and because I said April's goal was 7 posts.
Here we are at post number 7
:)

Because I said my next blog would be sweet stories from The War Room.
Here it goes.
I fell in love in The War Room. Over and over and over again, I fall in love with Christ. The way he greets me, the way he holds me, the way he whispers to me. That's the sweetest it gets. Can't get much sweeter.

Some other great things have happened in TWR. It's where I fell in love with Leighanne. Leighanne has been a dear friend to us here in the DTES from the very beginning. One of those old faithfuls you never expect will leave, and she hasn't let us down yet. One time I was in TWR, not too long ago actually, she came up and flatly said I want to go on the next journey. Because she has been down here forever I was actually surprised to hear she had never gone on the journey - a spiritual getaway for Women of the DTES. That night we talked and prayed in TWR and I fell in love with her.

I remember my first day walking into the War Room. The sweetness and presence of God was thick and beautiful.

The War Room has taught me discipline and accountability.
I have met with the Lord over and over and over again and have been blessed and healed and set free over and over and over again.

Detailed stories will come later - first It'll be nice if you can leave a comment with your favourite War Room Stories.

I know I said April post #5 would be on The War Room...but I was reading this in the paper this morning - and wanted to post it, as I beleive it to be important. I'll write about TWR next, I assure you.
---
Insite's appeal goes to court today.
A year ago, InSite was given a one year extension on their application to remain open. That year is up on 30 June. Today they go to court to appeal the federal government's decision in hopes of remaining open.

I know InSite and the idea of a "safe" injection site is controversial, and I'm not telling you to pick one side or the other, but I am urging us all to be in prayer. Pray for the Father's heart. Pray for those in/near our neighbourhoods and workplaces who are trapped in addiction. The courts decision will effect our workplaces, friends and neighbours. It will effect the homelessness rate and the death rates. Please pray.

If you're up for it, fast and pray for the courts to deny InSite's proposal to remain open

InSite is the only supervised injection site in North America.
InSite opened in 2003, since then it has seen over 1, 000, 000, 000 injections.
There have been 2395 overdoses.
Please pray.

There is a community garden here in the DTES we help run. If I had a photo of it, I would post it with this blog, but since I don't I will describe the scene to you until I find one.

On Hastings Street, between Main and Columbia lies this patch of beauty in the midst of horror. Main and Hastings is known notoriously. Locals call this intersection Pain and Wastings and are quite accurate in doing so. The drug rates and disease rates are climbing high, fast. Poverty and addiction have taken over these streets. People are dying down here everyday. Garbage, including used needles and condoms, complete the decor of the DTES.

Next door to InSite, our local needle exchange and "safe" injection site where people walk into death daily, lies a beautiful garden full of life and beauty. This is our community garden. You walk down Hastings and see constant death but then as your eyes meet with this garden you are then instantly reminded of hope and life and beauty. I can't describe to you the beauty of it - but it is nicely juxtaposed surrounded by such despair.

Not only is it a source of hope to the eye - it is also quite practical. Part of the whole poverty thing leaves a lot of our neighbours hungry and/or malnourished, but with a garden full of vegetables that hunger can be satisfied.

It actually took me a while to dig the garden (no pun intended). I had no interest in it, and thought it was almost pathetic that others were so into it. I wouldn't be vocal with that opinion and would show up to garden when I could- but thought it was a waste of time, and valuable space too. I found it a waste of time because I could think of a million things that seems more important and practical then gardening. This opinion of mine lasted for months.

It wasn't until I was in there one day and I saw the growth. There were pea's growing and ready to eat. I picked one up, and it wasn't until I ate it that I was able to see that this was good. Taste and see that the Lord is good. It was then I realised how a beautiful presence is important and not a waste of time. I realised then that our hungry friends and neighbours could have access to free, nutritious food. I realised that spending time in the garden also brought us many new friends as people would come in to see whats going on. I also began to understand all the kingdom parallels this garden could teach us.

So now, my opinion has completely flipped regarding this garden. It's beautiful and our neighbours are genuinely happy it is here, mostly because of the beauty it brings to the DTES.

