Sunday service and all things yummy

Today I woke at 5am.  It is improving.  I managed to stay in bed until sound 7am and then I got up to skype my kids.  It was so so so good to see them again and chat to them.  I have really missed everyone: a lot!

Then we got to go to church for the 1st time.  Because there are so many of us here we were asked to go to the other campus where we were going to have our own service.  It was amazing.  The worship was great.  There were seats and we rushed to get ones at the front.  But then when the worship started everyone went to the front and worshipped God there. I thought how awesome would that be in our church if when it started everyone just came to the front.

Then someone gave a prophetic word about how God sees the sacrifices we have made to get to the school: money, family, jobs.  He said that God sees our sacrifice of praise and is going to move in power in our lives.

We had Kris Vallotton give the talk.  It was really good.  It took me a while to understand what he was saying and he kept cracking jokes so it was difficult at first to make notes.  But when he got going it was great.  He was talking about abiding in God and to abide in God we need to be pruned to keep bearing fruit.  He said that we do a lot for our bosses that we might not want to do but we do it to be obedient and to get paid.  We turn up on time because we want the money.  But, do we turn up to church on time to get more love?  Are we obedient to all that God has asked us to do.  He said that if we want to be transformed we first need to be informed and to be informed we need to be instructed (ie accept God's training).  By the way it is very different when someone preaches here.  The congregation join in and make loads of noise saying things like "preach it brother" and "you have word".  It is crazy to watch.  American speakers must come to England and think we are all either bored or asleep!



After church we went to Luigi Pizza with some other students.  4 of us shared a pizza and it was the biggest one I have ever seen.  It was also the most delicious pizza I have ever tasted.  It was so great not to cook and it was the 1st time I got to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine.  All the Americans were worried I would fry in the heat.  (it is not too hot here at the moment: only about 25 degrees).  They think it so funny how white I am.












Then we went next door to Cold Stone which is an ice cream place.  It was so tasty.   I am glad I only had a small one as it was very rich and I could not finish it.

 

Tonight I went to the evening service at the main Bethel church.  :)))))

 Jeremy Riddle led worship and the glory cloud came.  Yes gold dust was just hovering up near the ceiling.  I saw it.  With my own eyes.  It is a real thing.  I had a speck of gold on my hand. 





At the end we went through a fire tunnel where people pray and you get filled with the holy spirit.  It was awesome to watch and definitely something we can do in our local church. 

I didn't manage to get any pictures of the Glory cloud but it looked like this one:

After we went to In and Out burger.  Thanks Jamie for recommending it.  It was an amazing burger not like the thin limp ones we get in the UK.  In and out also print scripture on their napkins and cups etc.  We didn't get to eat until after 9pm.  I am struggling to adjust to this eating at odd times.  I need to cook at home again tomorrow as 2 fast foods in one day is not great for my stomach.  We have not had much time to relax yet and our classes start tomorrow which will be full on.

Unexpected Layover

Yes my connecting flight was cancelled.  Pretty good job really as our first flight was late and the priest and I were legging it.  I may not have made it.  But a pain that I am not in my destination and am now on the standby list for tomorrow.

On a plus note the hotel they put me in is the most amazing hotel I have ever stayed in.  It is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The bed is huge.... and the most comfortable bed 

I have ever slept in...

 

 The view from my window is amazing:

It is so beautiful here (although at the moment I write this it is tipping it sown with rain!)

 BUT....  It turns out the airline had re-booked my flight for Monday which is too late.  I burst into tears...  My friend told me that would help in this sort of situation and the nice man took pity on me and has put me on standby.  I have to get to the airport at 5.45 am and basically wait all day in the hope that they will get me on a flight.  Not looking forward to that to be honest.  Please Lord help me get to where I need to be.

Leaving home

It was difficult to leave the family today…  what a journey to undertake.  Well I made it to the bus station in good time and did not have to wait long to get on the bus.  I managed to get a front seat which was good for the other passengers as it meant that I did not vomit all over them.  Here is a picture of me on my way to the bus station: please note the wonderful English rain.  

My darling husband had told me to us the toilet on the bus before getting off so I didn’t have to faff around with my suitcase in the loo at the airport.  Great idea I thought… only I think I chose the most awful time to use said loo.  Just after entering the loo the bus went from the M40 to the M25 round the most ginormous bend, then braked suddenly as it merged into static traffic.  It was like some freaky fairground ride – all while trying to pull up my knickers.  No picture of that you will be pleased to know.

