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December 26, 2003
After a late start on the day, now the usual occurrence when making the
adjustment to a 6 hour time change, I went by myself over to the chapel
for a while. The caretaker's wife greeted me and gave me the large key,
and went in through the gate. Immediately I noticed that the older side
of the cemetery to the left of the chapel was undergoing some major
work. All the graves there are well over 100 years old, and most of
them were sinking into the earth, or in varying degrees of tipping over
or lying flat on the ground. So they were now all being lined up side
by side in neat rows, raised up and set once again in an orderly
fashion. AIthough the job is only partially done, my impression was one
of a restoration of hope in the resurrection!
I let myself inside with a sense of homecoming and expectancy.
Everything inside was exactly the same as when we left in May. I sat at
the table beneath the pulpit, and gazed about in wonder that once again
here I was. That fact alone was quite amazing indeed! And as my heart
began to work into prayer for God's will to be done, I soon came to an
intense moment when I cried out to the Lord, "How can I dare to believe
all the things that I have seen and heard from You about this place?"
But then, with an even deeper cry, "How can I not believe you, Lord?
Here I am. Do with me as You will here."
As I pray, I find myself frequently breaking out into song. Maybe it's
the residual influence here of the Welsh people's love for singing. At
one point I found myself whistling a tune that I received when I was
here last fall. Maybe I get some words for it as well this time.
December 27, 2003
When I came to the chapel today, I learned of the death of Neville
George, one of the members whom I had visited with on both previous
visits. As I walked through the cemetery looking for his grave I could
not help but think of him and so many others that have passed on before
that have had a faith in the Lord Jesus and their eyes set on eternal
life, but not ever enjoyed the lively hope that comes with a real and
living relationship with the Lord which gives us both joy and strength.
I got talking with an elderly gentleman in the market today that turned
out belong to a Baptist chapel, but doesn't go any more. He expressed
his sorrow over the fact that so few people in general and youth in
particular have no thoughts for God or religion, and yet he seemed to
hold on to some hope himself. He mentioned all of the empty and
lifeless chapels, especially here in Southwest Wales, and even the
great revival of 100 years ago. When I told him that I believe they
will all be filled again he said he wouldn't be totally surprised,
because there is nothing else that lasts more than a lifetime, and most
things not even that long.
While I was singing and praying, I found myself thinking about that
conversation, and others I have had with other people that seem to
believe, yet seem relatively removed from their faith, or Jesus in
particular, the object of that faith. As I considered visiting these
people again, and trying to fan the coals of their hope once again, the
music of Be Thou My Vision came to my lips, and I began to dwell on
that first phrase.
"Be Thou my vision, Oh Lord of my heart" has to be my priority during
my time here. The main focus then of this time is to be with Him. The
fellowship of the Word and the Holy Spirit are to be the main course.
If He is my vision, than I no longer need make plans and churn ideas of
how to make things happen. "in Him we live and move and have our being"
means that while we keep ourselves in Him, all other aspects of our
time and activities will be guided by Him. He will bring us into
conversations with those of His choosing and guide out steps each day
according to His word that says he orders each one!
In the afternoon as we drove into Cardigan, Gladys said she was
beginning to realize with that his is going to be own town! This will
be where we come for market, and other necessities of making our home
ion this area. When I saw a musician that was baptized last spring,
what joy I felt, even though I wasn't able to catch his eye as I passed
in the car. What a change will come over this community as more and
more of these lovely folks find themselves caught up into the grace of
God's loving them and giving them eyes to see and ears to hear what
only He can reveal to them.
BE THOU MY VISION
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul's Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
December 28, 2003
Early this Sunday morning, instead of coming directly to the Chapel, I
drove up to the top of the hill where the Lord first spoke to me 4 1/2
years ago about revival coming again to Wales. It was very windy,
cloudy and very cold. I sat in the car for a while and prayed as I
surveyed the countryside, all the farms and villages round about. I
realized that of course these are the people that will be first touched
by the revival, and that each of these homes and families will somehow
find their way out there when the move begins.
In a like manner last night while we were at the local supermarket in
Cardigan I observed all the people catching up on the grocery shopping
after two days of all businesses being closed. These are the ones that
Jesus gave his life for. And these are the ones that we have come to
pray for. Yes, I even scanned each face and wondered how many of them I
would see in the chapel one day.
