Meaning behind Thai Fig tree...

Ok... so get this. It's my last day in Bangkok and got wrecked this morning by the Father's love in church. A bunch of the Thai people here at the New Dawn church facility where we are staying at saw me on my knees after the message and just began pouring into me and breaking stuff off. It was difficult letting go of things, but was experiencing new waves of freedom and intimacy with the Father. Thank you Jesus! I had gotten a word a few days ago from Craig, who lives in Pattaya, that God was going to wreck me even more... I received it right then and said... "Bring it Lord!" But I'll be honest I wasn't expecting what I was hit with this morning.

So after service, ate lunch with everyone, then grabbed some coffee and retrieted to my room to rest, pray and listen to Heidi's message when she was in the Central Coast last year during the conference. As I just sprawled on my bed and talked with the Father, Jess walked in and we began talking... we then walked in the kitchen area real quick to finish talking and I leaned out of the window on the side wall to overlook the slums below. As I turned my head right I saw a huge amazingling fun tree with several sturdy branches right in the middle of the lot. It had this colorful sash around it. I told Jess, "check this out! wouldn't that tree be amazing for a huge tree fort?" She walked over and said it was a Thai fig tree and actually the monks used to sit under them, so they are considered sacred and can't be touched. They tie the sashes around as a sign to to not tear it down or trample on it. She also said they probably couldn't build on it or climb it because of the feet being considered so lowly here, it would be disrespectful religiously.

Immediately the verse in Luke 6 popped in my head about figs and grapes. I went back to the room to look it up:

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

I started to laugh as revelation started to just come... I googled "Thai fig tree meaning" and found this article:

WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND WHEN JESUS CURSES THE FIG TREE?


In between the two encounters with the fig tree, Jesus goes to the temple and overturns the money changers tables.The fig tree is a representation of the temple.

You see from a distance the fig tree appeared to be lush, green and life sustaining, so that if a hungry man saw it, he would naturally go to it in hopes of being nourished. But when Christ got to the fig tree he saw that the fig tree was no different than the rocks and sand around it, it bore no fruit. Essentially there was not difference between the rocks, sand and the fig tree.

Now when Christ went to the temple that day it was a type of the same thing. From a distance the temple appeared to be a place of God where a man could nourish his spirit. But when Christ got there, there was no difference between the way people were inside the temple and the way people were outside the temple.The temple was not helping God to change people for the better. It was not bearing fruit. 

So then I looked up Mark 11:20-24 (hahah...it was a journey of revelation. I was having fun with God researching this!) The actual Lesson of the withered fig tree.

"Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. (key word for what the Lord began speaking to me at the beginning of this trip) And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. "

REVELATION...

So in sharing all that. I believe the fig tree represents as mentioned the temple, which in Thai culture I believe represents Bhuddist religion that has no fruit, and Thai people will testify Bhuddism brings no life here. As I remembered the fig and grapes... the comparison came to mind that they can't intertwine together. Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches. We who remain in Him and Him in us will produce MUCH fruit and apart from Him we can do nothing.

This is key. Coming to Thailand, it is not a fight about religion, but about Life and abundance. Many here have nothing... no hope, no love, no homes, no family, no food, no money, but Jesus came to bring life and abundantly. He came to POUR OUT LOVE, and teach that the Father knows our every need and when we ask with even the little faith we have, He will give us much! This is life giving. So I am believing this fig tree represents a root in this culture that Jesus wants to transform and redeem. I speak in faith and with great confidence, Jesus is here, and brining MORE. He says the Harvest is ready, and much good fruit is growing already. This is just the beginning...

Compelled by love...

It's been over a week since I last wrote and things have picked up pretty quick since the Convergence worship/ministry team came from Texas this last week. Our schedule has been more sporatic so most my downtime in the mornings is resting and getting prepared for our long nights. It's been awesome getting to merge with this team and see God pour out His Spirit through them and through their worship in the streets and bars.

