Chipmunk reveals changed mindset

Over the Christmas break I've been reading through my journal and taking note of areas in my thought life that have changed. It is often an event that reveals the truth of ones heart and mind, and in a recent opportunity that 'came across my path' I was encouraged to find a change in my thinking.

I had decided to take a bike ride along the Sacramento River Trail, about a 5 mile round trip which goes through beautiful countryside with a backdrop of snow covered mountains.  As I got further along the trail I passed less people and soon was by myself enjoying the sunshine and watching the fast moving Sacramento River.  As happens on such occasions my mind wandered and I imagined myself surprising an unsuspecting bear who was happily munching on a sapling.....instead, as I turned a corner, I saw a chipmunk sat right in the middle of the track. 

Normally they shoot off at the first site of anything, so it was odd that it didn't move. I stopped right beside it and could see it was still breathing, although there was a patch of red underneath it and I assumed it had been injured - HERE IS THE CHANGE OF THINKING - my first thought was....TO PRAY FOR HEALING!  As I got off my bike it suddenly skittered off, clearly not injured at all, and I realised that what I thought was blood, was in fact a red leaf it had been happily sat on! Although feeling slightly foolish at being mislead by a Chipmunk and my usually keen observational skills, I was so encouraged that my thinking had changed to - it being normal for me to pray and expect healing in any situation!

Abundant provision

My Grandmother - Eunice Hazlewood - recently died.  She was 94, a christian and died peacefully in her sleep.  I have many fond memories of my Grandparents, visiting them at their beautiful home in Donhead St Andrews, Shaftesbury. They were both wonderful Grandparents who have left an amazing legacy with God as their foundation and plenty of exciting stories and adventures together.

I had known there was a possibility that Grandma may die while I was at Bethel and had agreed with mum and dad that I probably wouldn't be able to come back for the funeral.  However when mum called and told me the news, my first thought was that I really wanted to be there. My main reason for not going would be financial, and that just doesn't compute in a supernatural environment where you regularly hear of Gods awesome provision.  So I mentioned to Father God that I would like to be with my family and that if I was to go He would need to provide for every area of my journey.

Within a few days of acknowledging my hearts desire:-

1. A friend had offered to pay for the entire flight home, over $800's

2. My Revival Group gave me a handful of cash, which when taking into consideration the exchange rate - was the exact amount needed for the train home from Heathrow

3. Another friend gave me an ipod Touch filled with music and teaching for the journey and for keeps.

I had 5 wonderfully precious days at home loving my family and celebrating my Grandparents lives due to Gods miraculous provision and peoples generosity.

When I was preparing to come to Bethel, I had more than one melt down over finances.  At one point Father God asked me if I would rather have the security of all my finances up front or joining Him in the adventure of His provision - what a choice...I realised that fear would choose 'security' where as faith chooses adventure. Sometimes it feels easier to cling to a familiar fear than launch into a fairly unknown ocean, but the reality is that God is good all the time. With Him a financial need and potential place for fear changes into an opportunity to see His manifest and glorious provision, which is always totally worth waiting for.  Which would I prefer?...hands down, last word said...I want His adventure every time!

Treasure Hunted at Winco

I have a black eye! Long story short, I jumped onto a 10ft, toppled, snow man, everyone jumped on top of me and in the process I either got compacted snow or a foot in the eye.  At the time I wasn't really aware what had happened - I'm like a 'cat in the wind' when there is snow and fun to be had - so adrenaline played a huge part. Within a few minutes it had swollen up and was turning blue, over the next few days blue changed to purple and I was colour co-ordinating my wardrobe and makeup to match. A week on the swelling has gone and the purple is slowly changing to lovely autumnal yellows and greens. Needless to say I'd kind of like it to go now, loads of people have prayed for healing and I have noticed some change, I'm a HIP - Healing In Progress.

So last night I popped into Winco (supermarket) with my friend and in the queue got chatting to 1 of 3 Bethel students, as we were leaving they approached us saying they were on a Treasure Hunt and that 2 of them had felt a sensation under their eyes, they said that I was their treasure!!! and prayed for me, I felt warmth in the brusing but there was no obvious change.  They then preceded to give me a few words of knowledge and thoroughly blessed my socks off. Adding to the coolness (if that's a word) was that in the morning I had been sat in He Brews (Bethel's coffee shop) watching a Treasure Hunt team getting ready to go out and I said to God "Someday I'd like to be the Treasure".

Now it was my friends turn, straight away they asked how her finances were, she explained how she had recently had a large unplanned expense and they all preceded to give her money saying that God had told them to get money out ready to give away, both of us left feeling totally blessed, humbled and loved by God.

So this morning I checked my eye and where the warmth had been the night before, a large chunk of bruising has dissipated!!!!