Bracing myself against the cold, I got out of the car and walked
towards the very top where the fences come together, and could see a
clearing in the east and glow of the morning sun working its way
upwards into the fierce cold. The wind at my back came racing over the
hilltop from the Irish Sea, almost pushing me over at times, and yet
before me the growing glory of the morning sun filled the space between
the horizon and the band of heavy clouds a hands' width above it. As
the cold bit into my back I could pray clearly with the growing light
for the coming revelation of the glory of the Son of God into the
coldness of heart that has kept this land in its grip now for so many
years.
Back in the chapel as I prayed for annointing for this place, and those
that will come here. also I prayed for the pastor of this little flock
as he shares this morning at another chapel where he ministers each
week. Then I received the words to a song written by a young Welshman I
met last spring, "A crown of beauty, instead of ashes, is what You've
given to me." That must be our cry for this land, as the light of life
breaks through the coldness and fills this land once again with the
knowledge of the Lord of life.
I went back and picked of the family at the cottage, and we went to
church at the New Life Christian Centre, the small spirit filled church
where the Elsaessers have been going to church for the last couple of
years. It is also the church that hosted the Welsh Prayer Leaders'
Summit that we attended last spring, when we received so very much
encouragment by hearing the stories of many others that had also been
led to pray and intercede for revival during recent years.
There were several other visitors with us due to the holidays, and it
was pleasant to have some people besides the pastor and his wife come
and greet us, remembering us from our previous visit. That makes us
begin to feel a bit more at home here in the area. Doug, the pastor,
invited to me share a bit about why we were here, and so I took a few
minutes and briefly described how the Lord first showed me the vision
of the coming revival in the Spring of 1999, and then in the Spring of
last year gave me a direct call to come and pray here in the old
Baptist chapel. I told them how the Lord has been working in our hearts
and confirming His call in the two subsequent visits and also
confirming through many different sources about this coming great
revival. They prayed for us afterwards, and it was a real blessing to
have people come along side and encourage us.
December 29, 2003
Only passed by the chapel briefly to show the chapel to my son and his
friends. It seemed strange to be like a tourguide just passing through.
I couldn't help but wonder what they think about this whole thing. I
imagine they'd only heard little bits from Dicky, but they now at least
had heard me share in church yesterday the real reason of why we even
come over to this remote place.
December 30, 2003
Today we packed the kids off to Ireland for a couple of days. Before
taking them to the ferry at Fishguard, we went together to St. Davids,
out on one of the southwestern tips of Wales. This was a place of
central importance in the history of Wales, and the growth of the
Church in Wales, of which David was the founder. There are fascinating
ruins of an old monastery and the seat of government from a thousand
years ago. There is also a huge old church there, which we went inside
of to have a look around. There are the tombs of various old saints,
and reputedly the bones of David himself in one of the attached chapels.
The organist was practicing on their newly installed 1.2 million dollar
pipes organ, and the place was filled with wonderful sounds. However as
I sat meditating in a particular spot, looking up at the huge framing
of the roof, I couldn't help but feel how this type of religious
establishment served to remove the everyday folk from any direct
relationship with their Lord and Saviour, and cause them to be
dependant on a relatively sterile and impersonal religious
infrastructure. How distant from the relationship that Jesus shared
with His disciples, and the many "one another" exhortations of Paul's
letters.
Up to the chapel in the afternoon, as I began to pray, this simple
verse came to me.
Jesus, oh Jesus, please help me to pray,
Help me not wonder and strain at the way,
Teach me to trust in the fact that You lead,
To hear and obey you is my only need.
It seems so far from my possibilities to cause something happen here,
of course. But nothing being impossible for God, we press on with
enthusiasm, knowing with a growing surety that all we need to do is
follow His leading day by day.
Meditating on how we might encourage the members of the chapel to pray,
I realized that the Welsh love to sing hymns, and this may be the key
to start to pray with them, through the familiar words of their
favorite hymns.
