of savings that when I created it, I committed that I would not remove any money from that area except for what the slot was intended for.   I prayed about this and I kept feeling God say that I should keep this area of savings.   Though I agreed that I would love to keep it, I could not see how I would make it.  From what I could see, I would barely make it to the end of SLI without it, and I'd run out of money much quicker if I kept it.  I simply didn't have the money to keep it in my budget.  But God.  But God told me to keep it.  He told me that He would provide.    I didn't' see it then, and I don't see it for the next who knows how long, but He's got it.  What I can't afford about it is the amount that I've budgeted to be put in the account over the next 5 months.     Well somehow I somewhere in my budget came up an extra amount of money in January that ended up covering the amount I'd planned to put in for February.  

Now back to dog sitting.    The family that I'm helping left me some money as a Thank You.   It "just happened to be" almost exactly the amount that I had planned to put into that savings account for the month of March!    Somehow God is providing, one step at a time, just as He said.   Man, is He ever faithful!  

The Shack

Last night I joined a group of friends who invited me to join them in going to watch "The Shack."  Well mu budget doesn't hold for a movie ticket, but I was able to pull $8 together to make it.  It's with a group I'd really like to get to know better and spend more time with, and I really wanted to see The Shack.   I've read the book before and loved it, though I cried during the book so I figured I'd cry a bit during the movie.   Was I ever wrong.   I didn't just cry a bit, I cried most of the time.    It was an amazing movie!    It was a great watch, but also a great eye opener on perspective, relationship, and the trinity.    It was relatable and moving.    Based off of looking around and hearing all the sniffles, I'd be surprised if there was anyone in that full theater room that didn't cry at least once.  

I'd give The Shack a 10 out of 10, an all time favorite.   As strange as it seems for me to say this,  but in it's own way I'd put The Shack at a higher rating than The Lord of the Rings, an all time favorite.   (However the two I don't think cam be compared at the same level or on the same spectrum).  I greatly anticipate watching it again, and I'll remember to bring a lot more tissues with me.  

Also I was blessed to find that someone had paid for my ticket!!    God blesses me in so many ways.   Not only that, but we all went out to eat afterwards to talk about it and I didn't get any food since I couldn't afford it.  But yet again someone paid for some pizza for me.   I am so blessed, the whole night!  

Prophetic Gifting

Oh where to begin, last night was beyond powerful.    I was blessed to be blessed and to bless other’s with my gift of prophecy.  Where to begin….   Yesterday, Friday March 3, 2017, I went to SLI at the church in the morning.  As typical Friday, I am done serving by noon.  However I planned to stay for a bit and get a thing or two done.   Well one thing led to another and wow, I looked at the clock and it’s already 3:00pm.   I got some stuff done, though not much that I had on my list.   None the less I continued.  Then I was blessed to be able to call mom and talk to her.  I had a good long chat with her and it was really good.  Then a bit after 5:00pm I figured I should leave.  As I was walking out the door I heard a faint voice in my head, “stay”.  I ignored it because I figured it was a random voice in my head trying to get me to stay.   However as I’m in my car, trying to connect my laptop to the car’s Bluetooth, I can’t seem to get any of it to work.  So I finally decide not to worry about it and I just won’t use the Bluetooth.  But as I am ready to leave I do not have peace about leaving.  I feel a disturbance in my Spirit almost telling me to stay.  So not knowing what for, I turned off the car and went inside and sat at my desk.  I decided to just sit and pray with some worship music on.   Then I sat and continued to rest and meditate in my office with the lights out and door close.   I slouched so I could lean my head on the back of the chair.   I don’t remember becoming sleepy, but I do remember waking up.  Closer to 6:00pm I head the Holy Spirit whisper that I can go now.   So I left but as I was leaving I looked at the time and thought, “I was thinking I’d go to the Gray’s tonight for a bit, and I think it starts at 7pm, it’s not worth going home and back now.”   I also thought I’d like to go to the Waterloo Region Worship night that also started at 7pm.  I was planning to go to it on Saturday, however I thought to myself, “maybe I shouldn’t go to the Gray’s tonight.”   I am so glad that I asked God about it.  I asked Him where I should go and He told me to go to the Gray’s house.  

I went drove around and got off on a road that would take me there.  I figured I’d eat at Subway since I have a gift card there and then head right over to the Gray’s, it would be perfect timing.   So I’m on the road that I know goes past a Subway and I keep hearing the voice telling me to stay left.  However I know that there’s a Subway on the right coming up, right in the shopping centre.  Well it’s closer to rush hour so it’s more difficult to be changing lanes a lot.  I told myself “I’ll get into the right line and go to the Subway.”  So I got in the right lane no matter how much the voice kept telling me to stay in the right lane.   I more corner to go before the shopping centre and I heard almost a quick urgent voice say, “get in the left lane.”  I ignored it thinking it’s just my mind playing with me.  Nope it was God.  When I got to the stop light at the shopping centre, well what do you know.  The Subway is not on the right, it’s on the left and it’s so busy I can’t get over into the turning land two lanes over to get there.   I apologized to God and was able to make the next turn and come back.   As I was eating I saw a younger lady getting up to leave with her two little kids.  Though prompting of the Holy Spirit I gave them the $40 or so in movie theater gift cards I had.   They liked that.  After eating I when to the Grays and arrived just a few minutes after 7pm.  I had told myself I wasn’t going to stay out very late.   Apparently the week before (the meet weekly) went till 2:30am because of some intense prayer times.  I wasn’t going to stay out that late, or so I planned.   

