The night of Heaven Fest, some radical, socially-conscious and caring individuals will gather to fast and pray for the homeless while they raise money by sleeping in cardboard tents.
I have had the honor of working closely, worshiping and praying with a group of these people this summer, especially Patrick Kennedy, Tia Anderson, and Jerad McMinamen and wow! They are such a blessing! Their serving hearts flow from the overflow of their love for Jesus!
The first video just went online today. The one below is an earlier piece they did. Both of them make me glad for people with hearts like Jesus!
Is. 58.6-10
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
“Full many a glorious morning have I seen
Flatter the mountain-tops with sovereign eye,
Kissing with golden face the meadows green,
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy…”
From William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 33
Update on Life.
It is a Monday, a glorious, beautiful Monday morning. Heaven Fest is 5 days away. Robbin and Jake’s wedding on Saturday was a delightful and joyful event, going off without a hitch. There will surely be facebook pics posted soon, somewhere?…
My friend Pearl’s dad died Friday. He had been ill for some time, but it is still never easy. I only met him once or twice, but I know him through the big, loving family he raised, through his daughter, who is a woman to be praised. He is whole now, and with the Lord, he has gained life.
The Great Outdoors.
Last week’s late afternoon or nighttime thunder showers have saturated our yard to a new level of green, it being August in the arid-Rocky-Mountain-region, and all. Dave mowed and trimmed yesterday and I have spent the morning enjoying the bird-song, the gentle breeze and my time with the Lover of my soul, pulling a weed or two, harvesting a few tomatoes (leftover quesadilla with thick, juicy slices of red goodness for breakfast) and an armful of beets (to be roasted for dinner…I will try to enjoy them). The upside-down tomato, now in its’ place for about 5 1/2 weeks is boasting 5 little spheres of future deliciousness.
Dwight Schrute on The Office: “First rule in roadside beet sales, put the most attractive beets on top. The ones that make you pull the car over and go “Wow, I need this beet right now.” Those are the money beets.”
I’m reading a provocative and poetic book.
From Eternity to Here – Rediscovering the Ageless Purpose of God by Frank Viola. I started before family reunion and am just entering part two (about halfway through). It is so good. I have so little time, but I am enjoying it thoroughly everytime I open it. Fresh revelation. Resonating reminders. Goooooooood stuff. Join me?
I am a wife. I married my true love 28 years ago yesterday (he wrote sweet words). God gave me children, I am a mom. Then He surprised me quite delightfully with these 5 little human beings called grandchildren. A reward! A trophy for my old age. I am a servant of the most high. I am a faltering, still-learning, mercy-needer. And I am almost 50.
Yet, here I am on the adventure of a lifetime, helping produce Heaven Fest: a massive, one-day, Christian music, worship and arts festival and we’re praying our heads off to be a catalyst for revival, to see the Church come together to make the Name of Jesus glorious!
It started on July 7th. And we will be meeting EVERY NIGHT at Northern Hills Church (location of Heaven Fest) for 2 hours of prayer and worship through August 15th.
Most nights will be live worship with a band or artist. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU to come out at least once. When we did this last year, it was amazing! Every single night great things happened!!
July 7 – August 15
7-9 pm nightly at
Northern Hills Church
5061 E. 16oth Ave (highway 7, 3 miles east of I-25) in Brighton, CO MAP
Now-here is why I think you should come~
I got to attend the very first night this past Tuesday and actually co-lead with my daughter, Tara. And it was awesome! About 20 people ended up attending, along with a few small children, and it was informal and sweet and there was scripture reading and praying for one another and grandmother types (me) and teen-agers (who read about it on Facebook and came. -I love this generation!) and we were all just one, happy family.
I know. I know. You are busy. You had a long day at work, preceded by one and to be followed by many. And I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep, but I attended a lot last year and this year started, at least, exacly the same: peace, joy, excitement about Heaven Fest and sunsets more beautiful than Maui (and I LOVE Maui)!
