It is wild, crazy fun and tiring.  In a reeeeeeeaaaalllly good way.  Volunteers start showing up to help build stages.  Tent companies start setting up.  The port-o-potties arrive by the truckfull.  The interns order mountains of food and water the workers.  Newspapers show up to take pictures and a bald eagle sat watch from a tree backstage today!  Nice people everywhere!

Omygoodness: THANK-YOU to everyone who helped build stages yesterday and today.  And to people in the office stuffing packets and answering hundreds of phone calls and running errands and keeping us in chocolate!

L O V E all over the place!

I mean, come on.  This seed is high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and helps fight cancer, diabetes, heart disease and a myriad of other things that ail us.

So, after the bloom, a very small, maybe pea-size, pod appears.  It drys and slightly browns.  I stop by and help myself to a pod or two while gardening.  I pinch and crush it open, whereupon the chaff disintegrates in my hand and amongst it I find plump, life-giving seeds.

As I place the little sphere in my hand, I realize it is, really, a very delicate little covering, this outer husk.  It surrounds the true fruit of the plant, but can be crushed in a second, obliterated with hardly any thought or effort at all.  And then it looks like an unusable mess in the palm of your hand – like who would ever even take the time to try to retrieve the revitalizing seed once protected and nurtured?  The crushing.  And now what?

Some days I am in too much of a hurry and waste it, but today, I realized, the slightest breeze, my soft breath blown on the mess of the crushed husk is all it took to reveal: 10 perfectly shiny, healthy life-giving flax seeds.  And the sheer density of the life-potential within them keeps them there during the wind-storm of my breath.  The crushing hurt the shell, but the crushing couldn’t take away the future of these tiny seeds.  The pod-destroying blow didn’t negate the purpose for which they were created and it couldn’t stop the seeds’ destiny.

“The harvest is past,

the summer has ended,

and we are not saved.”

Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;

I mourn, and horror grips me.

Is there no balm in Gilead?

Is there no physician there?

Why then is there no healing

for the wound of my people?  Jeremiah 8.20-22

Two realizations on an early summer morning…

1.

Same with us.  God breathes in our direction on the most painful places, the most damaging situations, the most vanquished moment of our lives. My carefully fashioned defenses are obliterated.  And?  He breathes.  And the force of His breath reveals – all has not been lost.  The true thing remains.  All I am and all He created me to be, the legacy I have to leave…there still as the chaff floats away on the breeze of His command.

Isaiah 53.5   But he was pierced for our transgressions,  he was crushed for our iniquities;  the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,  and by his wounds we are healed.

2.

And we can do that for others.  We can be the agent of grace who looks at how the enemy has tried to hurt some one irreparably, tried to destroy the hope and the future plans God has for them and we can breathe life.  What the enemy means for harm, that thing that has cut so deep a person cannot even see the way out, we can walk in as an Ambassador for Christ and the blow away the mess, dust off the area, bind up the brokenhearted, bandage the wounds and tell them, “See?  You were born to be a beautiful planting of the Lord.  The devil may have taken some stuff, but he couldn’t take your purpose.  All is well.  You are not destroyed.  Be at peace.”

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the LORD

for the display of his splendor.  Isaiah 61.1-3

Since I so need it, this cleansing breeze, I must so sow it.

an opportunity

To bring the Church (big “C”) together.  To make the Name of Jesus glorious through worship.  To get believers out of separate boxes and into the world to proclaim God’s faithfulness together.  To bless the City of Longmont and the City of Firestone and Weld County.  To work with all the jurisdictions cooperatively, bringing peace to the city.  Proverbs 11.11a, “When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes…”

a platform

For making people aware of child sex trafficking and how together we can put a stop to it (Heaven Fest is giving to end child sex slavery and exploitation this year www.love146.org).  For raising funds to help end homelessness in our region, for caring for the poor (working with the O.U.R. Cengter in Longmont, applauding their work to pave the road to self-sufficiency in the St. Vrain area www.ourcenter.org).  It is to make people aware of child soldiers (another ministry HF will be giving to www.projectak47.com) as young as 4 years old and how we can, together, lift the heavy oppression and ungodly abuse of them. 

a chance

To give.  To defend the helpless.  To see what we can do together.  To come together in prayer and unity for the glory of God.  And to sing and dance and smile and have a great time!

a venture in faith

Because this is bigger than any of us could ever do.  But God just sends people and resources and makes it happen.  The potential for great disaster lurks, but somehow, God…He makes it happen.  And we look back in awe and shake our heads and give Him the glory!  We don’t have the expertise, the resources or the finances to do this, but somehow…and the giving we want to do gets done.

Body life

Where have all these amazing people come from?  1800+ volunteers from churches all over the metro area.  New friends.  Just today I met a man who’d been part of the Denver gang scene for 17 years, living a bad life.  Last year at Heaven Fest, he made the change and got baptised at HF and is living for Jesus today!  Everytime we turn around God is sending amazing people our way and I just can’t get over the fact that my whole life I did not know how many consecrated, devoted followers of Jesus were outside my circle.  They are everywhere!  People LOVE Jesus!  It is so cool.  And?  They give-give-give of themselves so the work of the ministry makes an unbelievable impact!

