Something afoot in the heavenlies

As I walked along the tree lined streets last week, Holy Spirit asked me, did you notice the season is changing? I had noticed as the temperature had dropped about ten degrees. But when He said that to me, as always with Him, there is something deeper. As I walked, I started to take note of the details: some of the edges of the leaves were turning brown and others yellow, some trees were bearing an abundance of red berries that created a mush on the path as they fell. Summer was indeed giving way to autumn. The natural points to a higher reality and as I pondered these changes, I knew God was saying, there was a change in the season for me too. 

On Monday last week, this was what I saw in the sky and what Holy Spirit said about it:

I had a return flight to the UK booked for last week, it had been booked three months ago. I have learned over the last two years of travelling with God, that a paid-for return flight does not necessarily mean you get on it. As with everything I have to enquire of Holy Spirit for direction, for His guidance. Friends were praying for me too. Most of the feedback I got personally and also from a couple of friends was for me to stay in Toronto. Additionally and most importantly, I had God's deep peace about staying. It's much easier to take a step of faith when you have God's perfect peace. 

The day before the flight, walking to the bank, I stopped to take note of the sunset and the cloud formation (as you can see God speaks through everything including the clouds), I noticed something peculiar but couldn't decipher it. So I asked Holy Spirit to make it clearer to me. Walking back the same way, the clouds had moved and formed, no less than, a maple leaf (the symbol on Canada's flag), I call that a sign. It was the seal on the guidance I asked for and I knew I was to stay. Father God also gave peace to my hosts so they also did not feel it was time for me to leave. Phew! Not out on my butt yet, a GREAT relief. My hosts are my friends and also believers; they hear Holy Spirit, so their peace was another confirmation for me to stay on. A change of season didn't necessarily mean a change of country.

As I sought Holy Spirit to reveal more of Father's heart to me for this new season, I also asked him for more fellowship, people I could sow into and vice versa. The week before my flight was booked to leave for the UK, the church advertised A School of Champions which is geared at familiarising attendees with the core church values. I felt a strong prompting to go to it, yet, it was scheduled for after my flight was to leave. So I asked Holy Spirit for specific confirmation in that if I heard the word 'champion' then I would know it was His will AND I would also know I shouldn't get on that flight. Days went by and 'champion' did not pop up anywhere. As I walked past the maple leaf cloud formation in the sky, I asked God why He didn't confirm my specific request like He does for others. He said, because you're not others. I knew that He was encouraging me to have faith and simply trust His prompting, so I registered for the school. An extra amazing thing was that it was gratis, yes totally free! We didn't even have to pay for the book. What a delight.

That night, just before bed, scrolling through my news feed on Facebook, I spotted a post that said, WORD FOR TODAY from Sandi Krakowski, it said: The focus for this season for many of us is transition, the word signifies going from one place to another. We must look and anticipate forward and not look back. To look back during a season of transition is like driving through busy traffic with your rear view mirror as your focus. We can't do that, we must TRANSIT: go from one place TO another. Oftentimes the midstream is very challenging. It can cause is to fear forward and fall back. But don't let that happen, RUN forward...don't fall or fear back. You have God's DNA in you! You are a champion who digs deep into relationships but digs lightly into locations. The richest life you and I could ever live is one fully awake with child like anticipation as God leads! Woohoo! We're in transition! Say goodbye to one place, say hello to a new place! Get a core group of deep relationships around you but where you lay your head at night really doesn't matter. It is who is with you that is important. GOD is with us, He is cheering us on! Happy transition season to us all! Happy birthing to many of you! Some of you are pregnant with a new season! A new beginning! HAPPY transition! 

I highlighted the word champion for the context of this blog. God did confirm it after all! The thing is I have been praying that I would hear the still, small voice of Holy Spirit more clearly day to day and I would, accompanied by peace, instantly obey. Off course there are times like with the flight that I need to be accountable and ask for confirmation especially from those praying for me. But God was answering my prayers of hearing and obeying by giving me a strong prompting to go the School of Champions and I truly felt it so actually I didn't need another confirmation. But He gave me one, after I obeyed, anyway! Ah, I love my Abba. 

The school was a rich time of learning and growing, it wasn't just people explaining to us the culture and values of the church, these were people who have lived it and have real-life testimonies to tell because of it. Their sharing and the practical application times were a catapult into healing and restoration for many of us attending. Among other things, we practised using our prophetic gifts to bless one another. I asked God for something for the person next to me and I got a picture of a guitar, I asked him if that meant anything and he said, yes, I'm learning how to play the guitar. Then Holy Spirit expanded that he would get closer to the rhythm of Father's heart through his journey of learning to play the guitar. Love it when He speaks so clearly! 

So I got to sow prophetically, through prayer and sharing my testimony with a few people there. Father God was answering my prayer for more fellowship. If that's how the new season starts off then surely there is more to come! I'm so grateful to God.

This last Sunday in worship at church (which was wonderful) these things came to me:

1) I was promoted to pray out, forget the former things, behold I do a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it.

2) I saw the word SHIFT, just like that, in big block capitals. After worship, the speaker opened their message saying, there is a SHIFT.  Yay God!

The same day we were preparing to celebrate Rosh Hashana which is also known as the Feast of Trumpets, ushering in the new biblical year, 5776. A wonderful, humble man at our church felt God lead him to host the Feast in a mall where he worked. I had no means of getting there and I really wanted to go. A few days earlier a kind friend invited me to go with her and even offered to give me a ride home too (which was quite out of her way). Yes please! I was so grateful, I even got a delicious lunch and more rich fellowship too. What an abundance poured out over me! I'm so thankful to God. So we went and celebrated with great blasts of the shofar, praise and feasting on Father's presence. One of the pastors at the Feast prayed out Isaiah 43:18-19: Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I do a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 

This verse has been a key word to me this year, as Holy Spirit has highlighted it to me over and over again, even that very morning.

The pastor continued to pray and said, there is a shift in seasons and an open door stood before us. 

On Tuesday this week as I lay soaking in God's presence, I saw a door before me, a great light was behind it and as I approached it, it opened.

I pray in this new season that for all, including me, who are standing in faith for the new things that Father God has planned for us, that we will keep standing. I thank You Father for all You are doing, may our eyes be opened to perceive it, thank You for all the confirmations and the ability to bless others, may we take every opportunity presented to us. Strengthen us to run our race with perseverance keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising it's shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.* Father, refresh us with new hope, help us to put on the garments of praise and to stay in the flow of Your Holy Spirit listening out for His prompting and teaching. We are so grateful to You and give you all the glory for this new season and all that is in it. 

*Hebrews 12:1 ESV