Hey Guys,
So we just reached Redding, California right now it is about 2:30am right now! That is right it took us almost 21 hours to make it across two states. We left TWU at 4:00am and reach the border at 5:30am. I'll just go through what went on today. So the day started off with us leaving TWU at 4am, it was a pretty great start we were all jacked up ready to go for the day. The five of us were leaving on the trip (five plus me), it is Dan, Robyn, Manuel, Andrea, Rebecca and Me on this trip. So this is what we looked like at 4am...
Well it all started off pretty great I was the first one driving and people were already sleeping. You know how it is right? Most of us are running off of less then 2 hours of sleep because of the night before. We were all at Jon Mackie's house for Forest Gibs so by the time we left we decide why sleep? So back to the story we were all going good until we hit the border. We had probably one of the nicest border security guards of all time but we were 5 Canadians and 1 German. So sure enough we had to go inside. Well it seems like we ran into dull tool one and two inside because they couldn't figure out what to do, they did not seem to understand that we did not know EXACTLY where we were going :P. Well sure enough after about 30 minutes of sitting inside hoping that everything will go well we were finally allowed to move again :)
So this brings us to our first stop... George is currently in Seattle for just a few days before he is heading off to New York to continue his ministry for the kingdom of God. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into... POW! Well Manuel did because his cousin was there with George. So we all showed up here expecting to say hello, stay maybe about 10-15mins before getting on our way. We showed up around 8am needless to say we were not there for just 10-15mins we ended up staying and hanging around with these guys until 2pm. So we walked into this house and it was nice they were hospitable asked us about where we were going, what we were doing etc... and then things got interesting. He started asking us about if we needed healing. Full on healing not talking like a band-aid or something along those lines but full on healing of the body. So Rebecca was up first and I would not be sharing this if I did not see this with my own eyes... George asked if anyone had a bad back. After healing her hip (evening out her legs, he asked her if she wanted to be taller) She said she could feel my legs shifting and you could see my pant leg moving. Now I was extremely doubting of everything growing up in a conservative background and such but to see this with your own eyes where I watched her legs become even, back pain gone and was able for the first time since she was seven touch her toes.... POW! Still me being me was skeptical as I sat there and watched I saw Robyn get prayed for, for her shoulder, then Dan get prayed for, for his ankle and saw swelling go down. Still I was skeptical until it was my turn. Call me doubting Thomas in a way but that is what I was like. He was talking during this entire time about a warmth feeling, a tingling feeling and such. So as I was standing there he looked and me and asked my problems so I mentioned my knees, left shoulder and back. He looked straight back at me and said how is your prayer life? WOW, mind was blown a little bit here because this is something that not alot of people know maybe 3 that I have trouble praying because of my trust issues. So he said to me that the pain is from a weak prayer life and then told me my back was because of taking on other people's burdens. Still be skeptical even though he was right, he then said and God completely loves you. Anyone who has been reading this blog knows I struggle with that at time knowing that God loves me. Sure enough the MOMENT he said that my knees gave way, my body was completely covered in warmth, and I just dropped to the ground. Let's just say my doubt was gone. After that I was prayed for and I could feel some of the pain just go away. Now the final 'dagger' was this my left shoulder I have not had full movement in it for some time and I thought this would be an unhealable task. Well guess what I am happy to report that I have full movement :)
Now that would have been a great story to tell but we were not done there by any means. He then taught us or showed us how to use the spirit of healing. Kind of crazy I will have to admit! I am still figuring out everything but I thought I would share that this far. Next we started to pray for each other and starting receiving visions which still I am freaked out about like a lot of us are. We started seeing the same thing together. It was a crazy crazy experience. If our story for the morning was done there that would be nothing :) After that we went into a super market where he bought us lunch and we consumed it together. Then he started talking to us about street ministry and about giving people words of encouragement from the Lord. This guy blew me away at his ability to just get up and do God's will. For example he was telling us he was going to Thailand for a month or two or a year or two depending on God's will. Could you imagine that? Willing to give up your whole life and just follow God's plan? He shared a ton of information with us that as a group we are still processing and trying to understand everything especially with the blessing the Forest Gibs just spoke over us 12 hours before.
Try to understand this... As a group in the last 36 hours we have received a blessing and prophesy from Forest Gibs and have been replaying his tapes over and over to understand them together and encourage each other. Then we met George and Bobby who shows us a miracle which fulfills what was told to Robyn by Forest and also fulfills what Forest told Rebecca. Then we starting seeing visions, anointed with the power of healing and encouragement. You want to talk about a trip thus far? There is so much more I can write but I will let you guys ask me or anyone else on this trip about what went on. BE ENCOURAGED!
So after we finally got out of Seattle we started heading down to Redding, now I think we underestimated how far it was going to be. Well the other thing was this...... we technically did not have a place to stay until and hour or so before we showed up in Redding :) God will provide though! So we ran to this starbucks and starting opening up my computer, phones, email and facebook to try to get a hold of people and also spread some encouragement back to our cluster. Sure enough we spread the encouragement but still did not have a place to stay come morning/evening!
We continued on our adventure and just as we left Oregon and entered in to California guess what we saw.... YOU'RE RIGHT! SNOW! our first experience in Californina was about a foot of snow, it was at some points snowing on our way down here. Poor Manuel who had to drive it was horrible, snowy, icey and windy. This picture below is a stop we took to go the washroom and there is the snow in the background and a sign that has California on it. No joke we left Vancouver who is expect snow to enter into snow in California! All good though because the entire trip from Starbucks to Redding we review the tapes/blessings that Forest had given to us. Now I am not going to share what was said in the car because that is between our group but some amazing things were learned, about strengths, weakness and callings. The CRAZIEST part about it all was this... 3 of us had our blessings reinforced less then 12 hours later from someone who had NO IDEA of what was said.
The last good news is this Andrea came through and we are at a warm, nice place just outside bethel. We will be going to church tomorrow at 11am and we will be waking up to continue our adventure at 9am :) We have another full day ahead and we are all anticipating what God is going to be doing on this trip. We have a few plans but most of the days are going to be open to see where God takes us!
It has been an epic adventure and God has taught us all so much so far! I will continue to keep everyone updated about the trip and what God is doing and how he is moving! If anyone is encouraged by this spread the word (spread the link), if you want to ask questions leave a comment or facebook any of us, or if you want to encourage us do the same :)