I felt more led to write about what God has been speaking specifically personally. I can share more stories and ways He is moving at large later, but really felt a tenderness in my heart on Saturday and Sunday. Seen a lot and really been moved emotionally and spiritually here in Thailand. God is shifting things in the atmosphere and it's such a crazy good time to be here.

So in that said... I sat on the streets of Soi 6 on Saturday night for a few hours just praying and watching the lady boys and girls in the bars laughing, flirting and getting ready for their long night ahead of them. In being here now almost a month and seeing it everyday, something was different about Saturday night. A defense arrose in my heart for each person I saw. It was like as time went by more, I could feel my heart slowly turning to mush. By the time the worship team showed up to start, I was so overwhelmed with this love sickness that I took the first hour of worship to go upstairs to the third floor in the house of prayer and just flopped on the floor in abandonment before the Lord weeping and crying out. The Lord's faithfulness amazes me. His words of affirmation, and things He was revealing to me about this time and one thing after another I would bring up to Him and He would take it, and then pour back into me His joy and love. Just that time with Him, releasing the burdens and being reminded it's not too big for Him and He has so much more to show me and do in my own heart to give away.

I then walked out onto the balcony overlooking Soi 6 and began to sing and physically look for signs of God moving. His Presence was in the midst of the loud bar music fighting the teams worship music downstairs and the girls screams and laughs. I returned down to the street, and sat next to Jess and some of the kids that started to come to paint. It was the first time they had kids stretched out on the street painting, and to our amazement one little Thai girl probably about 7 was sitting with her mama outside the bar came over to join and stayed most the night late painting picture after picture. My heart broke again with what God was doing. He was bringing children out of the wood works, and in perfect timing. Sarah and Jason had all their kids there, and was able to invite the little girl to their Night Care Center while her mom works. It was so hard to contain tears at the evidence of His hand moving on the street as I just people watched and was overwhelmed by His love!

We left around 1am and woke up early to head to True Friends church where the team was leading worship for mostly Thai/but ran by westerners. I found a window on the side of the building and sat underneath it to just pray and write during worship. And this is where the Lord spoke to me "compelled by love". I began looking at all the Thai Christians and those that were weary and even not fully experiencing His complete joy and love! I began praying for more for myself...how much joy and love was I missing out on? What was God doing that I wasn't getting to enjoy and agree with??

Then I got this image of a desert and felt the Lord began to speak to me about desperation. Here is what I wrote down in the midst of what I felt He was speaking:

"In a dry desert drought. Desperate for water until we get really really thirsty do we go to extremes. We are fools to ignore and pretend we aren't thirsty, when our desperation becomes SO great then we have to SEE. We NEED to SEE. We need to see our desperation for MORE Love. Only Jesus is the Living Water. We need to be honest about our desperation for Love, for affection, for intimacy, for Jesus. I am being drawn to see my dessert, my lack of, and I am desperate to be drenched by His Love, not just partial or dry, but staying filled. We don't have to live on earth poor. Only when I know I am FULLY completely loved can I act as a daughter and walk in confidence, desiring all things He has for me as a good Father....Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven!"

Then heard Ezekiel 37. Reading, I felt verses 1-14, really applied to God's heart and message for America and for me for the Central Coast:

"Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

Verses 15-28 speaking specifically about Thailand.


‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be ONE king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’”

This is all I got so far. There is a lot of meaning I felt within the context of this, but not quite sure how to share it, so will leave you with this. I have one more week here. I leave for Bangkok on Friday to spend a few days hanging out and meeting up with Natasha (who was on the IRIS team and living in Bangkok currently doing language school) and possibly meet up with Janie again. I fly out next Monday and will be back in the Central Coast Tuesday. I am still anticipating great things in the next few days as we continue to worship in bars and the streets together and pray for more of His Love and joy to be released here! Thank you guys for praying and being a part of this journey. See many of you soooo sooon!!!

wow i'ts already Tuesday...

So... blogging is a bit different when you're not on a daily schedule and things are always flexing and changing.

