For Monica.

My friend died this year - she lost in her battle against addiction.
Tonight in Vancouver is her memorial. I wrote this for it:

I've been away from the downtown eastside of Vancouver for several months and I miss it. I miss many things: places, smells, friends and family... I also miss Monica. There are things I know and love about Monica. She was:
Honest. Always honest. Sometimes brutally so.

Upfront. Monica didn't beat around the bush much... and didn't have a lot of time for that sort of thing.

Real. Monica was never fake. I always knew where she was at, whether I liked it or not.

Prayer ready. Monica was always asking for prayer, receiving prayer and offering up prayers.

Monica was beautiful. She was cool too. Her motorcycle rocked. She had attitude but was never above anyone.... never. She always rooted for the underdog. She had this tenacity about her... she was extremely disciplined in so many ways. She worked out like clock work - she's the only heroin addict I know that finished a master's degree while in the throws of an addiction. She was a finisher.

Monica was a lover. She loved quickly and openly. She's the only women I've married twice! Once in a church - the other on a roof. :-)

Monica was a mother. She loved Zeek and Jake... she prayed for and with them often. I've watched her worry and cry over them... and laugh with their joys. I've watched the pain of her journey with her boys.

Monica was down to earth. She was rooted in earthiness.

Monica was many things. To me she was a long time friend. I loved her. And I am deeply grieved at her passing. I'm going to miss her frank emails (with the red alert for expletitives). I'm going to miss watching her become all that God wanted her to be. I'm going to miss her triumphs. I'm going to miss praying with her on the phone at all hours of the day or night and exchanging emails of encouragement and advice. I'm going to miss her until I see her again... in a place where she will no longer be beaten down by circumstances and abused by addiction.

When I see her I've got many questions about the day she died. I need to talk with her long and hard. I'm sure she'll be frank, honest and real. But mostly, on the day we meet again, I'm going to hug her and tell her how much I missed her and how thankful I am that I got to be her friend. She brought a lot of colour to my world... and for her friendship and life - I am grateful. I pray that her efforts to better people's lives will bear fruit... and I pray in many ways that I will learn to be more like Monica... and that her friendship will live on in me.

I know Monica would want us to grieve in Hope... let's honour Monica by choosing to LIVE full lives of faith - believing Jesus when He says, "I am the way, the truth and the life". Monica knew and loved Jesus, let's follow her lead on that.

Blood of Christ

great prophecy... lots of footage from the downtown eastside of Vancouver... I'm believing for revival. join me.

Warriors in Unity...

If 1 can put a thousand to flight and two can put ten thousand then the enemy must be shaking in his boots today with these two Warriors joining forces.
Yeah God and yeah for the Kingdom as we grow in love and strength. God bless Regan and Jeni. Wish I was there to witness the event.

JUSTact

I met with a social justice worker from the Uniting Church today - the Salvos will join the Australian premier of Amazing Grace - the movie of William Wilberforce's fight against the slavetrade. The beginning of many more partnerships to come, I'm sure. Check out their website

I fought the law and the law won.

I haven't said much about accountability these days (since my running blog about the Nike lounge)... but this month my 30 day experiment is to do something new everyday... now, being in a new country, new place, new neighbourhood and new friends - this shouldn't be too difficult.. but it is fun to notice all the newness.
I had a prophetic word for 614 Vancouver when I left... it was a season of 'new things' that they were to embrace... seems the word is as true for me as for them.
God is faithful.
And on the subject of new and accountable - the new car I drive here (on the new side of the road) beeps when you speed. I kid you not. How do I know? enough said. Although I like accountability, this is a pain - I'm assuming if I'm ever nailed for speeding it will be difficult to fight the law when your car alerts you that you're driving too fast... wow.
Although this feature reminds me of the Holy Spirit somewhat - I'm getting the manual to figure our how to turn it off (another new thing!). Here's to new things.

Lauryn Hill feat. Ziggy Marley - Redemption Song

bring on the Jesus redemption:
if we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and the truth is not in us... BUT if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from every wrong. (1 John 1:7).
We need that kind of cleansing in society... holiness in culture - what will it look like? and how long?

Happy Founders' Day

What a great day - celebrating the beginnings of the Sally Ann... a celebration that God can do supernatural things with very ordinary people. Yesterday I heard Commissioner Harris speak on Isaiah 51 (and was able to tell him that only a few weeks ago I heard the same scripture used as a prophetic word to the salvation army by Jim Cymbala)... a great reminder that we shouldn't forget.

The Booths are hereos - but they are simply real people who surrendered everything to God... the history of Williams surrender is legend as he worked in a pawn shop as a young person and knelt down one day declaring, "God shall have all there is of William Booth." The big deal is not that he said it, (lots of people have those moments) or that he spoke in third person (lots of people do that too) it's that he kept saying it... a later legend scene for William is one of his last public meetings, he's led out (because he's blind) and he says to his aid... "tell me there are sinners here in need of a savior." That was just William - Catherine is as legendary as they come... and the celebration of this day is a celebration of them together as 'parents' of our movement. She went out early (cancer) but on her death bed testified, "the waters are rising but so am I. I am not going under but over." The Booths didn't just start fights - they finished them.

A friend and I were speaking of the 'well' that is the Salvation Army (our heritage - our rock from which we were hewn), and the hunger that is present in these days (especially among young people) to rediscover the 'roots' of our movement... it's a great thing if we could 're-dig' the well that the Booths first found... I believe in that place is a great gusher ready to wash the world over (some might even think inside that well is a boundless ocean!). God grant it.

As I long to be more like Jesus I suspect I will resemble my 'parents' as well - I'm honoured to be in the famiy! God bless The Salvation Army.