 

So I arrived at the airport and felt like a child at their 1^st day of school.  I managed to check in, drop my bag and then go through security.  Gosh that is so stressful.  They expect you to be an octopus holding liquids in one hand, coats in another, laptop in another, kindle etc etc.  Bless them they were very helpful: I must have looked like a rabbit in the headlights.

So Here I am now…. sat in departures.  Realising that my husband was right saying I would be here stupidly early and the shops and restaurants are really more expensive than normal.  I have tried most of the free chargers to charge my laptop and have finally found one that works.  Good job too as I was starting to think there was a problem with my lead.  

Now I wait to board…….  Aaaggggrrrrhhhh!  But at least I have a ticket PRAISE GOD! 

Just heard that my traveling companion Anne is still stuck in Scotland and doesn’t think she will make the connection to my flight L 

An sacrifice of praise

So today I led worship.  But just before I started to lead I found out that my good friend Elizabeth had died in the night.  She was a wonderful member of our church: an older lady who love love loved Jesus.  She has been such an encouragement to me on my worship journey and also encouraging me in all the other things God has for me.  She had been diagnosed with caner at Christmas and has been getting gradually weaker since then.  The cancer had spread to many organs and she had made the decision to not have chemo, but to prepare for her passing from this life to heaven. 

I had been going to see her once or twice a week since she was diagnosed to pray with her.  At the beginning I thought I would go to bless her, but in fact it was always me that was blessed.  She would always pray for me and had been such an encouragement for going the worship school at Bethel.  In fact when I visited her in the hospice on Wednesday she was so thin and frail, but as I left her room she shouted after me "I will continue to pray for you for your trip".  When I left her room I doubted that she would still be alive when I left...  And so I suppose she will just be rooting for me on the other side :)

My grandad died of cancer and I remember seeing him just before he died,  He was angry and aggressive.  Thin, like my friend, but not at peace in any way.  He did not know the Lord. It was awful to see him suffer...  But with Elizabeth it was different:  She knew where she was going and the presence of God was tangible in her room.  It was as if Jesus was sitting next to her, holding her hand to lead her to the next  -  heaven.

I struggled to lead worship this morning: I suppose I had to give what must be called an sacrifice of praise.  God is good though:  I had planned my set as usual during the week by praying and asking God were he wanted the worship to go.  When I heard the news I thought oh no, my set is not a lament:  but God was amazing because although I had not realised it, loads of the songs mentioned how we have a hope in Jesus and he turns our mourning into songs of praise.

On a sad note it looks like I will now be away for her funeral and celebration service: she had asked me to do the worship.  But I know Elizabeth, she would much rather I went on this trip.  She was desperate for me to go and so in 5 days I will begin my journey to the Bethel School of Worship.

6 days to go

Yes it is 6 days until I fly out to Bethel.   Yes I have a flight... but it has not been an easy few days. 

I finally heard from the Airline that my ticket had been reinstated and as a nice gesture they had bumped me to economy plus which meant I had a nice window seat with more leg room.  Nice.  But when I checked my e ticket there was still no flight and the travel agent's page still said I had no flight.  Aggrrh.  My darling husband rang them while I was teaching in school and they said they have it all sorted now.  I went online to check and whilst it looks sorted I now no longer have the upgrade.  Ho Hum.  At least I should be on the flight. 

I had to choose from the remaining seats in economy and all that was left were middle row seats at the very back of the areoplane.  Funny how I spent ages choosing my seat the 1st time round and now I have the very seat I tried to avoid (middle of the very back row).  I actually don't care anymore.  In fact I am not even that nervous about flying: I just want to get there and am grateful to have any seat. 

My fear though is that when I get to the airport, there will be another issue with my ticket.  My eticket now has a list of at least 20 flights because they have changed my literary so many times.  I am am just going to go to Heathrow with faith that I will get on the flight.

But.... the good news is I have discovered another Bethel student Anna is also going to be on my 2 flights.  How cool is that.  At least I will not be on my own in the airport and making connections.

By the way, today is the day where I start to wear all my manky clothes...  so I can get through the washing to pack my nicer ones.  So if you see me and I look like I have not made an effort: you'll know why!

AAAAGGGGRRRHHH

Ok, so 8 days until I leave to fly to Bethel. But, I just went online to check which seats I have chosen for my flights to discover that one of my flights had completely disappeared from my schedule...  I phoned United Airlines and they told me my travel agent had cancelled that flight.  ????????  I have now spent over an hour and a half on the phone trying to sort it.  They assure me it will now be fixed in the next hour or so.  I feel like I have had enough now.  Enough.

