Saturday, May 22, 2004
So it's Friday afternoon and I've just finished another week of lectures. We had a guy from Alberta, Canada called Chris Keim, who was awesome. He was talking on identity in Christ and had some powerful truths to share.
Things like what we perceive around us isn't, in fact, reality as reality is determined in the spirit. Man, this wont make sense in a blog but I've got pages and pages of notes on how we're made up; spirit, soul and body. It's great teaching that makes so much sense (when the guy teaching really understands it!) and is so powerful. We, as a DTS, are learning to act out of our spirit (where Christ lives in us) and not out of our soul or body, and as a result great things are being seen. There's a vastly increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit which is cool. Man, this is where big things will happen - things that don't conform to our physical worldy laws. Like Morpheous says in the Matrix, "Some rules can be bent, others can be broken." Man, I'm so excited. Healing, in the soul, mind and body. Defying the laws of time, gravity etc. And you know what? There's so much about this in bible - yet so many people miss these parts, it's all about living from your spirit and not you soul. Man! I'll get my notes sorted out and if you want more info. e-mail me :)
On another note, the outreach fees have gone up again. Several people in the school have major shortfalls at the moment. We're all praying like mad, but I'd appreciate it if people back home would pray too. Plans are coming together and it looks like my team will be in Instanbul, Turkey for a few days at the beginning of the outreach. So much potential, a country with a 99% Muslim population yet having a secular government which allows Christians to enter and share the gospel. Man, what an opportunity!
We've just had Angel-Mortal week here. Where everyone randomly picks a 'mortal' and they are then an angel for them that week. So I was given coffee, a throne for lectures (oh yeah, a Brit was on the throne in America again ;) a cinema voucher etc. But the best part was making the chocolate brownies for my mortal. It really was fun to think of how we could bless people. The spontaneity and creativeness really came through - great idea for random times, all the time!
Last weekend I was swimming... swimming with dolphins! That's right baby! I was working at a local surf store to help out with their season sale (YWAM has some really healthy connections with local businesses here) and I was just getting off when I friend told me there were dolphins in the bay. I got down there and they were still around so I swam the 400 or so yards out to them, by that time everyone else had gone in and it was just me with this school of dolphins. That was so much fun. I could hear them talking to each other, and as I splashed around they jumped around and had fun too. They came up to me with big smiles and appeared to be laughing the whole time. What an experience. Something I wont forget for a long time.
Well, until the next time. I hope to have more details of outreach plans and how God has met our needs as a team :) Thank you for all your prayers, please do keep in touch, I love hearing of how things are back home :)
Things like what we perceive around us isn't, in fact, reality as reality is determined in the spirit. Man, this wont make sense in a blog but I've got pages and pages of notes on how we're made up; spirit, soul and body. It's great teaching that makes so much sense (when the guy teaching really understands it!) and is so powerful. We, as a DTS, are learning to act out of our spirit (where Christ lives in us) and not out of our soul or body, and as a result great things are being seen. There's a vastly increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit which is cool. Man, this is where big things will happen - things that don't conform to our physical worldy laws. Like Morpheous says in the Matrix, "Some rules can be bent, others can be broken." Man, I'm so excited. Healing, in the soul, mind and body. Defying the laws of time, gravity etc. And you know what? There's so much about this in bible - yet so many people miss these parts, it's all about living from your spirit and not you soul. Man! I'll get my notes sorted out and if you want more info. e-mail me :)
On another note, the outreach fees have gone up again. Several people in the school have major shortfalls at the moment. We're all praying like mad, but I'd appreciate it if people back home would pray too. Plans are coming together and it looks like my team will be in Instanbul, Turkey for a few days at the beginning of the outreach. So much potential, a country with a 99% Muslim population yet having a secular government which allows Christians to enter and share the gospel. Man, what an opportunity!
We've just had Angel-Mortal week here. Where everyone randomly picks a 'mortal' and they are then an angel for them that week. So I was given coffee, a throne for lectures (oh yeah, a Brit was on the throne in America again ;) a cinema voucher etc. But the best part was making the chocolate brownies for my mortal. It really was fun to think of how we could bless people. The spontaneity and creativeness really came through - great idea for random times, all the time!
Last weekend I was swimming... swimming with dolphins! That's right baby! I was working at a local surf store to help out with their season sale (YWAM has some really healthy connections with local businesses here) and I was just getting off when I friend told me there were dolphins in the bay. I got down there and they were still around so I swam the 400 or so yards out to them, by that time everyone else had gone in and it was just me with this school of dolphins. That was so much fun. I could hear them talking to each other, and as I splashed around they jumped around and had fun too. They came up to me with big smiles and appeared to be laughing the whole time. What an experience. Something I wont forget for a long time.
Well, until the next time. I hope to have more details of outreach plans and how God has met our needs as a team :) Thank you for all your prayers, please do keep in touch, I love hearing of how things are back home :)
Thursday, May 13, 2004
To fear the Lord is to really know He is the Almighty.