Last April I blogged 6 times, this is only post number 3 and the month ends in less then two weeks - plus I'm going out of town this week so my blogging days are limited. And 6 is a shy number in itself. April Goal: blog 7 times.

It's not that I have a lack of things to say, far from it actually. Maybe that's the issue, I have so much to say, I just can't pick!

I know I already wrote a bit about prayer - but because that's where I am at, that's what I'll continue to write about.

I live in a really neat neighbourhood and I live with really neat people. One of the coolest things we do is pray. My favourite prayer season we have been in is when we take 3 hours shifts and go 24/7 - non stop prayer - one time we did it for 4 years, not to brag - but come on - it is pretty cool.

I think though we have now entered my new favourite prayer rhythm.

There are 4 different 'faith communities' here in the DTES. We're not that special - basically all we do is move into the DTES and make friends. Though we are similar, we each bring something unique to the table. I'm part of 614, which is a Salvation Army Corps, there is also one called St. Ciara's community (Anglican background I believe), Servants (http://www.servantsasia.org/index.php/canada/vancouver-community), and Jacob's Well (http://www.jacobswell.ca/?page_id=10). We are all friends and often spin off each other for various things - we've had people from all three teach at our War College (http://www.thewarcollege.com/), as well as we have taught/shared with them. We've shared babysitters and pastoral care. We have also all been a part of a community garden (perhaps I'll blog about that for April blog #4)

This past month though, I think we have really begun to taste the fullness of unity, the unity of prayer. 614 has a 24/7 prayer room and for most of that time we have prayed non-stop 24 hours a day 7 days a week (April blog #5 shall have some really sweet stories from there). So we begun the first week of April with a community meal shared by the above four mentioned communities and for that first week Servants, Jacob's Well and St. Ciara's joined us in our non-stop prayer rhythm. This past week was the Servants host week and we joined in with their prayer rhythm, which was three time daily prayers. Due to schedule I didn't get to catch any of the afternoon ones, but I got to as many morning and evening prayers as I could. The mornings we prayed liturgy together - I've done liturgical prayers here and there - but there was a fullness to them doing them with the Servants - for with it they brought an authority of discipline. The evenings was a Taize chant, followed by reading a Psalm and then a quiet reflection of your day with the LORD. I very very very rarely fit in a daily silent reflection time - but after experiencing that with the Servants - I shan't stop. I can't - I've tasted and seen how good it is, and now before I retire to bed I plan to continue in this rhythm personally. If we hadn't joined together in prayer, I wouldn't have developed this now necessary-for-me discipline. Next week is Jacob's Well's week and I'm looking forward to joining in with their host week, and St. Ciara's to follow.

We'd be fools to think that we got it all - that we don't need each other. Sure I could continue with my own prayer rhythms or that of my community, and probably still be okay, and probably still meet with the Lord and probably still be refined over and over- but golly I'd be missing out on a whole lot. There are things that other communities, fellowships, Christians and Church traditions bring that I'd never see on my own, just as I'm sure there are things I/we could bring elsewhere to deepen others. We only know in part now, one day we will see in full...until then we need to be seeking the fullness - which this past week has taught me comes in the unity of prayer.

I think prayer is hands down the most intimate and personal thing you can do with Christ. Where you can meet him in your brokenness and joy. Where mysteries are unveiled and striving ceased. As personal and intimate as it is, there is a great fullness that comes when you pray for one another with one another. I said in my last post that I think praying without ceasing is not only attainable but our mandate as believers - I think I also want to propose that praying together is just as attainable and mandated.

Life from last week to this week hasn't really changed at all.

The same things that I was rejoicing over I still rejoice in. The same things that were burdening I still mourn over. My schedule remains the same and the people in my life haven't changed either. But last week I was overwhelmed, emotional, feeling like I was letting everyone down and ready to give up - and this week I am full of peace. Full stop.

But like I said, life from last week to this week haven't really changed at all.

