Jamming and after parties

I'm all for after parties and staying up late jamming. I have a reputation of being one of the last one's left playing. It's great fun! Being wakened up by the notion that I'm playing with some relly talented musicians that I rarely get to play with. Fiddlesticks and Ivory, a scottish country dance band from San Fransisco, came up to Bellingham the past two years and I think it was about 4:15 am when we decided to pack it in. And in Victoria last March, we had such a good time with Muriel and Keith. I'm hard core about staying up jamming. So why was it that 2 weeks ago I wasn't jamming the whole time at the after party? I was busy showing my Tanzania pictures and telling stories about what it was like over there to the 'non musician' types. And I was loving every minute.
I guess my priorities have changed. I'd rather talk about God related stuff with people who are willing to listen than play a bunch of tunes that I only sort of know. We still managed to be the last ones to leave the party though- I played with Barbara McOwen, who could also play all night, until Calum came up and told us to stop playing- the nerve!
Talking about Tanzania and seeing the pictures brings back so many good memories and makes me sad as I miss my Tanzania people. I miss project! I'm still having new realizations of things that I learned of project. I experienced and learned so much in a very short amount of time. It's molded me in so many (little) ways.
I don't think that I would have been able to successfully lead Cynthia to Christ or really be intentional about meeting up with her if I hadn't had 3 weeks of campus experience in Tanz. Sharing the four laws, the spirit filled life and just having spiritual converstions just comes so naturally to me now.
Can I hear a "Praise Jesus"? Amen!

Things happen in threes...

My mom always says that things happen in threes. I just realized that I'vebeen telling people big news in a series of three (just ask Steph H.)
My first bit of news was: (are you siting down?) Maria's engaged--response:what?!? Then, the sad news about Dan Asher. Now, some very exciting news:Dan Asher's girlfriend prayed to receive Christ just last week! God'stiming is pretty amazing. wow. Dan prepared the soil, many others(including a guy from U of S C4C) planted seeds, and God created thecircumstances for her spirit to be moved. Cynthia is the first girl I ledto Christ, in Canada. She is very special. The following is part of herstory.
The Cynthia Story
In honor of Dan Asher’s life, we held a memorial for him at our weeklymeeting. Dan’s friends shared their favorite memories and laughed and cried together. Then a girl, who we’d never met before, introduced herselfasCynthia. “I used to be, and like to think that I still am Dan’sgirlfriend”. They had met during a summer class that Dan helped her pass. She explained that because she wasn’t a Christian, Dan said he couldn’t goout with her. But they did start dating about two weeks prior to hispassing. Both Jen Godfrey and I felt compelled to go over and talk to Cynthiaafter the memorial. We shared with her some more memories of Dan and Jeninvited her to attend her bible study the following week. Later thatevening, over dinner, Derek had a long spiritual conversation with her. (Derek was hoping that another girl would join the conversation because hewas running out of steam, but we girls didn’t want to be rude and interrupttheir conversation.) At the end of their conversation, she stated thatshe would never believe in God. Derek retorted, “Never say never”.
On the day of Dan’s funeral, I arrived at the Church early to play the piano for the prelude and Cynthia was already there, standing near thecoffin. After the service, she came and sat down on the piano bench besideme. When I finished playing, I asked her if Dan had ever shared the gospelmessage with her. He had wanted to, but they thought they would have moretime for him to do so. I proceeded to share the good news (without abooklet) with her. I started by explaining that God loves her and want toknow her personally. When I asked her if she believes in God, shesaid that she didn’t before, but now she does. She also now believed thatDaniel was in Heaven. (One of the pastors approached her earlier and toldherthat Dan wasn’t in the casket, which freaked her out, but he was inHeaven.) We chatted some more after (found out that we were both born in Winnipeg)andarranged to meet later that week for bubble tea.
On Wednesday, another Christian friend of Cynthia’s brought her to aworship time where she saw Jen Godfrey and then stayed for the biblestudy. At the end of the study, all the girls prayed for Cynthia. Cynthia prayedalong, silently, thanking God for what he had done.
On Thursday, I met up with Cynthia at the mall and delved right into thebooklet (the four spiritual laws booklet) for about an hour. She askedquite a few questions and really engaged in the conversation. At one pointshe suddenly sank back into her chair and thoughtfully stated “I’m sinful”.I also shared how every person has a God-sized hole in their heart. Sheagreed. She had tried to fill that void with dancing, and with thehappiness that Dan brought her, but it didn’t satisfy her. Sherepeated theend of Dan’s testimony, “I finally understand that the only way to feelsatisfied is to know God. Nothing can separate us.
Cynthia prayed to receive Christ that evening. Coincidentally, thatThursday was the Dan Asher day of evangelism.
Let us rejoice with the Angels in Heaven. We have a new sister in Christ.
Please pray with me for Cynthia, that God may reveal Himself as veryreal toher.