When memories are thrust upon you!

Early this morning I was rushing around and getting the kids ready to leave for the bus stop.  I sat down on the couch to help Zeke with his shoes and Anna walked up and pushed this in my face....

This is Gwen's "Pretty Lamb"!  She actually got this stuffed lamb in 1982 as an Easter Present from her Grandma and Grandpa.  It was her first really "important" stuffed animal.  She carried it with her for years.  She loved this fluffy little lamb....with a bell in it's ear.  And the bell still rings.  

Anna was quite happy to hug this no longer fluffy, kind of crummy looking and not so pretty lamb.  Yes, it was one of those times when memories were right there, in my face!  I was thinking about all the love that little lamb has gotten over the last more than 30 years.  Yes, I was glad that I kept these precious objects.  

Last week, Gwen was telling me that Zeke has declared his future occupation.  Now, remember that he is still 3 years old (but he will tell you that his birthday is very soon and he is very excited).  Zeke has declared that first he will be a daddy and for his job he is going to build waterfalls for God!  Now as a point of clarification, all fountains are waterfalls.  He loves to see any kind of water display that includes water shooting up.  So I have been thinking about this.....even during the time I was at the conference.  When Barbara Yoder spoke, she talked about old hymns and the depth that is contained in the words of those songs from the past.  Tonight as I started to write this blog, the following song came to my mind....

          

I have come to the Fountain of Life

	I have come to the Fountain of Life, A fountain that flows from above; I have passed from the waters of strife And come to the Elim of love; I have drunk of the heavenly well, In the depths of my being it springs. No mortal can measure or tell The gladness the Comforter brings.
	Oh, come to the Fountain of Life, The fountain that never runs dry; Oh, drink of the boundless supply,   For Christ is the Fountain of Life.
	I have come to the Fountain of Blood That for guilt and uncleanness doth flow; I have washed in its sin-cleansing flood And my garments are whiter than snow. I count not my righteousness mine— ’Tis Jesus that lives in my soul. I partake of His nature divine, And in Him I am perfectly whole.
	I have come to the Fountain of Health, A boundless and endless supply; ’Tis a secret man’s wisdom or wealth Can never discover or buy. But the secret my Lord hath revealed In the fountain that flows from His side, In the stripes by whose pain we are healed, In Himself as He comes to abide.
	I have come to the Fountain of Joy; His joy is the strength of my heart. My delight is unmixed with alloy, My sunshine can never depart. The fig tree may wither and die, Earth’s pleasures and prospects decline; But my fountains can never be dry— My portion, my joy is divine.

All I was remembering was the chorus that I highlighted above.  But, boy this is a great song about a fountain - Zeke's waterfall.  

And here is Zeke enjoying a waterfall.....on a day when we went to a small indoor waterpark.  He does love water.  I know that there is a call on this little boy - a destiny and a plan for Jesus.  So I would not be surprised if sometime in the future, we look back on this and say, "yep, Zeke knew exactly what he was talking about... he IS building fountains for Jesus".

Now I am sure that you are wondering what in the world I am getting at today.  This does seem like a disjointed and meaningless blog.  But here is the "punch line" to this.  I believe that there has been a spiritual shift happening.  I felt it at the conference this last weekend.  There is a new sound, a new thing, a new way coming that will change everything.  Yes, it is a revival... but it is not like anything you might think of when you hear that word.  It is a move of Jesus and it is all about being in His presence.  I am so thankful Zeke and Anna and Ellie and Lia (like so many other children) are being prepared for this new thing!  Zeke is already hearing from Jesus.  But it is also important to remember that this new thing would not be happening if it were not for the past.  Gwen has certainly poured much more into her children than "Pretty lamb".  But it is a great reminder that we all are connected to our past generations.  That song I remembered actually was written in the mid 1800's. The idea of the fountains of Jesus was alive in the spirit of Albert Simpson when he wrote the lyrics and music for that song.  Even though this is a "new thing", it is good to remember that God never changes.  He has had the plan in place and we are getting the revelation as we walk on.  

Tonight I am thankful for all that I saw, felt and heard at the Chicago HUB conference.  I am thankful for memories and the connection between the generations.  And I am thankful for old hymns that speak to us today.  The new sound .... this new thing...... it is real and it is here.  I can't wait to experience more of Jesus in the days ahead. 

