August End

I'm sad to see August end, but there are new horizons beckoning and I must remain surrendered to my good God and expectant of His plans for me which are always good.

Not easy, but good.

We partied on with lots of family meals while Vic and Marcia were still here!  Inside and outside, despite the lingering smoke.

It's always a treat when Dad shows up.

And this kind of cuteness is just over the top.  

Tante Hilda has outdone herself this summer, hosting several family gatherings. She fills the room with joy and covers the table with delicious dishes.  

Oh how I love this brother of mine!  

By the last weekend of August the smoke had mostly cleared and I drove down to take in a night of free music at the lake. 

 I got to see this!  

I can hardly believe I live here. 

There was a Blue's Band playing in the park which was lots of fun to listen to and Ollie won the "door prize" so he walked away with coupons for a bunch of "Fat Burgers".  Anita has put him on a two week cleanse so he has to wait awhile before he can indulge. 

AND I made it to the farmer's market!!  

So fun to fill the basket on my lap with all sorts of yummy organic produce grown by good friends. 

My smoothies will be full of kale, beets, carrots and fresh apples.  

Etc. Etc. Etc...

This is a season of great abundance.

Through the Haze

Yeah, so I ended up taking a taxi to and from the airport all by myself.  It seemed ridiculous to pay that kind of money for one little body to be transported to and fro, however I didn't have a choice.  

When I tried to call for the shuttle they said the wheelchair one didn't run on Sundays so I just took God up on His Word.

He keeps reminding me that "He's got this".  

Something about cattle on a thousand hills...

I'm learning to trust Him in this too. 

I had a lovely conversation with my Ethiopian cab driver who also happened to love Jesus and I was able to pray for him and give him a good tip.

God probably had that planned too.

I love getting window seats for these flights across the prairies.  The skies were blue and the air was clear. 

Look at all that incredible beauty down there!  Those teeny weeny farms and cars whizzing along those straight long roads...

Like something off the friendly giant.

And can you believe they even served communion on the plane?

They saw me coming!!  

Ha!

As I crossed the rockies the air started to get hazy which made things look kinda cool.  The mountain tips peeking out through the misty clouds...

But it wasn't mist it was smoke...

And by the time we reached the valley we were encased in smoke so thick you couldn't see.  I was just glad the pilots had instruments other than their eyes to help them figure out where to land.

And my beautiful Patrice found my lone bag circling the conveyer belt.

As usual I was the last one off the plane.

Home sweet smokey home...

In the evening my siblings and I went to see a very funny movie called Inside Out and we shared a big bag of popcorn.  I wanted to take advantage of their last couple of days here in Kelowna.

We are thinking of becoming eye glass models.

This is one of our practice shots. 

I, however, look like I am modelling my latest dental job.

Fiery Remnant

I'm laying in my quiet hotel room on a big comfy bed. The sun is shining in the wide blue Alberta sky outside my window. Barb has gone home and I have a bit of time before catching my flight to ponder and pray.

The buzz and excitement of the last four days is resonating in my spirit.
What a privilege that I was able to be here to be a witness to and a partaker of the journey that God has our nation on in these last days.
Outside of my room I hear the voices of my Chinese sisters, here at great cost to be part of this "seed" that God is birthing at this time.

I've already been asked to share at church next Sunday and I need to gather my thoughts so that I can share the beautiful and profound message.
This is a season of alignment - God is aligning the nations according to His purpose and as always is looking for a remnant that will pray this into life and stand in agreement with His Will.
His purposes WILL STAND and come to pass.
This is the time for the church, the body of Christ to begin to move as a family.
No more division of any sort.
Honouring and blessing all the different generations and nations and giftings and parts.
Each one so precious.
Praying fire into our spirits so that with one voice we will call out for His righteousness to burn across our nation and that we will do our part in Canada to bring healing to the nations.
Praying that the global family will arise with purpose and love in unity to bring glory to our King.

For we are members of another Kingdom - not one of this world.
All for one and one for all.
Arms linked, hearts on fire, moving with unstoppable power in the Name of Jesus.

For He alone is worthy.

Global Family

Difficult to put into words the Gathering that I am a part of here.
We meet three times a day, and the worship is simply glorious.
In His Presence.