I got no sleep last night because I was still stressing about when registration would open.  It opened at 1am our time (yes we have an 8 hour time disadvantage).  I had to try and fill in all the registers whilst the children were all eating breakfast... you only get 30mins so the pressure was on.  I did manage to select all my classes so that was a relief...  but now I am at the other end of a long day trying to sort out my flights again.  This is the 6th change united have made to my flights. 

I had the most clear prophetic words I have ever had to go to Bethel this year.  I am being sent.  Now I think it is a good job it was so clear as I have felt such a spiritual battle over this whole process.  I think I may have given up by now if God was not so clear.  I am reading about Joshua at the moment and teaching on it in assembly tomorrow....  again no coincidence I think:  The song "Be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you" is rattling around my head.  I know God has given a promise and I know he will follow it through... I just like having my life in neat little boxes and really am finding this living by faith, every moment, unsettling.  Lord please make a way through :)

9 days to go....

It's 9 days to go.  Gosh, it is really coming up fast now.  My lovely mother-in-law helped me write a list today of all the things I need to do before I leave.  Some tasks vital (they have been starred), other tasks not so vital (mostly cleaning jobs.. might leave those).

Just settled down for a pleasant evening to find that I had completely missed the colour coding element to the class selection list I spent hours trying to sort yesterday.  Yes it indeed transpired that some of the classes I had chosen were 2 hours long instead of 1 hour, which meant I then could not choose another class in that time slot.  Confused?  I certainly was.  So I was back to the drawing board again.

So a few hours later and I am all sorted again.  In fact I am much happier as I have dropped a series class which meant I could have some fun and do other classes I wanted to do but couldn't before.  This, of course, is still dependent on me actually getting my choices...  Hmm.  Nothing like a bit of anxiety to keep you busy in an already hectic time.

No thoughts today about plummeting to my death in a plane though so that is a result.  Bit wobbly about leaving my children though.  Also very excited to find out today that there are others going from the UK.  I wonder if any will be on my planes... will have to check it out.

An overwhelming day

Today I have been through a huge range of emotions, from feeling so anxious I felt sick to elated and excited.  I woke this morning to find an email sending out all the course choices for Bethel School Of Supernatural Worship.   I am dyslexic and I was completely overwhelmed:  you have to choose 4 elected classes a day form a possible of 12 per session.  Some classes are repeated, some are a series and most are not repeated at all.  So you have to first decide what you want to do, then try and work it so you can attend all the classes you are desperate to attend.  It was a huge mammoth task to choose my options and fit them into the grid.  My wonderful friend Jamie who adores to administrate found the activity fun but it was my worst nightmare.  Hours later, lots of paper drawn all over, and a plan was assembled.  Now I have to wait for the grid to go online so I can choose my selection (1st come 1st served).  So after all that... I may not even get my choices.  A frantic day and I feel totally exhausted.

Ok so after cleaning my house and sorting out the dinner for the family I now taken a look at the choices I have made.  Awesome.  I was so consumed earlier to even think for a second how awesome this is going to be.  Over 400 course choices.... all on the topic of Worship.  I will be in heaven in more ways than one. 

10 days to go now.......... 

I feel like I am on an emotional roller coaster.  But although I am scared and anxious, I do not want to get off.

Pre-Flight Jitters

So I have only have 13 days to go until I jet off the the USA to be in the Bethel School of Supernatural Worship in California.  I am soooo excited now and a lot nervous.  I do have a fear of small spaces and heights.  I also have a fear of plummeting from a great height to my death.  All these things are not conducive to the love of airplanes. 


So in order to get to Bethel and seeing God's glory I must first get myself to the airport on a bus and then fly on 2 airplanes. 
 
One huge beast of a thing....

....... and one so small I certainly would not be able to swing a cat. 

  
In fact I do not know which one scares me the most: huge or stupidly tiny. 

 I have spent many hours looking at seating options....

• I could sit by an exit and thus be 1st out in the unlikely event of sheer panic.  But I could then be sucked out 1st if the door unexpectedly swung open.
• I could sit by a window thus giving myself a nice quiet spot to stew and sleep???  But, what if the person in the aisle falls asleep I will be trapped forever.
• I could sit near the loo as I am sure I will be spending most of my time in there due to panic in the bowels.  But the toilets for the cheap seats are at the back of the plane and I have seen the series "Lost" so I know sitting in the tail is definitely not a good option.

