Last night I learned that I am like a cat with terminal velocity.
The last few years have been years of change for everyone. I feel revival springing up in the hearts and lives of my closest friends. It was so wonderful yesterday. I met Noah and Bethany Goodson for the first time. I did know a Bethany Brown once. They are probably related. Travis and I went to an Irish Pub and sat outside with them in light humid Florida weather. It is so nice to not need eight jackets and snow boots.
Our waitress came to us with an Irish accent and asked if I am doing ok.
I said “Emotionally I am doing fine.”
Something told me she was more interested in food and drink then my emotive state, but I suppose that is the price of talking to the Irish.
Noah is this muscular man with many epic tattoos. He looks like a surfer hipster with a hint of old fashioned pirate. Not the pirate from a salty sea ship mind you. More the cultured pirate with an imperial mustache and a soul patch, although he was missing these items. In pirate terms, he looked like the bardic pirate from the princess bride. Noah had a strong witty sarcasm to him that rivaled the biting words of a man from Seattle. I remember hearing of Noah from a mutual friend in Hong Kong. Her name is Iris, she has a heart for Japan, stop and pray for her.
NOW!!!!
Bethany is an Asian American girl who has traveled the world. Seasoned and extremely godly, she sat drinking a fine shanty ale. She had enough tattoos to challenge Noah and fine thick black glasses. Obviously intelligent, cultured, and outgoing. Yet Bethany was uninhibited by the cultural shackles of both contemporary christianity and intellectual society. Free spirited and engaged. A rare combination.
We sat and talked about life, the holy spirit, God, community, marriage, for quite a bit. We ate good food, including seafood.
“I expected more mussels” said Bethany
“That’s what girls say about me.” I responded
As the conversation moved on we learned much about life. Travis is thinking about the big events in life and needed wisdom. Noah and Bethany have been married for about half a year and shared some of the wonderful insight into a young marriage. Intimate and rewarding, Travis and I soaked up as much as we could from the heart of a young godly man and a young godly girl. One day we might find ourselves with the need to apply these lessons.
As the dinner of mussels and Irish fair was hastily consumed we all decided to move towards the beach.
I stopped at the restroom on the way to the sandy shore and found an occult pentagram scribbled above a dirty urinal. I could only shake my head at how widespread the demonic influence in this world has become.
This is where the night became beautiful.
Tonight the Stars Speak – The Glorious Unseen
In Taiwan I couldn’t see the stars. Be it pollution or mans need to blot out anything that reminds him of the God of this universe, it is immeasurably hard to find the beautiful reminders the Lord of Heaven and Earth. As I walked toward the beach, the light of the city behind me began to dim and lessen. By the time I reached the shore, white foamy waves glistened in the moonlight and the stars burst above us. Florida has the most beautiful skies.
I stood and gawked. Bethany, Noah, and Travis ran into the surf like gleeful children but I could only look above and stare at the glory of God in the heavens. It declared that God exists. I had missed this. Few know the pain of having lost the stars, having oct nature. Our identity is so wrapped up in understanding the sky. As Noah said, no one looks up and think, “Man, I am big.”
We are dwarfed by the little lights above us. Noah himself is one of the few that really understands having lived in China. The overwhelming feeling of having nothing but a cloud barrier was gone.
Eventually Bethany motioned them to come towards the towering man I am, standing like an awkward social outcast. They all gathered around and then Bethany and Noah began to sing and croon. Travis joined in. I started to sing.
It is so embarrassing to sing out loud in America. Our culture does not support it. Yet the raw intimacy of having no restraint was wonderful. With cracking voices and sometimes beautiful harmonies we sang hymns, songs, and just verses of scripture or spiritual thoughts.
Afterwards we began to pray, lay hands on each other, speak truth and love. Bethany shared visions and Noah did too. It was beautiful. To see the body of Christ work in such a spirit lead, intimate, yet wholly different way… Bethany spoke truth into my life and told me that I have a unique nature like a cat falling from an immeasurable height. I dig into God with the force of the impact better than people who merely stay on the ground. She told Travis he is washed in the word of God like waves. I told Travis God doesn’t just love him but He likes him. Noah told Travis about the deep love of God.
It was such a wonderful moment. Filled with love. God honoring true love. We walked away filled with the spirit.
As we all headed back towards our houses I stopped in at the restroom and found that dirty pentagram. Hastily scrawling above the pentagram I wrote “This has nothing on my Jesus.”
My God is so much more powerful than this world. Than the ideas and thoughts and cultural notions. Than the foolish movement toward silencing our singing voices.
I am so excited for what God is doing in my generation. It is a generation that is moving toward a spirit filled walk with Christ. Unashamed of the most intimate forms of godliness. Unashamed of public worship and and prayer.
It’s wonderful.
I think sometimes we forget to speak truth into the lives of people around us. Like Ephesians 4:29 says, we need to build each other up yet I know in my life I get so afraid to say what I think, feel, or believe. I sometimes think the truth I have to offer is stupid or inferior. I neglect to share the words that God has put on my heart. It’s so cool though, sometimes God is giving us the words to say. The right thing to change a heart. To fix a wound. Heal a soul. So I learned to speak up. Even if it is hard or awkward. I was afraid to speak truth into Travis life. Yet when I did it was so rewarding. That’s so important to remember. Being faithful to the truth is so important.
TONIGHT
Tonight a man told Travis and I that “I planned to $%# kick your #$@% but I am so glad we didn’t fight”
Then he hugged us and we laughed. It was kind of hilarious. Travis and I were so loving God spared us through his grace!
We also fed two homeless men and prayed with them. It was a good day of victory. A good time. God is moving.
God is such a mega-beast. Every moment with Him is life-changing and defining. I am so stoked for missions conference tomorrow.
