Wed - Last day in Redding

So this is the day... the last day.

My journey to Bethel has been an extraordinarily one, full of surprises and personal change. Many of my perspectives have been challenged and changed, and is still in the process of being changed.

I have learned more about the person of God, and how I relate to Him. I have discovered how to connect with Him every morning, and how He moves on me. I have seen Him work miracles through my life, and I have seen many people's lives change because of His working in their lives.

I have experienced a culture of honor - one that is unique and almost impossible to imagine. I have seen leaders that live in a team, and are committed to family for life. I have seen leaders being vulnerable before masses of people, countless times. I have heard wisdom above my comprehension. I have seen gifts operate, that can only be directly from Heaven.

I have heard countless testimonies and accounts of miracles and things God has done in our present age. Things that even I have had trouble to believe :)

I have learnt ways to handle things. Ways to think about things. Ways to approach things. Ways to do life.

I have learned so much about people, friendships, and relationships. I have learned about humanity, about the basic needs of every human being, and the basic life of every human being. From the homeless to those living in mansions. From the obscure and unknown, to those walking in fame. They have all become my friends, they have all become my family. They have all shared in my journey with God. And so have you :)

So, this is the end of the blog 

"Light in Bethel" - Aug 2010 - May 2011: BSSM (Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry)

I am still want to blog about my journey onwards... back to South Africa, so I created a new blog that you can follow my journey on:

"Light in South Africa" - http://lightinsouthafrica.blogspot.com/

Thanks you again for sharing this journey with me. 

I pray that God will walk more closely with you also on your journey :)

God is truly good :)

Tue

Said goodbye to my room mate that was with me in the room the whole year. It is kinda weird not having him around.

I met with Todd early in the morning. Cycled in the rain one last time. Embrace the wetness. We talked about the future and good things :)

Went to Thom Whiffen's party. I felt loved, and sad to leave the people. These people have become my family :'(

Got to hang with Zeb again for one last time :) Went and got Pizza, ate it in Starbucks, met some new people, and gave away a few slices :) I love being around Zeb, because people just love him, and he makes people come alive... I can't explain it... he just does :) So it is cool to sit under his umbrella, and watch people come alive around him. I like it :)

Then we went to watch a movie, met some 'local' Bethelites :)

Social is happening now that there is no school. Tomorrow I leave Bethel & Redding & California.

My time has come.

God is good.

Mon - Grad

Today was graduation. It was raining softly. My room-mate (Brandon) gave me and Sean (house-mate) a ride to grad. We first drove to the City hall, looking for the 'civic center'. We got informed that the Convention center is mistakenly called the civic center... so off we went :)

Everyone was nicely dressed for grad. It was weird hugging people, and saying goodbyes. We had 30 min of worship, from the BSSM band... for the last time... it was good. After some words, Kathy started to read all the names. You can watch it at http://www.ibethel.tv/watch/1062/1st-yr-bssm-graduation/2011/05/16 after you created a free account. I walk across the stage at 1:31:08 if you want to see me :)

Afterwards they announced the Emerald Johnson award, and then Bill gave us a parting commission. Watch at 2:24:00. Epic stuff.

Then I stood at the bottom of the stairs, and hugged everyone goodbye that I knew. It was good.

Afterwards, went to Giant burger with Zeb, and hanged with him, going to U-topit, and then a house party.

So many goodbyes... good-byes - it has been good, and will be good.

God is good. (And I never have to say goodbye to Him)

Fri - Sun

Fri
Day of knighting. Got donuts at set-up today :) it was weird to set-up for the last time... and not saving a seat for myself... 2nd years were coming before us... 1:30pm 1st years came in,  and we got knighted by Bill & Kris. 800 student take a while to knight... it was arb waiting to be knighted... forever... but meeting people afterward was cool, and everyone saying their kinda goodbyes.