These past few days have been wonderful. The heat returned quickly the past 2 days, but then today overcast hit again. So not normal here. Jess and I have been talking about it and actually we think God is shifting things in the physical in preparation for what's about to happen in the spirit.

So PLEASE be praying for these next two weeks. We both feel something huge is about to be released, and like in Esther 4:14 where it talks about the time: "For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" So excited to be a part of His Kingdom coming here right now!

So just a quick cap of the past few days, and what I've really been able to absorb and soak so far in.

Saturday

Shared some pics on facebook, but Jess and I led worship for Extreme Prophetic's last day both Saturday morning sesh and Saturday night. There was about 70 students in training. Basically for those who don't know much about Extreme Prophetic you can check out www.csa-xp.com and go under events and check out their mission schools. They do trainings/outreach in Thailand 2 times, sometimes 3 times a year. They have another one coming up in September, but felt hugely blessed to co-lead with Jess for these guys. It was enjoyable to do the last of their trip, although they were tired from long days and pouring out, they were still firey and excited about what God had done and was doing in this city.

Here are just some snap shots.

We had a time of ministry at the end where the Spirit just started falling on people. Two thai women grabbed my hands and were just laughing out of control they both hit the ground with so much joy. One of the girls though started grabbing her stomach and seemed like she was in a lot of pain. Sarah (the same woman IRIS prayed over their building for the children's safe house) her daughter Anna, and I asked to pray for her and asked her what specifically she was battling with. She told us she was being tormented inside by a spirit.

We began to get words of revelation of abandonment, about her needing to forgive her father and that there was a root of anger. She told us her father was never present in her life. She never knew him, but he was heavily involved in witchcraft and demonic entertaining. So we began to pray and take authority over the manifestation happening in her. We began speaking and releasing and asked her if she could forgive him and trust God was a good father. It was so heart wrenching watching the pain in her just climb out... you could physically see her choaking and coughing out the spirit wrestling in her. We kept declaring FREEDOM and peace and the love of the Father and after about 15 minutes, you could see her countenance change. She was crying and saying she was free. Hallelujah!!! We continued to pray over her and tell her that she had authority that whenever torment tries to come, she knows who she is as a child of the Father and that He is present and through him she has already overcome evil. 

This is so impertenant in the Thai culture to teach this. Two things I am seeing that are really key here (the first I mentioned prior):

1. Really asking if they are healed and not just being polite. We got word back a few days ago from the couple we worked at with in Bangkok at the block party. They saw over 30 people come to their new small group the next day, half from the party!!! YA!!! and then on top of it, about half of those who were healed are reporting complete healing! Such good news!

2. Also teaching them how to walk and operate in the authority God has given them. Not to depend on others or especially missionaries to conquer for them. "... in all these things WE are more than conquerors through him who loved us!" Romans 8:3. Once they know they are loved, and adopted as sons and daughters, they then need to understand what authority that gives them to fight the evil one and depend that God is bigger than the spirits and torment.

After a late night returned back to the house to call it a night.

Sunday

Jess, Angela (who works with the slums ministry) and I went to Ban Amphur beach a bit north for a down day. Just read, slept, laid in the sun, ate a mix of different foods, jumped in the water and Angela and I played a rediculous game of scrabble for hours! Then headed back toward the city and grabbed food at a place down the street from Jess' which is like an American cafe/restaurant, however the food was not quite what we expected. Jess ordered fish and chips and basically got what we think was a slab of shark covered in crumbs...haha! I will probably mostly stick to Thai food while here.

Monday

Yesterday went back to Sketch Book Cafe to meet up with a couple from Chang Mai who is looking at possibly doing a guest house/team living hospitality here in Pattaya. It is so needed! It's difficult to describe how things work here specifically in Pattaya, but things are much more incovenient when it comes to driving, catching Song Taos and if your staying in a hotel or apartment that is not near anything, everything can become inconvenient and take a long time. Plus it's expensive! 