December 31, 2003
Today I am 56 years old! I spent the morning in the chapel and had a
good time of praying and worshiping and letting go of any preconceived
notions of what to expect in this place. Then in the afternoon we went
over to the Elsaessers farm to spend time together, and they gave me a
wonderful birthday dinner with homemade black forest cake and ice cream
for dessert. And so I get to start off 2004 with a bit more of a Welsh
belly than last year!
January 1, 2004
What joy to my soul to be able to start of this new year in a new land,
the land where the Lord has called us to come and lay down our lives
for His sheep! And to be so at home here in this chapel, where so many
"impossible" things are going to happen!
Before midnight we went to Fishguard to pick up the kids coming in on
the ferry from Ireland at 1:30 in the morning. Having time enough, we
drove out to the Strumble Head Lighthouse flashing away with its
powerful beacon. It's amazing how such a strong light can go unobserved
by so many people on land, being so far out on a point. It mostly gets
seen by folks on boats who are paying attention. It's kind of like us,
the church. God is giving very clear signals of things to come to all
those that are paying attention, but there are many who are just "on
the boat", like so many passengers in these huge ferry boats, who are
only concerned in getting to their destination but are paying no little
or no attention to the course they're on.
Every 15 seconds or so all the sheep we saw in the pastures close to
the lighthouse would be swept over by the very intense light, but they
didn't seem to notice or be bothered at all. They just kept munching
away on the grass. Just like the lost people of this world that don't
know Jesus, who are oblivious to any of God's existence and involvement
in this world at all. They just continue busily engaged in consuming
whatever they can get, with no real thought of their short stay on this
earth. But not for much longer!
January 2, 2004
Today was such a nice and almost clear day, Gladys and I drove up into
the Priscelli Mountains to have a look about and pray, and took the
short hike out to the top of "Foel Eryr" and enjoyed a spectacular 360
degree view. It was quite clear and we could see as far as the Bristol
Channel past Tenby, Skomer Island, Fishguard, the Cardigan Bay and up
the coastline of the Irish Sea towards North Wales. On the next ridge
over towards the West was a beautiful old farm that caught my eye and
heart like a magnet, and how I would have loved to go spend some time
there.
As I looked around over the countryside, there was a sense of longing
and wonderment at the fact that these many people will soon be stirred
out of the slumber of their spiritual lethargy by the coming move of
God.
January 3, 2004
I dropped Gladys off early in Newcastle Emlyn to go shopping in Cardiff
with Renie and her daughters, and so got to spend several hours alone
in the chapel. Then in the afternoon I took the kids to do laundry at
Alex's, and down to the scenic little beach called Mwnt about two miles
away.
That evening I called some friends of Barbara Tonkin, one of the prayer
leaders who we met here last spring. She had recommended that we try
and get in touch with them, as they live close to where we are, and are
very involved in prayer for revival. They invited us out for tea for
the next afternoon, and that was definitely something to look forward
to. The more people we meet who are actively seeking the Lord for an
outpouring in Wales, the more encouraged and emboldened we find
ourselves to press into this calling we have received to just come here
and pray.
January 4, 2004
This morning I drove Dicky and his friends to Carmarthen, supposed
birthplace of the legendary Merlin, to catch a train to London, where
they will be the houseguests of Omar and Kate Mendez. Omar was one of a
group of young people with Verbo in Guatemala who joined the crew of
the ship Spirit ten years ago. While in that ministry, he met and
married British Kate nearly two years ago, the same couple that hosted
us last Spring when we went into London for the Alpha USA Team Days
Conference. So Dicky and company will do sightseeing, and then Gladys
and I will join them this Friday. I can hardly believe that our time
here is coming to an end so quickly!
After church this morning, we were invited for coffee to Charlie's
house, the brother whose baptism we attended last spring, and who I had
seen in the street a few days ago. He wasn't in church last Sunday, so
I was very glad to see him today, and we had a short but very pleasant
visit with them and another couple from the church. He is quite a
gifted musician, and played us a beautiful and moving song on his
mandolin that the Lord had given him recently. We agreed to get
together later during the week, and I look forward to that. With Gladys
on guitar and I on harmonica I think we shall have some fun worship
together. Perhaps he is another musician the Lord is lining up for us
to work with in the coming harvest time?
