{Day 1}

the trek

that's Bethel, on the hill

Where do I begin?

This morning we woke up (after dealing with 2 hours of jet lag and the fact that the sun rises at 5:30AM here) and began our 15 minute trek to Bethel Church. Dry, dry weather here.

We stood in line for a long time, and I registered. I'm official! So happy!

i'm official!

the line

my binder: even more official

More waiting inside the sanctuary, and then, finally, it was time for worship. Jeremy Riddle and Steffany Frizzell led. ("Furious," "For Your Glory," "I Will Exalt") It was delicious. I went to the back and danceddanceddanced. So wonderful, although I realized that my dancing stamina is a CCC stamina...not a Bethel stamina (longer worship). So we're gonna work on that.

my entry

And then a guy started singing, and it wasn't Jeremy. I looked around and finally realized that it was Brian, somewhere offstage. He and Steffany began this back-and-forth, back-and-forth. About opening up heaven and calling down freedom and Jacob's ladder and angels. It's worth mentioning Jeremy's reaction to Brian's interruption of the worship: worship. Worship was his reaction. He stepped away from the mic and just enjoyedenjoyedenjoyed. That was cool to watch, though my mind was on other things.

Things like the grand something that the music did. Things like the three guys - not BSW students, and I'm pretty sure they're with Bethel - jumping up onto the stage dancing. Any other place, it would have been weird. But it was so...right.

And the room exploded. I had already been dancing, but now it was just like it just turned on. Dancing without caring, just like dancing. I don't really know how to explain this explosion. Jeremy Riddle started dancing. Everyone was dancing. It was just free. I can't explain it any better than that. It was awesome.

Then Brian Johnson spoke. His topic was on fame and waiting for God to promote you.

• "Worship isn't a song that's sung. It's a heart that sings." - Brian Johnson

We had lunch. We did announcements and were introduced to all the instructors. And then Dan McCollam spoke on not being intimidated by the other talent in the room...and also about being yourself and not trying to be someone else. Tears. So good. Highlights:

• A song does not gets value by how many people like it. A song gets its value by God's influence in your life through it. - Dan McCollam
• "You not only have an original song, you are an original song." - Dan McCollam
• When you use someone else's sound, something {your sound} is missing in heaven. - Dan McCollam
• "Stop cultural genocide. Be yourself." - Dan McCollam
• Supernatural worship is
• a priority on the presence of God
• creating a heaven atmosphere
• as relevant to heaven as you are on earth
• "Give me the music of a generation, and I will change the mind of a generation." - Plato
• And, to top it all off, brain studies show that the mind is 8 times more activated by music than a sermon.

on the way home; see mountain with snow

me and my Alabama and France roomies

 And now I'm home, or, my home for these few weeks. I've finally met all my roommates. One is from France, one is from Alabama, and one is from Dallas. The ones from France and Alabama and I have taken to hanging out, and I enjoy their company.

my house! it's purple!

in the backyard

the exquisite back porch

also in the backyard; i think this is what smells so good