Get tickets online, click here

www.heavenfest.com

crowd from last year

YOU CAN’T WALK IN TO HEAVEN FEST.  YOU HAVE TO DRIVE.

HOT TOPIC! http://www.timescall.com/editorial/editorial.asp?ID=22650

And there has been a little bit of a stir about that.  I can understand because being green is important these days and if you live nearby, you hate to have to get the car out when you could normally just walk in the the reservoir.  And for anyone from Longmont who was planning to walk in, I am truly sorry for the inconvenience (though most of the commenters seem to have such negative opinions I don’t think they were coming anyway). So an editorial in the Longmont Times-Call (see above) actually proposed we HF organizers think about what Jesus might do to get there.  And I have.

And, respectfully –  if Jesus were coming to Heaven Fest physically this year,  with 11 or 12 disciples in tow (or 35,000), I think He’d be driving in.  Because He’d know that after months of meetings, a concensus between us (the organizers) and the Longmont Police, the Weld County Sheriffs, and the Colorado State Patrol, has been reached.  It has been deemed a huge risk to think of anyone crossing the kind of traffic that 35,000 additional people coming in tot he city will create on highway 119 and the surrounding roads.  I am pretty certain Jesus would follow the legal mandates and safety plan decided upon by the many officials who made this decision and who work daily with the community’s best interests in mind.   He’d so understand that the safety of everyone attending was important.  So He’d drive in.  And He’d pay the $5 parking fee (all of which will go to orphans and ministries saving children from sex slavery), in fact – I think He’d overpay because He knows where that koney is going and He’d probably hang out a lot in the children’s area, laughing and eating ice cream and generally forgiving us all for being so ungracious to one another.

We have invited Him to be there.  And I hope the people of Longmont and the surrounding areas will see Him, through me, through you, through thousands of other people who come to worship Him that day.

HF TRAFFIC PLAN, click here

DISCLAIMER:  These are my personal views and do not reflect the viewpoint or opinion of the Heaven Fest staff or volunteers or the ministry of Worship and the Word Movement.  They are just thoughts I had.  Stuff I actually DO think!

Our HR team is unbeatable.  Seriously.  They got requests from HF leadership for something like 1800-1900 volunteers to run a festival to welcome 35,000 people to Union Reservoir at Longmont this year.  And they have been out to churches all over the metro area and along the Front Range telling the Heaven Fest story and making the vision plain.  And people are answering the call!  How cool is that?

The volunteer link is only up for a few more days and only 168 positions to fill.

Volunteers are already hard at work

Volunteer already, will you?  You’ll help promote a culture of honor, you’ll make the Name of Jesus glorious and you’ll sweat and work hard and get to serve some of the greatest people you’ll ever meet anywhere!  Plus?  Because we didn’t have to pay some one to do what you’re doing?  There will be money for orphans and resources to help end child sex slavery through www.love146.com.  There’ll be offerings for the poor and the homeless and Jesus wells dug in India.  THAT is what YOU volunteering will do.

Kristie Allbritten and Stephanie Morgan?  I am humbled and blown over by you.  Thank you.  thank you.  Thank you.  You leave me speechless…

VOLUNTEER, says Tredessa

WHY HF, Dave Powers explains

A Look Back at The Sacred Assembly

The lightening show was straight from the heavens – not some effect added later.  An incoming storm stopped dead in its tracks and we just had the coolest worship time at the end of the night!  Volunteers help soooooo much!  PRAY ABOUT IT THEN SAY YES!

www.heavenfest.com

I got the coolest e-mail (well, I was one of 4 recipients which included DP and Tara and Tredessa):

I’m sitting here reflecting on everything right now. We’re 12 days away. Things are really starting to come together. We have an amazing team we nearly had to kick out last night because it was getting late! We’re on a crash course to have [more than 35,000] people. This year we did better on our vendors, our sponsorships, our donations, our materials, our volunteers. Tickes sales are through the roof and climbing…

I guess I’m just grateful to be in this with you guys. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine getting to this place. Love you guys!

-Luke

The thing is?  Luke painted a picture we could see.  He was a young guy with a cute wife and adorable baby and he came weekly to eat leftovers at my kitchen table and would tell us the story of what Heaven Fest could be.  And believe me – getting on board that dream was a defined and specific call of God.  I had no desire to fund and produce a festival for the masses, but somehow there, in those summer days of 2007, we decided to say yes. 

Dave, Tara, Luke and I “went public” in September of 2007 (Tredessa joined in the spring) and Heaven Fest was born July 26, 2008.  Oh, but conceived so much earlier.

