Monday, April 07, 2008

City Church International, Hong Kong !!!!!!!!!!!!

O.K., I've been sitting on this one for quite some time and I have to spill the beans now, with Dan's permission. We are leaving on Thursday for a very long trip, driving from Moncton to Newark NJ with our 3 kids (about 12 hrs driving),spending the night there with Aaron's parents who will be taking the kids to their place while we're gone, and then driving to JFK in New York City to fly out on Friday to arrive the following day in HONG KONG. That's right, I believe this will be my 3rd time on a plane... so you can see I haven't done much travelling, well, I've done a lot of driving!

Anyway, of course we'll be going to City Church International on Sunday morning, and Joshua and Janet Mills will be there on Sunday and Monday night. Then we'll hit a prayer meeting on Thursday night and have high hopes of getting to spend a little time with Rob and Glenda Rufus, and Ryan and Kylie Rufus, people who of course we've never met but have been listening to over the internet, talked to on the phone a little, and exchanged a few e-mails along the way. I hope they can handle me, ha! I'm hoping for many things actually!

If you recall I mentioned not too long ago that we don't really have any money so you're probably wondering how we can afford a trip like this. Maybe you're not wondering but I'm going to assume you are anyway. Well, we still don't , not to say God is not providing basics right now...Aaron's job is going well and sales are beginning to pick up, but we certainly don't have money for something like this!

So going back to the beginning, a few months ago Aaron and I had the following conversation (witnessed by my mother):

Julie: We haven't gone away without the kids for more than a few days since I was pregnant with Eva (our first child, now 7)

Aaron: Well we won't be going anywhere for a long time either

Julie: No, except Hong Kong

Aaron: We're not going to Hong Kong, we can't even afford a house. It's impossible (obviously in Aaron's defense he said this before the Invading the Impossible series...haha)

Julie: Well, you can stay here if you want but I'm going to Hong Kong this year.

Aaron: We don't have any money.

Julie: Well, I'm going into heaven and taking what I need, but I'm going this year whether you want to or not! ( notice the quiet gentle submissive spirit here, I said this very very impulsively without any thought whatsoever...)

Well, that's the general idea of how it happened anyway...Of course this was not a bad conversation, I can see how it might read as a fight or disagreement but it really wasn't. These conversations are not really unusual and neither of us thought much about it.

That night I couldn't sleep and I was annoyed and finally got up and went out to the computer to check my e-mail. To my great surprise, there was an e-mail from Dan (a very good friend of ours who we met through blogging, we've never actually met!) Now considering the timing of all this, I do not think this was a coincidence. Here's a bit of the e-mail:

...You may have noticed from the Rob Rufus website that the next "Glory and Grace Conference" has been announced! Alas, alas it is at the end of March and so far too soon for me to be able to make it.

Would you two be able to go for the week if it was not a question of money? Can you free up the time to make sure you are there?

This isn't to be a loan or anything like that. It's a gift. I want you to be at that conference so it can be your turn to receive the impartation of God's glory. I think it's essential beyond words for the spreading of the glory in Canada. You won't "owe" me anything ...


That is just a little bit of it. I sat and read and re-read that e-mail crying, I couldn't believe it! There was no hope of sleeping after that! It was the beginning of corresponding back and forth figuring out what God was doing in all of this. Obviously, we didn't go to Australia for the Grace and Glory Conference in the end of March. For various reasons, we felt God had other plans. Long story short, we're going to Hong Kong instead, in just a few days!!!

Dan has been such a blessing to us, not just because of money, but because he's forever sending us encouraging words and prophecies and we are so aware of his prayers for us. He is a true brother and we know some day we'll actually get to meet him! It will be an amazing meeting for sure. He is so gifted in writing and editing material in a way that makes it accessible to many many people, and making it all available for free, he is definitely a gift from God to the church worldwide. We're so excited to watch the transformation the grace message has and is making in his life, he's truly a bold preacher of the Gospel. Thank-you thank-you Dan for being such an expression of God's grace and blessing to us! Thank-you thank-you God for your amazing lavish goodness to us!