Jesus, thank you so much for this past weekend.  Thank you for memories and reminders of how connected we are to the past.  Thank you for speaking to Zeke and giving his ears to hear!  Holy Spirit, give us peace and expectation about this new thing happening rather than fear and anxiety about the future.  Jesus, thank you for your great plan!  Amen

Wow, what a weekend..........

WOW!  Yes, it has been an incredible few days....The conference that I mentioned started on Thursday evening.  One of the best things about this event, was experiencing it in the company of some good friends.  Because, lets face it, everything is better with good friends by your side! 

This was an action packed few days with an unbelievable "menu" of speakers.  The conference space was jammed with people.  Beginning on Thursday evening, the worship was amazing.  My Facebook friends have already seen a picture of an Amish man (who prayed for revival in Indiana and has seen something wonderful happen) who gave a testimony!  

Here are a couple of "snippets" from this weekend.... (and there was so much more than these few words on a page)

"Jesus had to turn His power down just so he could be led away by the soldiers" Dana Morey

"There is a sound,  There is a sound that breaks down.  There is breakthrough!  Patricia King

"Maybe the people wouldn't have wandered in the wilderness for 40 years if they would have just asked their wives for directions!"   Brenda Kilpatrick

"We just saw a miracle! (after a long time of complete silence in a room jammed with people) Silence counts as a miracle when there are over 1000 women in the room!"  Nancy Magiera

"Your light belongs in the darkness"  Patricia King

"God plus nothing equals everything you need"  (can't remember who said this)

"Something is breaking out in Chicago here at HUB.  The Holy Spirit showed up big time this afternoon"   Barbara J. Yoder

"We believe that revival has hit!"  Nancy Magiera

"There is power to break every chain that holds you"   Bonnie Chavda

And then..... from Steve Mitchell (the worship leader)..... 

Angels on a mission, move into position, giving revelation to the daughters of God

Edge of space and time, knowing I was born to cross the line, see the revelation, know the secrets of creation.

And I have to add a special note about Dr Clarice Fluitt.  I confess that prior to this event, I had no idea who she was.  But I think that I needed to hear her talk more than anything else this weekend.  It was actually her 75th birthday but you would never know that she was that old.  What an amazing, anointed women she is.  She spoke for about 40 minutes last night and I have never laughed so hard for so long!  

On Friday, during the afternoon session, I noticed that I had a voicemail from Ken's sister Sue. My phone was on silent so I missed the call.  Ken's father had just died and was finally at peace.  I went out of the meeting and made some phone calls to let Ken, Gwen and Doug know about grandpa's death.  While we were all saddened by this, it was a relief to know the struggle was over.  I am so thankful for my talk with him a couple years ago, that confirmed for me that he is now celebrating in heaven with Jesus!

I found this picture of a Christmas from the early 90's.  This is Ken and his sister Sue with mom and dad.  Yes, I have now added yet another person to my list of deaths in April.  As a matter of fact, that day (April 17) was also the anniversary of the death of my grandmother Nora Toensing.   And today is the 30th anniversary of my dad's death.  

I love this picture of my dad with his sisters.  I am pretty sure that this was taken in 1980 (which would have been my aunt Alice and Agnes (front row) 80th birthday).  This was several years before my dad died.  Yes, it is hard to image that it is 30 years since I have talked to my dad.  

Okay, I know that it might seem so odd to talk about these family deaths along with a report about a spiritual revival happening in Chicago.  But, you know what?  It doesn't seem at all wrong to me.  My feelings about the loss of these special people is much different, knowing what their final destination is.  If anything, it is making me so much more aware of how very important it is to share the good news about Jesus.  

So tonight, back at home, I am still processing everything that I experienced and felt this weekend.  And I am feeling physically tired after several late nights in a row.  I am remembering my father-in-law and memories from so many years with him.  There was no better place for me to be than in the powerful presence of Jesus when I learned about another loss.  

When I walked out of the conference this morning, this was the song that Steve Mitchell was singing....

