On Sunday we headed to church outside in the courtyard of a local Lutheran Church. It was great to be back in the midst of worshipers, and to top it all off it was Pentecost Sunday! The pastor gave a great sermon, speaking about the day the Christian church began, the gifts of speaking in other languages and how we could learn a little from the Pentecostals who are a bit more "animated" in their worship. Joel and I had to chuckle, as memories came back from many years ago when we first learned about such gifts of Holy Spirit as speaking in tongues.
I have shared before that in 1972-74 we were stationed in Duluth where we often went to a Lutheran church on Sunday mornings and an Assembly of God church in the evenings with friends we met in the Air Force, It was at the Duluth Tabernacle that I first heard someone speak in a prayer language during prayer time. I remember clearly feeling such a sense of peace and God's presence in that prayer room where the women gathered to pray. I wanted "some of that" peace, but my search went unanswered during that time.
In 1974 we headed to The Philippine Islands where I became friends with a woman who also prayed in tongues and then I became involved with a group of women who would often meet at the base commander's home to pray and worship. This gathering was always something I looked forward to, this place where worship, praise, prayer and healing took place. I experienced my own physical healing at one of these meetings. My desire for this "something more" only grew, but still, when I talked to Joel about this gift of a prayer language his answer was " I don't know, we are Lutheran".
So, 40 years later.............from the time I first was drawn to this way of praying..........YES, forty years later God blessed me with my own prayer language about a month after once again I had asked Joel what he thought of a teaching we watched on healing and the gifts of the Holy Spirit....and Joel had once again said, "I am Lutheran, I don't know what I would do with that." Joel went to bed that night and woke at 4am healed completely from Lyme and other conditions and sure enough, God gave him the gift of a prayer language even though He did not ask for it. I am thinking maybe God got tired of hearing Joel's response to my questions and thought He would help him know what to do with that!
So, as we listened to the pastor speak we had to smile as we recalled our own journeys with powerful Pentecost and Holy Spirit gifts. After church we headed home to watch online worship from Lutheran Church of Hope where we "attend" virtually every week. Pastor Mike Householder preached and taught on Pentecost and the gifts of the Spirit! Two great sermons that spoke volumes to us, and took us back to the before and after seasons of our lives. Both seasons of our lives important for our faith journey. Both a blessing.
Yes, as I have shared before, we have experienced miracles of healing and watched God heal others over the past few years. We have experienced Holy Spirit and God's Presence in tangible ways. We have also watched and waited for healings and change and continue to do so. None of the later keeps us away from knowing God's faithfulness and power in our lives and it shouldn't.
Yesterday someone spoke to Joel at church and told us he had read Joel's book. Joel said, "So, it is a little to the right of crazy?", and this man Joel has known for 25 years replied, "Yes, it is." There were things he did not agree with. Joel desires all feedback from those who have read "A Little To The Right of Crazy". We deeply appreciated him buying the book and reading it. Joel wrote this book and self published it because he believes Holy Spirit led him to do so. What is in Joel's book has a strong Biblical foundation and more importantly it was written because of the need to be obedient to God. Over three years ago we were told by someone who walks prophetically that he saw a picture of us "rocking a boat" He asked us if we "rocked boats" and we both had to laugh and answer yes, in our world we do. He then said, "God does not want you to stop rocking the boat. Don't stop rocking the boat. When you stop it will be time for you to "go home".
So nine years later we still talk about Joel's healing, and my own healing from Lyme. We talk about the gifts of speaking in tongues....a prayer language only Holy understands. We talk about the visions God gives me. We do so as boldly as we can without being pushy or overbearing, but we do not let what others think or say get in the way. We have been told to rock boats. Sometimes that means our own boats are rocking. I believe God wants to rock our boats....He has not called us to keep Him in a tidy box labeled with our ideas of who He is. Sometimes He does not want us comfortable.....Sometimes He brings Pentecost to us.
Speaking of Pentecost and the birthing of the Christian Church, I am thinking that a lot of boats were rocked on that first Pentecost. I would have loved to have been there and experience what the disciples did on that day! It must have been amazing. I hope and pray that no matter what comes my way, I never forget that God is always with us. His Presence can be palpable. His power and authority miraculous. And His gifts for His children absolutely delightful. Grateful that after forty years of wandering and seeking we have experienced our own bit of Pentecost.
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