Lily

Wow, God is amazing.  He has been giving us visions and confirmation of what we are doing out here over and over.  We’ve been having awesome prayer and worship times in the morning, then spending time looking for scholarships for William’s schooling.  Sunday was incredible.  We went to St. James church first at 9 am.  Ted Haggard actually remembered William from his early days in Colorado Springs in the early 80’s.    It was a great connection and encouragement to us as was meeting some of the other people there and hearing a good sermon.  We then went to The Springs Church at 11 am and it was totally awesome.  First off, God confirmed to us that we ARE to go to both churches, because at worship time, a little sung old sermon was done at both places:  Nothing But the Blood of Jesus.  The next sermon we heard was so much a blessing, based on Habukkuk  and Gal. 3:11 – The Just Shall Live By Faith.  A most encouraging sermon.  Awesome parts:  Hab. 2:1-4 and 3:17-19 – all about living by Faith -  Ch. 1 is about what the prophet SAID about faith (some complaining involved), Ch. 2 is what he SAW and Ch. 3 is about how he sang about the faith.  Hab. 3:1-2 is about revival.  What a parallel to today.  After the service was over, newcomers were encouraged to meet with the leadership of the church.  I was encouraged by the fact that Gary Wilkerson himself came out to meet with the people – that shows a true servant that’s not above anyone else.  We also met with another leader, an associate pastor: Neil Rhodes, who is also an artist.  He comes from the Times Square church and has been painting for 10 years.  He runs a ministry on Monday where he gathers artists together at his house, he supplies the supplies and he uses this time for ministry.  He was talking with me and he wanted me to come – he said that I would be an ‘asset to him and the ministry.’  I don’t know about that, but I want to go.  We also told him about what God has been telling us about Fountain and the art gallery – he thinks that is awesome.  I asked him if he wanted to hang his artwork in our gallery and he said yes.  We talked with another lady who is a leader in the homeless ministry.  She was soooo excited about meeting us and knowing about what we do.  

The third guy we met was an awesome third confirmation from God about what we are doing and that we are on the right track.  His name is Jim? Lily and he also works with the homeless and poor in the city of Colorado Springs.  What is interesting about this is the name Lily:  first off, this is what I wrote in my journal in 2005: 

I read this book the end of March 2005, and it affected me a great deal.  Not just because of the name of the child (who in this story suffered greatly at the time of Jesus in Israel with leprosy), but that God himself formed her, sent her to live, suffer, then help others because of and in spite of her suffering.  I believe that I have been given a mission to help the hurting and that God knew from the time I was being formed that I would suffer greatly.  AD Chronicles: Second Touch by Bodie and Brock Thoene

Prologue

Adonai spoke to her softly as He formed her.

I AM sending you.

Adonai loved her, created her as a reflection of His great love.  He swam beside her as she emerged from the warmth of the womb into the cold, far country called Life.

She hesitated.  Tried to turn back.

He compelled her to go on.  Breathe!  Don’t be afraid!  You are sent by Me beyond what you imagine are the boundaries of your world.

At His urging she gasped, taking in her first breath of this new and foreign place.  She wailed and longed for the steady beat of her mother’s heart against her back.

But He stood by her cradle and touched her face in the night and comforted her.  Don’t be afraid of anything!  You are a tree.  Let beauty and light and terror rage around you like a storm!  It will not harm you!

She longed for the safety of His presence.  Her spirit begged to return back.

He commanded her to go forward on the journey.  I AM your ship, your sail, your captain.  I AM the wind, the water, the lighthouse guiding you to your destination!

Together we will sail a great distance, face many sorrows, overcome great trials.  Do not fear the journey.   Trust ME!  We travel together, you and I.  Together!  Together we carry priceless treasure to those who wait on the desolate shore.

Go on then!  Live!  Fearless!

Yes!  That’s my girl!

You will find the lost ones, like driftwood twisted and forsaken, strewn along the path of your own suffering.  Find them.  Embrace them.  Feed them.  Carry them.  I AM at your side every step of the journey!  And when we return home again together?  Together those who were lost before you came will travel back with us!

And so her father named her Shoshana, which means “Lily.”  She was a beautiful child, almost perfect.

This so spoke to me at that time in a major way, because I identified with this character throughout the book – a journey of suffering.  Last week, God led me to book 10 of this same series.  I’ve not had the time over the years to read like I used to, and have thought about reading the rest of this series (I had read up to book 7).  I saw the first 7 books in the library and then book 10 … I stood there for a minute and debated getting it, passed it up thinking I should read the other 2 first.  A few minutes later, I came back to the book and grabbed it, disregarding the idea of reading them in order.  This book has the same character in it and this time she is a minister to the hurting – laying hands on the sick and living the Kingdom of God!  As it says: “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you.  Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you.’” Lk 10:8-9 …  In this story, Lily and her husband are sent by Jesus Himself to go and minister to the people, laying hands on them … as he says: “Go and do likewise.”   Because my name is Lillie – all of these so ministered to me, confirming what we are to do. The timing on all of this is amazing.