This afternoon we went out to Ffald y Brenin, Sheepfold of the King. As
we got up to the top of the drive and parked the car, what a delight it
was to discover this was the very place that had so caught my eye from
the mountaintop two days ago. How the Lord continuously overwhelms me
with His goodness and very special care, granting the desires of my
heart without me even asking!
We were warmly received by Roy and Daphne Godwin, who have been here as
administrators for nearly five years, since the death of the founder.
They shared with us how this retreat center was built up out of an old
farm in the mid 1980's. The project grew up and was sustained and
surrounded by the supernatural workings of God since the very
beginning. And after telling a bit of its short history, they shared
their own stories of a few of the many amazing things the Lord has done
during their time there, and how through quite extraordinary events and
elements of timing, the Lord brought them out to this place.
Daphne had been present during the afternoon session of the prayer
leaders meeting we attended last spring, but missed hearing our story
of how we were called to Wales to pray. So it was a blessing to now
share our testimony with them and recall again the things the Lord has
done to bring us to this point, now my 5th time in Wales. We had a
wonderful time of fellowship, and were mutually encouraged by our
testimonies to continue to press into what the Lord is calling us each
to do here. Roy said he would love to come and pray with us in the
chapel during our next visit over here this coming April.
As in this meeting, it has been very exciting as we get to know more
people here to continually find an unspoken understanding that we are
all on the same Team. We see how the Lord is putting people into so
many places throughout this land, preparing the groundwork for what is
to come. As Roy showed us around the old farm, and the large amount of
work and finances to build it up such a welled equipped meeting place,
I couldn't fail to see it as one more of the Lord's resources that is
now in place. It became very clear to me that this will be another important
and strategic place for workers in the coming harvest to meet and pray
and receive instructions from our Commanding Officer.
January 5, 2004
After a brief visit this morning with a friend in Cilgerran, we spend
the rest of the morning praying in chapel with Gladys. The only result
of my attempts to get in touch with some of the elders of the chapel
today was a very short chat with one who was leaving for Australia
within the hour. I did manage however to leave him a copy of my journal
from last spring, as well as a wonderful prophecy given to Catherine
Brown about Wales being sprinkled with golden dust word from heaven. He
seemed glad to see us and was interested in reading about it and
sharing it with his friends in Australia!
The rest of the afternoon was spent in town, investigating practical
aspects about moving here permanently. A few visits to real estate and
rental property agents gave us some useful information. We shopped
around for prices of the regular household goods, appliances and the
like, that we will need to set up a household. We have also been plying
several friends here with questions about utility costs, etc.
Another area of we checked into is that of learning Welsh. Being the
first language of some many people in this area, it seems very
important to me that we take on learn the language early on. Everyone
here does speak English, but Welsh is really the language of the heart.
My 28 years of Spanish ministry have shown me the importance of
language. There are many people in our church here in New Orleans that
speak nearly perfect English, but invariably prefer their native tongue
when talking about spiritual things and feelings that run deep. There
are ongoing courses that meet weekly, but of particular interest is an
intensive month-long summer session run by the University of Wales in
Aberystwyth. That may not be feasible for this year, but will surely be
on our agenda at some point.
At nightfall, we ran into our musician friend Charlie on High Street
(Main St. in most Welsh towns) and enjoyed an informal dinner. Another
musician friend had stopped by and we had fun playing together. It
turned out that Charlie had done some writing as well, and so we read
aloud some of our poems and things. It was a delightful evening, and we
ended with a sweet time of prayer together.
January 6, 2004 Ð Part 1
Early this morning I went to pray in the chapel alone. As I frequently
do, I went up in the pulpit to pray, and my eyes were drawn to the
large Bible in the lecturn opened to Psalm 68, "Let God arise, let his
enemies be scatteredÉ" As I read it aloud, the following verses took on
a prophetic meaning for what is to take place in Wales:
"9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm
thine inheritance, when it was weary.
10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of
thy goodness for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that
published it." and,
"16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to
dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels:
the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou
hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the
LORD God might dwell among them.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the
God of our salvation. Selah."