There is a redeemer,

Jesus, God's own Son,

Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,

Holy One,

Jesus my redeemer,

Name above all names,

Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,

Oh, for sinners slain.

Thank you oh my father,

For giving us Your Son,

And leaving Your Spirit,

'Til the work on Earth is done.

When I stand in Glory,

I will see His face,

And there I'll serve my King forever,

In that Holy Place.

Thank you oh my father,

For giving us Your Son,

And leaving Your Spirit,

'Til the work on Earth is done.

There is a redeemer,

Jesus, God's own Son,

Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,

Holy One,

Thank you oh my father,

For giving us Your Son,

And leaving Your Spirit,

'Til the work on Earth is done.

And leaving Your Spirit,

'Till the work on Earth is done.

There was no better way to end this weekend.  I was singing this song all the way home.  And I am still singing it now.  And I am thinking about this verse..

When I stand in Glory,

I will see His face,

And there I'll serve my King forever,

In that Holy Place.

And I am so thankful and filled with hope and joy.  One day, I will be in that place, with my mom, my dad, my father-in-law, my sister, my grandmother, sweet little Lucas, and so many others....serving my King forever.

Jesus, your ways are perfect.  I am so thankful for the plans and purpose and destiny that you have for each of us.  Thank you for the amazing revival you are pouring out on the Chicago area.  Bless all of the speakers, Nancy and Hank Magiera and the entire Chicago HUB staff.  Continue to draw people into your loving family.  Thank you for laughter and joy and friends.   Amen

Jesus believes the plans for my life......

I know that some of you will think that I am always going to conferences when I tell you that I have been at another conference over the last two days!  But the reality is, that I rarely go to conferences and it is amazing that these two events happened back to back weekends and both driveable distance from my home.  As a matter of fact, this weeks conference really couldn't get any closer to me.  The hotel is the closest hotel to my house - about 2 miles.   So I am thankful for the location!  Both of these events featured amazing people.

 

 

Last night Chuck Pierce was the speaker and tonight was Barbara Yoder.  If you are not familiar with these people, look them up!  The Prophetic word from Chuck Pierce last night was an encouragement for the entire Chicagoland area to expect revival.  Tonight Barbara Yoder spoke about what brings revival.  And the answer is the presence of Jesus.  Barbara told her own testimony and I was struck by the memory of my own encounter with the real presence of Jesus.  When Barbara spoke about being alone in her bedroom, I was remembering being alone in my living room.  I hadn't really spoken to anyone about the growing hunger I was feeling to understand if all this "church" stuff was really the truth.  I had been reading many, many books about the Charismatic Renewal and I just wanted to know if this stuff was real.  So, all by myself, I simply asked the question that had been in my head for so long....... "Jesus, is this really true?"  And just as Barbara said happened to her, Jesus walked into my living room that night.  From that time on, I have KNOWN the very real presence of Jesus.  It is not a sort of thing.  I know the truth.  And that truth changed everything in my life. 

 

So, what does the title of this blog post have to do with this?  Well, earlier today I got one of those "God's word for you today" messages and it was short and simple.... "God believes in you".  So, I have been pondering that word today.  Then, tonight at the meeting, one of the filler slides had the title quote - "Jesus believes the plans for my life".  Given that message two different times today probably means that there is something in that message I need to listen to! 

 

So.... to recap

1) Expect a revival in Chicagoland!

2) All we need is an encounter with the presence Jesus!

3) All you have to do to experience an encounter with Jesus is ask!

4) Jesus believes in the plans he has for your life!

 

Jesus, Father, Holy Spirit, will you remind all of us that you believe in us.  You have a great and wonderful destiny for your people and you believe in that plan.  Thank you Holy Spirit for your working that brings us into the truth of the powerful presence of Jesus.  Thank you that you always come when we are seeking you.  Holy Spirit will you encourage anyone reading this blog who is fearful or apprehensive but really wants to experience your presence in a deeper way, to just ask!  Thank you for your great faithfulness!  Amen

Awesome night..........around the world

I just drove home with the remains of a very bad thunderstorm ahead of me.  The lightning was just lighting up the sky.  Over and over the clouds were illuminated by streaks of lightning .  For me, it felt as if Jesus was just affirming everything that I had heard, seen and experienced tonight. 

