The Kingdom Culture conference was great; the highlight being the teaching. It was all good, and Steve Thompson from Morning Star was brilliant - very thought provoking and inspirational. Kris Vallotton and Danny Silk were also on top form. We have the DVD set of the messages - "get in line" as the Americans say.
Having the conference and the worship school here at the same time meant for a busy place and the Healing Rooms were packed yesterday. We did a "Fire Tunnel" to welcome people into the Encounter Room - I thought they were going out the back door and circling round the building for "another go" since the people just kept on coming. Lots of people were healed in the encounter room before "prayer" (I am learning to redefine what I think prayer is !) and it was an amazing atmosphere.
Plans are in our heads for a healing centre in North Kent - watch this space and come and join us.
We seem to be getting busy socially - as we enter our last 2 weeks here we are trying to see various people before we leave. We feel that we are developing relationships that will continue both in the USA and also the UK which is exciting and encouraging.
It is now very hot here 108F (43C) - too hot to do much outside. Praise God for a swimming pool and air conditioning.
Sunday 28 June 2009
Friday 26 June 2009
Thursday 25 June 2009
Hi from Kim
The "Kingdom Culture" Conference started last night. We have experienced and learnt so much since we have been here that we almost wondered if there would be anything new and fresh. We prayed about this before we went in asking for the best wine at the end. God did not disappoint us! Steve Thompson from Morning Star spoke and he captured my attention right from the word go. We both thought it was one of the most significant messages that we have heard since we have been here. The basis was that God uses people with problems - there are no other kind! -Really understanding the heart and nature of God. We are bringing the DVD back.
I am reading The Shack at the moment and finding it revelatory - it certainly challenges our "old man on the throne" image of God - I love it!
On Monday we climbed Mt Lassen from 8500 - 10500ft at the top. I was in my element! The natural beauty was amazing. About 20 -25% of the climb was on snow and there were people climbing up and skiing down. We indulged in some "sledging without sledges" ie sliding down freestyle in our waterproof trousers! Great fun! Probably not what you expected us to be doing in Calafornia in late June!
Sunday 21 June 2009
Kim says
Yesterday I went to the healing rooms - I like the "Encounter room" best, which is where people "wait" before they go into the healing rooms for prayer. The Encounter Room has a worship group, prophetic art and is a great place to meet with God! I was dancing in worship and felt prompted to go ask a lady if she wanted me to pray for her. She had been suffering from vertigo and had been flat in bed the day before. We asked the Holy Spirit to come and God healed her. She started wandering around and then started spinning! The look on her and her friend's face was great - surprise and joy. She shared what had happened over the sound system and then somone else asked her to pray for them. God is so good. I also prayed fora couple of other people including a lady who had emotional/mind difficulties and she felt light and joyful. I saw her again this morning with a big smile on her face.
Afterwards I went on a Treasure Hunt and my group had opportunity to pray with 5 people and bring God's goodness.
Yesterday I went to the healing rooms - I like the "Encounter room" best, which is where people "wait" before they go into the healing rooms for prayer. The Encounter Room has a worship group, prophetic art and is a great place to meet with God! I was dancing in worship and felt prompted to go ask a lady if she wanted me to pray for her. She had been suffering from vertigo and had been flat in bed the day before. We asked the Holy Spirit to come and God healed her. She started wandering around and then started spinning! The look on her and her friend's face was great - surprise and joy. She shared what had happened over the sound system and then somone else asked her to pray for them. God is so good. I also prayed fora couple of other people including a lady who had emotional/mind difficulties and she felt light and joyful. I saw her again this morning with a big smile on her face.
Afterwards I went on a Treasure Hunt and my group had opportunity to pray with 5 people and bring God's goodness.
Saturday 20 June 2009
More miracles. Today was a great day for miracles - I will let Kim tell her story on another posting.
Not everyone we pray for gets healed straight away but today I saw 4 in a row in the Healing Rooms; I was praying with Karen and one of the first people we prayed with needed to be baptised in the Spirit, we prayed for him and he felt the power and joy of God and started speaking in tongues immediately, he left very happy, but this was not the start of the healings that God was about to do.