I also noticed a page marker at Nehemiah 6, and read how his
determination to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem was challenged
repeatedly. I found great encouragement there to press on in this
calling the Lord has issued to us, to come and pray here for the coming
revival. I have been challenged many times already in pursuing this
direction. In my own mind, doubts and misgivings do crop up from time
to time. I consider the cost of leaving our kids behind, our church
friends, etc. And even some concerned friends have intimated that I am
making a mistake by abandoning the "security" I have here. "What will
you do in a few years if nothing happens? You'll have no job to come
back to!"
My only recourse is to say like Paul, "For the which cause I also
suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I
have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I
have committed unto him against that day." (2 Timothy 1:12)
January 6, 2004 Part 2
At mid-morning Pastor Gareth Morris of Cilfowyr Chapel came by our
cottage in Cilgerran. I told him that I was more certain than ever
about the coming revival, and that the chapel was going play a
significant role in it. I could only speculate about what that might be
like, but I said that it would bring some very big changes to how the
little group currently functions. In our meeting last Spring (in my
journal of May 8th), he had shared with us that if there
were to be any awakening at all, it would more likely to come through
small meetings in individual homes. So he had less of an idea than
myself how something might start in the chapel itself.
I shared how in my spirit I clearly see meetings there every night,
with the chapel filled to capacity. But again, how that comes into
being after one small monthly service will have to wait to be
understood. I told him that we were now sure of our direction to make a
permanent move to Wales, and that I wanted to place myself at his
disposition and to serve him in any way possible, visiting people,
organizing small home prayer groups, or whatever. I also assured him
that I have no pretense of becoming the pastor of the chapel, but only
want to pray and serve as the Lord leads.
When I asked him if it might be possible to share with the congregation
about things the Lord has shown me, he informed me that according to
the Baptist Association, only those men that have been licensed by them
can take the pulpit to preach. He said that I would have to obtain some
sort of provision through the association. Which also brought up the
subject of the language. So it may be more than Welsh that I'll be
studying once we get situated there!
I took the opportunity to share about the Jesus Movement of the 1970's.
I told him how God had moved spontaneously to bring thousands of young
people like myself into the Kingdom, and how an informal grass-roots
type of leadership was raised up to meet the needs. And how out of this
revival movement, there were wonderful servants and leaders, many with
very large churches, still fruitful today, as well as an abundance of
new worship music for the churches, and the proliferation of Christian
music outside of the church, other creative arts.
We could have spent much more time talking, but he had another
engagement and had to leave. So I gave him a great book called The Ten
Greatest Revivals, and a cassette of Duncan Campbell talking about his
involvement in the Hebrides Revival of 1948 in the Scottish Isles. I
told him we would be back in April and we agreed to meet and talk some
more then, and hopefully include some of the deacons of the chapel.
January 6, 2004 Part 3
After my meeting with Gareth Morris, we drove out to Ffald y Brenin,
the retreat center we visited Sunday, for the first monthly prayer
meeting of the new year. There were about 30 people gathered and
visiting together for lunch after the morning sessions, and so we
joined them with our own packed lunch. Afterwards, everyone moved back
into the small meeting area where we sang a few songs and then listened
to a brother share a brief teaching and exhortation about prayer. From
there we were led in prayer by one, and then another, as the Spirit
led, and there was a wonderful harmony of intercession and travail.
After a while I stood up to stretch, and turned to the windows to enjoy
a wonderful view of the valley and hills behind to the west. There was
the hilltop where we had stood just a few days before when this place
first caught my eye. As I stood there praying and watching, in the
spirit I suddenly saw a movement in the dip between that hilltop and
the next one to the left. As I watched, there came flowing over the
brow of the hills a great river, which tumbled and poured down into the
valley below. It didn't bend trees or move or damage anything, but
began to gently and quickly spread out over the valley floor, covering
to the left and right fields, woodlands and farms, then reaching
farther to houses and villages in the distance. As I continued to look
on, the water began to rise more and more as the river kept pouring in
from the mountaintop, and the presence of God filled everything in a
wonderful and glorious ocean in the knowledge of His love. Revival was
here in full force!
I immediately shared this vision with those present as a prayer, in
anguish and longing, yet in hope and triumph. Their prayers are
effectual, the fulfillment is sure, and as we wait upon the Lord and
walk in obedience to His leading, I know we will with our own eyes in
real time see the unfolding of what these lovely and faithful saints
have been seeking for these many years of praying together.