Kick-off night had rays beaming in all directions in blazing hot pink and mimosa and orange. We got a double dose as it reflected off the lake where the horses gazed while large birds sailed effortlessly overhead. Little songbirds on the lightposts in the church parking lot answered our praises to heaven with their own. Small children played and ran and laughed and also cried and tattled a little, but all kids should enjoy church so much!
The sanctuary? Outside, on the westside of the building, the veranda outside the Cafe. The worship leader and/or staff member leading? It varies. The song? Something to please the Lord and welcome Him here. The purpose? To worship Him and pray for our communities and this region and for Heaven Fest and for whatever God wants to do around here.
If I’d have been home, I may have missed the sweetness of the still waters, the glory of the Lord in the clouds, the green pastures of friendship with God’s like-hearted people. I may have missed a glorious summer night and watched re-runs.
Un-plug. Breathe in some air. Worship the Lord. And bring the fam. You’re welcomed to help us welcome Him.
Not just trying to fill your hours, but to enrich them…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Summer of ’09, a return to the song of the joy of the Lord in my life…
THINK ABOUT IT: Bring your small group each week for the next few! Oh-and bug spray (they swarm suddenly just as the most raptuous moment of sunset is occurring)…hey it IS the country, sort of, after all!
Left-to-right: Stefane (my child by other parents), Tredessa (my middle daughter), Elise-the-Niece, Stephanie (my second daughter) at the fundraiser Saturday night.
If they weren’t related to me, I would seriously be trying to figure out how to get to hang around with them! Wish Jen and Sarah had been in this, too. These women were amazing! The night went smoooooooooth!
My family (children and MJP) has been going to The Home of Refuge for several years. The kids have raised countless dollars and helped teach, preach and build playgrounds and remodel kitchens and have just carrried the torch for this particular orphange. Heaven Fest and WWM has made the Homes of Refuge a major focus in ministry and giving.
A few days ago, the government took the property over and bussed the children off. We have been praying for the children. It has become clear that there is an enemy assignment against the leaders of the ministry and the orphange there. The government has threatened this for years, but is finally carrying some things out.
Below is an e-mail from Mary Jean Powers that I just got today with the most recent news of Tony and Rosa and The Home of Refuge in Venezuela. We have been weeping over the children. Join us in prayer, please.
Hey Everyone ~ I realize that this is the first news some of you have received regarding the recent attack on Home of Refuge in Venezuela. I will make this as brief as possible because I cannot include all the details that I just got from Rosa by phone. I will be sharing everything at a prayer meeting tonight (Monday December 15) specifically for HOR and Tony and Rosa. The prayer meeting will be held at 611 Pheasant View Dr. in Frederick, CO at 7 pm.
Here are some details and a correction: First of all, the orphanage in Honduras WAS NOT ROBBED. HOR Honduras is doing great.
It was Home of Refuge in Venezuela that was robbed at gunpoint last Monday, by 4 men who were hired to kill Tony. Tony was not there.
Three government agencies came to the orphanage the following Thursday to take over. They have taken possession of the property, and sent almost all of the children away on a bus – we do not know where they are. They have forbidden Tony to come to the property, at the risk of being imprisoned.
Four of the most severely handicapped children were left behind at the facility. Big Luis and Yesica were at school; they are safe. Gabriel, Lillie and Carla, Edixon and a 5 yr. old new kid are safe, as well.
Right now, Tony is at the airport in Caracas, trying to fly back to Miami. He went to the Ven. National Guard for protection, and they advised him to leave the country asap because there is a price on his head.
As I said, I will give all the details tonight. Please do your best to keep these details accurate as you pass them along to other intercessors. I was able to pray with Rosa today, and I believe that God is raising up an army of intercessors on behalf of these orphans. One intercessor said that she had a dream of Jesus praying for our kids at HOR! Please pray what Jesus is praying!
OK, here is the most important thing to pray about (besides the obvious protection, etc. for the children):
PRAY DIVINE PROTECTION FOR TONY’S LIFE. These hired murderers will stop at nothing.
PRAY FOR COMFORT FOR THE CHILDREN, TONY AND ROSA.
PRAY FOR ROSA’S HEALTH
PRAY THAT TONY GET TO MIAMI SAFELY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
PRAY FOR WISDOM FOR TONY AND ROSA.