A lady with a blood clotting disorder had pain in her legs for many years, as we prayed the power of God overcame her, she ended up on the floor and we covered her with a blanket. As she lay there God set her free from some other things and her leg pain improved remarkably.
Next we prayed for a lady with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Reynauds Syndrome - God touched her powerfully and then she realised that her back had been healed. She had lived with this pain for so many years she had not asked us to pray for it, but God healed it anyway.
Then we prayed for a young guy with joint problems (probably the most amazing clicking in his joints I have ever heard, with associated pain) - God set him free from this and the look of amazement on his face is a great memory. He was Happy !!
Lastly we prayed for a young lady who had broken her wrist in Karate a few years ago; it did not heal properly and she had restricted movement with pain. Also for the last 3 months she had swelling, pain and bruising around her thumb and couldn't move it properly. In the encounter room God restored movement to her thumb, and then when we prayed for her we literally watched the swelling and bruising disappear in front of our eyes. The pain left her wrist and she regained full movement, even to the extent of taking her body weight on her wrist. She was struggling to believe it, smiling, laughing and hugging us. Another great memory.
God wants to heal people, and he has no trouble doing it if we will pray simple faith filled prayers, rather than trying to produce the healing ourselves through our own prayer efforts. Faith really does work - because he is an awesome God.
Not everyone we pray for gets healed straight away but today I saw 4 in a row in the Healing Rooms; I was praying with Karen and one of the first people we prayed with needed to be baptised in the Spirit, we prayed for him and he felt the power and joy of God and started speaking in tongues immediately, he left very happy, but this was not the start of the healings that God was about to do.
A lady with a blood clotting disorder had pain in her legs for many years, as we prayed the power of God overcame her, she ended up on the floor and we covered her with a blanket. As she lay there God set her free from some other things and her leg pain improved remarkably.
Next we prayed for a lady with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Reynauds Syndrome - God touched her powerfully and then she realised that her back had been healed. She had lived with this pain for so many years she had not asked us to pray for it, but God healed it anyway.
Then we prayed for a young guy with joint problems (probably the most amazing clicking in his joints I have ever heard, with associated pain) - God set him free from this and the look of amazement on his face is a great memory. He was Happy !!
Lastly we prayed for a young lady who had broken her wrist in Karate a few years ago; it did not heal properly and she had restricted movement with pain. Also for the last 3 months she had swelling, pain and bruising around her thumb and couldn't move it properly. In the encounter room God restored movement to her thumb, and then when we prayed for her we literally watched the swelling and bruising disappear in front of our eyes. The pain left her wrist and she regained full movement, even to the extent of taking her body weight on her wrist. She was struggling to believe it, smiling, laughing and hugging us. Another great memory.
God wants to heal people, and he has no trouble doing it if we will pray simple faith filled prayers, rather than trying to produce the healing ourselves through our own prayer efforts. Faith really does work - because he is an awesome God.
Friday 19 June 2009
Wednesday 17 June 2009
We're back - actually we haven't been away, just a little slack with the blog. Apologies. But where are those comments - we love to be encouraged by your comments on the blog. Keep them coming (or start them coming!).
We heard some good stuff in the staff meeting today, probably the pick of the bunch was about some guys who went to Disneyland in Los Angeles and ended up having a 4 and 1/2 hour healing session with up to 120 healings and 50 people responding to Jesus. We will give you the full version on return (July 22nd School of Supernatural Ministry at NKCC should be good, also July 19th at NKCC - get your seat belts ready!)
Time is flying by and we can hardly believe that we will back in the UK in 4 weeks and then off to Rendezvous in France. Still many people would think 4 weeks in Bethel was a luxury (not to mention the sun and the swimming pool !) so we are not complaining. Actually we feel that God is starting to prepare us for our return. God has spoken to us in so many amazing ways, it is truly awesome and the future looks very exciting at NKCC, North Kent generally, and reaching into the UK and France.