I am so thankful for HUB Ministries.  HUB stands for His United Believers.  When you step into these meetings, you may not know a soul, but you are totally at home.  The worship is amazing and the diversity of speakers that come to these meetings makes every week an adventure.  Tonight's speaker was Pastor Sam Babu from India and the worship leader was Apostle Lisa Nelson from Eagle Rock Ministry.  However, the main speaker tonight was the Holy Spirit. 

The worship is well..........different.  It's not singing songs.  It is hearing the heart of Jesus poured out through the worship leader.  And this is in response to the cry of the worship leader.  Here is a bit of what we were hearing tonight.........

Break down my defenses, awaken my senses.
Your love is relentless, pursue me, overtake me. (Us to Jesus)

My head on your chest, I feel every breath
Breathe your heart into me, till I see. Till I feel it.
I want to be like you Jesus.     (Us to Jesus)
 
Holy, Holy, Holy is the lamb. 
Your blood speaks of better things
at the mercy seat.        (Us to Jesus)
 
Bless the lamb, He reigns, we call out.   (Us to Jesus)

Awaken those things you thought had died.
Courage to rise out of the place you were in. 
Never out of my hand, never out of my plan
You are released to speak, get under the blood (Jesus to us)

draw us higher to a new thing. (Us to Jesus)

Take my hand. I will draw you to a new place.
In the new place you will find secrets.  Your eyes won't be blind. (Jesus to us)

Open my eyes so I can see your glory. (Us to Jesus)
 
New ability to breathe.  Can you breathe the signs of the times?
You are the light in the darkness.  Release my glory.
You have been saved for this time, for the world to see,
my sons and daughters in liberty.
Stretch out your hands. I am releasing faith for this time.
Arise in authority, expose the lies of the enemy.
You look like me.  You have captured my heart.
I will send you again and again.
You will be astounded by the awesome things you will see.
Healing and miracles and my restoration.
I am strengthening your knees to run with my vision.
I am strengthening your knees to run with heaven.  (Jesus to us)
 
There is honey soothing every part that is in pain
I am polishing your shield and raising your sword.
Raise it high and stand against the enemy.
Stand in me, Stand in my authority.
 
Speak, Release, Speak what you see.
Release what you hear from me.
 
Come away with me.  Fly on my wings.
Fly into your destiny.
I have chosen you and I give you my life.

Breathe in me.  I will set you free.    (Jesus to us)

I want to share about the words that I bolded above.  There was a "surprise" addition to tonight's meeting.  Apparently during dinner tonight, the HUB leader, Nancy Magiera, met a man from Sweden.  He is a worship leader. So he was invited to join the worship team.  His name was Fredrick, but I never heard a last name.  I don't think I have words to describe how seamlessly he fit in with the worship team.  You know you are in the presence of the Holy Spirit when things just flow.  And when Fredrick sang, my spirit soared.  I felt that new place and the going higher. 

Then Pastor Sam spoke about revival that is happening in his church in India.  And it is happening to the children.  He had a video of the children encountering Jesus.  I don't think I took a breath during the entire thing.  It was amazing.   And then he spoke about how the revival happened.  The short story - the Holy Spirit showed up and the children had individual encounters with Jesus.  And he talked about the river of living water that must flow from us. 

I do feel like this night was just for me.  But I bet most people who were there felt the same way. That is the most awesome part of this all.  Jesus has a way of reaching each of us, exactly where we are at.  Jesus knows that anytime I hear John 7:38 (the streams of living water verse) used in a meeting - I know that the Holy Spirit is speaking something to me.  The worship leader from Sweden, well that was just another special touch for me.  I have been thinking about my Swedish roots.  So, tonight was about a group of people in Chicago assembled together, worshipping with a man from Sweden, then hearing a message from a man from India.  It was a round the world trip.

Jesus - thank you.  Holy Spirit - Thank you.  Help me to reflect on everything that was spoken tonight.  Bless all who were in attendance.  Thank you for HUB, Jesus.  Bless all those who have a part in making these meetings happen.  Thank you for Pastor Sam, Apostle Lisa, Fredrick and Nancy.  Jesus, will you just give them even more of you?  Amen