[lunch time dialogue]

...Joe

yeah it sounds just crazy

it kinda feels like, as a movement - it would be good to go back to the first things kelly did, like praying outside of the area...

like a spiritual prayer walk around the places we have had to leave behind...

12:26Me

yeah

and as a movement we are not giving up on countries that become so dangerous that we can't be in there 

when we prayed there was such an amazing feeling about God not letting go and those places being still so much in his plans, it was like for a seed to die to produce plentiful of fruit kinda feeling

12:28Joe

yeh - isn't it weird...

mega pray needs for the guys in ibiza i reckon

12:30Me

yes, definitely need to pray

and same in all over europe, for all communities

12:31Joe

this is a massively important time

there's definate pruning going on!!

12:36Me

in small and big, i have known it's something that has been going on for a while, but i think it only truly hit me yesterday

12:36Joe

and me today

!

12:37Me

as I had had a sense of it in my own life for some time, then hearing these stories reminded me that it's going on in communities, churches, organisations

and hearing also stories, most of our community (basicly, all ppl in our early 20-30's) are looking for jobs/generally big life choices + general direction in their lives at the moment

and it felt to me like we are being shaken and stirred a bit too

12:38Joe

yeh ... i mentioned that to my brother and wife yesterday

12:39Me

and i know this is something that is going on in the whole generations, it almost feels like it's going on in all of those lives of ppl who have said that they are seeking lord and want to follow him

12:39Joe

ever since IAM10 its felt like God has been prodding, and challenging, saying 'what if i want to do something different instead'...

12:39Me

exactly

12:39Joe

its a bit scary

cos it felt like we were on to something good...but i have this weird feeling that God may want something different - maybe something deeper, something less obvious or famous

12:41Me

i agree with you

"What if scriptures actually are true, and we will face trials and tribulations?" "What if scriptures actually are true, and as Jesus said we are to not to worry what to eat or what to wear for each day will bring it's own worry and God WILL PROVIDE" "What if Scriptures actually are true and we are called to live in acts 2:42 community DAILY, and then God will and into our numbers DAILY?" have been some of my questions

12:43Joe

daily - that is the difference

12:43Me

exactly

12:45

I was reading Acts yesterday while waiting for something, and was just astonished really, how it says in the beginning so often how they did things daily together, daily as really being every day

It helped me as I had been feeling bit silly, with my longing to have a community that lives together and things stuff together daily

I know they soon had problems too and it wasn't easy and required a lot of wisdom

but still it was, a call to day to day life together

and how that ties into call to unity!

ps.133:1 kinda of " How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity! "

12:47Joe

yeah - ah i love that verse

12:47Me

that Jesus prayed about, for His church, and we should be recognised by the world by that... uh oh

12:47Joe

you know the oil it references there is the oil made up of loads of flavours and spices 

12:48Me

 living together can be smelly 

lots of flavours

12:48Joe

yep - through our love for one another, the world knows we are jesus people - but through our oneness, the world knows they too are loved

love that (John 13-17)

12:50Me

and so, that love for another would be best displayed not only if we go to church once a week or be kind sometimes, but if we change our whole lifestyle to serve others, to surrender in unity (unity seems to mean also mutual surrender) and live together daily

??? !!!

12:50Joe

yep - its more than prayer rooms, gatherings, and projects

its more than websites, stories and awesome fun times...

its in that daily mundaneness - but if we could only live it, it would be wonderful

12:52Me

oh, may we dream about it until it comes true

12:53Joe

'dont let your dreams be dreams' says jack johnson

12:53Me

AH amen jack johnson,

12:53Joe

yeha - go for it!!

12:53Me

so HOW to ? would be my nxt question

12:53Joe

may we wake up from our dreams and start living!!!

12:53Me

AMEN

12:54Joe

i have to go now

but please - do blog this cos it would be good to go over again!! 

the next installment is soon to come!

...

12:55Me

that's cool, yes I will, next time let's discuss about "HOW TO" from dreams to reality  

Yes, have a good day!

12:55Joe

btw - i had an idea for a book the other day: a collection of blog posts, face book conversations and letters

like a modern day cs lewis 'letters to malcolm, chiefly on prayer'

12:55Me

love the idea!

children of the revolution

12:56Joe

12:56

just one more though - i like that: children of the revolution

cos it doesnt say 'of A revolution' ... but THE revolution...there has only ever been one revolution

12:57Me

as there only is one church

one God

12:57Joe

one dream - one life (eternal!)

Amen.

TODAY [present]

To love my God
with all my mind and heart and soul
To love my neighbour
with thoughts and deeds and words

I want to see young boys to grow up to be gentlemen.
Wild and brave and kind.
I want to see baby girls grow up to be ladies.
Wild and beautiful and kind.

