I'll just share through the pictures...
Me and Akiane
If you haven't heard of her, you have to check her out. We were privileged to have her here at Bethel for our most recent conference, and I was personally privileged to get to look after her (and her father Mark) while they were in town. This picture was taken in the Redding airport right before they left. I figured I'd make it a little artsy in Akiane's honor. She's the sweetest girl. Someone asked me if I had a crush on her. If I was 15 years younger, I bet I would.Here's some samples of her art. Here's one fact about her: "An internationally recognized 13-year-old prodigy, considered the only known child binary genius, in both realist painting and poetry." Check out her website: http://www.artakiane.com
This is one of her latest paintings, and one of my favorites. It's called "Inspiration" (followed by a poem by Akiane).
Reflections for “Inspiration”
The views expect my walking.
The perspective expects my effort.
There is no communion,
no joy
and no happiness
without true effort.
Mature thought
crosses all dimensions
and efforts.
The purpose of a vow
is quitting on impatience.
When both of your palms are in chalk –
you are a dreamer!
Inspiration is faith:
when unreachable is already reached
and inconceivable
is already conceived.
It is an effort
to make everything simple
for others.
Imagination
cannot be stopped
even with a bullet-proof mind vest.
Empress of all passions is love.
Whatever you create exists.
But without your possession.
Those that hunt migrational imagination
and wish what never could come true,
change impossibility to possibility
and become complete.
And become enough.
Imagination is a pathway for each broken art
and for each broken heart.
For a dreamboat,
even the waves show charts of direction.
Hope is a knot in a rope
that keeps us from falling down.
Everyone starts believing light
only at work.
Effort always crosses
the finish line.
"Tree of Life"
"The tree of life for me is a symbol of abundance and eternal life. For some the story is a fairy-tale. But for me it was a personal encounter experienced at the age of four that I completely forgot, yet oddly enough was able to depict on linen. I have no idea if this image is from the past or future, from my own experience, revelation or just my imagination. All I know is that somehow my hands have touched its branches, its fruit and the soil around." "Mother's Love" (Akiane's favorite)
"Supreme Sanctuary"
"In the new earth I believe there will be a place where each of us will be able to choose and create a sanctuary for worship. I believe that certain things will be somewhat similar to the earth and many things completely different. This is the garden and a mansion I would like to plant and build. In fact, the colors in the original painting are so unique and mysterious that it was almost impossible to reproduce them for the print reproduction."
When she was 4, Akiane started having heavenly experiences. One time, a few years later, she actually disappeared for like 8 hours. She said she could see the police and FBI and everyone looking for her from above. Then later on she finally just appeared out of thin air, right in front of everyone! She said that sometimes she would be in heaven for hundreds or thousands of years, but it might only be minutes or hours of earth time. She talks about seeing worlds and galaxies and dimensions. I remember her mentioning a crystal world she's been to. She also said that in heaven, whole worlds were in a flower, and gems and diamonds.
The more time goes by, and the more I listen, the more I find myself believing all of this. She's just so simple, innocent, pure, guileless. She's a sign and a wonder. She says she has a mission from God, and that's what she's set out to accomplish.
Between the ages of 4 and 9, visions and dreams and heavenly experiences were like common, daily events for her. Then when she was 9, God told her she had to go through a "faith stage." So the mystical experiences she was having have toned down significantly, and she's learning other lessons.
We interviewed her for Kris' website. At one point he asked her, "Have you had any demonic experiences?" She said something like, "No, my body just doesn't allow that." We thought that was such a profound and fascinating answer.
"Prince of Peace"
When Kris asked her if she'd seen God, she said yes, but it was hard for her to describe him. I kept having this sense that many of the things she's experienced are either beyond words, or are too sacred to casually open up and share about. Describing God, she said something like how he was a very shiny bright light. I don't think she could share much beyond that, except about his eyes. She said that the whole universe, everything he created, is in his eyes.Her painting, poetry, and life have stirred, provoked, and inspired me.
In connection with all of this, I heard that Kris recently declared that this is the year of the mystics!
Hilltop View #1 (Just down the street from where I live, I walk or ride by here often, usually in the early morning)
Hilltop View #2 (The trail leads down to the Sundial Bridge, which you can see the dial of over to the right. It's the long white needle looking thing.)
One of the best pranks I've ever seen. This took place up by where I work at Bethel. Somebody tin-foiled a whole cuby! And I mean the whole thing. Very well done. Somewhat inspiring.
Praying for Eric
This is our second year class praying for Eric Johnson's hearing. Eric is Bill's son, and he's been mostly deaf his whole life, but believing for breakthrough. A couple guys thought it was Eric's day for breakthrough, and so the whole class prayed for him. We didn't see his healing manifest, but something amazing happened right before my eyes. Shortly after we started praying, people started making some commotion. As I turned to see what it was about, I saw a good-sized feather falling. If you haven't heard about the feathers, they've been falling at Bethel for years. It's a sign and a wonder. I've seen many of them in my years here. When I first noticed this feather, it was floating towards Eric, maybe about 3 feet away. One thing we feel about feathers is that they speak of healing ("Healing in His wings"). Now even for those who might struggle with the feathers thing , or think it's in the air conditioning or whatever (I've been there), what happened next could not have been faked. It seemed like everyone realized what was about to happen in unison, and everyone kind of made a collective gasp. The feather floated down, down, down and finally rested right on the back of Eric's head! Right in front of me, right before my very eyes! I think that happened soon after I took this picture. God is up to something. It's the year of the mystics! Have you ever noticed how the words "mystic" and "mystery" seem very related? It's like, "Why these feathers God? What does it mean? Why would you make a feather land right on Eric's head when we're praying for his healing, but not heal Him?" I don't know, but there's a journey in the mystery.I took these on a walk recently, at a local spot called "Lema Ranch." I get to live here!
That's Mount Lassen in the background of this first picture.
That's Mount Shasta in the background of this one.
Quote(s) of the day:
- "The normal Christian life is perfectly poised between what we presently understand and the unfolding revelation that comes to us from the realm of mystery." (Bill Johnson)
- "Having a renewed mind is often not an issue of whether or not someone is going to heaven, but of how much of heaven he or she wants in his or her life right now." (Bill Johnson)
