God opens the door for us to Timor-Leste

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News flash: We’re going to Timor-Leste (East Timor)!!  Woo-hoo!

While we were in the USA, God clearly spoke to us about going to Timor-Leste, to live, love and serve the Timorese people.  There was also a real sense of urgency that the Lord impressed on our hearts, so we have known that we were to go sooner than later.

Soon after we received this confirmation from God (thankfully towards the end of our USA trip!), we received an email from a lady who has previously worked in Timor-Leste as a missionary. She asked us if God had been speaking to us about Timor, to which we replied emphatically, “Yes!” God had also given this lady a vision for Timor-Leste (about 10 years ago), but particularly for the remote village of Weberek. Part of this vision involves a small team of believers living together in community, within the wider community of Weberek, just as in the book of Acts:

‘And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.’  Acts 2:42-47

God is calling us to be a part of this community of believers and to live amongst the Timorese people in the village of Weberek, so that is where we’re eventually headed! Although, we will be taking it a day at a time, and so will start by going to Dili, the capital city of Timor-Leste, via Darwin, Australia... then we’ll see where God leads us from there...

We are so grateful for all your continued prayers and for those who’d like to make a donation, we’ve included a PayPal ‘button’ on the top right-hand of this blog.

Thank you so much for all your love and support! We love you all!

Stay blessed!

C & L 

P.S . We had originally planned to leave on the 7th February, but we've now postponed our flights. We'll post the new date as soon as we rebook our flights.

IN ALL THINGS, THANKS ...

'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...

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! 

Saw lots of wildlife, but the elk was the only one to pose for a pic!

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!

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... 

On the road from Seattle to Union, Washington (State).

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!!

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!!

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!!

Laurence was excited to visit the place he has read so much about!

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!?

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

Proof that Jesus IS alive and is in the USA!

UNITED IN JESUS

Downtown Dallas, TX  (near where JFK was assassinated) 

Squirrel!!!!

Dallas, TX

Dallas, TX

Bigfoots (on the road to Tulsa, OK)

Just trying it on...

The red, white 'n' blue ..

Saw many hawks and eagles in Oklahoma!

We're NOT gonna buy it!

Amazed at the array of cowboy boots!

Oral Roberts University (Tulsa, OK)

Prayer Tower at ORU

Loz hangin' out with JC!

ORU

Pretty spectacular architecture at ORU

Sunset over Tulsa, OK

Inside the Prayer Tower at ORU

HUGE hands statue at ORU 

Second day in Denver!

On the road up into the Rockies!

Sunrise from our bedroom window in Breckenridge

Frisco, CO

Along the road to Aspen, CO

'Ever-changing scenery

The sun is very bright so high up!

Aspen, CO

Back on the road to Breckenridge, through the Rockies

Breckenridge

With Jackson & Fiona in their store in Breckenridge

ONLY in America!

Stunning autumnal colours of the local park (CO)

Sunrise at our hotel (Westminster, CO)

LOTS of snow!

This made us laugh!

Armed and dangerous!

Greetings folks and welcome to our SUPER-SIZED blog posting for September and October!! Thanks for checking in on us again, sorry It’s been a while between blog updates! ‘Blog’ - it’s a funny word isn’t it? Anyway ..

So we’ve been in the United States for about a month and a half now, which is midway through our total trip! It seems to have gone quick, but then so much has happened too! We have been totally blessed, all our plans and bookings have all gone .. well, according to plan. : )

However on the way to Dallas, we almost got stuck in LA .. because the lines for the security screening were so long we actually missed our connecting flight to Texas! But all was well, the airlines found enough space on the next/last flight out an hour later. Favor!

We arrived as a group of 5, with 3 fellow JGLM co-laborers (US spelling - we’re in America!) We rented a vehicle that had to be big enough for all of us plus our luggage, as the public transport system in Dallas is not great. The vehicle we ended up with, ended up being pretty huge! And I was driving! It had been a while since I’d driven on the right hand side of the road but it went swell .. 

The first hotel we checked into was pleasant and the service was great. It ended up being a favorite of ours and the group. We all had the special that night in the hotel restaurant, a humungous beefy cheeseburger! Kind of average unfortunately - but this would only be the first of many .. The hotel put on a pretty good breakfast buffet and we did a pretty good job of filling up so that we wouldn’t need to eat much else for the rest of the day! At least we tried to anyway! The first thing we did on day one was visit the media center of John G. Lake Ministries - the ‘nerve center’ of the ministry, where messages are filmed and uploaded onto ustream and JGLM teachings in the form of dvd’s, cd’s, books and manuals are sent out to the four corners of the globe. We were greeted and welcomed by friendly JGLM staff, whom we got to know a lot better over the next few weeks. They were busy preparing for the JGLM annual conference at that time, so we didn’t stay long. In the evening, the group was invited out to a classic Texas steakhouse/grill for dinner.

The next day, one of the JGLM team took all of us out for a historical tour of the pentecostal church in Dallas. We saw a church where Maria Woodworth-Etter led a healing revival in the early 1900’s. We drove by the home of John G. Lake’s daughter in law, the one who held the secrets to John G. Lake’s healing ministry in Dr Lake’s very own Divine Healing Technician manual and who safe guarded it until she bequeathed it to Curry Blake after her passing. We also visited Jack Coe’s grave site and much more!

After a few days our team hit the road for Tulsa, Oklahoma, where we had a lovely Mexican dinner with Gary Carpenter, a minister of the Gospel whose teachings some of us had looked into at various stages of our Christian walk. We had hoped to also catch Dave Roberson who Gary worked with, who’s book on praying in tongues we were all very familiar with, but alas, Dave was not in town .. We had pancakes for breakfast in the morning at IHOP (the International House Of Prayer .. I mean, Pancakes!) And then we drove back to Dallas ..