I want to shine through the Light of my Saviour
so the blind will see.
I want to be hands and feet that pick up
lost and feeble.

I want to feed my neighbours.
I want to tell poor we are taken care of.
I want to live in today
and to not hesitate by uncertainty of the future.

I need to dream with people

but to live in today.

I need to dream with people

so we see the way.

God I need to hear you

On thursday this week, I have been in this country for three months.
It's a milestone probably worth celebrating but there are so many other things
going on in the community that I might just raise a toast on breakfast table
with cup of tea and choose to bless this place even when things
don't always easily seem to show the way forward.

I'm trying to quiet my mind that's almost desperately looking for solutions
and still my soul that feels weary and find what it is that my heart
really seeks for. I really need to hear you God now.

During last week and half I lost two jobs, one existing one and one potential.
I also lost some of my other financial support. So many of my plans
changed that I lost count. All that left me feel bit shaky and unsure.

At the same time many blessings came on my way in form of my friends
coming to pick up the pieces, for lifting me up in prayers,
by helping me financially and by encouraging me to stay when
my instincts told me to flee. I was blessed by being able to open a bank account
(and it was as easy as dancing, and the bank clerk boy was so emphatic
and kind and encouraging that I think he probably was an angel or some sort ;)
I was blessed by preparing a sabbath meal and remembering, celebrating and
dedicating with friends. I was blessed by a beautiful gift from a dear friend.
I was blessed by a friend that gave me a bicycle so I can get around (and
cycling is my favourite way of exercising, which he didn't know!).

Today I am seeking God to hear his voice, to let Him strengthen my identity in Him,
to hear from Him what does He want me to be in this place for,
where is He leading me and how can I get there...
Join me in prayer friend.

Releasing the Heart Is No Easy Project

"Remember, the purpose of this thing called the Christian life is that our hearts might be restored and set free. That’s the deal. That’s what Jesus came to do, by his own announcement. Jesus wants Life for us, Life with a capital L, and that Life comes to us through our hearts. But restoring and releasing the heart is no easy project. God doesn’t just throw a switch and poof—it’s done. He sends his Counselor to walk with us instead. That tells us it’s going to be a process. All sorts of damage has been done to your heart over the years, all sorts of terrible things taken in—by sin, by those who should have known better, and by our Enemy, who seeks to steal and kill and destroy the image bearers of God. At best, “hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Prov. 13:12). Certainly there’s been a bit of that in your life. “Even in laughter the heart may ache” (Prov. 14:13), which is to say, things may look fine on the outside, but inside it’s another story. "


John Eldredge: Waking the Dead
p. 113

[sí]

sunshine and ash clouds

I think I am just so overwhelmed by
failed plans, bureaucracy and lack of plan
at the moment that I find it hard to get up
and be excited of the coming day.
I love so many things about my life,
I have incredible family and many beautiful,
amazing, wise and supporting friends.
But they all have their own lives and adventures
and I don't think that I can expect them to take
responsibility of my own story.
I still finding it hard to remember what am I really passionate about
as circumstances and events around me seem to blur my vision and
drown the silent whisper of my dreams.
It's sometimes feels like a giant invisible spider web around me,
and all my attempts to shake it off seem to get me tangled worse.

I came up with a dream the other day, was finally able to
write something down that made sense,
I'll see maybe I'll share it later.

[whoa]

Last two days have been just almost too eventful.

Lots of things that have gone wrong. Lots of things that have gone right.

Yesterday, I heard of my sister not being able to come over for the weekend, as she is stuck because of the volcanic ash. I had made lots of nice plans for the weekend and felt really lonely and disappointed and just cried. Then I got message from a friend whom I hadn't seen for awhile that he could come visit. Next I started build a prayer room for the weekend, we as a community felt like we were called to pray for Europe this weekend. Almost ironically, several people are stuck in and can't make it because of their flights are cancelled due the volcanic ash clouds. So while we are praying, Europe is being covered in ash... (More thoughts about this, check Joe's blog )

Today...
first i lost my wallet catching a bus in to town in the morning. then i heard that my biggest work project this spring has gone ashtray (probably meaning that a month's planned income is now gone). then i build a prayer room. then i made lunch for 6. then i got my wallet back (nothing was stolen). then i picked a friend up from train station. it was great to catch up. then i started having strange headache. then i crawled back to the prayer room, only to lie on bathroom floor feeling sick for few hours while 10 others worshiped and prayer for europe. then i was healed and feel ok now.

Now, bedtime, i totally need some rest.

For bedtime story, quote from Paul:

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Phil. 4:12


ps. God has a wonderful way of using the voice of my friends to speak to me, this time He got a closure for these bizarre 48 hours of mine through scribe dj friar "Do You trust me?"