Over the past few months (and even before that) as I walk this journey, I find it's easy to get "stuck in the fog". A week and a half ago I was stuck in some really thick "fog" in my life. I could not see anything further than my own emotions. It was after a few meetings with a couple friends that helped clear a bit of the "fog". As I began to see the Son trying to "burn away the fog" I suddenly felt that it was now more than ever that I needed to be intentional in regard to keeping my spirit in the most predominant place in my life (rather than my emotions or body). I signed up for a 40 day "feasting in the spirit" with Wendy Backlund. I got a bunch of Graham Cooke CD's from a friend to listen to in the car. I just started thinking constantly on the things of the Spirit of God and not on my circumstances. What a fantastic journey!
So this past weekend I had a friend in town from Taiwan (sweet Dumile) and I felt that we needed to take a road trip to Redding. She had been around all of us who had been to Redding and the Bethel Church culture there and wanted to visit. So we took a super quick trip. The morning we left I asked Holy Spirit if He would just bring whatever encounters we needed to have. And also that everyone I was suppose to connect with while there...would happen. If it did not, then it was not meant to be!
Friday night we went to the Friday night service and it was amazing! At first I was bummed because it was going to be at the Twin View campus (not the main campus) and it sounded like we might have a live stream from the main campus (they were just completing the Leaders Advance). To my wonderful surprise we did not have a live stream...but a live Seth Dahl! I really enjoy listening to him. He is over the Children's ministry at Bethel. While we were waiting for the service to start who appears but Cindy Wong! We had posted a photo when we drove up and our friends, the Houghton's, were communicating to all of us to be sure to find each other! God made sure!
Saturday my focus was taking Dumile to the Healing Rooms. This is a place where people can go for pray for physical healing. Last time I was there I enjoyed going in simply to sit in the presence of God! The room has such an incredible presence of God that is full of peace and so much life! Dumile got blitzed as soon as we entered the room and then for the next hour and a half we had team after team come over to pray for us! Wow! God really did some special things in that room...and not just for Dumile...I got a bonus! Love it!
After our time at the Healing Rooms I went for a hair cut and color. A wonderful hair stylist in Redding blessed me in a massive way last time I was there with a beautiful color and cut! I thought I'd go back to her and bless her! What a fantastic afternoon of talk and encouragement in all that God is doing in both our lives!
Dinner with the family was special. The Hsu's hosted us and it was so good to come together for the night.
Sunday was so full!! From another service to an incredibly special meeting with a new friend to lunch at my favorite Indian restaurant in Redding to getting the last two spots for Prophetic ministry in the afternoon and then before leaving a wonderful chance meeting in the parking lot with Shawn Shirley...an incredible worship leader! She writes music for children that penetrates the hearts of adults as well!
Whew...what a weekend. In between all those events were encounters with people that I didn't think I'd find. The whole time I just spoke to my emotions that they do not reign...Wendy Backlund writes, "Your identity rests in who you are in Christ not who you are emotionally, physically or experientially". Therefore as I walked through the weekend I focused on the fact that my spirit exists with Christ! There were two circumstances where my emotions were "set off". I loved how quickly I was able to "silence" my emotions in order for the reality of my spirit to shine! It's a process...but it doesn't have to take forever!
Often when I'm talking to the women I meet with I see their feeling of exhaustion as they think about all the "work" it's going to take to transform their mind. This weekend the thing I experienced was that it definitely takes intention, but it is by no means work! There is such a freedom in not allowing my emotions to control my life! When we truly walk in the realization that our spirit is the only eternal part of us, our perspective begins to change. We care for it, we listen to it, we allow it to connect more and more to the one that allows our spirit to be eternal! The joy of the Lord is our strength...there's so much more to this than we give it credit for!
