Weddings, New Family, & Anointed Dance Parties

Last Friday morning, Zach & I jumped in the car to head down to Savannah, GA for the weekend to celebrate the marriage of two of his friends that he met last Fall at Iris Ministries’- Harvest School of Missions.  For those of you who have never heard of Iris Ministries or Harvest School before, it is a school of missions in Pemba, Mozambique (Africa) where Jesus is glorified, the Holy Spirit moves freely & wildly, Father’s kingdom invades earth in a big way & dark places are taken back for his name’s sake.  The supernatural is the norm there…from healings, to food multiplying &  gold dust & diamonds appearing on the floor in worship.  Its easy to get caught up in the “wow” factor of that, but the school exists to glorify Jesus & to show people the love of a Father who is crazy about them…in any way he chooses to show it.

I had been stoked for weeks about this wedding.  Its funny to say that about a wedding for 2 people that you’ve never met, but I knew that Zach’s friends from Pemba would be coming from across the world to be there & I was going to get to meet them. I’d heard amazing stories about them & I knew in my spirit that I would love them immediately.  I felt like I already knew them.

When we arrived, we walked up to one giant family reunion.  The wedding took place on a beautiful lake at a camp-ground just outside of Savannah (where John Wesley had preached in the 1800s no less...come on now!)  and most of the out of town Harvest School students were all staying together in a cabin.  When I met them, it took about 10 seconds with a few hugs & I was at home, both in my heart & my spirit.  It was instant family that I felt closer to in a few minutes than I do to many people I’ve known for 20 years.  Only Jesus can do that.  Below are three of them: Karla, Stephanie & Megan.  As soon as I met these girls, I knew I’d met sisters that I’d be connected to for life.  Thank you Jesus!  They are incredibly beautiful & beautifully incredible.

It was non-stop celebration, worship & love all weekend.  Friday night, we had a spontaneous worship party where all 20+ of us piled into the living room of the cabin with a guitar, a djembe & our voices & worshipped for hours that felt like minutes.  “You are good, you are holy, you are worthy”…”In every season of my soul I will sing & bless the Lord, Oh my soul”…”I am a lion of the tribe of Judah, hear my roar,  his name is Jesus-my roar”  We danced, sang, danced some more, ministered to each other & the presence of the King came in to be with us.  His presence was so thick in that place that you could feel it surrounding you, overwhelming you,  & pouring out of you.  It was heaven in a living room.

Saturday was amazing.  Their ceremony was a beautiful picture of Christ & his church.  When you saw Josh & Rachael, you saw Jesus & his bride.  The reception was so full of joy that you couldn’t stand to be still.  I think that’s just how it will be when we celebrate at the wedding feast of Jesus (If we can stay standing at all).  We were bouncing around like jumping beans & dancing the whole time.  We were an exhausted, stinky, lovely, sweaty mess by the end of it.  When it came time to say good-bye & head back to Greenville, my heart pinged with a little sadness.  I felt like I’d only had 2 days with people I’d just fallen in love with.  I’m so thankful for friendships in the spirit that you can be confident will remain over the years to come.  Those are the deepest & strongest friendships you can have.  I was so blessed by those friends & can’t wait to see how Father connects us all in the future.  Zach said it well when we were driving away toward Greenville…”I feel like I just left home”.  If any of you are reading this, I love you & miss you already!  Please come visit Greenville soon.  Can’t wait to see how Papa brings us back together J