MOST OF ALL, PRAY FOR TONY’S SAFETY. PSALM 91. PROVERBS 14:26. ISAIAH 54:13-17.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewspics/2944915064/ You can barely see Gemma because she is on Gavin’s lap, but these are the 5 amazings, my grandkids, my loves…by one of the wonderful Heaven Fest photographers.
A few hundred yards up a “hill” from one of the lakes that lies at the feet of St. Mary’s Glacier is a beautiful little mountain “cabin” that just happens to be 3 stories of gorgeous and posh accomodations. The kind and generous owners allowed us use of it for our Heaven Fest debrief. Dave and I met Dave (DP) and Tara, Tredessa and Luke and to work we went….in a little luxury.
St Mary’s isn’t technically a glacier, since it doesn’t move now, but rather a permanent snow field that gets as high as 11,000+ feet. Here in Colorado, it isn’t about the population on state road signs like it is in Nebraska or Kansas. It is about elevation. I wasn’t that high, but maybe 10,500, which is like 2 miles above sea level.
We cracked ourselves up on a little project which the Heaven Fest “directors” (the people who made it happen!!) will hear about soon. We delved into details, talked about critiques we have received and what we need to do better in the future. We were also, once again, one month out, so awed and grateful to God for the things He did, for the people who brought their best to help us and make Heaven Fest happen. After reading 58 pages of feedback and comments, what could we do, but just praise God and thank Him and worship Him?
Laughing and crying and worshipping can wear you out. Home just past 11:30 pm Monday night, I am wrung out (meanwhile Tredessa had to be at the Democratic National Convention very early this am to oversee the worship/prayer stuff in the park among the movers and shakers of the nation!), but pleased that God met us and taught us.
Debrief results: Ultimately, we did the best we could with what we had, and God (and some of His most incredible servants) did ALL the rest of the amazing stuff! We thank Him!
Heaven Fest is still a warm fuzzy for me…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Take Mark Batterson’s formula and put it to use waaaaaay more often: change of place + change of pace = change of perspective.
pictured: the cabin and Tara and Tredessa; laptops came out in a hurry; the HF “staff” breaking bread together; Dave at the lake, Dave and I with the “glacier” behind us; Luke waking up, Dave, our fearless leader chairing a meeting.
Rob Kelly, one of the most gracious pastors of the very generous and gracious church who allowed us the use of their property for Heaven fest, and just basically gave us anything and everything they could, wrote about Heaven Fest here and here and here. Maybe he wrote more, too…
Pearl and Bryan helped sow the seed, build the event and clean up afterwards. They participated through and through. Read Bryan’s account here. This is a cropped version of a snapshot Bry took during Main Event.
This blogger’s commentshave given me lots of things to consider as we evaluate HF and things we need to do better. Thank goodness for God’s grace for the stuff we missed!
The people of Heaven Fest I met and the ones I didn’t-I am amazed by them all. But the HF leadership team was outstanding! In the end, we had 21 “directors” over the various parts (modules). We were new at this and they were our “guinea pigs.” We handed them what we had, which for many was not much. And most were able to turn our best, but less-than-wondrous-at-the-time-they-got-it work into gold, pure gold! I am so thankful God allowed me to be a part of Heaven Fest and to work side-by-side with the directors and some really wonderful managers, as well.
Add to that leadership team the remarkable volunteers that showed up from all over the place and you can understand why HF worked. It was the people! The people who worked (directors, managers, volunteers) cared enough about the people who came (12,000+) to lay aside their time and efforts and resources, to give up just relaxing and meandering with a snow cone, to work until they were bone-tired, to make HF happen. I am absolutely in awe. HF Leadership, I am amazed at your total lack of self-centeredness, at your complete eschewing of entitlement, which is too prevalent in these days, even in the church. Thank-you for pouring out your life in this way!
I still cannot get over seeing the Body of Christ work together like this. Beautiful!…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: So many thank-you’s to write, many people to appreciate.
pictured: some views from a plane early in the day by Mark Aiken. Note how small the 80-foot wide stage looks (top, right corner of 2nd photo). The church even looks small!
