Salvation Mountain.

I am presently on my trip cross country back home to Maryland from California, and enjoying every moment. There is something about the open road; it brings life into context for me. It presents the simplicity of life and causes me to long for the deep truth of life, as well as spend time dialoging with Jesus….as well as simply be over-analytical (something I tend to do too much ha!)

Alas, enough of my inner ramblings….. Yesterday, I had the opportunity of visiting a place called Salvation Mountain; a place I have longed to go to for a while now. I’ve long wondered what it would be like to not just hear the stories of this man Leonard, and his vision which has now become a worldwide point of interest, but to actually be there and experience it firsthand. Leonard wasn’t there, which was a little bit sad…I so wanted to personally meet the amazing man behind this simple, yet so profound message of love. Walking along the “mountain” and reading the messages of God’s love all around was amazing—even more amazing though was being hit once again with the realization that the simplicity of the Gospel really is His love; it all comes down to that one thing.

I think the one thing that is most profound to me, is that this man, Leonard receives nothing in the natural for all his work. He isn’t working for a “reward” or some kind of recognition. He lives as simply as one could; living in the back of his truck and painting daily from donated paint (only 2 weeks ago did he move out of the area, to escape the heat due to heart issues—he is after all nearing his 80’s).
Knight’s whole life goal is simply that the world would know that God is love. Dedicating your life to one message. Amazing.

I think the one thing I learned, is that there is this tension between knowing more and more about God and His ways…but never forgetting the simplistic message of who He is; love. I don’t want other things to become bigger than the foundation of all that I believe. I want my lense to be love, and I want everything I do to come from that place.

My hearts cry : [I don’t want anything to even get bigger than LOVE.]
As Leonard says, “Keep It Simple”

Peace. Love. Joy.

To learn more go to: http://www.salvationmountain.us/

Forward Motion.

Today I graduated 1st year at BSSM (Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry)....
it means a lot of things, but mainly it means a new season is right around the corner.

These past 9 months have been nothing less than transformational,
and I am so honored to of had the opportunity to be here in this wonderful culture.
I am forsure leaving a different person...
and nothing I did made that happen,
just simply resting in His love did.

I am excited for the next couple months of summer..
for the friends, family, adventures, and creativity.
I know it's going to be a summer to remember for ever.
I may not have much clarity on the future,
but one thing I know is He is sooo goood (probably even better than I think)
and He is not going to let me fail.
Simply abiding in Him is going to take me on the journey of a lifetime;
one of fulfilling destiny and discovering beauty.

My pray is and continues to be:
That I may know Him, and be known by Him.
My heart, if nothing else, is simply to know Him.
I want to immerse myself in my Abba's love and
I want Him to be able to say, "I know you, Brianna."
You can take all the details away, just give me intimacy with Abba.

So, as I depart from this epic season of my life....
one that I would have to say has been the most dynamic, influential times of my life,
I want to honor those who have sacrificed for me to be here today.

First and foremost my parents...without their leadership, love, and intimacy with Abba throughout my life who knows where I would be. I am so thankful for the foundation I have been given and the righteous inheritance I was born into. I am one blessed girl. :-)

And secondly, I want to honor Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton,
I am so grateful that they chose Him above all else,
because if they didn't I would not be the person I am, right now, today, writing this.
Their hearts desire is to see the Kingdom of Heaven brought to earth,
and now that very desire is ingrained into my heart.
For that I am forever thankful.

So, on that note I will leave you with some end of the school year, defining quotes for me:
["Fire always falls on sacrifice." Bill Johnson]
["Your message isn't Bethel, it's King Jesus." Bill Johnson]
["The Lord never forgets what you do in secret." Kris Vallotton]




And, so the next exciting, joy filled, life journey begins! :)
Peace. Love. Joy.

[Happiness hit her like a train on a track.]

My year here at BSSM is wrapping up,
and I have such mixed emotions.
Excitement over what is next, and where God is taking me.
Sadness over leaving some of the most incredible people I have met in my life!

Reminiscing over these past 9 months is quite an insane experience in my mind...
so much has changed;
I have changed so much.

The other week I literally woke up and said to myself,
"Wow! I am honestly a whole different person then when I was in September!"
And, not in some weird christianeze sense either, but literally who I am is different. The real me has surfaced, and I quite like it if I do say so myself.
It's crazy to me that simply His love really invading my life has transformed me.

I think the greatest realization this year for me has simply been His grace.
An aspect of Him I never thought about has now daily become a relying factor for me in my life. I have come face to face with resting in Him, and laying down all striving...that alone can free one up beyond belief.

These past 9 month have been ones of laying down my dreams, my pursuits, and just allowing God to meet me where I am at and work on the foundation of my life; who I am and who He is in me.
It's been life changing.
I can honestly say I know who I am...
and everyday I get a glimpse more and more of who He is in me.

To sum it up: I am more alive than I have ever been in my life...
and it's all because I have one brilliant Abba, who decided I was worth everything He is to bring my soul to life again.

His goodness is overwhelming.
Period.

A week from now I begin my cross country venture home--
I am excited to read, write, experience cultures, hear stories, and just have fun with Abba :)
Home, I come...... different than ever.

Peace. Love. Joy.

Formulas.

Why is it that we make formulas for everything in life?
We(humanity) like to have an exact way of doing things,
and we believe if we find results with doing something a certain way then that in fact is the way the rest of humanity should do it and they will receieve the same results.

But, it's just not true.
Have you ever done something to get a result of some sort because a friend of yours got the result doing it the same way, but you don't get the result they get?

In our minds its so easier if we just have one way of doing something,
instead of just going with the "flow" of life and letting things just be organic so to speak.