I am prone to wander when I am overwhelmed. I am prone to seek man's advice and comfort when I am fearful and alone. Last week I was in that place where everything feels like it is falling apart, and when one thing goes wrong after another, and when your family is suffering and your friends are suffering and you are suffering and hope is far from your radar. And in those times I am prone to give up praying too.

I am a firm believer of praying without ceasing - I think it is entirely possible, doable and I might even be so bold to say it is our mandate as believers. Knowing fully there have been times I wouldn't be able to receive a longest prayer award - I still think we must.

I did something this past week that surprised me, perhaps it will surprise you too: In the midst of chaos and turmoil where I am quick to give up I prayed! (Shocking I know). Why did that surprise me? Why did the peace and freedom I received from prayer blow my socks off? I'm not sure - it's pretty elementary - the whole prayer thing - in Philippians 4 Paul even testifies to this:

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As an intercessor I am aware of the warfare around it - and be prepared for warfare, but also be prepared and expectant of God's peace as you pray. Pray without ceasing. If you won't listen to me, listen to Paul. It may be elementary, but it is so so so good.

May the God of PEACE, touch you.

So let's say I want to write about healing - I could throw in the cliche Isaiah 53 verse or Psalm 103 and maybe a red-letter healing or two - but I don't know how that would help [this writing]. Now I need you to know that in no way am I trying to say that we can't look at scripture for the answer of healing - rather far from that because I think Biblical Interpretation is foundational and vital in understanding healing...

...Isaiah 53 says that by his stripes we are healed (with some just as profound surrounding verses). And Psalm 103 (yeah I know - I still added the cliche verses in - I just didn't want the above paragraph to lead anyone in a way of scripture less thinking, or that someone may think I take the Word of God lightly) tells us that surely our iniquities were taken up with him on the cross...but I still don't get it. I still don't get why thousands of my neighbours are infected with AIDS or Hep C, I still don't get why over 400 children die daily of preventable diseases. Our God is a God who heals - so why don't' we see it [more often].

I don't think it has much to do with faith at all, or at least how much people say it is. I think we need faith - but I think we give it [and ourselves] too much credit in the whole healing thing. I think rather then not having enough faith we simply don't pray enough. We don't ask God to heal enough. We don't fast enough and we don't lay on hands enough. Enough meaning we want to see people healed.

I was recently a substitute War College teacher and with less then 5 minutes to prepare I threw out the healing topic for discussion as I've been questioning it lately and was interested in what others thought. I think I've been questioning the whole healing thing lately because of my friend Leighanne. Let me segway a bit and talk about Leighanne.

She's been here since before we were. She's one of the most loveliest and loyal people I know. She's also a drug addict and has full blown AIDS. She has been told by doctors that she has until June to live. I can't imagine the DTES without Leighanne, nor re:cre8 or even The War College. Leighanne takes great care of us and consistently watches out for us. She calls The War College students her kids and brings us all tremendous joy [and sometimes sorrow - through no fault of her own, more the oppression upon her that we grieve]. She is in daily pain and is dying. It breaks my heart, yet I've (we've) never prayed for her to be healed. I have never called upon the LORD to deliver her of her iniquities. I have never fasted and prayed and laid on hands expecting the LORD to free her. So it can't even begin to be a faith thing - I'd argue that is is much more of an obedience thing. At the end of Mark Jesus commands us to lay hands on the sick [and they will recover]. It's like fasting - he doesn't ask us to nor suggest we should but requires it of us.

Is it like justice? That if you don't choose to stand up for the oppressed you are then on the side of the oppressor. So if you don't fast and pray for the sick...

Then we can get into a whole nother discussion about Spiritual Gifts, but i will leave it relatively short. Healing is a widely spoken about gift and maybe one of the more practical ones out there, yet we aren't claiming it. I think tongues is a bit more whacked out then healing - yet I know more people who are operating in tongues then I do healing. Not because I don't think people are gifted in healing - but because they don't know it. Best way to find out is try - pray for the sick. Lay hands on those suffering. Test it out. Let's see people healed.