Crashing California

For someone who is born on Friday the 13th, the number 13 doesn't faze me.  Yesterday Jay and I celebrated our Anniversary, 13 years of marriage in San Diego.  I have to admit, I had THEE most amazing weekend in a very long while, so if this year is any indication for the coming year, we are off to a great start. I started Friday w/ a dinner date w/ my amazing and beautiful friend Laura and Hartly at this cute restaurant in La Jolla, and spent Saturday taking pictures of a friends bridal "shower" (which, wasn't really a shower, more of a hike of sorts through Torrey Pines park and ending w/ a great lunch on the beach). (which, I realize doesn't have anything to do w/ Jay and I, but it was a great time and added to my joy!) Sunday Jay and I took off of church and just simply hung out ... we toured our old stompin' ground, Ocean street apartments, which by the way, they are tearing down now to build ... just think, one year ago we were moving out ... just ...

Photo © James David Phenicle There is a phrase, "Peeling back the layers like the skin of an onion" ... or something to that effect ... I have heard that expression before anyways.  Today marks the last day of my 4th (I believe) Daniel Fast experience, and every time I do it, God pulls away another layer of "skin" in my life and exposes something that I would much rather hide. Sometimes I see something I didn't even KNOW I was hiding. Such has been my experience this time 'round on the fast.  The fast came w/ the usual rocky first couple of days, no coffee, no tea ... no "comforts" of food, but I do feel like every time I do this discipline the food thing gets easier.  After a couple days I feel pretty centered, I feel like I could devour the word and I feel much more able to discern what God is speaking through the scripture and bible reading.  I also feel a lot more "raw" (for lack of a better word). It's kind of like everyt...

I really have been putting off writing a post on purpose. I think partially because DIVE was such a beautiful and really life altering experience, and then coming back is almost always a mountain top to valley moment that it was an adjustment ... one with some challenges so I kind of felt like if I burst the blog bubble with a post it's most officially over-- so, now it is, haha, in all seriousness tho -- I am back to the grind in every way. Working my "dead end" job (which I only call that because there's no room for advancement-- not because there is a lot else I don't like about it). Back leading worship at church ... and back trying desperately to fit music into my life. it's amazing how hard it can be to do something that you love -- and try to fit it into the grind if everything else you do. it needs to be intentional, and that can be difficult ... coming back from DIVE I felt so inspired, so musically full and now it's hard to even sit with a guit...

YES, Rita Instagrammed and tweeted me!!!! (no big deal) I can't believe it's almost over (!!) It's really beginning to sink in the magnitude of this experience, and all the many blessings that have unfolded these last couple days ... unbelievable comes to mind. I can't count how many times I feel like I've had to pinch myself. Sitting in Rita's home ... listening to the amazing and noted Songwriter Jennie Riddle (writer of Revelation Song and many more) ... watching Rita's little adopted boy Justice play with plastic forks in the sitting room while all of us "DIVE" girls hung out talking song and God and life. What an amazing time this has been. Tomorrow we present our songs (which we've spent the last day and a half writing and refining, and yes, my fingers are getting sore and a bit numb because I haven't played the guitar super steady for a while) ... I'm a bit nervous but one thing God's really been cutting off of me ...

Rita at the piano during songwriting 101 Today was songwriting 101 w/ Rita and a guitar class ... first, I just need to say that even when Rita is sitting at her piano, playing a melody and singing out an example, she is just amazing ... I loved her music before, but I respect and admire her and her faith SO much now it's really pretty unbelievable. And I am so thankful that I have this opportunity, not only to be ministered to by her but to just be able to soak in her gifting and who she is ... and I get to hang out with an AMAZING group of girls, who love music, love worship and adore Jesus!! I don't really know what else to say for this particular blog, except I have such an overload of passion right now for songwriting ... so I'm going to be journalling tonight before bed ... "the control room" at Gateway church (seriously!!) We did take a tour today of Gateway Church, which is the church that Rita is artist in Resident at. It is HUGE ... like a gian...

Remember I was talking about our journal covers? Here is mine =) wow, I don't even really know exactly where to begin for today.  And just as an aside, all of us DIVE girls went out for dinner tonight (we officially broke our fast for the day at In-In-Out Burgers, several of the girls had never been, it was a super treat!). During dinner we were talking about how it seems like we've been here, literally, a LONG time, it feels like soooo much longer than the three short days it's been ... God is SO amazing, He is literally rocking my socks off ... so much healing going on.  Today was our fasting, prayer and prophecy day. Our task; to fast from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and during that time, worship, seek God and ask for words for the girls in our group (8 in all). The catch was, each girl was just a number on a page (so we didn't know who was which number) which ALSO meant that you would have a word for YOURSELF (you follow). Again, this is all VERY new to me ... and I a...

Real live acorns ... I just think they're cool, lol Today was an intense day ... I'm beginning to realize that this week will be about so much more than songwriting, it blows my mind to think of what will be ... let me try to recap. We started the day with, what seemed like hours, but I'm sure was maybe 30 mins, of worship, just Rita, her piano and us girls singing in her living room ... it was surreal in the beginning and then just beautiful rest in the spirit of God. I have not had alot of experience with charismatic things, I've heard talking in toungues and about the gifts of prophecy etc, but honestly I haven't seen alot of that in action ... at all. Here is so completely different.  Today we learned Rita's story and journey through life through worship and how her heart hears the Lord and serves the Lord so faithfully.  We learned about the gift of journalling our thoughts and prayers and words or scriptures that God gives us, so we can remember....