BeLOnGings

The other name Johnny Enlow mentioned that stood out to me as ‘a double witness’, was the American football player who recently caught the winning ‘Hail Mary’ (appeal to heaven) pass.

His name was Noah.

Our Korean hosts had a surprise for us on our last day!

We drove for several hours to the Eastern Sea. As we rounded the final corner on the country road the structure in the above photo met our eyes.

Noah’s ark on Mount Ararat” said Kuk, smiling from ear to ear!

It certainly was a ‘Destination’ vacation spot, where earth and heaven appeared to kiss🙂

In Luke 17 we are told that ‘As it was in the days of Noah so also it will be in the days of the Son of Man.’

Noah, the ‘preacher of righteousness’ and his family were ‘saved through water’ It marked the ending of a world that was corrupt and a new beginning.

Genesis 9 then records God’s covenant made after the flood with Noah and ‘The Whole of Creation’. The 7 colored rainbow was given as a sign of his unfailing love.

Echos once more, for ‘the days’ in which we are now living.

As we basked briefly on the luxurious Sun Cruise I couldn’t but reflect on the ‘vacant’ expressions of many on board the Sun Cruise, reflecting how the best this world has to offer is indeed empty compared to the richness of God’s ‘kingdom life’

On our way there we had stopped off at Jason and Dajung’s more humble home, a small organic family farm in the beautiful Korean hills where they are raising their (large) Korean family of 4 children and hosting camps for young people.

They are radical, ‘Light Finders’ now ‘arising and shining’ on the ‘kingdom mountains’ of Family,, Education, Economics and Religion.

Our stomachs and hearts were filled up with good things. We drove on, basking this time in the luxurious ‘peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’

‘Better by far’ I reflected ‘To be one of the Son’s Crew, than on the Sun Cruise. ‘

They took us to their workshop where God had inspired them to create several simple but highly effective tools including a ‘planter’ that is proving of enormous benefit to small farmers like themselves, and is now being shipped to many nations.

As we formed a final circle to pray, I sang…

May the one from whom you came.

May the one to whom you go

Bless you on your journey here below.

May the hand that formed your frames.

May the mouth that spoke your names.

Guide each step wherever you may go.

May your feet be always found

Planted firm on solid ground.

And your heart be lost

In heaven’s boundless blue.

That when journey here is o’er

And you find that distant shore

May what remains be beautiful and true.

As “Yah’s son” wiped the tears from his eyes we all knew we had once again experienced ‘’Earth and Heaven Kiss.’

We embraced each other one last time, and bade farewell one in heart and mind., to continue, on our separate journeys, but both going deeper into His kingdom come…… on earth as it is in heaven’.

The title, “When Earth and Heaven Kiss’ taken from Psalm 85 brings to my mind the kiss imagined in the 4th verse of a the Flame song which was given to me at the time of the Sydney Olympics in the year 2000.

When this age shall end and the time has come

For the trump to sound and our Lord to come.

Then as one well rise and our flame unite

With the one who loved and bought us.”

Of course at that time ‘the trump’ referred to was that of 1Thessalonians 4:16 as part of the description of the order of events we are to expect at the coming of the Lord in keeping with the pattern laid out in the fall feasts.

Donald J Trump at that time was merely a businessman and tv personality.

How amazingly events have unfolded since then, as the whole world has heard that TRUMP loud and clear!

After citing the 4 numbers I’ve gone over, Johnny Enlow then mentioned 4 names of sportsmen currently in the headlines.

One of these names was Freddie (peaceful ruler) Freeman.

In 2000 it was another, female Freeman, who was in the sporting limelight.. Kathy Freeman was the Aussie aboriginal gold medalist.

Katherine means ‘pure’, a bride prepared and fit to join her ‘peaceful ruler’ husband.

Kathy was the one selected to ascend with a torch to join with the enormous Olympic flame as illustrated here

You might remember the ‘technical hiccup-up” where she was left simply standing for several minutes before making her ascent through the Fire and Water.

The scripture came to mind was Psalm 66.

¹⁰ For you, God, tested us;
    you refined us like silver.
¹¹ You brought us into prison
    and laid burdens on our backs.
¹² You let people ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and water,
    but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Now 24 years later is it indeed God’s time for, as President Trump,said ‘A Golden Age’ for the Freemen and Freewomen now and throughout the ages who have been purified as they have stood firm and passed through the testing water and fire to be united with The Flame.

