{Day 24}

my diploma

Well. It's over.

It still hasn't sunk in yet. I mean, it doesn't feel real.

Yet at the same time, I'm getting so excited to see my family again. A mental countdown has started in my head without my knowing it - less than 24 hours and I'll be back home!

Back home. Where this culture isn't "normal." Where I'm the carrier instead of the one being infected.

Oh, what an intimidating responsibility. Lord, help me.

But the day. Oh yes, the day.

myself, Yasmin, and Anja

It started out with a bundle of nerves because this morning was the morning we presented our gift to Kathy. 'Gift' meaning 'gifts.' Along with all the insanity of worship school this past week, five other ladies and myself have been organizing this presentation for Kathy. It started out with a Facebook post by me saying something to the effect of, "Let's do something for Kathy! What should we do?"

The result was an expedition in leadership, delegation, and promotion. Epic. We collected money for flowers {not my committee}, wrote a song {also not my committee}, and compiled a binder full of thank-you notes and art {my committee}. It was a journey of Facebook, standing in front of workshops, of Dan McCollum promoting our cause, shushing whenever Kathy walked by, and more Facebook {we have a lively Facebook group containing 250 of the 450 students}. And then, to top it all off, we got Brian Johnson and the tech team involved. The tech team to shoot the words to the song up on screen as we all {all} sang them, and Brian to play the song. {They had changed the lyrics to "Mighty to Save."}

Nicole and I

Wow. Typing all that makes me even more surprised that we did it. But we did. Brian introduced us, we presented the flowers and the binder, Kathy cried, and then Brian accompanied Anja leading the song. {Lyrics.} And Kathy cried...a lot...more. :)

I don't yet have any video to embed here. But - guess what! iBethel got it all! Like, for reals! So if you're an iBethel subscriber, you should totally go watch it! {Or listen, depending on your subscription.} I sound super nervous and not at all how I imagine myself sounding, but my parents recognized me long distance without even knowing about our epic plan, so, I guess I sound more like Lucy Cunningham Schulz {Adventures in Odyssey} than I thought. Note to self: must get into radio drama soon.

{The first person you hear talking on the iBethel recording is Beni Johnson! It was so funny - Brian introduced her as 'my mom,' so I'm totally thinking, "Wow, this is cool, Brian's mom." It took me a good ten or twenty seconds to figure out who Brian Johnson's mom was. *rolls eyes* And then, guess who sneaked in! Bill Johnson! He stood in the back and listened to our main session. I'm so so so so so honored he broke his sabbatical to be with us this morning. I know what a big deal sabbaticals are, and I know how well deserved his was. So for him to come was a huge honor, for me at least.}

some worship art this morning

Anyway, worship was spontaneous-style, which basically means we stayed more or less on one song for a good hour, hour and a half. It was awesome. Our last song was "You Have Won Me," a new Bethel song, one I haven't been able to connect with until today. It's an anthem, but I feel like it was for us and was our commission. And then Brian and Jenn hung out and prophesied over some of us. Then more worship. Then finally the 'teaching.'

Jenn Johnson & I
super blurry, but i have a better pic coming

Jenn had a quick exhortation on not being arrogant or frustrated, and how God will help us bring back what we've learned. And then she and Brian just shared stories, stories of the supernatural that they've experienced, just to encourage us. Stories are the best. Then we got to hear the story of how they met and got married. Let's just say: you thought Kris & Kathy's "Engaged at 12, married at 18" story was crazy? Here's another. It's a lot longer {and much funnier} than this, but Brian and Jenn dated for 10 days before they were engaged. They were engaged for 7 months and were married 5 days after she turned 18.

Erinn & I

Can you tell I don't want to go to sleep? This has to be the longest blog post ever. Because once I go to sleep, I have to wake up in a new day, a day not like all the other days here, my first day without worship. A day of home, thank you, Jesus, but a day without this culture for the first time in weeks.

Ate lunch. We did 30 minutes of Creative Expressions so we got to finish everyone.
{The following song is sung in Creole by a girl from Haiti. The song is a declaration of life, of a will to live in God. It was written by her friend who died in the earthquake.}

Remember the spoken word guy I mentioned last week? Well, they brought him back. I know, that's kind of a big deal! There's a video floating around Facebook at this link, but I didn't take one myself. Go listen. It will give you chills.

Then it was fire tunnel time!! A fire tunnel just for us BSW students, comprised of Bethel staff and worship team. Fun, fun, fun.


Home. Ate. Walked up the entire hill to go to pre-service prayer. No one picked us up. I wasn't too surprised, since I've walked the hill at least four times without anyone picking me up, but this was the first time my roomates had had to do it. {Apparently one of my roomates had told God she would walk the hill once before she left. Haha.} What weirded me out this time is that I wasn't sore. The other times I've walked it, the top kills my calves. But today I was fine. Sweaty, but not hurt. Weird.

Pre-service prayer was sweet and good. Worship was led by Matt and Hayley. Ken Williams, who is in charge of Global Legacy, gave the message. A very good message about "Vulnerability & Being Known". Highlights:

• "Mold grows in the dark." - Ken Williams
• "The most vulnerable person is the most powerful person in the room." - Mark Peterson
• "The world system is trying to separate us from each other." - Ken Williams
• "God's definition of an accountability partner equals friend." - Ken Williams
• God cannot remove desires because He satisfies desires.
• "Cowardliness is not a virtue." - Ken Williams
• The original definition of courage was "to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart."

Came home, and then went on an adventure with Lauren, Mitch, Laurel, Amber, and Dani to Sundial Bridge. Apparently people travel to see it. It's pretty cool, yes, a great hang out spot. It's been a while since I've goofed off with people just out to have fun, and let me tell you, BSSM students/grads know how to have fun.

Came home. Ate chips. Packed a little. And now I'm here. Writing a blog post. In total denial that tomorrow I shall leave this wonderful place.

And now I post this blog at 3:22AM. My alarm will be ringing in a little more than 3 hours. I haven't pulled something like this off in a long while. And what with jet lag and all...

Dear God, I need double sleep tonight.