CALIFORNIA, HERE WE COME!     

 

          October 4-8, 2013

 

Sunset, Folsom, California, October 6, 2013

 

How do you describe the indescribable?!!!

 

You know you can't, but you're still going to try . . .

 

When the email invitation came in the summer, you answered it with a heartfelt "YES, this is the loveliest invitation I've had in a long time!"

 

You've been reading the author's books for at least eight years. You've wiped away many a tear and heaved many a sigh, experiencing God's Truth written on the pages of each book. 

You have felt His Presence pouring out His love on you as you turned page after page. Besides the fine story-telling, with the biblical, historical and scientific knowledge shown in the writing, you were taken on a journey of the mind and the heart that rivaled anything you've ever read!

 

Somewhere along the way you wrote a fan-email, telling of your appreciation and saying, "THANK YOU!"

 

Then lo and behold, in the summer of 2013, the invitation came to a "retreat" with the author and his wife, in the Yosemite Park foothills area in California.

 

Of course, you lived in Northern Virginia, about an hour out of

Washington, D.C. But that was a small factor. After all, you had a little money put aside, and when you figured out your flight fee, your savings came to just enough to purchase your ticket.

Now, that was a really good sign! 

 

The thought came that you might also get a chance to see the niece whom you had not seen for close to 20 years, and her two sons whom you had never seen, other than in photos.

Sadly, her sister and family would be unable to come.  

 

When the author and his wife reviewed the responses to their invitation, there were not enough to book the lodge for the site of the retreat - so another email came, regretfully canceling the whole thing   . . . EXCEPT, that a couple from Canada would not take NO for an answer. (It would be part of their anniversary celebration!) They insisted on coming anyway, and a new invitation was issued with this change -- we were invited to meet at the author's home, and find lodging at nearby locations. 

 

As it turned out, four couples and two women occupied chairs in their living/dining area, along with the author-couple.

Supernatural love and communication from heaven permeated that home. Jesus' Apostles, and Mary His mother, might well have been leaning over the balcony of heaven, grinning ear to ear and cheering us on.

 

Friday evening, all of Saturday, and Sunday morn through lunch, we feasted on God's Presence expressed through a true New Testament fellowship of believers. We felt transported to biblical times when the love and power of God through His people "turned the world upside down". Indeed, knowledge, understanding and direction came forth along with great encouragement, helping to set our priorities and define our future work in God's kingdom. We would help to prepare the last great Harvest of souls, and the discipling of these precious ones, before the Second Coming of Christ. However near in the future, or further along it might be, we were to ready ourselves, and help many others to do the same. 

 

We enjoyed our Father God and worshiped Him there, listening, 

speaking, learning through one another. The thought came 

more than once, 

"Peter, James, John and Paul must have lived like this!" 

 

No wonder they were so bold - no wonder they conquered fear, physical privation, worldliness, and the whole might of Rome! When it came their time to depart this world to be with Father God, they would go in joy escorted by the angels of heaven! 

 

Wonder of wonders, our little group in that room were potential candidates as well!

 

 

For as Jesus said long ago,

 

"Don't be afraid, little flock,

 

It is Your Father's good pleasure

 

to give you the Kingdom."

 

                                                     

 

PS: 

Several hours before boarding my return flight, I had a brief conversation with a young man. I had given him my card with an invitation to visit my website. Then I said, "now you know my name, but I don't know yours. What is it?"

He smiled and said, "My name is Moses."

Within 2 hours, and at the end of another conversation, I again gave my card to a man, and asked for his name. He responded,

"My name is Aaron." Then he turned and walked away. Odds, anyone? Could we dare to think . . . 'MIRACLE'!