Even today we had an amazing prophesy given to us by a lady (Lorraine) at the end of the staff meeting - this was about 2 doors opening up in front of us, doors of revelation and grace which merged into one and that would bring us into new territory that has already been given to us but we are still contending for, and that we will influence some of the traditional structures in the UK. When we talked with Lorraine and showed her about the NKCC building project she was amazed by the favour that God is giving us and believed that this was part of what she was seeing. Please keep praying with us for the release of the land at Springhead to us so that we can press forward with this great project.
We met with Paul Manwaring today and discussed a number of things, in particular the development of the NKCC school of supernatural ministry - God has definitely confirmed to us some of the dreams we have for this, and we are very excited about pushing this on.
So much to say ......
On the theme of Treasure Hunts (where we go out with clues given by God to find his treasure i.e. people that he loves and wants to bless - that is everyone, but he directs us to specific people at specific times) - Kim says " I have been on three Treasure Hunts. These are a great way of opening up the possibility of praying for people and letting God’s goodness into their lives. We have had opportunities to pray for health issues, family relationships and diffiiculties and financial needs. I must admit that it takes courage to walk up to people you don’t know and ask to pray for them and I am often dead scared or awkward, but the worst they can say is “no”. The groups I have been in have probably prayed for about 10 people. One lady we prayed for had ongoing back pain. After prayer she said that her pain was much less and then started lifting her legs up. Surprised, she said “I can lift up my legs – that’s a bonus!” I am hoping to go out again on Saturday or next Wednesday."
Great stuff.
We heard some good stuff in the staff meeting today, probably the pick of the bunch was about some guys who went to Disneyland in Los Angeles and ended up having a 4 and 1/2 hour healing session with up to 120 healings and 50 people responding to Jesus. We will give you the full version on return (July 22nd School of Supernatural Ministry at NKCC should be good, also July 19th at NKCC - get your seat belts ready!)
Time is flying by and we can hardly believe that we will back in the UK in 4 weeks and then off to Rendezvous in France. Still many people would think 4 weeks in Bethel was a luxury (not to mention the sun and the swimming pool !) so we are not complaining. Actually we feel that God is starting to prepare us for our return. God has spoken to us in so many amazing ways, it is truly awesome and the future looks very exciting at NKCC, North Kent generally, and reaching into the UK and France.
Even today we had an amazing prophesy given to us by a lady (Lorraine) at the end of the staff meeting - this was about 2 doors opening up in front of us, doors of revelation and grace which merged into one and that would bring us into new territory that has already been given to us but we are still contending for, and that we will influence some of the traditional structures in the UK. When we talked with Lorraine and showed her about the NKCC building project she was amazed by the favour that God is giving us and believed that this was part of what she was seeing. Please keep praying with us for the release of the land at Springhead to us so that we can press forward with this great project.
We met with Paul Manwaring today and discussed a number of things, in particular the development of the NKCC school of supernatural ministry - God has definitely confirmed to us some of the dreams we have for this, and we are very excited about pushing this on.
So much to say ......
On the theme of Treasure Hunts (where we go out with clues given by God to find his treasure i.e. people that he loves and wants to bless - that is everyone, but he directs us to specific people at specific times) - Kim says " I have been on three Treasure Hunts. These are a great way of opening up the possibility of praying for people and letting God’s goodness into their lives. We have had opportunities to pray for health issues, family relationships and diffiiculties and financial needs. I must admit that it takes courage to walk up to people you don’t know and ask to pray for them and I am often dead scared or awkward, but the worst they can say is “no”. The groups I have been in have probably prayed for about 10 people. One lady we prayed for had ongoing back pain. After prayer she said that her pain was much less and then started lifting her legs up. Surprised, she said “I can lift up my legs – that’s a bonus!” I am hoping to go out again on Saturday or next Wednesday."
Great stuff.
Hope you like the picture of the sunset over Whiskeytown Lake.
Friday 12 June 2009
It has rained a lot over the past two weeks, which is highly unusual in June over here, and it has been a bit of a disappointment for Kerry who was hoping for more sunshine. We are wondering whether God is speaking to us through this period of rain - possibly a sign?!