Things in Maui are really cooking now. Really entering into the heart of the DTS, getting to grips with seriously pursuing the call of a disciple of God. It's not always easy but it's always worth it. Just like when I jumped the 40ft cliff at the weekend, not easy but worth it :)
Outreach prep. starts in earnest this afternoon, which is a nice break in the middle of our 'New Hearts' week. The teaching is so good, but can leave one feeling emotionally tired at the end of a long session.
The waves are still around which is nice, there have been some good sessions. Best experience recently must go to the snorkelling though. Awesome! Literally, just like Finding Nemo! Loads and loads of fishies just swimming around, in and out of the coral reef. All alone after a 30min trek across sun-baked lava fields we found this wonderfully secluded spot with the curious fish. Amazing! There are even really, really old, giant sea turtles!
I do have some serious stuff I want to post, but thought I'd get a quick update on how I was doing first. Look back here in the next couple of days for some snippets of what I've really been learning.
Many thanks again for all your prayers and support :)
Things in Maui are really cooking now. Really entering into the heart of the DTS, getting to grips with seriously pursuing the call of a disciple of God. It's not always easy but it's always worth it. Just like when I jumped the 40ft cliff at the weekend, not easy but worth it :)
Outreach prep. starts in earnest this afternoon, which is a nice break in the middle of our 'New Hearts' week. The teaching is so good, but can leave one feeling emotionally tired at the end of a long session.
The waves are still around which is nice, there have been some good sessions. Best experience recently must go to the snorkelling though. Awesome! Literally, just like Finding Nemo! Loads and loads of fishies just swimming around, in and out of the coral reef. All alone after a 30min trek across sun-baked lava fields we found this wonderfully secluded spot with the curious fish. Amazing! There are even really, really old, giant sea turtles!
I do have some serious stuff I want to post, but thought I'd get a quick update on how I was doing first. Look back here in the next couple of days for some snippets of what I've really been learning.
Many thanks again for all your prayers and support :)
Saturday, May 01, 2004
Just a quick update. Things in Maui are going really well at the moment, well, apart from the HUGE spiders, freaking nasty great centipedes, the sharks, coral reef... Ahh, paradise eh?!
Aside from that the teaching has been awesome. I feel really privileged and blessed to have so much invaluable teaching from so many radical men and women of God. I'm learning new stuff, realising things in a new light, and reviving old truths every day. I just finished a week of lectures on the Holy Spirit which I felt was spot-the-dog on. You know when a message just hits you and you know it's from God? Well - that's become a daily occurrence and I'm blown away by it.
Surfing: Big south swell, missed it but caught the tail end - nice. New north swell, scary! Took the kayak out and gained a new perspective on surfing Hawaii style. 3ft waves over here look like they could swallow houses. Also learning to board surf too, taking out a long board and getting along with it nicely.
The church I've joined for Sunday's is a load of fun. Traditional church: hymns, pastor (female) in robes, pews (spelling?) etc. but mixed in with a modern praise and worship band and a bunch of spirit-filled extremely happy people! They sang a welcome song for a whole 10 mins whilst the congregation danced around hugging and kissing people - especially the newcomers, well I can tell you, that was an experience! The pastor is an animated character the likes of which you sometimes see in gospel-baptist churches, can I hear an Amen?!
Anyway, gotta go clean the kitchen now. Thanks to all of you who are taking an interest in my progress. It's encouraging to hear of people who are praying back home for me. At the same time, please let me know if there's anything I can pray for. Prayer is a great weapon and the more we use it the more battles we win. The simple things are the coolest, huh?
Until the next time friends :)
Aside from that the teaching has been awesome. I feel really privileged and blessed to have so much invaluable teaching from so many radical men and women of God. I'm learning new stuff, realising things in a new light, and reviving old truths every day. I just finished a week of lectures on the Holy Spirit which I felt was spot-the-dog on. You know when a message just hits you and you know it's from God? Well - that's become a daily occurrence and I'm blown away by it.
Surfing: Big south swell, missed it but caught the tail end - nice. New north swell, scary! Took the kayak out and gained a new perspective on surfing Hawaii style. 3ft waves over here look like they could swallow houses. Also learning to board surf too, taking out a long board and getting along with it nicely.
The church I've joined for Sunday's is a load of fun. Traditional church: hymns, pastor (female) in robes, pews (spelling?) etc. but mixed in with a modern praise and worship band and a bunch of spirit-filled extremely happy people! They sang a welcome song for a whole 10 mins whilst the congregation danced around hugging and kissing people - especially the newcomers, well I can tell you, that was an experience! The pastor is an animated character the likes of which you sometimes see in gospel-baptist churches, can I hear an Amen?!
Anyway, gotta go clean the kitchen now. Thanks to all of you who are taking an interest in my progress. It's encouraging to hear of people who are praying back home for me. At the same time, please let me know if there's anything I can pray for. Prayer is a great weapon and the more we use it the more battles we win. The simple things are the coolest, huh?
Until the next time friends :)