I'm pretty excited at this point. I'll be taking pictures and notes (or Aaron will) and be sharing everything when I get back, if I don't have computer access there. Make sure to keep an eye on the Rob Rufus Grace and Glory blog as well. In theory I'm a contributor there though I've never posted yet, but this time I'll have to!

Please keep us in your prayers for a safe trip and for us to embrace God's will in everything that will be happening. I don't know if that's the best way to word that, but I think you understand what I'm trying to say. I really feel that God has promised us some significant things in all this and I can't even imagine how glorious the fulfillment of those promises might be!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! That's terrific!!! I am so excited for you! I hope you two have a wonderful time and the Lord shows you all kinds of things!! Blessings, many blessings on Dan for helping to make this possible!!!!
I love you guys! Ellie

Steve & Katie LaBs said...

Hooray! I'm soo glad God provided a way!!! I will be checking your blog frequently for updates :) If it's not too much we'd love to see you after you get back before you head north. And like I said on the phone... please let us know if you'd like to use our house for a night or so
much love, Katie

Dan Bowen said...

I'm so thrilled to finally read the full story (and it isn't even finished yet!!). I have absolutely no shadow of doubt whatsoever that God wants you in Hong Kong and I just cannot WAIT to find out what happens to you guys in Hong Kong!! :)

Dan Bowen said...

I've just been listening to Rob's first comments from "Invading the Impossible - Part 12" and he makes some awesome comments that I think will whet all of our appetites for your trip to Hong Kong!! I love his pastoral/prophetic heart - I love his vision. At one point during what he says, you will note that he describes the three meetings that you and Aaron are going to be at as "rocket boosters" taking you to a higher and higher level.

I have never felt so so strongly that all of us who are with you in spirit are not going to miss out at all. You are going to bless so many - so many - through the word of your testimony!

He said;

"I really believe that Joshua Mill's visit here is not a coincidence. I believe it is a divine incident. I really believe it is the arrangement of God. We were not meant to have them - they were meant to go somewhere else. And God said to Joshua; "No - don't go there because the best church in the world is City Church!!". (*laughter*). No but they were meant to go somewhere else but were turned down amazingly so we got them and it was God I believe.

I am not looking for extra meetings - I have just preached 12 times in the last few days. I am tired of my own voice and nearly ran out on my voice. But next Sunday morning is not just another religious slot. If I could get away with it I would cancel Sunday morning and let's just meet in the evening with Joshua and then Monday.

But I feel under the instruction of God to have a Sunday morning meeting because so few of you in Hong Kong get an opportunity to encounter God in close proximity of meetings. There is something about the first meeting where you open up to God - He speaks to your heart - you get anointed - you get lubricated and immersed so that by the second meeting in the evening with Joshua you will be best positioned to go into the realms of the glory.

By Monday night it will just be an awesome time! I have seen that over and over again. There is very little you can actually do in a single meeting. Sunday mornings are great and we are breaking through. In fact the expectation levels in the church in the prayer meeting this morning are much higher than when I left two weeks ago! Something has happened in the last 2 weeks! There is a new level of hunger in this church!

More and more of you are telling me; "I see this grace message now - the light of revelation has come on! I see it clearer now!". That is in the last few weeks! So I believe we are going up to a new level. But this is an opportunity to have 3 meetings and you will see how it grows. You pick up where you left off and go to another level and every meeting is like a rocket booster that takes you to another level in God and so it is so important - if you can make all three then please make all three!

It is costing us a lot of money to have Joshua and his wife here. We are taking it out of our own tithes and offerings that come into this church. I would rather have you here at all three meetings than have to give anything financially. I just want you to be here. I am jealous for you with a holy ambition to take you to another level.

When you come into the glory - you get liberated! In the glory, you become undone! I want to take you into the glory further and further!".

Wowwwwwwwwwwww ..........

lydia said...

Yay, Yay, Yay!!! Okay, I am meeting you in NJ and bringing you my video camera.....and then I will shove myself into your suitcase and come with!!!!

Thank you Dan for your kindness, for your heart and for making this possible by the grace of God - we can't wait to see what God does!!!!

