Our Second Trip to Lakeland, FL

Blessings Saints,

Those with eyes to see and ears to hear know that the Spirit of God is moving mightily around the world. My husband and I are convinced that Lakeland, Florida is one of the areas this is happening in. We are also convinced that it is not the only place the Spirit of our most High God is moving for there are other areas all around the world. The glory of God is being displayed in marvelous and wonderful ways. The name of Jesus is going out as a trumpet call and hearts are crying out, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." Hallelujah!!! Glory and honor to God. Bless Him now and forever more.

But since the biggest impact we have seen right now, personally, is Lakeland that is what I will draw from. My husband and I had felt led to go back to the Lakeland Outpouring a second time for we knew that our first visit there and a lot of what we had received then had been stolen from us. Had we been stronger nothing would have shaken our faith that the Lakeland Outpouring was surely of God. But because the minister was being attached, his talking to angels, tattoos, etc., etc. Well, I think a lot of you know what I am talking about for this man has been attached quite a bit since this outpouring in Florida. Thus we needed to take all that we had heard against the outpouring, the minister, etc., and bring them before the Lord, seeking His will and consul on it. How faithful God is to answer our prayers and to direct us where we need to go to find the truth we are seeking, first in Scripture and then where ever the Holy Spirit leads.

After seeking the Lord and coming to know that we know that, indeed, the outpouring in Florida was by the Spirit of God it was then placed upon our hearts to return once again. Just as happened the first time, God opened the doors to make it available for us to have a place to stay in Florida. Praise be to God for the wonderful sisters in Christ that God connected us with years ago. He knew that they would meet our need this year in regards to lodging in Florida while none of us had any clue. Isn't God neat? You betcha!!!

Now this second trip to Lakeland was different than the first. We encountered more challenges the second time around. On the second trip, just as we were pulling into the parking lot at the tent area my husband's car stalled. At first we thought it was the battery. The parking attendants saw that we were having a problem and called someone to put water in the battery as it was low. Without going into all the details, we were able to park the car but it didn't start again. We went into the tent and were blessed to see so many there, hungry for the Lord. Hallelujah!!!

I was so sure that when we got outside to drive back to our place of lodging the car would have started. I know God can do this. To my surprise, the car did not start. We had two sets of people come over and jump start our car but it would die seconds later. We ended calling our sisters in Christ who came to pick us up, each not being night drivers so they extended themselves to come to our aid. Bless them, oh God! They also knew of a brother in Christ who would be willing to help Billy with the car. Praise be to God!!!

The problem with the car was not simply the battery. The alternator was bad so they had to replace that. Turned out the battery was bad as well. A new alternator and new battery was placed in the car only to find out the new alternator was faulty! Another trip was needed to the parts store but the car was drivable in the meantime.
So, I asked my husband to please drive me to Ignited Church for the 10:00 a.m. gathering and I would call him when it was over to find out if he and the brother in Christ had gotten a new replacement alternator for the car placed in it. It was a wonderful service in which Pastor Strater talked about the joy of the Lord. Holy laughter filled the place. Praise be to God!!! Hallelujah!!! Little did I know how much I was going to need that joy later. But God knew!

Anyway, after the service I went to call my husband to let him know the service was over. The phone service had been turned off due to an unpaid balance (later it was found that the error was on the cell phone companies side for the bill had been paid)! Our cell phones were off of one of our daughters accounts as they were trying to help us cut costs. Now what was I supposed to do? Praise be to God I had the ladies numbers in Florida so I called them from one of the phone the church let me us. It seemed Billy had just left to pick me up and since I didn't know if he was going to come to get me at the church or at Wal-Mart across from the church, I stayed at the church - for over an hour! I called one of the ladies again. She suggested I stay there as the traffic might be heavy. So I did. After 15 minutes I walked across the street to Wal-Mart. I couldn't call my husband and no one could reach him as his cell phone was out. What a dilemma! I could feel myself getting tense when the Holy Spirit reminded me that the joy of the Lord was my strength. Yes! I was not going to allow the enemy to steal my joy and the refreshing I had received at the Ignited Church. Satan, you are under my feet! Believe me, I needed that joy for I waited almost an hour at Wal-Mart only to find out so had my husband, each of us being at opposite ends of the store!!! Whew! What an ordeal!