When He shows up we respond and longing fills our hearts to pour out our lives in worship and adoration.
We spend hours raising our voices and dancing before His beauty.
There has been immense joy and celebration as well as weeping and groaning.
But this time joy and freedom have been paramount.
We feel God's pleasure and our excitement causes the building to resound with shouts of joy and we even had such a fun time of children and adults jumping off the stage into the arms of the body below and being carried.
Body surfing on waves of glory!

Hearing close to 1000 people all stomping their feet and shouting to the King is unbelievably invigorating!

Through it all the sense of "family" has been profound.
The linking of the generations has been accomplished as even this afternoon the "under 20's" were kneeling before their parent's generation with all of us crying out for the purposes of God to be birthed as the younger ones rise up on the shoulders of the ones who have gone before.
Tears of joy as the older ones speak out the joy of seeing the younger ones move further, carrying the seeds that have been prayed over for years and years and seeing them come to fruition.

The children have been brought onto the stage to show the pictures God is showing them to paint and how He loves to speak to all of us.
Simple messages of love and hope and promise, yet incredibly life-giving.
Here they are under the covering of the flag, once again joining in with the older ones.  The flag was passed on the arms of the saints all across the church from front to back.  So powerful!

The Chinese brothers and sisters have been honoured as they have shared the journey of how the Gatherings have affected the church in China and how the Lord has moved upon them in repentance and restoration.  They have come here to Canada at great cost to show their love and gratitude to us for believing for them and sending David to lead them in their own Gatherings to bring healing to their nation.

The American group came onto the stage to humble themselves before God and us.  They stated that at this time their nation is standing in the shadow of Canada, as we are standing with Israel and carrying this seed and they sang blessings over our nation as they knelt beneath the Canadian flag.  

This was followed by a dear, older native Canadian woman coming forward to repent for how Canadians have spoken of Americans.  She said she sees no dividing line or border and we are one.  Forgiveness was asked for and granted.

Such beauty and humility and power.

So much of God in this place. 

A team of people who are driving 10 white trucks across Canada on behalf of Israel just "happened" to be in Edmonton during this gathering and were able to share the beautiful journey they are on to give Canada the opportunity to practically bless Israel through finances.  The organization is called lovinggodblessingisrael.com

We had the privilege of blessing them with an offering and prayer and they encouraged us with their mandate.

Shouting out before the hosts of heaven that we are taking back the ground and calling the generations into place with no more division.

Sheep Gate

These gatherings are really something surreal.
From many tribes and tongues and nations we gather in one accord.
To see the purposes and plans of the CREATOR come to pass,
His Kingdom here, as it is planned in heaven.
We are a remnant, crying out for His heart's cry.
He has chosen to partner with us, and is waiting for us to choose Him.
Now His plans and purposes are ours and we are privileged to declare His Kingdom into being.  We are a people of His Kingdom.
We take our orders from above.

Years ago I was assigned the "Sheep Gate" to pray over at New Life church.
Since I was involved in kids ministry it seemed fitting and I loved praying every week with whoever showed up, for the kids, youth and young adults under our care and beyond.
The precious sheep that God had big plans for.
My own children being in that number.

So we prayed and prophesied and danced and laughed and cried as we prayed for God's plans and purposes to be fulfilled in their lives.
Protection, blessing...that they would reach further and higher than we ever did,
Standing on our shoulders, as it were.

A picture that repeatedly came to mind during these times of prayer was that of people standing shoulder to shoulder, the young and the old and the in-betweens all together.  Standing and moving in unity.

And here at this gathering, all these many years later I am seeing this very picture come to life.  During the worship the adults and the children are holding hands and dancing in long lines through the crowds.  Little ones and youth and adults and the old...all together.  Connected and honouring one another, worshiping as one.

I felt the Lord speak to me "do you see this?" as they ran by.  This picture that he had given me, fleshed out before my very eyes.

Children being front and centre, speaking and dancing on the stage and in front of the stage with adults mingled into their midst, gently guiding and encouraging.
Such wild and wonderful worship.
Tiny feet treading on the head of the serpent.

Little arms reached up exalting Almighty God and tearing down the kingdoms of darkness.
And a little child is leading us...

Forever Friends

Just as there are hardly enough words to describe the joy and amazingness of being at the Gathering, there are also hardly words to describe this friend.

She is like my own personal Mary Poppins and so much more.

