Good morning everyone!  It is actually morning instead of last night!  OOPS!  It is now actually afternoon of yesterday.  Friday was long, interesting, full of the joy of the Lord, overload of information, AND EXHAUSTING!  I actually felt tired last evening, probably due to very short nights all week.  It caught up with me!  I very rarely know what it feels like to be tired these days AND IT IS AN AWESOME FEELING!

There was also a bit a sadness.  When you are with new people that you bond with for a week there are always farewells that must be said.  God brought absolutely delightful young people into my life this week.  First, there was Jessica, my little hitch hiker I told you about.  Then came the radiance and glow that shines from Linda’s sweet face.  Linda was such a gift to our group because she was there early enough every morning to reserve seats for all of us close to the front.  For that I am forever thankful.  Angelica was the next gift God had all packaged up.  She is just as her name depicts, angel like and free spirited and beautiful to behold.  And we all received two additional lovely ladies from Singapore, Dawn and Estelle.  What a delightful pair.  The love of Jesus just shines from their very presence.  It was awesome to be able to get to know them in the limited time we had to visit.  God blessed me with this core group of ladies and I truly felt as if I was in a little family.  My friends Lana and Tim were there also but they chose to sit in the back.  I was able to connect with them some during some of the meal breaks.  I brought my own lunch and dinner so as to save cost and for my own health reasons.  We did however have the chance to get caught up a bit at the picnic table.  My regret was that I didn’t have the opportunity to spend more time on the last day with them as I felt God wanted to me to spend time with a group of three young men who drove up from Los Angeles.  I asked them to go out to dinner but they were fasting and chose not to eat.  Instead, we sat under the trees outside and talked and shared.  I wish I had asked them what their wisdom was but I forgot to do so. Time goes by so quickly and before I knew it, it was time to go back in for the next session.

We had an interesting session on Thursday.  We were taken into the sanctuary that had been transformed from an auditorium to a Healing Room.  Chairs were placed back to back in curving lines, artist were painting beautiful works for art as spiritual expressions of praise, dancers were dancing with flowing scarves and graceful movements, and a worship team was singing and playing musical instruments on the platform.  The lights were low and peaceful.  Groups of class members were brought into the room in groups of about 100 to experience the room for a half an hour or so to bask in the presence of the Lord, to view the artist at work, to sing and worship God and just soak in the presence of the Lord’s presence.  It was a beautiful place to be.  We were then directed to a room where a group of people prayed with each person individually.  There were four who prayed for me.  It is is wonderful that so many people (over 800) volunteer on a rotating schedule to come in and pray with people for healing.

It is a good thing I was able to write my blogs at night this week, except for yesterday’s, because so much information is jam packed in my brain that it is difficult to differentiate one day from the next.

I think the word of wisdom I will leave with you today is something the speaker Chris Gore quoted from a woman who spoke it at age 92 years of age.  Her name was Mrs. Lindsey and she has since died.  From what I gathered, she was a woman of prominence, a great spokeswoman, and one of importance in the what she did.  Chris asked her for a word of wisdom and this is what she said: “Stay humble, stay low, give God all the glory.”  Quite succinct.  What we must remember when miracles happen is that it is not by our works, but it is the Lord’s work and power that performs the miracle.  When we are to be a servant of the Lord we are to have a humble heart and ask how can best serve rather than coming into a situation exhibiting behavior that says “I know it all”.  

This past week there was a message given by one of the many speakers.  I can’t remember if I mentioned before what I am about to tell you.  Sorry if it is a repeat.  The minister was talking about how, when we ask, God will open our spiritual vision to new truths in His word.  Truth that was already there but not understood or seen as one read the scriptures.  When we ask God to open our hearts and minds to the truth He has in the scripture, God will do so.  Sometimes when we do not see these revelations we are not ready to receive them.  The more truth we see sometimes makes some things more difficult for us.  When we are ready to receive God’s truths we should also ask for patience.  When we ask for revelation we must be prepared for revelation, and the patience will help us work through what God is teaching us.

I am finding that to be so true in my life.  God is opening the scriptures up to me in the past few years that I am just amazed I didn’t see, nor understand.  Over and over this is happening.  The more truths exposed to me, the more I learn, which often reveals convictions with which I must deal with in my life in order to grow from those truths.  I looked back over some of my poems on my hard drive that I have with me and one poem stood out.  I will put it here.  It was written about a year ago but it says so clearly what the speaker was speaking this week.  I would like to share it here.  With these words I will sign off.  God bless you!

Awaken the Vision of My Heart

By Kathleen Martens

April 30, 2014

 

Open my eyes Lord

That I may see

With vision of heart

The truths You depart.

 

Illumine Your word

So wisdom it brings

So the knowledge You give

With me forever lives.

 

Let me hear what You say

As I devour Your word,

Awaken my soul

That Your truths I know.

 

If I must suffer

With more knowledge received

That which I acquire

Replace with Your fire.

 

Awaken Your Word,

Burn it deep in my heart

That the sound of Your voice

Be my pages of choice.

 

For Your Holy Scripture

Lights the way of my path

To the place I belong

To bring others along.

 

Open my eyes Lord

That I may see

The lost ones You bring

To tell of my King.

 

My increased sorrow

Is turned to joy

As I toil long and steady

For a harvest that’s ready.

 

Give me wisdom and knowledge

Though it may mean more grief

Eternity is long,

Time on earth is brief.