So while Jess sat and talked vision and heart with them for a bit, I grabbed a cup of coffee, did some communicating back home and hung out in the gardens. It was pretty humid, but refreshing. 


We then headed back to Jess' house to get a few things done and I really felt a burning on my heart to pick up guitar for a bit and start writing some songs/worshipping, in preparation for not only the team coming in next week but even in return of coming home. One thing in this time the Lord has just been showing me is such a need of running from rest. It's easy in our culture to feel guilty if we aren't doing things or to even get lazy in our time. We feel we deserve to check out after running so hard, but rest isn't checking out. I feel rest is intentional. You still think, feel, experience, but instead of letting other things master your time, it's like you protect time to just focus and enjoy the moment with the Lord. Be open, be receptive, be easy!

So in sitting outside and playing guitar, just starting playing and writing and singing, and just felt this release of just refreshment from the Spirit come, and anticipation. I feel more drawn to spend more time intentionally in the word and releasing in music right now for the next few days before our schedule picks up again.

Went out to dinner and walked down Walking Street to show the couple a bit of Pattaya and how its different than Chang Mai spiritually and even congestion of people and bars. The longer I am here the more it feels lighter and not so heavy burdened, but even seeing the girls out in the bars, I feel more love and hope.

So... in that said. That's what's been happening the past few days. Will post again later this week. Much love. Miss so many of you, and appreciate your prayers and encouragement!

FRIDAY: Surprises!

Last day of Thai lessons...as I said... I learned like 5 new words and spent the whole lesson trying to answer her questions with those 5 words. It made my Thai teacher and I both laugh, but gave me a hunger to learn more. That's always a good lesson! Especially me who is so impatient with learning and by a book! Ha!

I did get an opportunity to talk to her about her a life a little when I got a chance. I hate not being relational. She is actually from Isaan, where her family lives and she moved to Pattaya to teach English. She studied for 16 years before actually speaking English and was forced to speak when she got the job. I told her she was smart, and asked if she was pressured to make money. She said no, and we got to talk about the other girls from Isaan that come to work in the bars. She said she was jealous they make so much, but I affirmed her that they are not happy and at least she is doing something she is good at it. It was encouraging to see a girl choosing a different lifestyle than those so many pushed out by their families to make more money.

Jess and I then went and had a huge English breakfast at a cafe down the street. I think Thai breakfast is weird here...sometimes it consists of a big hot dog with maybe an egg, a piece of lettuce with a cucumber and a piece of toast. Overall I love Thai food, and especially the venders are the best for fresh meat or soups, but there are definitely some weird things of late I have found and tried and swore on never eating again. I bought a package min pancakes the other day at a foodmart and in between was a red beat!!! yuck! What a surprise! Also asking what the meat is... chicken and chicken butt is two different things! It's all part of the learning experience...

Here's one good experience! Coconut milk right out of the coconut. Jess brought it home for me yesterday to try. It's really good for you! And will somebody please note how long my hair is getting...

We then went to one of the bars to meet up with another Thai girl from Tamar to connect with one of the bar mamas to see if Convergence church and us could lead worship there in a few weeks. I sat at the bar and ordered a coke just to let them chat with her on the other side, and within a minute an man white white long hair probably in his fifties saw me sit down and said hello and began a conversation. After a few words he asked if he could sit next to me. He grabbed his beer in his cozie and started asking me if I was hear on holiday. I kept it brief and asked him questions about his life.

His name was Billy (real name William - second William in the week. I looked it up cause I was curious of what it meant: will, desire, and helmet protection.....hmmm) and he was from Scotland (not too far from my other friend I met last week in Ireland), and although he was vague why he was here other than "vacation", I asked him what he did and he said he was a man of many trades. I asked him if he did construction, and he said a bit but because of his arm, and he proceeded to try to lift his left arm which didn't rise higher than his chest. I then asked him if he wanted to be healed and told him I had seen God do some pretty neat miracles the last few weeks.


