My Wasilla trip

I wrote this to some friends earlier this week, thought I'd share it as a recap with you:

Thank you all for praying for me on this trip. I am still processing and trying to describe this trip - 3 times in the last 24 hours I have heard the chorus from "Say what you need to say" by John Mayer, that has served as an encouragement that I am on the right path, earlier this month I sensed the Lord saying that summer vacation was over, I hope that what we experienced this weekend is the answer to that "heads up".

I say "we" because I went to help Rob. He graciously offered to let me do some of my student teaching, my first time out on Thursday, the Vocal Cord Dysfunction that plagued me two years ago popped up. Rather than be a distraction, I think it created an empathy with the students. Rob took over when it was obvious that I'd reached the end of my voice, and five minutes later my voice was fine. One of the women came up to me and said that she had to tell me how brave I was, it totally brought me to tears, a place I was in most of the weekend. Another woman said she thought it was a spiritual attack, I agreed with her. That was the one and only time I had to deal with VCD. BTW - the Hebraic understanding of "And God said it was good" is better translated "And God looked around and saw that it was functional", He saw that it functioned as He designed it to be.

I stayed with the couple who coordinated the class Thursday and Friday evening. Friday morning I woke with a head cold. They prayed over me and prayed for me all day. The symptoms dried up most of the way but my right eye kept tearing up and I had a bit of sniffles, but nothing like what the morning promised.

There were 33 students in the class, they were hungry. They gave us grace and they showered us with love. Part of the 101 teaches about the dangers of "gold, glory, guys and girls". I totally understand the dangers of letting this go to your head, of taking on a "rock star" attitude.
We were surrounded by servants, we couldn't carry our bags or buy our lunch. I shake my head at it all. Humbling.

I wrote this to a friend earlier and I'll share it with you:
The people were so open, so hungry. I can't tell you who received more love, them from us or us from them. Rob said that it was an unusual 101, but he'd done the majority of the speaking and was fried so I didn't push for why. I'm still trying to process it all. After the class was over, we got to pray with everyone individually, speak words of destiny over them. It was amazing to read peoples mail, to say this is how you feel, but the Lord wants you to know how He sees you and this is a greater reality. One guy was in the Army, I knew that all weekend, but when I prayed for him, I asked him what position he held, he told me he was a Chaplains assistant. When Jeremiah was here last weekend, he told us that a Chaplin isn't allow to carry a weapon because of the Geneva convention. Because of that, there are Chaplin assistants who go everywhere with the Chaplin and protect him. I told him it was really cool, and that he carried a sniper rifle, he corrected me and told me what he carried, but then I realized that what I had understood was that he does carry a spiritual Sniper rifle, and all it's speciality gear, including a high powered scope and flashlight (Jeremiah had told us what a sniper carries). I began to draw for him the spiritual reality of him choosing to lay his life down to protect another that is dimly reflected in the natural, and as I spoke I could see the Holy Spirit witnessing to what I said. That was repeated with every single person. It was heady. Heady to be used like that, to be in that kind of an atmosphere, to see and feel the impact on the people. Heady to see that they had been changed by the head and spiritual knowledge they had received in class, but to see them called and stepping up to something more than they had believed about themselves, because of this impartation.

The family that hosted us served an amazing lunch Sunday after church, where the whole church came around us and prayed for us, for our families and for the work that "we've been called to do". For lunch we had King crab and halibut, not caught by them but caught by friends, as a side note, we snacked on bear summer sausage and had caribou patties and bratwurst for breakfast. But as amazing as that lunch was, the love that was freely showered on us was indescribable and added this special quality to everything. We have new family in Alaska, and I can't wait to visit them again. I was adopted by an Eskimo woman - I now have an Eskimo grandmother!

I was reminded again and in new ways that its all about building relationship. I was encouraged and challenged by Rob's stories. I got to take the 101 again, and was convicted in places I haven't pursued growth. My Admin skills were used as well as my retail experience, both came in handy - Rob's book table sold out. Steve and Steve made sure that there was nothing left, they made it a personal quest. The generosity of the people was stunning. And humbling.

On the plane home I wrote the following in my journal:
I received more than I gave.
I was adopted into families and inherited an Eskimo grandmother.
I received prophecy and unconditional love.
I was the recipient of broadcasting skills, the Fathers power, His love and a mothers milk.
I was reminded that I sit in the midst of the Holy Spirit and I draw my life and nutrition from Him, that I am my Fathers favored daughter, that I am brave and a mighty woman of God. That I will be mother to many.
I flowed in the anointing of God and was reminded how easy it is when it's not about you. I was ruined for a life of anything but this giving of the Lord impartation. I understood why people go to Burning man.