Is It Wednesday?

Hello, All!   Yes, I actually do know it's Wednesday, July 11, although I'm still upside down from having Monday off! But God continues to grow me and stretch me, so the day really doesn't matter, it is only the fruit of the day that counts.

Yesterday, Tuesday, was a day filled with ministry and teaching. We, as Track I - Intro to IHOP and Simeon Company interns, got to pray for those students beginning Track II of both internships. The deep bonds that have developed in those that have gone through Track I together are obvious as they begin their Track II journey. I'm excited at the potential for those same kinds of bonds to be created by the Lord between us in the Track I group.

Next we were given a solid introduction to the children's portion of the IHOPKC Missions Base. The Children's Equipping Center (CEC) is a ministry to little ones from toddler-age and up. And the vision that CEC has for the children is not diluted because they're kids. The children that come through this program are offered a full dose of everything God has to offer, from teaching, to learning to pray for themselves and others, to prophesying, to being filled with the Holy Spirit.  It's a powerful ministry to the next generation of believers.

Tuesday afternoon was the beginning of our core teaching sessions. We learned about spiritual tools to use in the prayer room to make our time there as effective as possible (we were encouraged to wear ear plugs as needed!), with the goal first and foremost to encounter Jesus whenever we are there. Most days we will have 4 hours in the prayer room, so having insight into getting the most out of that time was really helpful.

After the lesson on the prayer room we then began what will be weekly teachings on God's heart for Israel, and what part we play in His relationship with His chosen people. I know we are supposed to 'pray for the peace of Jerusalem', but beyond that I do not have a familiarity with what God commands us concerning Israel. From what I gleaned on Tuesday, it's a lot. I'm looking forward to being educated in that area so I can find my own place in the process.

Wednesdays and Fridays are our longest days, with Wednesdays being the most social. After an early start in the prayer room, the Simeons met at the home of our core leader, Rick Bass, for what will be a weekly life group. At Changepoint we call these home groups. We have lunch together then there is a time of debriefing; the week's schedule is discussed and any questions are answered. Over the course of the 12 weeks each of us will be able to share our testimony.

Later in the afternoon we were back at IHOPU for more teaching, and then off again to another life group in the evening. The Wednesday evening life groups are for the Intro to IHOP interns, but additionally our Simeon group is incorporated into each Intro life group. So four of us joined Chris and Amy Sullivan's Team 3 life group, of which we will be a part for the duration of Track I. The format for the evening is the same as our life group during the day, except that there is no debriefing, since the Intro groups do their debriefing while we Simeons are at our mid-day life group.

It's going to be so much fun hanging with the Intro kids, for kids they are! Most, at least in the life group I'm assigned to, seemed to be no older than thirty. They laugh easily, giggle longer, and give the sense that they have a fresh perspective on life. We have several Intro students in our group from Canada, one from Brazil, one from Malaysia, and one from South Korea. The remainder come from across the U.S., from Boston to New York to Texas to California. We're a very diverse group, and I have a strong sense that this will be fun!

THOUGHTS FOR WEDNESDAY:   Several things have struck me about IHOPKC people and their relationship to others.

On a number of occasions we Simeons have been honored for who we are in the world of these younger ones, and many expressions of appreciation have been extended just because we are older adults. If I've ever considered, as a 60-plus year old, how younger people might perceive us older folk, honor and appreciation would not have been anywhere near the top of my list. Maybe it's a cultural thing or it could very well be a box I've placed around myself. But I probably would think more along the lines of expectation - what I'm expected to give others, and contribution - what people expect from me. On the first day of orientation the Simeons were asked to stand and be honored just for who we are. And since that first day it's happened several more times in different forms. Because of that I've begun to look at myself as having a value that I've never noticed before. Pretty cool.

Another thing that is happening is the sharing of testimonies. I LOVE to hear how Jesus makes a difference in people. It is such a faith builder for me, to hear how He works in the lives of others. A person's testimony is a really big thing here at IHOPKC, and we were encouraged today to prepare, and be ready to share at any given time, a two, ten, twenty, and thirty minute version of our personal testimony.  I'm learning very quickly that it's not about the numbers here, but each person is treated as just that, a separate, distinct person, with his or her own unique testimony. So very awesome!

During the next two days, on Thursday and Friday, both Intro and the Simeons will be taking a seminar called Relational Wholeness. From it's description it sounds very similar to the Restoring the Foundations teachings that the leadership at Changepoint have been doing.  I'm not sure of anything beyond the little bit I've been told, but it seems like these next two days will help accelerate the breaking up of any hardness in our hearts from past life hurts, in order to give the Holy Spirit more fertile soil in which to plant Seeds of Life. I'm thinking this will not be a time for the faint of heart! I ask that you pray for me over these next two days if the Lord brings me to your mind.

Weather-wise here it's been nice,  hot but not 'on fire' like last week.  I'll take it for July in the mid-west!

Be blessed in Him today from Whom ALL blessings flow!

With affection and His Love,

Kathy