Our drive home also proved to challenging. There had been an accident on our route and we were detoured off the highway but had no clue where we were going. We got lost for awhile and it took a bit to get us back on track. This was surely different than our first trip to Lakeland. Not in the outpouring itself, but in the things we had to deal with. The first trip went so smoothly with so many blessings along the way. The second trip had challenges and we had to stay our mind on the Lord so that we did not lose the joy and peace of His presence and glory. I remember thinking that the first trip was like the honeymoon. The second trip was like the marriage. The honeymoon is all sweet and wonderful. The marriage is filled with challenges as you have to face every day situations and problems, it is the commitment of the union of two coming together as one, willing to work things out together.

Now, I did have a fleeting thought that had we not allowed the enemy to steal our confidence in the workings of God through Todd Bentley and others who ministered the first time we would still be in the honeymoon face of this outpouring. But that thought quickly went as I knew that our lives are in His hands and He is leading and guiding us along the way. Our lives are as broken bread before the body of Christ and as He reveals things to us through our lives we are to share that which He shows and gives us. Indeed, we had tasted of the sweetness and goodness of God's workings at Lakeland, Florida the first time we went there. He gently guided us and blessed us extravagantly along the way. The second trip had more challenges. It cost us more than the first time, unseen expenses came our way. But God was speaking to us and to the body at large through these two trips.

The Honeymoon
When we first come to the Lord it is a sweet and wonderful time in our lives. Blessings seem to abound in our lives and the world is wonderful! Jesus is our focus and we marvel at all He did for us. God's love becomes so apparent and we are caught in a wave of ecstasy as we experience His love, His mercy, His goodness abounding in our lives. Surely it is heaven we taste as we live in the honeymoon phase of our walk with God.

The Marriage
After the honeymoon is over we now move into the commitment phase of the marriage. In the natural this is definately more challenging because we do not have all the luxuries and relaxation that comes in the honeymoon. Now we have to dig our heels in and face everyday challenges and the adjusting that is needed as two lives merge as one. We see that life itself brings unexpected things our way. And you learn things about your husband you never knew before. He might even expect you to cook dinner EVERY night. LOL In the spiritual walk, there is things that are required of us that we did not think about either. There are more responsibilities that are expected of us, things that we are not always crazy about doing. "For better or for worse" are part of the vows we make not knowing at the time just what this really meant. As we become more open to Him Who first loved us we also become more vulnerable to others around us as we see how much He loves them. In wanting to please Him, we want to love them, too. Often we get hurt because of this for there are mere people with flaws and weaknesses just like us. But if we are faithful and true to Him our lives are rich with so many things, most of all is His loving eyes turned upon us. We are lost in His precious gaze. All sacrifice and sorrows are worth His love and admiration.

The Cost
Our second trip to Lakeland cost us more than our first one did. The honeymoon phase might cost us monetarily but it is the marriage that costs far above money. It is our very lives given as a sacrifice to serve, to love, and work beside Him Who we love. Just as there are many marriages in the natural that don't make it because some count the cost to be above what they are willing to pay. Often times the husband or wife thinks that the other is there just for there own pleasure and enjoyment and when the honeymoon phase comes into the marriage/commitment phase and its not what they expected it to be, the opt to get out of it. All vows are forsaken and focus comes back onto self. Let it not be so with us who call ourselves followers of Christ. Rather let us be found as those who are not only faithful to our natural mates but faithful to Him Who is our Beloved. No matter what the cost let us stand with Him, hand in hand, heart to heart, united in building the kingdom of God together, upon the earth as it is in heaven - no matter what the cost. There is nothing that we can give God that He would not give us back multiplied. No one can out give God. But aside from the receiving back from Him there is no greater joy, no more fulfilling life than to give our all to Him. It's not always easy. It might exceed what we thought was expected of us but that is what He is asking of us in this hour. We must have faith that He will see us through, that He has provided a way where there appears to be no way. Even when it seems uphill all the way we must have the confidence that what will greet us on the top of the hill will far exceed our imagination and it will be wonderful for He has promised it to be so. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!! Hallelujah!!!

Trust Me, saith the Lord. Know that My plans for you are good, to prosper you and not to harm you. Stand upon the head of the serpent while keeping your eyes upon Me and I will show you marvelous and wonderful things, sharing the secrets of My heart with you.

Glory! Now that's an invitation we don't want to refuse!

God bless you all with more of Him,
Joan