After being there for a bit as people were slowly coming (the most at one time we had was about 15), someone texted someone there and said she’d be there around 11:30pm – she’d be coming straight from work and she didn’t want anyone to leave until she got there since she wanted to see everyone.   Well these evenings are scheduled to end at midnight.   However at that point I decided I’d stay till then just to say hi and then I’d go, again, so I planned.   We had a great time of fellowship and food.   Daniel brought a guitar and him and someone else who writes and sings music were practicing some worship songs.  So our talking was paused from time to time by us all joining in on some great worship songs.   It was amazing.  

Well around 10:30 it all really started.  At that time we went almost entirely full worship with a bit of joking and chat between each song.   It was powerful to have a group like this worshiping God together.   I don’t know how far into the worship we were, but it turned into full time prayer.  Then one of the girls there who has the gift of prophecy started prophesying over someone there and speaking into their life and telling them things she could of never known without God speaking through her.  Then she went around the room praying prophetically for each person.   A lot of the people there it was her first time meeting yet God spoke so much through her you’d think they’ve know each other for a while.  When she spoke over me she referred to the dreams I keep having and I forget what about them, but it was good and I need to just hold on. Through her God spoke out regarding my gift of prophecy and so much more that I don’t remember right now.  After she prayed over everyone it was a bit of popcorn prayer: pray as you feel lead.   While this was going on someone, well us all but one person in particular, really felt convicted and fell to the floor.  The two girls there that also had the gift of prophecy got up and sat next to him and prayed over him and prophesied over him.  I was blessed then that God used me.   He gave me a picture and had me Prophesy it over him too.   It was powerful and he felt the meaning of each thing said over him.  Then it went around the room in seemingly random order.  The girl who had first prayed, Elsbeth (who has learned how to use her gift of prophecy the best with God of the 3 of us who have that gift) started praying for someone else.  And so on.  God used me to prophecy over each person there along with each of the other two girls with the gift.   God gave us words and pictures of them and had us declare them and explain them to the persons.   Some of the pictures God gave me are so vivid in my head right now and I don’t feel the direct application to them, though I could,  but I know that the people they were for feel it.   When they prophesied over me this is along the lines of what one of them said.   “I see you in a place. It doesn’t matter where; we’ll say its white all around.  You’re standing in a white area.  And there are people there and the all have sticks and are poking you with the sticks.  The keep poking you and they wont stop.  They are calling you names and teasing you.  They are saying what you believe in and are doing is foolish and they are making fun of you.  They keep doing it.  You look around and all around you are crowds of people all with sticks and poking you.   You will be frustrated and question God about what He’s called you to.  You will cry out to God for help as you don’t understand it all.   Then I see money falling, literally falling from the sky on you.  Tons of money just falling and it keeps falling on you.  The people around you, even as close as they are, will not be able to grab the money.  They will try and they will reach out for it, but they won’t be able to grab it.   God will provide for you.  Each and every step of the way God will provide.  He will give you this money for your faithfulness to Him.   Others will be jealous of the money you have.  The will not understand.  The see what you are doing as foolish and unwise, yet you are getting so much money.  The will be jealous.   But don’t give it away.  Don’t give away the blessing God has given you to save up for whatever it is He’s called you to.   God will provide each and every step of the way.”  This is just one of the things prophesied over me.   This power of prayer and prophetic and worship went until 2:30am.   I didn’t actually leave until after 3am and I didn’t leave the parking lot until nearly 3:30am.  While I was standing at the door for nearly 20 minutes talking with the hosts and some other people I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to give one of the girls there (who I know has struggled financially a lot before) my tow $50 gas cards.   I at first asked God if I should really give her both, since I do need gas money and I’m short on that already, but he said to go ahead and giver her both.  So I know that they will be used accordingly and she will be blessed.  As I got in my car I wanted to write it all down right away before I forgot, but God told me to get some sleep and He’d remind me of it all in the morning.   On the way home I was so tired and nearly falling asleep I pulled off to the side of the road and slept for 10-20 minutes before continuing home.  I got home about quarter after 4am. 

That was and Awesome night, I am so blessed to be a part of this family.   I look forward to future weeks.  All that was prophesied over me I connected with.  They are all things that I've felt in my Spirit in one way or another, I've just never been able to put them into words or know this much detail.