(Wallace, getting a little Jesus-time in before leaving Memphis)
When we got to Nashville, we once again were blessed through the little
relationships via YWAM to get plugged into cozy housing. 3 different houses provided rest for Jesus-nomads... and we are grateful. A girl named Shelly, who years ago was in YWAM, resides in Nashville, and serves her local community and church - she hooked. us. up. Thank you.
I got a text not too long ago from Amy Sollars encouraging me to try to meet up with a pastor/worship leader named Chris Dupree. After texting back and forth, he agreed to meet us over Jason't Deli and enjoy a meal with us. We were truly blessed by his encouragements to us to remember often the nearness of Jesus. He shared his story of an encounter with Jesus smiling at him and holding him close - shattering and simultaneously restoring him to right standing, and how his life has never been the same. He was Mike Bickle's right-hand-man for years, and now helps pastor a church in Toronto, while living in TN. He shared with us how the Kingdom IS at hand. Again reaffirming to us the reality that we don't have to pray from an anxious standpoint, worrying whether or not God will "come". Let's be aware that He has COME.
The rest of our days near Nashville were spent in a hotel in Franklin (thank you anonymous donor for the much needed time at a hotel), where we traveled to Thompson's Station to meet with the Caleb Company. The Caleb Co. is run by Todd Mcdowell and was founded by Don Finto... they carry God's heart for Israel and poured out so much perspective (and what we've really seen as keys) as to how God longs for Israel to be redeemed. Oh! How grateful we are to be grafted into the promise to the Jewish people! We never want to take that for granted. Don proclaimed, by memory and heart, the words of Paul in Romans 11, bringing them to life. How, for so long, had these Scriptures seemed to escape our attention?? While it's safe to say that all of us are wrestling with our thoughts that were stirred within us that day, we definitely are more keenly aware that the redemption of those He originally covenanted through Abraham with is going to be a blessing to the rest of the world! We had some amazing times of laughing and enjoying one another with those at the Caleb Co. and felt immediately "grafted in" to their community... praying and prophesying over one another. What a blessing!
After this, it was time to move on... after praying we felt right about going to Memphis for the day and connecting with Rachel Sumner and Jonathan Brown. Both YWAMers... We found the house in Memphis, and yet, again, were blown away by the hospitality (let's go America!) that received us. A food basket and rooms awaited us, we CHILLED. As we went downtown with the above mentioned, we got to see one of the most beautiful sunsets from one of the coolest places in Memphis - fellowship. Beautiful. It's like God's arms were wrapped around us as He orchestrated a beautiful night (including getting the...most interesting of our bumper stickers yet!). Both Jonathan and Rachel are believing for God to breakthrough in greater ways in Memphis. Yes, LORD.
It's been a blessing connecting with friends and families along the way, Shelly, Marc and many others, both to encourage and BE encouraged. God is moving.
If I could keep going with all that we've learned, it would take the rest of my day, so I'll leave it at that. Continue to pray that the next half of our trip is led by the Spirit and not our flesh. There's many more lessons to be learned, and God knows we need His grace and strength to be able to get all that we're meant to out of this. We also desire to be vessels, anywhere, anytime, Father, we are available.
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