Buckle up...this is probably going to be long

First week down, lots more good stuff to come. Let me fill you in on my favorites from today.

Pastor Bill spoke to us today (3rd time this week, which is rare, but good for us). His main message today was prosperity of soul. The best way to be healthy in mind, soul and body is to focus on what God has done and is doing and not on what he hasn't done. Anyway, at Bethel's staff meetings they always take 1.5-2 hours to talk about testimonies and the miracles they have seen in the last week. Pastor Bill had been at a conference in Texas where he had seen 82 people with deafness healed in about five minutes. There were many other miracles as well, but the 82 deaf people was the highlight. One man even had some kind of nerve that was completey severed be completey healed. Pastor Bill's oldest son, Eric, who is also on staff at Bethel is 85% deaf in both ears. He prays for people with deafness all the time and they are healed, but his condition remains. Pastor Bill said that he looked at his son during the staff meeting after he had mentioned the deafness being healed for the umpteenth time and Eric looked back at him and said "We're one day closer, Dad." Now, that's focus on what God is doing. Gave me chills.

Favorite story #2. Pastor Kris did a question and answer session today and at one point he was addressing someone's question on prophecy with a testimony. So good. In the middle of the service he had a word for this man in the very back row, so he gave it to him in front of the whole church. He told him he was a "Holy Man of God" and went on and on. Four years later this guy comes up to Kris and says "Do you remember me?" Kris needed a little reminding, but then he did. Apparently this guy had been a heroin addict since he was 13 in and out of rehab and jails (he was around 40 when this prophecy happened) and he told Kris that the minute he told him he was a Holy Man of God he was delivered from his addiction! Not only that, but he took his girlfriend up for prayer (who was also in a halfway house) because she had Hepatitis C. When she went to the doctor they couldn't find any evidence of the disease anywhere. (Apparently, even if you're cured of Hepatits C, you can still trace it in your body.) Amazing! God is so good!

So Holly and I were both assigned to Friday night service, so we came home grabbed some grub and headed right back to Bethel. There was a guest worshipper, Suzi Yarzei, I think was her name. She was crazy wild and it was really good. Then her husband got up to preach. Yep, he used to be a Shiite Muslim and now he's radical for Jesus. He has had so many God encounters and he's only been a believer for 7 years. His whole family has now been saved as well. His brother has only been saved for 9 months and he's been to Heaven. It was an awesome testimony.

Then we're walking out and we see these two little boys in the lobby. The younger brother is praying for his older brother. Try to picture this. The older brother, probably no more than 6 has his Batman pajamas on and he's sprawled out on the couch shaking under the glory. His younger brother, maybe 4 also in pjs, has his hands on his brother's eyes and he's babbling something and giggling. When he lifted his hands his brother would stop shaking, when he put them back on he would shake again. It was the coolest thing ever. A whole group of BSSM students stopped to watch. Oh, to have childlike faith...Speaking of childlike faith, one more quick story.

Pastor Bill was telling us about his grandchildren today and how they have prophesied about their siblings. His one grandson pointed at his mom and said mom "You're going to have a girl and you shall call her Bella." The mother had not told anyone that her and her husband had decided that if they were ever to have a girl they would call her Isabella. The mom took a pregnancy test and sure enough she was pregnant. One of Bill's granddaughter's had a similar experience. The Johnson sons so far had all girls and they were hoping for someone to have a boy so they could carry on the name. So little Haley comes in and says, "Don't worry, I talked to God and told him we want a boy, so that's what we're going to have." So, the mom goes to the doctor and finds out they're having a boy. Haley said, "See, I told you." Kids are so great!

I've got some great new favorite worship songs too. Everything is great. :) x10