He then asked me which God. He went on to talk about religion and the many Gods, and the contradictions and if I was referring to Jesus, and he then told me who Jesus was from many religious points of few... and as I listened Jess returned to sit next to me and ordered a water quietly. I then asked if we could pray for him. He said yes, until we leaned over and he reacted! "No, not here!" I kind of laughed, and told him God wanted to heal him and that because He loved him. I told him he was a good man and why wouldn't he want to use his arm again. It was quite funny in the midts of it...

I kept thinking, God you're funny. I could be offended right now that this man is being super stubborn and could receive completely healing but is refusing it. I felt like God was showing me that He wasn't offended, so it made it a lot easier for me to continue loving on him. We continued to talk some more about life. He kept talking about God and finally it came down to me asking if he had children. He said yes, two. I then asked if he loved them. And he said very much, but that he was a bad father and doesn't talk to or see them anymore. That one lived in England and the other near him, but he was out of their life, because he was bad. I then told him, if his children were hurt wouldn't he want to take that away if he could. That he loved them so much he wouldn't want them to be in pain. That was the breaker.

I could see as I starred in his eyes with so much love for him, he said with assurance, YES! I then proceeded to tell him that's how the Father is with us. He doesn't want us to be in pain or unwhole. He heals us because He loves us. Another seed. I don't know what it is about these Williams I run across that I have so much love for, and they are so tender at one moment, then shut down so stubbornly, but I still have so much faith, God's on them and with them and just tugging on their hearts like crazy! He's so good like that!

I think my favorite thing Billy said in and out of the conversation at one point was that if Jesus was real and sitting next to him, he would buy him a beer! I laughed, because I think Jesus loved that! Another man next to us started talking to us to and it became a pretty nice conversation for about 15 minutes about Pattaya and life and euro money vs. Baht and American money. We then left, and felt to tell Billy he was  good father, and I believed it. They told us it was nice talking to us and we hopped on Jess' bike back to her house again.

I am still processing a lot, and asking God a lot of questions, but I think one thing I love so much about Heidi Baker is the simplicity of just stopping for the one. Today it was Billy, tomorrow...who knows, but it's so not overwhelming to think we can just love on one person at a time, and hear what God is saying or doing with them, even if it's such a fraction of their experience of Him. Even being in the midts of such darkness here and surrounded by it everywhere I go, I love that I know over everything dark, my Father loves me just as much as all those we are reaching, and I need His love just as much. I think that's what broke me so hard for the girl we prayed for at the House of Prayer. Hearing her heart cry out in pain, mine met it and I too cried knowing everyone needs to be loved and comforted, even me. So in this time of resting these past few days, it's been a huge necessity in hearing my Papa say to me in the moments, I love you and I care just as much for you and what I have for you!

PAST 3 DAYS: Winding down weather...

So it's been crazy with the weather change here. Normally this is the hotest time of the year feeling like 90 and 90% humidity, but there's been a shift in the last few days where it's windy and off and on rain. Mostly just cloudy, but it's puzzling many of the Thais. It feels nice and has been much less heavier running around. The heat makes everything more tiring.

So... more catch up. Not being on a team schedule and having more sporatic time feels more like a schedule back home, but still trying to be intentional in my time. Spending a lot of time helping Jess update a new website, praying even over her and seeking my own direction and absorbing.

WEDNESDAY

We went to UCM at Tamar for unity worship/prayer amongst the churchs/ministries in the morning. Jess and I both have been feeling a hit in our bodies health wise, so it was a bit hard getting up, and felt during worship was dragging a bit, but pushed through and had a good time at the end to get in more intimate groups and pray for each other. Good boost!

