A Change of Seasons

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

This weekend I found myself driving all over the state visiting friends and worshiping Jesus (as usual). It all began when I drove up to Fort Collins from Colorado Springs to have lunch with Pastor David. We had a great time over Mexican food talking about what God has been doing in the city over the last few months. There are many groups all over the city who have a vision to see a move of the Holy Spirit, but it seems that they haven't discovered one another yet. After meeting with Pastor David, I met with John and Sharlene White. They really challenged me to continue to raise the standard of holiness and consecration to Jesus. They also challenged me in the area of hearing God's voice. Sharlane suggested that I ask God how much money I am to set as a goal for every month. Once I hear a number from the Lord, I should believe God for that amount. This is a difficult and new thing for me because I am used to just looking at what is practical and making my decisions based on what makes sense and what I need. As I was meeting with them, I asked them to pray about me living at their house for free. I am asking God that this would work out or that He would provide another free living situation.

After leaving Fort Collins, I drove to Boulder where I stayed the night at Sean Hart, Kevin Kelley, and Caleb Rapp's house. That night we got together at The Lighthouse (Christian community house in Boulder) to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. On the way there we saw a Jewish man walking down the street, with hat, beard and all. So we made friends with him and he invited us to come to his house where he was going to have a celebration. So we walked with him there and as we entered, he asked us to put on a kippah (head covering). Then he showed us how to blow a shofar and gave us a demonstration. He then explained that the different blasts are meant to represent a person crying, long blasts representing a wail, and shorter tones representing the breaths taken while crying. Really cool! Then we thanked the Jewish men there and went over to the Lighthouse.

The guys spent some time praying and then gathered in the basement to pray as a large group. Sean shared about the significance of the Feasts of the Lord and then began to pray. We were only going to stay there for a few minutes and then head up to the mountains to wait for the moon to appear and announce the New Year with the blowing of the shofar. There was a guitar there so I picked it up and began to strum lightly. Before long the Holy Spirit began to move in the room especially on one of the girls there who began to weep under the power of God. Many gathered around to minister to her and then the Lord released rejoicing over the whole room! Much freedom was experienced by all as we exalted Jesus! Finally, we went up to the mountains and I got too connect with Alysha Verville. She is an amazing sister who I love being around and talking with. It was such a great time looking over the city of Boulder and declaring the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Friday, September 10th, 2010

When I woke up at Sean, Kevin, and Caleb's house, I went downstairs to the Boulder House of Prayer. In their basement, they have a room dedicated to the Lord as a prayer room. As I sat in the room I sensed that the Lord is going to begin sending students out from this prayer room to the campus filled with the life and power of God to "cause trouble" and declare that "there is another King, One called Jesus." (see Acts 17:6-7) We came together and cried out to the Lord for souls to be saved northern Colorado but especially CU, for the gospel to spread rapidly and for Jesus to be glorified among all the students. It was a powerful time of prayer.

Then I left Boulder and drove to The Rock Church in Castle Rock. When I arrived, I had a short time of prayer and then helped set up for Joseph and Lynette's wedding all afternoon. Then we had the wedding rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. I so love the Thompson family, specifically Joseph, Katie, and Betsey. They each have a special place in my heart. After the dinner, Joseph, Gianni, Drew and I went to Dave and Busters where we played video games for a few hours and then Joseph and I crashed at his apartment for the night.

Saturday, September 11th, 2010

The day of Joseph's wedding. We woke up at 5:30am and went to the church and spent some quality time with God before going inside and getting ready. It was perfect for Joe and He loved having that time with Jesus before becoming one with Lynette. Then we went inside, got ready and prayed over Joseph. Then the wedding began. I got to walk down the aisle with Katie, which was a huge blessing because I'm used to walking down the aisle with girls that I just met a couple days before the wedding. Pastor Dan Yeakly did the wedding and he announced that there was going to be an anointing for restoration on this wedding. As we stood on the stage, the presence of God was so strong and during the wedding, tears came to my eyes multiple times. Some of the most powerful times were when they washed each others feet, the father's blessing, the vows and the charge that Pastor Dan gave Joseph and Lynette as well as the congregation. After the wedding we went to Katie's aunt Jan's house and relaxed and threw the Frisbee and football for a while.

Then Katie and I drove to Pastor Dan's house for Prepare the Way. As we gathered in the basement, the presence of the Lord came in an unusual way. We simply began to cry out to the Lord for more of His presence and power in our midst. Then Pastor Dan came over to me and began to prophesy over me. He said that there was going to be a release of power from my life and that he saw electricity coming from my hands. He said that the Lord is entrusting me with His power in a new way. He saw a trumpet being put to my lips meaning that it is time to proclaim with boldness what I see and what is coming, whether it is judgment or blessing. It was a powerful time, but I had no idea what was coming next. As we waited on the Lord, Sam began to pray for the fire of God and everyone in one voice lifted our voices for the fire of God. We were asking for the lost to be saved and brought into the Kingdom. Then I felt like the Holy Spirit wanted us to pray for one another to receive this fire and that it begins with us individually. So I went to Pastor Dan and submitted that to him and he agreed. As we waited for the right time, many other people prayed their hearts out to God. While all of this was going on, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the dream I had where Corey Russell was preaching and then we broke into small groups to discuss the message. Everyone in the group was distracted with lesser issues and I started to weep and interrupted them and cried out, "I just want them to know Jesus! I just want them to know Jesus!" And then the dream ended. I sensed more and more as time went on that I was supposed to share this dream with the group. I was beginning to sense the Lord's heart for the lost and dying. So, I shared the dream and as I was finishing, basically the dream became a reality. I began to weep uncontrollably and to cry out for the lost to know Jesus. I have never come under the burden of the Lord or felt His heart like that ever before in my life. I wept for about 10 minutes at a time and then it would subside and then another wave would come as I was overcome with the Lord's heart. While all of this was happening to me, I felt I could hear the voice of God so clearly. It was so powerful! Things began to make sense and I felt that this night was a birthing of the ministry that He has for me in Fort Collins. I felt that it was also a Song of Solomon 2 transition of seasons in my life. This is a new season where the Lord is asking me to arise, and come away with Him to the harvest and to leap upon the mountains. The intimacy in my life must produce fruit. Intimacy must produce children. There is a call to not be self-focused in my approach to God. This is really exciting and I feel like the Lord is fulfilling my heart's desire that I have been crying out for for a long time. Then I shared this message with the group and submitted it to Pastor Dan. I got so rocked and felt like I really touched the heart of God, or He touched me with the fear of the Lord. Before I left that night, Pastor Dan told me that he knew something was going to happen with me because the Lord told him that there was a reason I was coming to Prepare the Way that night. Then he blessed me with $20 to by a Chipotle burrito. It is a great honor to know Pastor Dan and have an encounter with Jesus like that. Praise God! He is good and merciful.

Then I drove home to the Springs. Nothing is the same as it was. Everything is new. It's a new season!