Revival in Fountain

Wow!  I had new kids come in to paint today – they had heard about us from the newspaper article.  That was awesome.  I even got $7 in donations today!!  After they left, I went out and finished the mural.  One of the girls from this morning, a 9^th grader, came back late afternoon to continue her painting she was working and Kayla was there.  Those two got to talking and hit it off – that’s awesome – they both need friends.  Kayla had also made dinner and brought it over – her very first attempt at making dinner from scratch and she was quite proud of it.  I guess Tiffany was sick today and so by Skype, she walked Kayla step-by-step how to make this chicken dish – and it was excellent!  Since the girls were there and I had dinner, I called William and told him that I was staying on there and I would see him at 7 for prayer meeting.  I realized I had been so busy this week I haven’t even touched my aspen painting!  I want to get back to that, but I realized, God has me here to be a counselor, a mentor, a minister galore!  Wow, who’d of thunk …

Yeah!  The mural is done!

November 18 – Wow, what a week!  I’m always so amazed at what God is doing!  This life is for sure the biggest adventure and so much fun – I never know what is around the bend, but I know it’s going to be cool!  We both finally have a day off so we can unwind and relax and so I can get caught up on my writing.

Yesterday was amazing.  First off, it’s been gorgeous weather all week – sunny, in the 60s.  We went to 2 church services yesterday – first, we checked out the Resurrection church in Fountain at the 9 am service.   I was to meet my new friend, Tiffany there, as well as Brett (who would do the video), but neither showed up.  When I finally did turn on my phone after the service, I found a text from Tiffany saying she had a sick kid and a phone message from Brett saying he was lost (I’ll get to the rest of that story later). 

Very nice, good music, great preaching – based on Exodus 20, the last 3 commandments (I guess they have been going through the book of Exodus lately).  The pastor did an excellent job putting those commandments into today’s culture, but not only that, pointed out something very important:  God spent 19 chapters showing the Israelites (and correlates to our lives today) how He provided for and looked out for them – everything they needed -  then only spent 1 chapter telling them (us) what He wanted back!  Quail by night, manna by day, water from rocks, clothes and shoes that didn’t wear out for 40 years!  It may have not been what they wanted, but what they needed – no different for us today.  Very good put and well said – God does EVERYTHING for us and we, for the most part, spend our time grumbling about what we DON’T have, not seeing what God has done for us!   

But the coolest thing was that during the week, I had called and introduced myself to the pastor and told him how  Tiffany told me about Resurrection Church’s  vision for Fountain and the church’s role there – that they are into the arts, want to do art therapy-type stuff , and show God’s glory in art, etc. (they have awesome artwork on their walls – I guess one of the pastor’s wives does it) just like we are – so I wanted to introduce myself and what we do at our ministry house.  I also wanted to set up the opening for Brett to do his video Sunday morning. 

our store front in 1919 - same building that was built from 1871-74 and was the Quaker Meeting House

So anyway, Sunday morning after the service, William and I went up to the pastor to introduce ourselves and he got all excited.  He told us he saw our newspaper article and was greatly pleased to hear what we do and that he could “see our hearts through that article” … awesome.   But the coolest thing was that he told us a story – in 1850 (we looked it up online today, it was in 1863 and 1871 – the Terrells), a Quaker family came to settle in Fountain, one of the first settlers, and they put a Quaker Meeting house right on the VERY SPOT our ministry house is on!   In fact, mostly Quakers were the original founders of this town!  WOW, that so confirmed what God had told us when we first put our ministry house there – that He was taking back that territory AND taking back the town for His Glory!!   He even said that he would find and send us a picture he has of that very meeting house!  What’s cool is that I think this church body and we will be working together a lot in the future!

After that service, we went back to the apartment to pick up Justin.  We then went back into town and went to The Springs South church.  It was great seeing everyone (we hadn’t been to Wed. night prayer meeting for awhile) and getting caught up.  We went into the service and were glad to see that we were going to have communion – we hadn’t had that for awhile.  Mike actually preached today (usually, the Springs South church pipes in Gary Wilkerson’s sermon from the North church, which is great, but I’m glad I got to hear Mike) and it was awesome.  He was right on what he said – Acts 27 Paul’s shipwreck – Paul knew that God was with him and had promised him a chance to preach to Ceasar; however, he didn’t realize what a trial this travel would entail.    Just like us today, we are in a world where we will have trials, hardship, difficult things to endure; but like Paul, we must remain joyful in ALL circumstances, life up those around us and be a support and a minister to those who don’t get it or understand what is happening.  What was so cool is that by v 36, they were ALL (all 275 of them) encouraged and took food (Mike correlated that with taking communion – awesome tie in) and drink and were refreshed.  Sure, their trial was not yet over; however, they were encouraged enough to go on, to endure.

Revival downtown near where we are in 1920-21

Just like today, if we allow God to use us completely (die to self so completely, that we center on what others need) to encourage others, to be allowed to tell what God has (or is doing), an opportunity to share the gospel, they WILL be saved because of our obedience!  Sure, we may not enjoy the circumstance, but we can and must find JOY in all circumstances, to be content no matter what!  One really cool thing that God pointed out to us was that in chapter 28 v1 – it was Malta that they landed on – now the history of Malta is fascinating and that throughout history the enemy has tried to take that island, but God always kept it safe.  Now what God pointed out to us is that throughout history, the enemy always tries to steal from God’s people, but eventually God, through His people, steal it BACK!!  Just like we took back the territory in Ashland (the park/plaza) for God’s glory (history shows that that the original revivals took place there in those spots in Ashland), AND now here in Fountain, God put us in the very spot that He claimed 150 years ago.  And even a step further, when we got to spend that month at the Battery Point lighthouse as lighthouse keepers – that was purely God there too – 150 years ago, the enemy did terrible things to the people, but God reclaimed that territory for HIS GLORY and in 2 ½ years, we are going back (as lighthouse keepers) to finish what God started through us there last March!   WOW, God is amazing.

Anyway, about half-way through the service, Brett came in with his camera equipment and started filming – got a lot of great shots of Mike getting wound up in the Spirit!  Awesome, and he got the communion service – awesome!  After the service, we found out what happened to Brett this morning – he had forgotten his notes on what church he was to go to first and how to get there.  He couldn’t get a hold of me, so he ended up in the local park taking pictures of horses and people riding them (which he loved).  He also found the Baptist church we had been going to lately, and got shots of their Sunday school service.  When I finally talked to him between services, I gave him the info on the Resurrection church and he went there for the 11 am service, which was perfect since he got shots of a baptism there.  So overall, God orchestrated that whole thing for Brett this morning, getting the coolest shots all in one morning. 

What blows me away, and what William has been saying for years, is that we don’t plan these things – God orchestrates the most amazing things that we cannot even fathom!  Just like what’s been going on in William’s life the past 12 years (especially) and in mine the past 6 years – I couldn’t even begin to imagine what all has happened!  That is why I have to write this stuff down – it all amazes me!

So the rest of the day was nice, but not as impactful as this morning – John invited us over to his house after church for lunch and a movie – we had a very nice time.  Then right after that (6 pm) we went over to David’s house for football  - Justin and David were really into it, William humored them and messed with them by rooting for the opposing team – but I couldn’t deal with it and went into the other room with my computer and entertained the kids.  I showed them several cool things, did a fun craft project, then I went in and joined William toward the end of the ball game.  Denver won …