We decided to take a rest day. So we spent the rest of day at Sketchbook Cafe reading, listening to music, doing some internet stuff, drinking coffee, relaxing and staying out of the rain. It's a pretty neat and abnormal cafe for Thai culture. Very eclectic artistic place. The owner teaches painting and art in one of the little side rooms, and all over paintings and art is hung on the surrounding white walls. The pictures show a bit more of it's feel. It was surrounded by wood carved seats and gardens and open decks. Something I feel I would find back home in like Los Osos or a hidden spot in SLO. It felt like home, and sometimes you just need a bit of familiarity in the midst of so much unfamiliar culture.

We then scheduled a 2 hour Thai (note the THAI part...ie. INTENSE) massage around 8pm before going to bed. It was to say the least amazing although at times I thought I might break. Normally I can't do massages, because of the toxin release I get pretty sick, even drinking tons of water, however, trusting Jess is the same and recommended, these women were amazing. And the price here for a massage... what you would get at home maybe for a 2 hour session that cost a couple hundred dollars, here is only $15!! (500 baht!)


THURSDAY

Spent a lot of day working on Jess' website and organizing. Excited how it's coming together. Will update soon and repost. After brainstorming really felt the Lord on this and it's been a fun/timely, but good project to focus on where I can help her organize and communicate, through design. It's helpful for her too, so she can share more easily what it is she is doing her and even communicate needs/current events. We will also be re-doing the Pattaya House of Prayer website that will link to her personal site. Although websites are not my primary passion, i love social networking and design projects, and getting to express a shared passion for what she does makes it fun.

Went to prayer/woship at PHOP (Pattaya House of Prayer), and it was a bit different than the last one with the whole team. Lesser people, but Jess invited one of the girls she met a couple months ago at the beach where she was selling herself. (you can read the girls story and how they met on Jess' blog at www.jessicamock.com) She showed up drunk and left for a bit to get some food, but came back and we stuck her in the middle of about 10 of us and prayed over her. As we just loved on her and held her and told her how much the Father loved her and knew the things she had experienced, even the things nobody else knew, He still accepts her and wants to be near her. She broke down crying, and I just began to ball so broken feeling her pain. She spoke no English and kept trying to look into our eyes in desperation. She was still very drunk and many of us felt that was as far as we could reach her. She was very grateful and kept "wai'ing (Thai bow) us and thanking us... but the ache in my heart remained knowing it was going to be time. She calls Jess a lot upset and frustrated she doesn't have money or that she is lonely. So be praying for her. I believe she is receiving bits and pieces and is honest why she drinks and that she is scared, and although she flakes out a lot on things Jess invites her to, she came last night and knows where they are on Thur nights.

We ended the night praying for each other, praying over Jess' health, and for another girl leaving in a few months and Sherry who also leads the prayer room with Jess. It was good, although I was pretty tired, it was nice to be around a lot of the firey one's who have been in this city for a while, and still going strong and pressing in. It's one thing to come in for a few weeks and burn, but to last years and still triumph. They are true heroes in the spirit!

TUESDAY: One day at a time...

Have some catching up to do... this was Tuesdays "day"... I am getting a bit of down time these next few days and week prior to a worship team of 20 from Convergence Church coming next week for a full week of outreach. I am super excited to meet many of them, as they are Jess' close friends and worshippers she trained with this past fall for a few months while she was in Texas. It's going to be fun worshipping with them in the streets/bars and partnering with them my last week here.

So continuing the day (Tuesday)…around noon we hopped on her bike (which I am enjoying seeing the city so much from the back of a bike and enjoying the breeze in this heat!) and headed to Thai lessons for 2 hours. I know NO Thai! Immediately they set me up with one of the teachers who is just a few years older than me and we sat down at a table and got rolling. Learned the 5 tones, some numbers, common phrases, and a few words, but after 2 hours my brain was a bit slow and trying to remember everything, have to keep practicing. We had another session today, which I was feeling SOOO much more alive because I knew now 5 more words!! hahah...but enjoyed making conversations with what I did know.