• I even put my seat on the end of a row of 5 middle seats thinking this would be a safe option.  Nearer the front, nearish to an exit (but not too close) and fully available to shoot to the loo at a moments notice.  But as my lovely friend pointed out I would most probably end up sitting next to a family of 4 and spend the 11 hour flight entertaiing small children.  (I love my kids but I would not like to entertain even them on a 11 hour flight).

So where does that leave me?  I have chosen and then reselected seats 3 times now.  So I am leaving it well alone now.  Ailse seat for the long haul, window seat for the 1 hour tiny plane.  In actual fact I have booked a window seat on the tiny plane but as it is so small it is also an aisle seat :)

 I just have to keep praying about this flying thing.  When I did an assembly for the kids at school a few weeks ago we all talked about our fears and how we can overcome them because God is with us.  We also prayed for our fears and I did ask God to rid that one for me.  I do feel slightly calmer about it.  You will all know in 13 days how it goes.

So  am now in "oh goodness it is actually happening quite soon" mode.  I have been throwing things into a suitcase whenever I think I might need it.  So my hope is that the suitcase will almost have packed itself by next week.

Now before going away there is a certain point in the week when you realise that you must start wearing your manky clothes now to make sure all the nice ones are clean.  Doesn't really apply here though as the clothes I will pack for my trip are my lovely summer clothes and I am certainly now wearing all my winter stuff again because it is so cold here.

I am sure I will be posting again about my preparations.  13 Days to go aaaggrrhh.

Bethel UK Tour

I had the most amazing time last night at the Bethel UK Tour in Bath City Church.  We arrived to find the queue wrapping around the building.  It was a beautiful art deco theater and we ended up right at the very top of the building.  I am very wobbly with heights and this was very very high.  I didn't have much leg room and it was extremely hot.  I could not see the stage very clearly and I was grumpy to say the least.  Then the band came on and Just prayed for the Holy spirit to come.  We waited and it came... like a fire.  We were all connected, we were ready and then we were off.

I forgot about the height, I didn't care that I couldn't see the band clearly (I could see God) and I made a break from my row and danced my socks off in the fire exit gangway.  I have never known worship like it:  I felt the presence of God so tangibly.  The worship team pointed to heaven and we all went there.  As the evening progressed I saw an empty seat further down the balcony nearer the front and I seized it as my own.  Then by the very end I turned to look for my friend and noticed she was not there... then I saw her head bobbing up and own at the very front next to the stage.  I ran down the stairs, pushed my way to the front and jumped like I have never jumped before.  If the roof had not been so secure I am sure it would have blown right off.

Not great qualilty but here is a clip of the evening posted on Youtube:

After the meeting the band were in the foyer chatting to people.  Praying for people.  No star status, just wanting to pass on their passion.  I talked to several of the people including Will Matthews and Jeremy Riddle:

Ok so it is a terrible picture of me... but you can see from the picture how happy I was and how friendly he was.  In fact I think my face stayed that colour for some time after the jumping ended.  Jeremy prayed that I would have the grace to leave my kids next month to attend the Bethel School of Supernatural Worship in California.  He said that he had 5 kids and found it hard leaving them too.  Will Matthews was telling me about the classes he is teaching and thought I should definitely come to those.  They did sound up my street so I will look forward to choosing my classes in the next few weeks. 

4 Weeks to go until I am at Bethel worshiping like that every day for 2 whole weeks.  I am going to LOVE it.

New beginnings

So I wanted to start a blog about Worship. Here it is.  I know that I am going to have so much to say on the subject.  But First let me tell you about my trip to Bethel:

I can’t quite believe that I am going to America, let alone going to be submerged in worship for 2 weeks.  John 1st came up with the idea after being told by God to encourage me in my worship leading and song writing.  I said no on all counts.  The thought of leaving my children for that long and flying alone (which is one of my worse fears) filled me with dread.  I did pray about it and although God said I should go….. I still decided not to.  Then John was on my case and I decided to apply as I thought I would definitely not get in.  I was accepted.  :o  I then decided I still couldn’t go.  I was torn between knowing it would be an amazing experience and feeling guilty for taking some time away from my family.  Then only 2 days later a new mum at school came up to me (I did not know her) and told me she had a word for me.  It was a long word and was full of promises but the beginning of it made me physically shake.  She said that God is telling me to go…… on a long journey, much further than I wanted to go.  It was on an aeroplane to a place very far away to spend time submerged in worship.  She said that God was clear that I had to go. God was going to anoint me there for the things he has for me to do in worship when I get back. I was utterly gobsmacked.  God spoke to me.  To me.  Directly.  So here I am getting ready for a journey of a lifetime, excited and nervous, but I feel I am doing Gods will so he will look after me.