We drove straight to the hotel where the JGLM annual conference was commencing that evening. The JGLM conference was awesome! There were some great speakers and some really good teaching given and the worship band totally rocked the joint! We got to meet a whole bunch of cool people from around the world who are learning (just like us), how to live, walk and do the things Jesus did .. and greater! (John 14:12) We also got the opportunity to meet Ps. Joe Funaro, a minister of the Gospel, whom we would meet up with later in our trip in Denver, Colorado ..

After the conference we spent some more time hanging out with and getting to know the committed team at the JGLM media center. Cher and I put our applications in for the Bible school course, we bought the four ‘required reading’ books and we also got our selves a copy of a Wuest Bible translation.  Our Aussie counterparts went up to Arkansas for some meetings with Gospel ministers, Todd White and David Hogan. After they returned, we had the chance for a few more good laughs and late night chats together before they departed back to Melbourne .. : (

As ministers of reconciliation (reconciling or uniting Man to God through Jesus) we believe we should always be making opportunities and looking for opportunities to minister God’s love and power. On one occasion we were at the coin laundromat and just such an opportunity presented it self .. We were approached by a deaf and mute man, he came with a written sign, asking for money. We gave him some money but then offered to pray for him. He went away with improved hearing and speech and knowing that Jesus really did love him .. : )

Our next adventure took us back to Tulsa for a free conference with Dave Roberson’s ministry. We met some lovely people, heard some good teaching and were inspired by their emphasis on the importance of praying in the Holy Spirit/tongues! Dave ministered in the gifts of the Spirit and many people testified of having been healed! Glory to God! The church also organized a food handout to struggling families. I was struck by the ministry’s generosity, integrity and humility and the fact they were absolutely not a ‘money grabbing’ ministry unlike so many in the U.S. In fact we have been blessed in the States, that we have dealt only with ministries that, first and foremost, trust in God for their continued existence (and purpose!) and do not push, ‘squeeze’ or manipulate people to give financial offerings or tithes.    

While in Tulsa we also visited ORU (Oral Roberts University) and got some snaps of the beautiful grounds and the other worldly prayer tower there ..

Our next stop was Denver, Colorado! We saw some of the enormous ‘Rocky’ mountains from the plane! On the ground, the sky was blue and the air was a little cool and there was no snow anywhere (except for on the tops of the mountains in the distance) but on the second day snow fell and was on everything! And then it melted by midday! Anyway, first up in Denver, we sat in on a day and a half of free lectures by Chuck Missler. I really like some of his groundbreaking findings from his study of the Bible and related research but I did find his doctrine/teaching to fall short in some key areas. Nevertheless, we ‘discern the spirits’ and eat the ‘meat and spit out the bones’ .. (By the way, we are Christians - not cannibals, in case you were worried!)

We had rented a car to get to Chuck Missler and we held on to it for our journey up into the Colorado Rockies! My dear grandmother (Oma) had put me in touch with some of my extended family in the mountains, in place called Breckenridge. And so we had a nice timeout with family we had never met! They were wonderful to us and we had a great time. They have a big, beautiful house just seconds from world renown ski runs and resorts. We did a beautiful day trip driving through to the peaks of the mountains and to Aspen and back. Thankfully peak season hadn’t hit yet and it was still quiet and the snow was light on - though in Aspen there was no snow at all. (It was a lot warmer, almost a totally different climate, due to it’s lower elevation.) Before we left we blessed our hosts with a sampling of some of my world famous crepes! : )

My wife did an amazing job of booking and reserving all the flights, hotels and rental cars for our U.S. stay (without hardly a hiccup!) and on our return to Denver we returned the rental car and settled in to our new hotel, just a few minutes walk from the church we would be visiting during our stay in Denver! During the planning of our U.S. trip we made a decision not to go to South Africa with the JGLM team for the familiar series of healing and new man seminars, but to seek out some personal discipleship and training with Ps. Joe Funaro, who had been recommended to us by our lifeteam leader and pastor in Melbourne. We were not disappointed. Ps. Joe powerfully preaches a liberating, no holds-barred Gospel of the Kingdom of God. His aim is to see Christians realize the full purpose of Christianity - to become mature sons of God, to be fully equipped for the work of the ministry and to grow up into the fullness of Christ. To be and reveal Jesus to the world. His handle of the accurate teaching of God’s grace and the Bible’s message of ‘Christ in you’, is I believe, unequalled by any. We have been warmly welcomed into the congregation and have been learning and growing in leaps and bounds! Especially with the JGLM Bible school course on the side! Feel free to check out some of Ps. Joe’s sermons online at: www.lifedominion.org or www.dominiongraceministries.com

We have been truly blessed with the input of so many Godly men and women - not just in the U.S. but also in Australia and our prayer is that we will put it all into practice, making it a lifestyle, allowing the Word of God to become flesh in our lives, as we walk with and relate to our Father God each day, each step of the way .. So that the earth can look a little more like Heaven and that all people can know that there really is a God and that Jesus, His Son, is the way to Him ..

Thank you for tuning in and may the love of God fill you with all joy and hope!

Lots of love to you all,

L & C 

P.S. We’ve seen some brilliant films and doco’s while we’ve been in the States, if you haven’t seen them yet, I encourage you to - End Of The Spear ; Lord, Save Us From Your Followers and The Cross and The Switchblade .. very inspiring!! : )