We went to visit Mount Shasta the other day but couldn't see all of it because of cloud and it was very cold at 7000ft. However, we visited McCloud and Burney waterfalls which were very lovely. We had lunch at the Black Bear Grill - now that is a burger, a full 12 ounce! Also enjoy the video clip below.
We have also enjoyed Whiskeytown Lake which is very beautiful and has some nice walks near it - we especially like Brandy Creek.
Yesterday morning all three of us, plus Yannick and Marie, joined in the Intercessors session - an opportunity to be "pampered spiritually" as their team set up the room in a very creative way, establish a very peaceful, tranquil, spirit charged atmosphere and then gently pray and prophesy over you. There are stations where they wash your hands, and one for your feet, a communion table, and an anointing section - it is an amazing experience.
It is Kerry's last day here today, so I am praying for more sunshine - it has just arrived, yeah !!
Monday 8 June 2009
It was another good weekend. Friday was rainy here, apparently very unusual in June, Saturday cloudy and Sunny sunnier. We had some people round for a meal on Saturday afternoon - including Yannick and Marie from Rennes, and Rusty and Janet who are from here but soon to be in France for 3 months. When they arrived Rusty and Yannick recognised each other having met in France before - God is amazing at orchestrating things as we had no idea of this beforehand.
Saturday evening we went to the drum circle worship session which was great fun, uplifting and inspiring; you could feel the presence of God.There was a group who led the time, but anyone could bring their Bongo Drum (? Jembay) to join in. Paul West got to participate on the big drum and led the drumming for a bit- he thought he was already in heaven. There is so much variety of creative expression here in music, drama, dance art etc. We plan to develop similar in NKCC - get those bongos ready! Hopefully the short video clip will give you some idea of what we experienced.
After that we went to the Sundial bridge and had a drink at a cafe there, sitting outside listening to some live music - God is good.
Saturday evening we went to the drum circle worship session which was great fun, uplifting and inspiring; you could feel the presence of God.There was a group who led the time, but anyone could bring their Bongo Drum (? Jembay) to join in. Paul West got to participate on the big drum and led the drumming for a bit- he thought he was already in heaven. There is so much variety of creative expression here in music, drama, dance art etc. We plan to develop similar in NKCC - get those bongos ready! Hopefully the short video clip will give you some idea of what we experienced.
After that we went to the Sundial bridge and had a drink at a cafe there, sitting outside listening to some live music - God is good.
Sunday morning Kris Vallotton spoke - again I thought this was a brilliant message, challenging and thought provoking. I would recommend listening to the podcast. Sunday evening Paul Manwaring spoke an excellent message and then we set off to In N Out burger where we met some South Africans who are part of a church in London; we had an excellent chat with them and discovered many common links - when I mentioned Julian Adams, one of them said "I am supposed to be meeting him !".
Small world or divine appointment ??
Another thought from the Healing Rooms. There is a man working there whose wife died of breast cancer not long ago - he has now made it his aim to see 1 million woman healed of this disease. He has prayed for a few women and recently saw his first, complete, medically confirmed healing. What a great tribute to this man and his wife, and also to God who wants to give us victory over sickness.
Last year there was a youth event in Atlanta (Jesus Culture) and some of the young people went into town to speak to people and pray for them. Some of them went into a department store and prayed for a young man who had broken his neck in a car accident about 6 weeks previously - he was quadriplegic (paralysed in all four limbs) and in a wheelchair. He was prayed for and there in the department store he got out of his wheelchair and walked. We have recently received reports that this young man has now been signed up to play for a soccer team. Amazing !
Sunday 7 June 2009
Highlights from the Healing Rooms yesterday:
A 91 year old lady who was "legally blind" (very poor eyesight) had been prayed for at her home church and received a degree of healing such that she could read a large print Bible, yesterday in the healing rooms she was able to read small print - yeah!
A 70 year old lady had an injury to her back when she was 9 years old - yesterday she moved her back normally for the first time in 61 years.