Then we had evening service at twinview, that was a change, and weird with all the parents around... and a new speaker... that talked a long time :) ha ha :) Ministry time afterwards was fun... God changed lives :)

Sat
Sluggish day, not sure what to do... stated to plan what to do with all my stuff... In the evening went to a grill (BBQ/braai) at Whiskey-town lake. A cold front started to come in, and it was cool. Ate massive burger patties, and sat around a table - much fun, felt like family. Said goodbye to people that I may never see again this side of Heaven :'( So, saying goodbye became a reality.

Came home and helped Jonny with his Pokemon card set. When to bed late.

Sun
Woke up without an alarm, and semi-rushed to get ready for church. All was good. We got a shuttle to church, because of parking restrictions, and got some eats for waiting :) Score on having a breakfast. Bill spoke on the community at Bethel, and Eric & Candice taking responsibility for the community. cool stuff.

Got home, Reuben's parents came over, and brought homebaked bread & real honey. Lunch was sorted. Read more of Loving your kids on purpose - And yes, this book is good. It is more than just about raising kids - but also how you treat all people. Really challenging, and mind shifting. Danny takes the principles from Love & Logic and adds honor & kingdom to it.. If you have kids, check http://www.loveandlogic.com/articles.html for free resources.

Today was my last day at the sanctuary... Tomorrow is the last BSSM day... then people disperse all over... and then life goes on... and the kingdom comes more and more :)

God is good :)

Tue - Thu

... weird ... I thought I blogged about this already... but I see no post... maybe there was a glitch... so... here we go again :)

Tue
Worship, Bill - short message & reverse fire tunnel (he & leaders lay hands on us), revival group - last one & group photo. After school had a get-together with people from our small group of single life workshop - last time i will see some of them.

Wed
Dann summarized the hermeneutics that we have learned. Short worship. Mark encouraged us. Then I had an epiphany that this is the last day of 'normal' school... I will never have that environment again... maybe when I am 60 years old, and return to do 1st year again :)

Then had Kris, read Romans 8, and talked of God making all things working together for good. Then he gave some prophetic words to a few people. He can prophecy (to say the least) - held the best or last.

Then hanged with Zeb & watched a movie at Simpson.

Thu
Day of games at a game park. Played ultimate Frisbee, and then some mass scale dodge ball, quenched my thirst with some mountain dew, then watched people play baseball, and then hit some balls at the batting cages. Nice to be outside in the sun and play sports with friends... one last time...

Oooooo! and I bought a little USB piano keyboard... I have been experimenting with some synthesizers, and now i can start making some tunes :) Electronica, here I come :)

God is good :)

Tue - Wed

Tue
Had worship, then Bill shared on preaching Jesus & Kingdom and not "Bethel"... at Bethel the leaders look at what is happening all over the world, and talking about it... so it is not in the place... but what the place is about.

We the had a reverse fire tunnel, with all the leaders and interns laying hands on all of us. Afterwards, we had revival group, our last one, and we said hi to visitors, and thanked our pastors, and our interns gave some last words. Then we took a group photo. Nick's idea... to remember our class, and later hear where people have gone to across the world, and what they accomplished. yeah :)

Wed
Last day of formal school. We had Dann give a summary on what we have learned. Then worship. Then Mark. Then the moment hit me that I will not be sitting in the class again, and these people will never be here again.It was nostalgic, but funnily there was no sadness. Then we had Kris speak. He read Romans 8, and talked about God working everything together for good for us. Good word.

Then Kris prophesied over a few people. Well, he actually has an amazing prophetic gift... I could really feel Heaven on his words. He did not prophecy over anyone the whole year, else people would want words from him... now I see why :)

So many people, so many friends, so many I have learned to love beyond differences. Mark told us that this is family for us, and that we could come here anytime, and that they are there for us if we need any help in the future. The invitation felt like a family telling you that their house is open to you, after you have come to know them. This has become family. I have more than one family now :)

After school I hanged with Zeb, and then went to Simpson and watched Knight & Day with Simpson people. It was fun.

How things will pan out for everyone - only God knows... but I have a hopeful expectancy that it will be good.

