{Day 17}

Started out with a slew of announcements that included this lovely video for the new Bethel dating website, OnDaySix.com. After telling us that we should ask someone out today. :) {Don't worry, Mom & Dad, no one did.}


Guess what today is. You'll never guess. Canada Day! I have two Canadian friends here, so I was happy for them. They were all stoked, and Kathy let them all come up to the front and sing their anthem:


Then worship, led by Brian Johnson with backup singer Leah, his sister. It was more of an acoustic set, because Brian's voice has been undergoing some stress. But then, about halfway through the {long} set after some prophetic worship, he put his guitar down, stepped away from the mic, came down to the floor {where we were}, and gave his wireless mic to William and another to Steffany. And then they led prophetic worship {put extremely simply: prophetic worship is spontaneous choruses not previously written and that worship or encourage} from the floor. Then they handed the mic to other people - some of us students. And we were just having a blast. It was fun. Fun worship. Prophetic song after prophetic song, with Brian and William and Steffany just going at it. We had a blast. This video is of the very end, after the singing stopped, unfortunately. The first person the camera pauses on is Steffany Frizzell, then William and Brian sitting on the stage steps. I'm sorry it's so short, and that it's not actually of the song. I was finally ready to film...and we were done.

Steffany & William

Then William and Steffany did the teaching, one after the other. Highlights:

• William Matthews
• Tell of who God is, don't cater to what the congregation is feeling.
• Steffany Frizzell
• Highest praise comes from the deepest place.
• "Worship was never for us." {It's for God, not to make us feeling better.} - Steffany Frizzell
• Worship means laying yourself down.
• Worship is to Him, and for Him, and because of Him.
• Mary "went and looked for a testimony {Elizabeth} because she could not see her own promise." - Steffany Frizzell
• "Don't ask God for a baby if you're not ready to carry one." - Steffany Frizzell
• "Go surround yourself with testimony." - Steffany Frizzell

Then they played a couple of tracks from William's upcoming CD. And this happened:


Lunch, and then Jenn Johnson's talk on prophetic worship. A lot of practical advice that I won't write here, but if that's something your interested in, ask me about it. Anyway, Jenn is awesome and so real. So real. Just incredibly vulnerable and unashamed and real.

"Do not feel something in your heart that you're not willing to talk about."

Then Carol, Anja, Amber, Dani, and I, decided to go to the mall. While we were waiting for Anja to get out of her voice lesson with Joanna, we met a BSSM1 grad named Thais. Thais is from Brazil and awesome. She was also going to the mall, so I rode with her and found out more about her. She's married to a fellow Brazilian, and they both moved up here to go to BSSM. I love her, and I really hope to know her better. She speaks fluent Portuguese.

We went to the mall. We ate. We went to Ross. I got a duffel bag thing that I may or may not keep...for all the extra stuff I'm going to be bringing home. Then we went to church for the evening service. Worship was great, though I'm not sure who led. Steve and Wendy Backlund taught. I have a lot of highlights:

• "You are not the problem." - Wendy Backlund
• "Current beliefs create future experiences." - Steve Backlund
• "The more truth you believe is the more hope you'll have." - Steve Backlund
• "We can't be so addicted to reality." - Wendy Backlund
• "I am well able to overcome it." - Steve Backlund
• "The Kingdom of God is not moved forward by good conduct, it's moved forward by good beliefs." - Steve Backlund
• "You don't fall from grace by sinning. You fall from grace by trying to work." - Wendy Backlund
• "You can't do what you don't think you are." Wendy Backlund
• "You're one belief away from a tipping point in your life." - Steve Backlund
• "The only time your past can determine your future is if you live in it." - Wendy Backlund
• You know what you really believe when you listen to yourself when you're not being religious.
• "The God that is within me, and He will cause me to succeed." - Wendy Backlund
• "You're only able to receive what you think you're worth." - Wendy Backlund
• Are you living in abundance compared to His riches and glory?
• God often has to answer prayers in opposition to our beliefs.
• Hope and faith have to be attached to a belief.
• "How we make decisions, in the long run, is more important than the decisions we make." - Steve Backlund
• "Leaders are not thermometers, they are thermostats." - Steve Backlund
• "If you're an encourager, people are gonna hear you more." - Steve Backlund
• "There are no ideal circumstances to renew your mind." - Steve Backlund
• "You're being prepared for greater influence." - Steve Backlund

Now I'm home, full, and exhausted. Good night!