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| 'Texas-size' and shaped waffle!! |
Hello family and friends! How are y’all doin’?! Yes, apparently we have picked up a bit of Texan slang, along with a hint of a slight southern ‘twang’... We cannot believe that it has been 3 months since we left Australia! And now our adventures with God in the US have come to a close. So much has happened in this time and we are so grateful to God...
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| The Chapel on the Rock, Rocky Mountains, Colorado. |
In our last week in Denver, CO, we rented a car to head back up the mountains towards Estes Park and the famous Rockies National Park... It was a glorious drive, although cold! The snow flakes truly sparkle like diamonds, being such a powdery snow, and many of the lakes resembled ice-skating rinks! And not to forget the majestic pine trees (Laurence called them ‘Christmas’ trees!) and the wildlife, such as coyote, elk and even a mountain lion (cougar) walking across the road!
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| Saw lots of wildlife, but the elk was the only one to pose for a pic! |
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| Loz DID help me up the icy steps - but it had to be AFTER he took the pic!;) |
While in Denver, we also made the decision to travel with Ps. Joe Funaro and his dear wife, Elsa, to Tanzania in May next year. Ps. Joe has been invited to teach at a Pastor’s conference and we have been blessed with the amazing opportunity to share and minister in Tanzania with him!
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| With Ps. Joe & Elsa (to the right of us) and some of the team at DLWOC |
We were both sad to say our farewells to everyone at church (Dominion Life World Outreach Center) on the last Sunday in Denver, but we were greatly encouraged and humbled by a word from the Lord, through Pastor Joe! God is so good!
Before we left Denver, we had a night of fellowship and crêpes in our lil’ hotel/apartment with a couple of wonderful couples: Michael and Darci, and Alex and Marianna. Laurence gave Darci a practical lesson and demo on how to make his ‘world’ famous crêpes...
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| On the road from Seattle to Union, Washington (State). |
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| In the woods, Union, WA. |
From Denver, we flew up to the supposedly rainy and grey city of Seattle (WA), only to be greeted warmly by sunshine, blue skies and all the rich tones of autumn! The drive through the mountains to Union, WA, was breathtakingly beautiful! We stayed two nights in a resort hotel that was beyond what us ‘mishos’ are used to! It was a bit of a treat ... Our purpose in coming to Union, was primarily to see the wild man of God, David Hogan, as part of a ‘DRT’ - a Dead Raising Team conference!! His testimonies and life are such an inspiration! We didn’t see any dead people raised back to life while we were there but we do look forward to seeing God display His power in this awesome way in the very near future!! It did feel a little odd, being in such a luxurious place and listening to all of David Hogan’s miraculous accounts among the poorest of the poor, in Africa to South America. It made us eager to get back to Timor again!!
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| Our resort escape by the Hood Canal, Union, WA. |
After our short, refreshing stop in Union, we flew back to Dallas, Texas, to try and knuckle down into the bible school studies again and to help out the team at the John G Lake Ministries Media House. Was great seeing the guys again - we felt like we were home again! However, we were sad to hear that two of our brothers had left just before we returned - but we know that God has amazing plans for both of them!
While back in Dallas, we were invited to share in a TEXAS-sized Thanksgiving feast with all the JGLM family! Was a real blessing to enjoy our first Thanksgiving with such wonderful people! We had a lot to be thankful for...
On the way to the Thanksgiving feast, I had ‘lost’ my purse, with all my cards (and some of Laurence’s cards too) and a wad of cash we had just got out from the ATM. I had strongly suspected that it may have been stolen, as I could not think how else it would have gone from my handbag. We turned the hotel room and rental car upside down, looking frantically for this purse (as you do!). Laurence suggested we go back to the Walmart to check the lost and found. On the way, I felt sick to the stomach, but I decided to just trust God anyway. After all, He is our provider - our all in all - and everything we have is His! I just thanked the Lord that when we would get to Walmart, that the purse would be at the customer service counter - money ‘n’ all still there ... As soon as we arrived to the Walmart customer service counter, I spotted my purse on the back counter! I asked the lady for it and she said, “I have no idea how that got there - I didn’t see anyone put it there or anything!” All the cash and cards were still in the purse! The only logical explanation to what had happened was that it was an angel who put my purse there! ;) hehe... Thank you God!!
At the Thanksgiving feast, we also got to catch up with Erin, who has now left for India for about 6 months - where she has such a heart to show the love of Jesus in a real and powerful way! We bless her heart of love and all God will accomplish through her!
During our first week back in Dallas, God gave Laurence a clear confirmation, through a dream, that we are indeed meant to go back to Timor-Leste (East Timor) and soon! (It was actually the second dream that Laurence had about Timor - he had an earlier one in Denver). Was really cool how God spoke to Laurence too and in a way that he would understand: he received a text message from God! I love it! It has long been on my heart to go to Timor, so I greatly rejoiced when the Lord had finally put this on Laurence’s heart too! God is so good! So now plans are in motion to go back to Timor-Leste before we fly to Tanzania in May 2012! It is all happening so fast! Hallelujah!! Bring it on!!
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| The guys at the JGLM Media House - Jokers, but also hard workers! |
Our last days in Dallas were spent with beautiful people: the Pendleton family, the McCoys, Robert and Grace, the guys from the JGLM (John G. Lake Ministries) Media House and Michael Ott. These folk all spoke words of encouragement into our lives and we believe that each connection was so orchestrated by God! We love you and are so thankful to have had the privilege to meet y’all!
Our final stop at the end our super-sized US adventure was in Los Angeles, California. I finally got to meet some dear friends of Laurence’s - Nathan, Sarah and their gorgeous bub, Israel. Was a real honour to meet these wonderful peeps who, by way of example, played an important role in helping Laurence in his early walk with Jesus. They were encouraged and in awe of the changes God had wrought in Laurence - the transformation is undeniable! Hallelujah!!
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| Laurence was excited to visit the place he has read so much about! |
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| Angelus Temple, LA. |
In LA, we included some historical site-seeing, such as Azusa St, where an awesome world missional revival began and Angelus Temple (google it;). We drove down south (towards San Diego), along the coast on our last day - looked cool, but the display of wealth and excess was a little overwhelming! Two things about LA will be etched in my memory: the smoggy haze that never seems to end (no matter how far from the city we drove!) and the Australian gumtrees we saw all throughout the city .. weird!?
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| Dana Point, CA. |
Thank you to everyone who made our trip to the USA so worthwhile! And thank you Lord, for giving us this wonderful opportunity ... by your goodness and grace!
‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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| Proof that Jesus IS alive and is in the USA! |