The 2010 Leadership Team at the final training July 18, 2010.  Crazy visionary, Jesus-loving, self-sacrificing, mission-minded, giving, praying, worshipping, enemy-defeating, gifted, talented, called and appointed people!  Oh, I am in awe!  {By the way – do you see how Luke is trying to self-promote  and be seen in this picture?  Yeah.  I didn’t think so.  Because he doesn’t.}

And I never could have imagined what God would do or the people He would send who are just so unbelievably a-ma-zing!  But I feel especially honored to get to work with Luke.  He is one unique individual, a true-hearted, authentic visionary and I am so glad I got to hitch my wagon to his star.  It is a crazy fun ride.

Totally love you back, Luka.

www.heavenfest.com

You’re beautiful, you’re beautiful to Me

So beautiful, so beautiful to me

And the fragrance of your love it is so sweet to Me

The fragrance of your love anoints Me

And I will pour it back upon myou

I will pour the oil of My love upon you

This is the song I am hearing for you, sweet Dess.  It’s a song of love from the Lord to you (Laura Rhinehart, Isa’s Song).  I can hear God singing with delight over you, I can hear Him singing strong.  I am humming along. 

From your birth, you possessed a quiet serenity, a sure confidence.  From your tiny beginnings, the blessing of God and His call on your heart have been apparent.  Deep calls to deep…even at three, your main topic of conversation was “And the Bible says…” and your love for God and for His word have been the hallmark of all the days of your life so far.  How pleasing it is to me to see how strong that remains in you.  You are woman who is to be admired.  You have my awe and respect.

And it’s through your love and through your life

I will pour my anointing out over all the nations

I have not forgotten you

I have not forgotten even one tear

I have not ever left you alone

And I am showing Myself strong to you

Tredessa at 4, Tredessa at 6

And you’re my little girl, too.  Sometimes I hear you giggle and I get to see that ornery twinkle in your eye.  Your ultra-wry  sense of humor is so fine-tuned, yet not often what you are known for, as capable and gifted as you are and sometimes maybe you hide it a little, fearful that it is a frivolous part of you.   But I think you crack God up and when you are lighthearted and a little silly, when you set out to make God smile and wind up making the rest of us laugh?  You are in your strongest place.  You will never be considered a silly airhead, my sweet.  Not possible.  The fact that you could run a small nation  – or even this nation (Obama would be wise to offer you a position) is what makes it OK for you enjoy some frivolity and cause some laughter.  Your joy is a strength to us, as it flows from above.  You are so plugged in to the Source!

Today is the day of My love poured out over you like you have never known

Today is the day of my love being poured out all over you

And you will see all the desires that you have had

You’re going to see them fulfilled!

 It‘s your birthweek!

O, baby number three {thus: Tre},  I know God is dancing over you, but I am so pleased to see His delight dancing through you.  You are in your groove, yet, it is only the beginning.  God is the Writer of your story, the Author of your very faith.  We all wait with eager anticipation to see how the grand drama will progress.  What will the finish look like, I wonder?  What plot does our Father have in mind for one Tredessa Christine, a true heroine of the faith? 

It is hard to say because I think it will be beyond what any of us could even imagine, but certainly, when you were three and we were dirt-poor and would buy one drink at the drive-through for you and your older sisters to share after church – we saw an inkling.  When you’d ask, “Can I be in charge of the drink?” in that raspy little voice – your giftedness and call were already at work and you are a woman in charge.  You, darling and amazing woman, are a Grace Kelly ~ without a doubt!  You are Arwen Evenstar (Liv Tyler) from Lord of the Rings, a grace and strength giving warrior-princess.

Arwen: Do you remember when we first met?

Aragorn: I thought I had wandered into a dream.

Arwen: Long years have passed. You did not have the cares you carry now. Do you remember what I told you?

Aragorn: You said you’d bind yourself to me, forsaking the immortal life of your people.

Arwen: And to that I hold. I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.

[hands him her pendant]

Arwen: I choose a mortal life.

Aragorn: You cannot give me this.

Arwen: It is mine to give to whom I will. Like my heart.

Tredessa and her sister at HF Sunday at NHC; Tredessa addressing the HF leadership at Union reservoir recently; Tredessa during a video shoot for HF.  She dies a lot of HF.  {smile}

All the dreams of your heart, all the dreams of your heart

They will be fulfilled, they will be fulfilled

As I dance over you, as I dance over you

they will be fulfilled

As I dance through you…

My love is increasing…

I am breathing on the fire

The desire in increasing…

 I love you,  I will love you, love you*

What I know about you:

You are wise beyond your years.  You are thoughtful and kind.  You are deep and strong.  You are intelligence and ability, capable and giving.  You are grace and vision and worth much trust.  Wildly lucky, deeply blessed will be the man who wins you.

I love you, sweetie-pie, mom

*Listen to Isa’s Song by Laura Rhinegart at http://www.myspace.com/laurarhinehartmusic

Arwen Undómiel shall not diminish her life’s grace for less cause.

She shall not be the bride of any Man less than the King of both Gondor and Arnor.

 - Elrond to Aragorn – J.R.R. Tolkien

Wanna get involved? 

www.heavenfest.com

This was the countdown when I was ready to post this (see the REAL countdown at the site!):