God has always loved you. God is good :)

Sat - Mon

Sat
Slept in again... tried to get the cold out of me... felt better.

Sun
Fixed up my CV, heard Mario preach - love his messages. Went to a friend's place in the afternoon that is getting married soon - enjoyed hanging out as single guys :)

Mon
Went on a prayer walk to the Ranch. I observed that geese have a high level of social intelligence. I also started to read a book called "Loving your kids on Purpose" - Dany Silk. It may be one of the most life transforming books I have read... it is close to Experiencing the Father's embrace... but it is good... it has a lot of kingdom psychology in - and a lot of stuff that I have believed, but never heard anyone say... so i am enjoying it :) First book that I do not have to read after BSSM :)

So, it seems like my flu is lingering the whole time... but it more like a runny nose now... and today was the first time in a week that I feel healthy again. I love being healthy :) Thank Jesus :)

Cool... God is good :)

Thu - Fri

Thu
Went to meet leaders that came for leadership advance, made some new connections, went to prayer house and sat there for a long time. Then school started with worship, then Bill spoke on general Christian opinion on certain cities & how it may effect the cities - and how we should show mercy as we have been show mercy & not judgement. Then he had Q&A and answered difficult questions - and did very well in the answers. I don't want to be Bill :) But he does well at what he does.

Then we went to revival group party - barbecue at the place we had our first get together - nostalgic. Then spend the evening with guys as Zeb's... hanging out while there is time.

Fri
My flu is fading, and I feel better. Just got a little bit of it left in my system. Burney spoke at school on the Spirit of wisdom. Dann spoke on interpreting the Bible. And then we had Mario Murillo - old school powerful preacher. So good... want to get the recordings...

Then we had our last small group. Had the most insane ice-cream at Coldstones - with a the bells and whistles. It was 88F, so it was perfect weather for ice-cream. We chatted, and Toby's parents joined us, & we prophecied over each other - everyone's prophecies were spot on.

In the evening we had Mario speak again. It was awesome. Then, came home to some home made cheese cake Reuben made :) It was good :)

God is good :)

Tue - Wed

Tuesday I became a bit sick... flu symptoms, only in my body - not in my head or through :) So I took Corenza-C (from SA), and went to bed earlier. Wednesday I took it slow, and recovered... still not 100%, but far better than Tuesday night. The worst is over.

Funny that I have not been sick all my time here... believing in divine health... but I think it's because of me worrying about the future - when I get back to SA... I can only do so much from this side... the rest is up to God - not me :)

Well... all is looking better, and tomorrow is school again :)

God is good :)

Fri - Mon

Fri
Went to John Crowder's Mystic's school. He spoke more about the mystics, and all the stuff they experience. He also told of current mystics. cool stuff. Crowder talked on being drunk in the spirit, and enjoying His presence... as an end in itself... good point.

Sat

Mystic school was on New Creation theology, the happy gospel, and such like... mostly in his book Mystical Union. One thing that is cool about Crowder is that he hammers the point that it is about faith in God... and that faith is simply trusting & relaxing & stepping out (not in so many words).

Sun
Slept util I was woken - by my ride that was waiting for me :/ so grabbed everything and went... went to worship, and then walked out - because we were driving to Chico... well, I went out an hour to early... and only realized it later... then went back in for some of the sermon them went out again... quite weird... but it was good, because I helped a friend get directions to the school, and organize some lunch for myself... so it worked out well :)

The school was about de-mystifying the supernatural - as in 'visions' and 'inspired writing'... quite good. He also spoke on his own revelation of Songs of Solomon. We had a soak in the end, and it was good. I felt like I returned to loving God with my heart, and not only with my head... I think there is a balance between thinking about God, and experiencing God. You need to have both, in good measure to grow.

Mon

Prayer house. Then tried to figure out how to run a protected cd on my notebook that has no cd-rom... still working on it... one day later I know what the problem is though :) I still got computer skills.

I also did a pre-clean of my junk drawer... sad feeling of gathering your possessions, so that you can remove them... just a few weeks now...

God is GOOD :)