I am learning to realize that I can't create formulas for things in my own life. I can't have it all figured out...I just can't.
It's a lot more free, and a lot scarier at times to just flow with life.
To narrow life down to simplicity;
To have one constant formula:
Jesus.

It may be scarier, but in the end it is freedom, to just live life in sync and not have to figure everything out.
I choose to not be safe...
but to live free from formulas,
and live simply because.


Peace. Love. Joy.

Beating alive.

I am sitting here...
here, at Starbucks..
sipping a lovely Carmel Machiatto.
Coffee always helps me to write better.
It's pure bliss.
:)

So many things floating through my mind presently.
You know that feeling of so many monumental moments that add up in a short span of time?
You almost feel like you could explode, you have to process it, there is almost no choice.
At least for me that is how it always ends up.
I think maybe because I so don't want to let moments pass me by,
they must be documented in my heart and processed in some form or fashion.

I spent a week in San Francisco on a missions trip, with the sole purpose of just going out on the streets...
with no agenda,
but to love...
to listen..
to hear stories.

I have learned to not go anywhere thinking I am the "change" people need,
but to go knowing I am going to be changed more than I could possibly imagine.

There were so many amazing people I had the priviledge to talk to..
its one thing talking about "loving", its a whole 'nother thing being confronted with complete brokenness and seeing God's love completely invade soemone's life.
I think that would probably sum up the trip, and every single, amazing person I came in contact with...
whether it was a prositute, or Cade, a guy shooting up while talking to me, or even a little girl from the ghetto telling me she had a dream of becoming a fashion desginer.
No matter who it was...when I talked to them, all I saw was pure Jesus love transforming them.
I saw them walking in their desitnies.
I saw them changing the world.
I saw them as complete and utter rockstars.

Yes, I got stretched.
Yes, I grew in the prophetic, and saw God rock people with it.
But, more then any of that I was able to catch a glimpse through my Abba's eyes.
And, that alone was worth more than any prophetic word, or any miracle.
I think each person I encountered showed me what life is really all about.
They showed me what really matters at the end of the day...
and that thing would be love...pure, Jesus love.

I will not be the same. Ever.
And, each person I came in contact with contributed to that.

Friends, live in the moment.
Live alive, right this second.
It's transforming.

Peace. Love. Joy.

ALIVE.

To be honest I have nothing profound to say.....
my deep thoughts have not arrived at a destination today haha :p

I feel like I am on the verge of a new season,
and it's exciting! :-)

I find God always knows what we need when we need it.
It's been an interesting season, one of deep healing, and one of coming smack in the face with His presence.

And, I feel that I am about to fly like I never have before.
It's exciting...
and it's coming,
not sure when..
but, soon.

Soo here is to being alive,
and continuing to dream,
and dreaming so more.

Man, oh man is my Abba brilliant :-)

I love that He never gives me any challenge or season in life, that He hasn't already prepared me for in advance.
AHHH, He is gooood!

Peace. Love. Joy.

Oh, and Polka Dota are wonderful. Just sayin'

Tread Lightly....

The past few days I have had the honor of listening to the Vicar of Baghdad, Andrew White.
I don't think I expected much when I heard he was coming,
simply because I had no idea who he was.

But, oh boy. Was I surprised!
His stories, the places he has been, and if you simply saw him you would think he would be the unlikeliest person.
I am telling you people, greatness is all about the inside. ;)

He has had so much favor to bring Jesus into the country of Iraq...
he definitely personifies an agent of change.
There is something about his stories that really caught my attention,
I don't know if its because I have a lot of Egyptian family whom are Muslims...
or the fact my eldest sister is going to end up bringing change to the middle east,(making it a much talked about thing in my home)
nonetheless, it really struck my heart.

I remember being younger and reading a book called Red Moon Rising,
in the book the author, while in Iraq tells this story that to this day has stuck with me. He talks about while driving through Iraq he made eye contact with a woman on the street and instantly he heard God say, "tread lightly for this is holy ground." That statement struck me so profoundly and has always stayed with me.
I think that having family members that have originated from that part of the world, has probably placed a sensitivity and love for the culture on the inside of me.

Andrew White shared a story today that I probably will never forget either,
actually two... ha :)
The first one was about a little boy, who when soldiers bombarded into the church, killing people left and right walked around behind them saying, "please don't kill anymore people, we just want peace." Eventually they turned around and shot the little boy, but there is something so profound about that to me. Nothing inside of him screamed fear, instead it screamed love, thus promoting a message of peace. He knew who his God was, and he was fighting for the love that was manifest on the inside of him, coming alive in the soldiers and the atmosphere around him. He died fighting for that very thing, and something on the inside of me tells me that his cause was one worth fighting for. He is a hero.

White told another story about three little boys being kidnapped from their church, they found them the next day, dead, having been cooked in an oven and placed over rice. That made my heart stop. To imagine that is horror. But, alas it happened. Not hundreds of years ago..but mearly months ago. I can only think how happy those three little boys are right now in Heaven with their Abba! :-) They too are heroes of our day.

Something on the inside of me made me realize that I know nothing of persecution in my world. I let stupid things trip me up, I allow the pettiest of things to entertain my mind,I can become so fearful in an instant. Yet, across the world there are people, every minute facing the constant reality of being slaughtered in some form or fashion, and yet they live in perfect peace.
It tells me one thing, they've experienced love.
And, there is no fear in love.
It tells me something else, I clearly haven't experienced enough love.
So my hearts cry?
"God, I need more of your love!"

There is this incredible passage in Isaiah 19 that White consistently referred too,
"In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria (present day Iraq). The Assyrians will go to Egypt and Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrian's will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance."

Assyria, present day Iraq, those people, that nation is God's handiwork.
And, that is the promise that keeps them fighting onward.

Peace. Love. Joy.