After lessons we went back to her place for a couple hours to wind down and then headed over to her close Thai friends Lek and Bay and there three beautiful children, including 2 week new born baby! They are truly amazing people. Bay was adding a wall to their new apartment where the dining room used to be opened into the living room, but turned it into a worship/music room for training. He is such an anointed worship leader, and have had the privileged a few times to worship with him. He is a very unique Thai, with an incredible voice that is hard to come by, especially in this culture. He was one of the first guys Jess began working with once he came to the Lord and had a heart for worship. In many of her pics you will see him with his wild (now cut) long curls, for every worship conference, beach worship outreach, bar outreach, Pattaya Praise and service they have done. He has been so faithful in over the years of her raising him up he now is starting a youth ministry in raising up youth worship teams/bands and leaders, and just watching his passion even in creating a place out of his home to play and meet.

They ordered some meats/veggies and we had a delicious,what they call Thai BBQ, out on their patio. It was amazing. You basically get a bunch of variety of raw meats and veggies like cabbage and greens, and put it on a metal soup pot looking cooker with some broth over some coals in a bucket and you cook it yourself. Here are some pics of us cooking. If I had one of these I would do it every night!

It was enjoyable just hanging with them, even though they speak very little English, and spoke in Thai the whole time, I was able to just listen and experience just normal life with them. Their two boys Bak, 6 and Bam, 4, were at Hand to Hand and came home around 7:30 ish. Jess and I went up and pestered them after dinner and brought my camera to take some pics and share their silliness. They had us in stitches laughing so hard as they rough housed with each other and made the silliest noises. Bak really wanted to take pics so some of these are his priceless works. One day I believe he will become an amazing photographer.

After a few hours of eating, chatting, laughing and roughing it, we left to head back to Jess place to wind down and sleep.

Taking off where I last left…

So although I am sad and miss the team mucho, excited for these next few weeks to really spend the time expanding more in the city and spending more time with Jess and what she does here. So we came to her house, which I wanted to share some pics of her quaint place. It’s so peaceful here and she has lived here in the house for 3 years, praying consistently and worshipping. You can seriously feel the difference from the hotel where there was a lot of chaos and heaviness, to this sweet abode. I am feeling very relaxed, and slept great!

Hung out here for a bit and, caught up with where we last left off in December and also had her share where she is at in vision and what the big picture looks like here. So we are going to try to set aside some time to really work on some communication together to help express better what she is called to and focusing on here and communicate with people back home. So I will be sharing obviously my experiences here through the blog, but also be intentional to blog things that are typical things Jess deals with here in this culture and gives some light to what it takes to be here, especially as a single woman wanting to see revival! She is amazing at connecting with so many ministries and working together in unity, so it’s been awesome already having a week of meeting and working with many of these ministries already and seeing what they are called to and going after.

We then too a trip to the local market to get some vegetables for dinner we were invited to have with a family. The market reminded me of Oaxaca. So many vegetable venders all selling the same things. It’s definitely overwhelming to know who to pick from, but was laughing as Jess quickly zipped in and out of venders blabbering Thai and grabbing single items. I am enjoying the freshness of food here, and learning what is good and what is…not so good. I snapped a few pics… (p.s. they put all their spices and eggs and like garlic in these baggies and blow them up. I asked Jess, why, and she said it was complicated in that the air preserves them better…I guess!)

Then went back to the house, grabbed our laundry and headed over the families house to do some laundry and eat. They run a ministry here which I have to be more disclosed discussing, but they live in Thailand and distribute Bibles to tourist that come in to take back to their countries where many don’t have access or allowed to have bibles. It was good just hanging with them and their kids and even seeing what an American family life looks like here as missionaries.

Came home, which I was starting to really feel the exhaustion hit and feeling some sinus pressure, finished up some blog stuff and was out cold. Here's my stuff taking over her room...haha!

Got to sleep in a bit, while Jess woke up and got some of her usual stuff done early, and did some calls, and now just hanging out till language school in a few hours. Eek! It will be interesting. The language is so freaking hard here with all the tones and different ways to say words. Fortunately Thai people are so nice and just laugh at you! More to come…