A man with broken ribs was healed in the "Encounter Room" before anyone prayed for him, later we prayed for him about various other issues.
A young lady (about 24) came in on crutches because of a knee injury, the knee was swollen and painful, probably with damaged cartilage. She was unable to put her weight on it. She was completely healed and the look of joy and bewilderment on her face as she burst into tears was fantastic to see.
Jesus is amazing and he is good. He paid the price for our healing on the cross and we want to give to him what he paid for.
Paul West went on a treasure hunt and saw a lady with a bad knee healed as he prayed for her. Kerry went on a treasure hunt and her team went to the Emergency Room of a local hospital and prayed for people awaiting treatment.
We will tell you about the Drum Circle worship soon - right now I am off to spend time with God (Kim is already there !!)
A 91 year old lady who was "legally blind" (very poor eyesight) had been prayed for at her home church and received a degree of healing such that she could read a large print Bible, yesterday in the healing rooms she was able to read small print - yeah!
A 70 year old lady had an injury to her back when she was 9 years old - yesterday she moved her back normally for the first time in 61 years.
A man with broken ribs was healed in the "Encounter Room" before anyone prayed for him, later we prayed for him about various other issues.
A young lady (about 24) came in on crutches because of a knee injury, the knee was swollen and painful, probably with damaged cartilage. She was unable to put her weight on it. She was completely healed and the look of joy and bewilderment on her face as she burst into tears was fantastic to see.
Jesus is amazing and he is good. He paid the price for our healing on the cross and we want to give to him what he paid for.
Paul West went on a treasure hunt and saw a lady with a bad knee healed as he prayed for her. Kerry went on a treasure hunt and her team went to the Emergency Room of a local hospital and prayed for people awaiting treatment.
We will tell you about the Drum Circle worship soon - right now I am off to spend time with God (Kim is already there !!)
Thursday 4 June 2009
Kerry is now over with us for 2 weeks - she arrived late friday night and was straight in to the healing rooms on saturday morning, with another church thing on saturday afternoon. On sunday we went to morning and evening services.
Paul West, a young man from our church, is out here for 7 weeks. So on Tuesday we took him and Kerry out for the day to lassen volcanic park - Pete and I had visited there on our trip 18 months ago.
We left Redding at 9.15am and got back at quarter to one in the morning!
when we got to Lassen volcanic park we were told that the road we wanted to use was closed because of snow. We went up as far as we could and then had lunch, we were wrapped in towels that we had brought for possible swimming opportunities (It had been 40C in Redding!) We then drove to some lava tubes. these were formed by lava flows which have since dissolved out and become hollow. There was no light or guide - we just had flash lights which was fun.
after that we drove to the Cinder cone. this is an amazing landscape of old lava flows and an ash cone with a large crater in the middle of it. By this time it was beginning to rain but we set out anyway with Paul and Pete nobly letting Kerry and I wear the Kagoules. It is nothing like you have ever seen. The cone is just made of loose ash and cinder so it is definitely a 2 steps up and one step down experience!
We left there at about 5pm and drove one and a half hours to "The Devils Kitchen" which someone had told us about. It was half 6 before se set out on the 4 mile hike and we had already done over 5 miles at the cinder cone! Again, this was incredible - a stunning beautiful valley with meadows where we saw deer, through some forest that included Redwoods and then finally to this surreal landscape of clouds of steam among the trees, steam vents and bubbling mud. we had about 20 minutes there before we had to turn back so that we made it back in the light. We then stopped in Chester(population 2000) where Pete and I had stayed on our previous visit. We had steaks in a true small town american Diner and then started the 2 hour dirve back to Redding - a truly memorable day that left you in Awe of the creativity of God.
On Wednesday Pete and I went to staff meeting and Kerry and Paul went on treasure hunts. Paul saw a lady's knee healed infront of his eyes.
Kerry is at whiskey Town lake today with some of the young people from the church.
Paul West, a young man from our church, is out here for 7 weeks. So on Tuesday we took him and Kerry out for the day to lassen volcanic park - Pete and I had visited there on our trip 18 months ago.