After the meeting was over, we met some more of the folks in
attendance, and exchanged contact information with a few that wanted to
keep in touch. Then Gladys and I went for a walk up into the fields
above to look about some and take in the views of the Welsh highlands.
We slogged our way up through a very wet area, I recalled Roy telling
us how this place was as dry as dry could be when they first began
praying for a breakthrough to dispel the spiritual darkness five years
earlier And then how with a release that had come in the Spirit, this
mountain began to flow once again with an abundance of water as
confirming an answer to their prayers.
January 6, 2004 Part 4
This evening we were invited to dinner with Doug & Janice, pastors
of the New Life Christian Centre where we have been attending Sunday
services here in Cardigan. Over a delicious home-made British dinner,
we had the first real opportunity to get to know them personally. Until
now, we had just been acquainted through meetings that we've attended.
I guess they knew a bit more about me because last Spring at the Prayer
Leaders Summit I had shared my testimony of how the Lord has shown me
about the coming revival and then how He called us here to pray in the
Cilfowyr Chapel. But now we had the opportunity to listen to their
testimony, and how the Lord had led them here to Cardigan after having
been on the mission field in Albania.
Taking our coffee into the living room, we shared more about how the
Lord is moving in general. And we spoke more specifically how He is
leading us to make our home here. They gave us a good deal of practical
information, and very kindly offered us any assistance they possibly
could to help us make the transition in Wales when the time comes. How
wonderful it was to be made to feel so welcomed, and received into the
body of workers the Lord is putting into position in preparation for
what is to come.
After awhile a young lady who is staying in their home, accompanied by
her mother, joined us. Upon being introduced, I learned that they knew
who we were, and have been coming to Wales to pray in the old chapel.
When I asked how they knew, they said they had been given a copy of one
of my journals from a previous visit, and read through it with
enthusiasm! Her husband had recently retired as the pastor of another
Welsh Baptist chapel close by Cilfowyr, and I had actually met him the
week before.
We had been visiting one of families who had we visited in last spring,
and who was very recently widowed. While there, the pastor, a friend of
the family, happened to drop by, and we were introduced. He said that
he knew who I was, which made me quite curious. I was very interested
to talk with him, however he was unable to stay for more than just a
greeting. For some reason I had felt a kindred spirit with him and was
sorry that he had to leave so soon. When I asked our friend how he
might have known who I was, she said that she had told him briefly as
she brought him into the house. But now I realized the real reason was
that he had even read some my journals! Now my "cover" was blown for
sure! During our previous times here, I have been trying to keep as
invisible as possible, not wanting to alarm anyone in any way. So I
wondered what this might mean.
It turned out that these two ladies were very much interested in our
being here, and they are praying also for revival in Wales. And as they
were curious about how we got connected here from such a far away place
as New Orleans, I told them our whole. They were visibly receptive and
excited to hear how we have gotten this far, and shared with some
enthusiasm about how they have been praying, along with many others,
for a genuine move of God that will bring restoration to an all but
disappeared church in Wales. This chance meeting, which I recognize to
be divinely orchestrated by the Lord, was of great encouragement to us,
and confirmed yet another time more that our calling is to move to this
place and simply be obedient to God's leading.
January 8, 2004
This morning in the chapel I began by reading aloud the suggested text
for the Caleb Prayer Initiative for Wales. "1st paragraph."
When I got to the part where it says "whole communities were
transformed and nations were touched." I was swept up into the same
glorious promise the Lord has shown me about this coming revival, and
wept tears of joy at the prospect of seeing it with my own eyes.
Moments later my eyes were drawn to the bold text under the title on
the article "Send the Fire Again" in this month's January issue of
Charisma Magazine. It says, "A century after revival touched the
world through the tiny nation of Wales, God is stirring faith for
another visitation." Again my tears flowed as I realized that God
has given to me this very kind of faith, and that is the only reason I
am here again for a 5th visit to this nation, and spending
time praying in this chapel that will celebrate this spring its 300th
year of existence. "Oh Lord, how wonderful you are!"
