{Day 13}

"I'm back at school and so happy!" Those were my words this morning, since we technically haven't been at school since Wednesday due to the (awesome) Kingdom Culture conference. Lots of classes today...actually had the opportunity for more, but I'm choosing to rest tonight.

Worship was led by William Matthews and Jenn Johnson. So good. We were singing "I Will Exalt" and then went into prophetic worship. Jenn just took over and was leading and prophesying and we were going deeper and deeper and deeper. A whole new level from what we've been doing. They've kicked it up a notch.

Ray Hughes was our first speaker of the day. He was introduced as being brilliant and hilarious, which is exactly who he is. He's super smart, so much so that a lot goes over my head while I'm grasping to catch the last thing he said. Personally a little hard for me to follow, but I know a lot of people absolutely love him. He is great, just not my favorite. Highlights:

• If we aren't worshiping God, we forfeit the reason we exist.
• 'Said,' 'declare,' 'prophecy,' and 'sing' all mean the same thing.
• Darkness is exposed and expelled by light.
• When a generation finds God's sound, they don't prophecy what they will be, they create what will become.
• 'Let' there be light = 'Let' my people go
• There were once three archangels, Michael (warrior), Gabriel (messenger), and Lucifer (worship leader). After Lucifer was cast down, God created an entirely new being (human) to worship Him.
• "They're [demons] afraid of the sound that will be released." - Ray Hughes
• "We're not here to take sides. We're here to take over." - Ray Hughes
• [regarding Michal's disdain of David's worship and the consequences thereof] "Barrenness is born out of criticism. No wonder the church is so barren in the creative realm." - Ray Hughes

There was more, a lot about frequencies and black holes and dolphins and icebergs and Haydn...too much to fit into one liners. So, that's a 'I'll tell you later' deal. :)

After lunch, I was caught between Kim Walker-Smith's 'Itinerant Worship' workshop or Ian McIntosh's 'Overcoming Resistance [in Creativity]' workshop. Kim's was recorded, I don't do a lot of itinerant worship, and I am a future professional writer. So I went to Ian's. It was a hard decision, but I think I made the right choice. Highlights:

• "The best thing I can do on this earth is co-create with God." - Ian McIntosh
• The three stupidest people in the world are Charles Lindbergh, Steve Jobs, and Winston Churchill, because they didn't think about what it was going to take to accomplish what they wanted.
• Maybe we call a lot of things prophetic when we're really co-creating with the Lord the way we were designed to do.
• "Let's call our prophecy, prophecy, and our destiny, destiny." - Ian McIntosh
• "Get yourself in the right frame of mind so you feel stoked about creating." - Ian McIntosh
• "If I work, something will happen." - Ian McIntosh
• "The (creative) battle is already won." - Ian McIntosh
• There's no such thing as stress.
• Choose to be more powerful than your fears and self-doubt.

A very fun class. He's a very engaging speaker.

Then it was on to Kim Walker-Smith's class on "Leading Worship Without an Instrument." Kim is, of course, amazing. {I'm listening to her "How He Loves" right now. Mmmmm...} Highlights:

• "Nobody wants to be led by a miserable person." - Kim Walker-Smith
• "However deep in God's presence you've gone, that's how deep you get to lead the people." - Kim Walker-Smith
• "They don't need you to be perfect. They don't need you to be polished. They need you to get them into the presence of God." - Kim Walker-Smith
• "The reality is, 'It's not about you.'" - Kim Walker-Smith
• "It's about the people. We are there to serve the people." - Kim Walker-Smith
• "Laugh it (mistakes) off. That is, like, the number one thing." - Kim Walker-Smith
• "Don't be afraid of coaching the congregation." - Kim Walker-Smith
• "Sing the melody!" - Kim Walker-Smith
• "People are led best by example." - Kim Walker-Smith
• They are tired of fake, and they are tired of perfectionism, and they are tired of things having to look a certain way. People are not stupid. They can tell when you're real and when you're not real...People are hungry for real. - Kim Walker-Smith (loose quote)
• "Be the example of what passion looks like." - Kim Walker-Smith
• Spontaneous worship is when what's in your heart just overflows. Prophetic worship is when you can feel the anointing on a part of the song, or on something spontaneous, and you press into it by repetition and action.

And then I came home after waiting at the bus stop with Anja. There are three night classes tonight, a songwriting class, a software recording class, and one of the band sessions where they critique a band. I would have loved to go, but I just couldn't do another late night after all the ones I've already had. So I'm sitting out tonight and staying home. I'll fix myself a nice dinner, maybe play some music or color or paint my nails (or all three) and go to bed early.