We left Redding at 9.15am and got back at quarter to one in the morning!
when we got to Lassen volcanic park we were told that the road we wanted to use was closed because of snow. We went up as far as we could and then had lunch, we were wrapped in towels that we had brought for possible swimming opportunities (It had been 40C in Redding!) We then drove to some lava tubes. these were formed by lava flows which have since dissolved out and become hollow. There was no light or guide - we just had flash lights which was fun.
after that we drove to the Cinder cone. this is an amazing landscape of old lava flows and an ash cone with a large crater in the middle of it. By this time it was beginning to rain but we set out anyway with Paul and Pete nobly letting Kerry and I wear the Kagoules. It is nothing like you have ever seen. The cone is just made of loose ash and cinder so it is definitely a 2 steps up and one step down experience!
We left there at about 5pm and drove one and a half hours to "The Devils Kitchen" which someone had told us about. It was half 6 before se set out on the 4 mile hike and we had already done over 5 miles at the cinder cone! Again, this was incredible - a stunning beautiful valley with meadows where we saw deer, through some forest that included Redwoods and then finally to this surreal landscape of clouds of steam among the trees, steam vents and bubbling mud. we had about 20 minutes there before we had to turn back so that we made it back in the light. We then stopped in Chester(population 2000) where Pete and I had stayed on our previous visit. We had steaks in a true small town american Diner and then started the 2 hour dirve back to Redding - a truly memorable day that left you in Awe of the creativity of God.
On Wednesday Pete and I went to staff meeting and Kerry and Paul went on treasure hunts. Paul saw a lady's knee healed infront of his eyes.
Kerry is at whiskey Town lake today with some of the young people from the church.
Tuesday 2 June 2009
Back on line !! Sorry we haven't blogged for a few days.
Friday was excellent at the Healing School, good teaching from Chris Gore and Joaquin Evans then out on a treasure hunt in the afternoon where we prayed for 4 people in about 40 minutes. Kim will give you more details about treasure hunts at some stage.
News about Ramona - the secondary tumour in her left leg definitely reduced in size and Sunday evening she got another healing in that she had been unable to lift one of her arms above her head since surgery but all of a sudden she could - Praise God. She and her husband, Earl, are such an encouragement with such great faith and joy.
There were numerous other healings over the weekend - one lady I prayed for in the Healing Rooms was instantly healed of a "trigger finger".
It felt like a significant weekend for Bethel church as Bill Johnson led the church into some new areas of faith - once again a privilege to be here and witness.
Today we are having a day out to visit Lassen Volcanic Park with Kerry and Paul West - should be a good day (somewhat hot - need the suncream !)
One last thought (indulging myself) - Chelsea won the FA Cup, yeah !! I watched the beginning before we went to the healing rooms (big sacrifice), but will look forward to watching a recording when we return to England. Commiserations to Man Utd fans re the Champions League. Thanks for indulging me !!
Friday was excellent at the Healing School, good teaching from Chris Gore and Joaquin Evans then out on a treasure hunt in the afternoon where we prayed for 4 people in about 40 minutes. Kim will give you more details about treasure hunts at some stage.
News about Ramona - the secondary tumour in her left leg definitely reduced in size and Sunday evening she got another healing in that she had been unable to lift one of her arms above her head since surgery but all of a sudden she could - Praise God. She and her husband, Earl, are such an encouragement with such great faith and joy.
There were numerous other healings over the weekend - one lady I prayed for in the Healing Rooms was instantly healed of a "trigger finger".
It felt like a significant weekend for Bethel church as Bill Johnson led the church into some new areas of faith - once again a privilege to be here and witness.
Today we are having a day out to visit Lassen Volcanic Park with Kerry and Paul West - should be a good day (somewhat hot - need the suncream !)
One last thought (indulging myself) - Chelsea won the FA Cup, yeah !! I watched the beginning before we went to the healing rooms (big sacrifice), but will look forward to watching a recording when we return to England. Commiserations to Man Utd fans re the Champions League. Thanks for indulging me !!
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