The scripture which says that "faith without works is dead" then came
to mind, and I realized what great joy is mine that a major part of my
work is to come here and worship and pray and bask in the presence of
God. What a priviledge! What sheer delight! Even through the times of
groaning and real anguish with what Paul calls birth pains, how
glorious is the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
So again I burst out in a song of joy, with a melody that just popped
into my head, and then added the words of the Caleb Prayer to the music:
O High King of heaven,
Have mercy on our land.
Revive Your Church.
Send the Holy Spirit
For the sake of the children.
May your Kingdom come to our nation.
In Jesus mighty name. Amen.
(The Caleb Prayer Initiative: www.ffald-y-brenin.org)
As I finished singing this, the sun broke out through the rainclouds of
the past days as if to confirm that He indeed is hearing this prayer
now going heavenwards daily throughout Wales and in many places around
the globe. He is in the process of bringing it about as I write these
very words. Further evidence of this is the simple fact that I am even
here praying this morning, just one more drop of rain among the many
storms and showers.
Last night when I was here I took note of the three large windows on
the east side of the chapel that were leaking. And now from my vantagey
point at the uppermost back seat of the balcony, I realized how
significant it is that the rain is actually leaking in. It is as if the
work of the Holy Spirit is beginning to gradually make its way into the
church again, bringing life and vitality once again into a long
tradition of faith, just as the Caleb Prayer crys out for revival.
As I study the windows, I note that the very tall lower sections have
been replaced with modern double-paned windows, but because the top
arched section did not leak, nor would be easily replaced because of
the scrolled woodwork, they were left in place. Where the old wood
section joins the new vinyl framing is where the water comes inside,
pushed through the cracks by the forceful winds. In the same way that
the new high-tech windows successfully keep out the pelting rain, the
modern structuralism of organized religion seems to seal out the
organic workings of the Holy Spirit. But the old and artfully made
wooden upper part is like the ancient and simple essence of the living
church through the work of the Spirit. There are some leaks developing,
and life is coming back into Christ's church. Halelujah!
January 9, 2004
Today we drove back in towards London. We went by to drop off some
things that the Elsaessers had lent us, and to say goodbye. Their
friendship, support and encouragement have been of inestimable value to
us in this whole Welsh adventure the Lord has us on. And it was their
initial response to the Lord's direction in moving to Wales from
Birmingham, England that got us here in the first place.
As they paid the price of obedience and uprooted their lives and family
to move out here to an obscure part of this tiny nation in pursuit of a
vision the Lord had given them, they broke ground for us as well. It
was then through the work teams that came to help in the long and
tedious process of restoring these old stone farm buildings and
converting them into living spaces for a retreat center that we got
involved, and our first taste of what the Lord is preparing to do in
this land.
Now, as the prospect of our making a permanent move here grows closer,
it is made so much easier, especially for Gladys, by the warmth of a
special friendship that goes back so many years. It's hard to believe
that over 30 years ago Alex and Renie and myself started out together
on a path to follow Jesus' invitation to discipleship on very special
piece of earth near Mendocino, California called "The Lord's Land". In
the company of hundreds and thousands of other young people swept up
into the Jesus Movement in the early 1970's, we were carried along by
Gods' grace and call to take the power of the Gospel into foreign
lands. After our intital few years of working side by side at Maranatha
Pottery Works, our paths took a different route.
I went off to Guatemala in 1976 following a remarkable vision of an
earthquake's terrible devastation, and there found my Welsh-named
Gladys. And in 1980 the Elsaessers moved to the U.K. to make disciples
in that nation, and traced out a path that would eventually take them
to Wales. And now our extraordinary calling here brings us together
again in this dry and thirsty land where the signs and sounds of coming
revival are throbbing just below of surface.
Just as when we were here last spring, we have found still other people
who have sovereignly been called to Wales. Each one has a different
story of how they found themselves brought here, for not the clearest
of reasons other than that God had told them to come Ð a vague but
definite leading, a job offer, etc. After hearing one story after
another along this line, we feel that our experience is just one more
part of the whole picture here. And that has given us an almost
immediate and gratifying bond of purpose with each of them. We share in
a wonderful anticipation of what the Lord has in store for this place,
and the simple recognition that it is all about Jesus and His being
glorified in all the earth. |
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