For all of you who are chanting "SHOW US THE EYE, SHOW US THE EYE" here is a 2nd day photo and a Today photo.  The bruising that has gone was actually on and to the right of the tear duct but without - real time - photography its hard to show...

Glory Glitter....

On the 2nd or 3rd day at school I remember having a conversation with a couple of girls (who are now good friends) about glitter.  They showed me their hands and there was this incredibly fine glitter on their palms, backs of the hands and some on their arms.  I checked my hands and sure enough I had some too.  At this point I wasn't convinced that it wasn't make-up so I decided to do a little experiment....

Over the next few days I was careful to wear only black mascara, therefore limiting the possibility of glitter from eye shadow or blusher (sorry chaps this is a bit girlie - stick with it) I also made sure that I thoroughly washed my hands before worship, didn't hug or touch anybody that remotely sparkled and check my hands pre and post worship.  I would wave my hands around in the air, swishing them about, trying to sort of collect it I guess- sure enough when I checked them, there it was...glory glitter!  I decided on the name because it isn't Gold Dust I've heard it called Heaven Dust, but Glory Glitter sort of has a ring to it. Sometimes it is really clear and you can easily see it, other times you have to move your hand around to let the light catch it, sometimes there isn't any. It doesn't seem to be measured (unsurprisingly) by how amazing the worship time is or if I've powerfully met with God. The coolest time it happened was when I was sat at home by myself doing my homework reading about the attributes of God and I was suddenly aware that the back of my hands and palms were slightly sparkling.  I'd just had a shower and nothing glittery had come remotely near me.

Why? I have no idea! I don't even want to try and work it out.  For me it is something about me turning my affections to Jesus only to find that His gaze has never left me, its like a visible reminder that He is here, omnipresent, and loving me.

Ask for it, I dare you

My 1st 'Leg growing....'

On Tuesdays I have Advanced Ministry Training, you get to choose 4 different ones throughout the year and my 1st one is Kingdom Healing.  So this week at the beginning of class they gave 3 words of knowledge and prayed for healing, showing us how it was done.  I was right at the front and watched as this ladies leg grew - I'd sort of seen it before but kind of doubted it - but with this there was no space for doubt, her leg was a good half inch shorter, it blew my mind, I knew I was standing there gawping at her foot.

At the end of the class the team said that if you needed healing to hang around and if you wanted to pray for healing to join in, so I joined in.  The leader chap got everyone with bad backs to sit on a chair with their hips and bum pushed right back.  We then held their feet up (with shoes on) and looked to see the difference in length. He helped me the first time and the guys leg slowly grew about a half inch until it was even WOW.  Now it was my solo turn (it gets interesting, as if it wasn't already).  I checked that my 'patient' was sat correctly, held his feet up and there was a centimeter difference.  I said 'I command you, leg grow!' it did - but it was the wrong one!!! the one that was longer grew out another few millimeters - I kid you not!!! I quickly told the leader chap and he said 'Be specific' (why didn't I think of that) so I said ' Right leg grow' and it did leveling up to the left leg. Phew.

Next the leader asked if anybody wanted to be taller (I totally didn't know we could ask for things like that) and 2 of my friends sat down. I prayed for one of them, first of all the legs leveled out (sounds so normal) and then she said she wanted to be about an inch taller, so I commanded her level legs to grow, first her left and then her right (being specific).  It was completely crazy, I was holding her feet tight pushing against her heals and I could feel her legs pushing out towards me, they would sort of shift and wiggle. By the end of our time of gawping, laughing and shouting NO WAY, she went from sitting on a chair with her feet only slightly touching the floor, to sitting on a chair with her feet flush to the floor!!!! AMAZING!!!     I LOVE JESUS

Day trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park

I had the privalege of joining a happy party to Lassen, this weekend.  It truly is a beautiful place, after entering the National Park we drove for a good 30 minutes along a twisting road that journeyed through conifers with quick glimpses of Lassen peak, lakes and massive vistas over looking the surrounding area.  On arriving at Bumpass Pass we walked for about 1.5 miles to the 'rotten egg smelling' fumaroles and boiling mud pots. Well worth a return visit.

Mr Squirrel

As promised I can now bring you an update of my fircone saga. For those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about, check out my post on the 29 September.

Picking up the story where I left off will most definitely drag out the affair.  Needless to say in a fit of compassion I agreed with Grey Squirrel that he could indeed have the fircone, I mean come on, he uses his teeth and entire body weight to pull his dinner into the bushes before he starts gnawring at it - I've never had to work that hard for a meal! And he has given me the perfect conversation starter as I heard my neighbours (who I haven't met yet) commenting on how the fircone was slowly being annihilated

Here is the culprit (partner in neighbourhood evangelism)