She entered the room loaded down with bags full of fun and her trademark laugh.

My Barb.

The one who buoys me up with her faith when I'm feeling weak.

I brought along a small bag of nuts, a bit of chocolate and a dried scone in case I needed some sustenance, but Barb?

She brought a basket LOADED with food and goodies!!

Along with a bit of schnapps to sip on over crushed ice before bed time.  

It's just over the top! 

And of course there was nail polish for pedicures and a new bible she just happened to pick up on the way through Red Deer because she remembered I gave mine away last time I was in Edmonton.  

And of course she is the queen of special drinks, so I enjoyed a frapaccino a couple of times on this Edmonton journey.

 Amazingly enough she even brought me a vial of anointing oil, not knowing I had lost my previous one.  

So we were well anointed and smelling heavenly each time we went out the door.  

We are forever friends.

And I am forever grateful...

In Edmonton

Another  desire fulfilled.
I'm in Edmonton for a Gathering.
"His Presence" it's called.
Just those words make my heart sing - does it get any better than that?
Truly, I'd rather be a doorkeeper at your gates, than to spend my whole life anywhere else...

He keeps making a way for me to come, to join in this corporate cry for the destiny of our nation to be fulfilled.
And now it's not only our nation's destiny, but there is a global alignment that we are privileged to cry out for and be part of.
Seeing His Kingdom Come, His Will be Done.

I'm spending some time laying down in my room with a view.
Resting up after the early morning rising, flight and taxi ride.
Not quite as easy as that private jet trip to Red Deer, but still doable.
The jagged mountains and ice fields were so clear and close - and then the patchwork quilt prairies spread out under the blue skies and white clouds.
It was a brilliantly beautiful flight.

My room wasn't ready yet when I arrived so off to Starbuck's I ventured knowing that a fully accessible bathroom AND a yummy drink would be forthcoming.
As I sat sipping my Chai Latte, right before my eyes a fellow came quickly in through a side entrance, grabbed two yoghurt meals out of the display case and ran straight out the door again.  No one was watching as the baristas were busy serving the line of customers.
I witnessed a little robbery, all while enjoying my delicious drink.
Kind of like a movie.

I had a lovely little visit with Ruth and Anna Demian in the lobby while waiting for my room to be prepared and I was comforted again with Ruth's kind heart towards me.
She reminds me somehow that it matters that I come...

That God is pleased with the huge effort that I have to make to get here.  I can forget and feel like it's just me that wants to be here, but somehow it's His desire being fulfilled in and through me.

What a kind Father.
What a glorious God.
He's going to show up here in amazing ways.
I already feel it.
His sweet brooding presence even in this room where I am laying an watching the clouds glide by.
He's eager and anticipating this Gathering.
How cool is that?
I just know it - He loves it when we show up in Jesus Name.
A whole bunch of us, from a whole bunch of nations saying in unity,
"Come Lord Jesus and Have your way in us"!!


************************

We are meeting in a huge old brick church that is right across the street from the hotel.  Stained glass windows and worn wooden benches. 

The high ceiling provides incredible acoustics for the worship and gives such a wonderful sense of space.

This little gal below stood mesmerized by the dancers on the stage and she was surrounded by other children and youth who were unabashedly worshiping, bringing the presence of God so very, very close.  

He is here.  He is pleased with this little remnant in this nation He has chosen for such a time as this.

To bring healing to the nations

And Glory to His Name.

Found some good friends too...

Family Feasts!

We found it hard to find a night where EVERYONE could attend a family dinner during our mini reunion with Vic and Marcia here, but we gathered together in varied combinations and enjoyed each other in this lazy hazy month of August. 

Elsie had us over for supper one evening and we had a sweet time of prayer for each other and for the apartment.  Taking seriously our calling to steward well what God has entrusted into our care.

What an incredible gift to have a relationship with my siblings that is so life-giving and safe. There is power in the prayer of unity.

Of course, having Tante Hilda and Oma at any prayer gathering makes it that much better.

If one of us can put a thousand to flight, then all of us together in unity can send a legion fleeing!

Such special and sweet times together.  

And dear little Tante Hilda put together a massive and delicious feast for our little crowd that was beyond amazing.

Kinda like her. 

Gratitude.

How can I be so blessed with so much love and kindness in my life?

I am surrounded by God.

I am awash with His goodness.