For me, I'm still battling prioritizing my time, and keeping Him at the top of the list. For me 8500 was so rich in just time spent totally focused on Him, I realized that by neglecting these kinds of moments in my daily life I've totally been neglecting myself... and in that the enemy has planted so many gross lies in my heart, so on top of the priority thing, I'm battling to rise above those lies, and see things through my Kingdom eyes instead of my human ones. It's a daily struggle! 

So how are you doing? Do you remember what He spoke to you? The ways He stirred your heart? Are you doing anything about them? Are you feeling bogged down under the reality of your life at home? Please share, so that we can be encouraged, and so that we can encourage one another!

Almost three months has gone by now since our Gathering @ 8500 feet above sea level which reminds me of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, and how they (in the movie) found a kingdom that not many knew existed. I also relate the Gathering to another great movie. Lord of the Rings, when the Fellowship receive gifts from a Queen Elf after spending some time in her beautiful forest kingdom, in which the were also rejuvenated.

The reason I'm opening up this discussion, if it becomes one, is not to talk about movies like I just did (I guess I'm a bad example, hehe). But to open a discussion on gifts that we have received from our time at the gathering (or kingdom) that, here we go, are still "stickin" with us today and if we are using them (flippin), and how or why not.

I would also like to characterize the gift by using one word, and then a description or explanation or story.

For example: I took the liberty to go first.

Family: Two years ago, spiritual family was a new idea to me. And for a long time I didn't have it. But my desire for it just grew and grew. I recently realized that this could be a part of God's plan just like he created Adam alone first. Adam saw the animals having mates, and in turn saw that he did not have one. In my opinion this was God's will to ignite desire in Adam for the gift of Eve.

So two months ago, I received a gift of family. It's hard to explain but God gave me time to desire and he gave me connections with people even though I couldn't see at the time how to really deepen those connections. Like I was meeting theses people that felt like they should be something in my life, but I didn't know what to do about it. Now my Father's giving me the vision of logistical ways to deepen those connections and create new ones. For example, one way is he's given me the faith, when the need be, to travel just to be with people. Another way is to do more online communication stuff. I can see how this helps maintain relationships, in today's age, that are already made from face to face encounters. Another way for me in which he's freed me is to go out more, locally, just meet and visit people. He's already shown me a great deal of people that he wants me to commit to. And actually that was another logistical way to create and deepen spiritual family relationships, and probably the most important; commitment.

Family are committed to each other. So, I must make and take a higher commitment level than I've been given. I've got to use the gift of committed family like a skateboard under my feet, having fun, doing tricks with it ... Flippin and Stickin.

David Frankus