Well, I'm Back

Sacramento airport

Probably should have posted Saturday night. Just to let everybody know I'm home safe. Sorry.

Saturday saw me leave my beautiful purple house and take a shuttle to Sacramento. Four of the same people that had been in the shuttle with me on my adventure up to Redding were also in the shuttle on the way back. Hannah {from Michigan} and I talked the whole time.

sunset

Then the Sacramento airport. Connected over Facebook with Lizi, another Austinite, and then my roommate, Amber. Then my flight to San Diego, where I stayed in the plane until we took off for Austin. On my flights to Redding, I hadn't spoken with anyone. This time, I barely stopped having conversations with the two different girls that sat next to me. It was actually pretty weird, since they both bore startling similarities:

• Both still in their teens, though I thought they were older
• Both thought I was younger than I am
• Both involved in extreme sports {quad racing & surfing/horse jumping}
• Both photographers

The only difference was that one was a Christian and one was not. The one who surfs had just come from a Christian surfing camp, so we had many similarities in wanting to be home/not wanting to be home. They both have my card; I'm hoping they friend me on Facebook, because I don't have their info. I had great conversations with the each of them, but I'm still puzzling out the similarities. It's not all that common to encounter such similar people on planes.

Anyway, got home and fell asleep. My alarm rang at 7:00AM to go lead worship at church in Canyon Lake. I have never, ever, in my whole life, woken up so absolutely asleep. But worship was so much fun. It's been too long since I've led, and to sing "I Will Sing a New Song" with Dad was absolutely glorious. I've missed that song so much!!

Came home, listened to some of my new Jesus Culture: Jake Hamilton CD. It's totally not what I was expecting. Kind of hard core country. It's not really 'worship,' per se, but very 'anthem,' and very Kingdom-oriented. It's growing on me, actually, since anthems are what I need right now: proclamations of how we're going to impact the world. {If you haven't already listened to the below track, you should. You will cry. Listen to the whole thing.}

straight angle

shoulders are straight, i promise

We had heart group last night. So encouraging. Jesus is just as awesome and alive in Texas as He is at Bethel! I won't give you all the details, but let's just say there was some impartation, and some laughter, and healing {Yay, God!}, and a word about me being in a bubble of Jesus-ness, keeping me safe from world infiltration, as it were. Oh yeah, there may or may not have been some limb extension fun going on, too. :)

All that to say, nothing is different. Oh yeah, I cried a little when I got home, suddenly realizing that I wasn't in Redding, that there wouldn't be Bethel worship the next day. But God isn't different. His power isn't lessened. He's just as real here as He is there. His love isn't limited to Redding. He wants to change the world, and He uses Bethel to change His people so they can change the world. But nothing - nothing - is confined to Redding, CA.

So yeah. Look out, world. :)

I can hear them singing in the church, now

I can hear them singing in the streets, now

Everybody is being set free

Coming out of the dark and into the light, now

- Jake Hamilton, "New Song"

 {This is my last 'official' blog post. There is a possibility that I won't be able to stay away, and I may just post some more awesome stuff that Jesus is doing. But this is the end of the 'daily' updates.}

I love you - and God loves you more!