Oh yes and you must visit when you get back at least for a little so you can bring us the annointing too!!!!

Dan Bowen said...

I've been giggling naughtily to myself ... you may have spotted like me various other "blogger" meetings at certain other conferences where presumibly these people will meet and talk about blogging. I was talking to Pete Day about what our kind of blogger meeting would be like if we can all meet up at the Hong Kong Grace and Glory Conference next Feb/March!!

Can you imagine ... we will try and talk about "techniques of blogging" and then end up getting laid out under the power of God such is in the anointing in the building!! :)

Ahh .... dreams and visions! I really believe we are gonna get to all meet up somewhere - even if it isn't Hong Kong next year - it will be SOMEWHERE SOON!! Maybe Julie and Aaron have to persuade Rob and Glenda and Ryan and Kylie to come to Grace and Glory Canada!?!

It's gonna be such a fab time for you ... :)

jul said...

Dan, 3 comments on one post????

I have such good friends and I am very thankful. Thanks all of you for being happy for us!

Lydia and Katie (and Ellie if you're up for a little drive), we get back to JFK on Friday the 25th. We were talking to the Kerwoods last night and they think there's a meeting at church that night, but we're thinking of driving to Wilmington and taking the Labs up on their offer to use their house and visit with all of you at the Kerwoods that night (if there's no meeting) or maybe Saturday morning. You're all so hungry for the glory of God that we'd love to share whatever we get in Hong Kong! And of course, we just want to see you all! How does that sound? Dan, you want to fly to Philly for a day or too? lol

jul said...

Oh and Dan, you know there's no way we'd end up talking about blogging 'techniques' haha!

Dan Bowen said...

For me, comments tend to reflect my mood about the subject under discussion. It may be "table-turning" rage at Pharisees and legalists! Or more happily it may be uncontrolled excitement that some of my best friends in Christian blogging are going on what I know is going to be a trip of a lifetime!

I was speaking to Pete Day today and we both agreed that my trip to the "Grace and Glory Conference" last October was a "moment". Life has changed since then! And I know without a shadow of doubt that this is going to be the same for you too. God is on the MOVE! God is spreading His glory across the EARTH!!

Hence my excitement! And hence now 4 comments! :)

lydia said...

..blogging techniques..nah! ....we are so heavenly minded we are no earthly good, just kidding..I just wanted to say that....
Dan, you never answered whether you want to fly to Philly or not - !!
Today, I decided to claim .."The Greater Philadelphia area is mine!!!" So, I am psyched for our gathering of hungry insatiable "normal" Christian friends to meet!!!!!
Okay, so what happened to the Wordpress blog, I can't find it!!!!

jul said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jul said...

Don't worry I'll delete the last comment once I know you've seen it haha!

Now that you own Philly, what are you going to do with it???

lydia said...

Got it!
I like the good crazy me, instead of the bad crazy me!
Love people, pray for people, share the gospel, see the whole region get turned upside down and addicted to God!

Don said...

Have a great time!

Dan Bowen said...

I am prophetically planning a "Grace and Glory Conference Tour" of North America people ...

The conference schedule is going to be me preaching the opening message and then we are going to cam in live to Hong Kong where Rob Rufus will be speaking specially for our benefit.

My first stop will indeed be Philadelphia, then maybe a stop-off in Gaithersburg ... ;) ... or maybe not ... and then of course up to Canada!

Okay okay so I am home from a 12 hour shift and delirious on excitement at Julie and Aaron going so I made all the above up, but I do indeed plan on coming to the USA and Canada to visit you guys!! :)

Mattityahu said...

Awesome!!! Wow...That is really amazing! I hope you guys have a great time!! While you're there, see if you can get me a copy of the song "Glory Realm" done by their band lol. I'm in love with that song!

Anonymous said...

oh, let me know what's going on, and I'll try to make it!

Ellie

Unknown said...

Dan, how about a stop in Orlando, FL? I can see it now...:-)

silent wings said...

Grace and Glory Canada! Come on! I like the sound of that. It's going to happen.

jul said...

YES it's going to happen, wanna help me start planning it Cirra?

Anonymous said...
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