The day we left Korea our friend Kuk who initiated the Korean youth leadership movement called The Institute of Light Finders honored me with a wonderful gift. It was a last remaining antique from his father’s Korean collection. His father, a strong believer, had been a highly esteemed and culturally influential figure in the nation of Korea.

It was a 300 year old lamp stand.

At bible Bible study this past Thursday with my three grandsons, we had come to the story of Gideon. There the fearless and discerning 300 Trump-eting Light Finders, experienced a ‘divine deliverance’ on behalf of the whole nation,

I took the photo above of the three

………holding this ‘earth and heaven kiss’ treasure.

I wrote last week about The Victory of Grace pointing to our three victory laps in the US, Ireland and Korea that Father then extended to 5 through 2 more ‘home runs’ here in Minneapolis.

5 is the number of Grace and 17 the number of Victory.

In Johnny Enlow’s post election message as he reflected on the election and on recent sporting events he identified 4 numbers. The first two proved ‘a double witness’ to our 5 and 17.

The second two numbers Johnny mentions are 50 and 85.

Here then is the second half of our story spanning the last 3 months and 30 years since moving to America. This again constitutes ‘a ‘double witness’ about these numbers, 50 and 85, in Johnny Enlow Unfiltered Episode 129, posted on the previous blog.

$50,000 was the ‘Jubilee’ figure Ben was lead to ask for by way of pledges in order to record our album, The Jubilee is the law of grace that will in the end be extended to The Whole of Creation.

Ben just happened’ to launch the Kickstarter 0n September 17. It was to run for one month ending on October 17, the day after we arrived home from Korea.On the morning of 17th literally at ‘the 11th hour’ he, Hilary and I were sitting around our living room table pondering the situation. We were still short by about $19,000 yet were all at peace.

My phone rang. It was a dear friend calling from Florida.

Paul’ he said,” My wife and I have been praying about the album and have heard nothing,until this morning when the Lord spoke a word to us about contributing what was needed to make up the $50,000.’

This brother’s name was……Laurence – “Man of victory.’

We looked at each other. ‘WOW! Thank you Father!”

The man of victory (17) had helped us cross the finish line on the day of victory (17)!!

The fourth number Johnny mentioned was the number 85.

This is the year 5785 in the Jewish calendar.

Psalm 85 was the psalm we were given for the USA when we arrived here in 1994.We subsequently discovered it was Psalm 85 that was read out at the first Continental Congress.

John Adams in a letter to his wife later wrote,I never saw a greater effect produced upon an audience. It seemed as if Heaven had ordained that psalm to be read on that morning…….It was enough to melt a heart of stone.”

The number 85 represents “Restored Fortunes” which is the theme of Psalm 85.

Verses 9-12 read,Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.”

Hence the title for this short three part series, “When Earth and Heaven Kiss,”

P.S. The day after the election I noticed that although our neighborhood was full of Harris/Waltz yard signs, there was only one Kamala on our block – our neighbor Michael. The ‘morning after’ as I returned home from a walk I noticed Michael was putting air into the tyre of his girlfriend’s car. For the first time I noticed the license plate was the same number as this Unfiltered episode – 129

I greeted Michael cheerfully and reading his vacant expression Father said,

‘It’s because they (like the tyre) are deflated after last night.”

He was alerting me to the wonderful opportunity we are presented with, to now come alongside those who have been mislead and are bewildered about the future to bring hope.

I high;y recommend this post election reflection. It serves as a ‘double witness’ to the short series I am going to share based on our experience.

The photo above is a screen shot. Here is the link……

https://rumble.com/v5mgw1e-johnny-enlow-unfiltered-129.html?e9s=src_v1_mfp

It has been over a month since I posted anything, not because there is nothing ‘to write home about’ but because there is so much!

Over the last month Brian Rupe and I completed the third ‘victory lap’ as we traveled to Korea and back.

Korea like Ireland is a nation divided into North and South.

The division was made at the 38th parallel

I discovered my song “(Lord) Jesus We Enthrone You” proclaiming Jesus as King, is number 38 in the Korean hymn book!

In Hebrew the number 38 is made up of 2 characters, one representing authority and the other the heart. The authority each person carries in their heart is their ‘calling’

I know our calling is, as the song says, to proclaim Jesus King wherever, whenever and to whomever Father directs.

It is with the coming of the King and His Kingdom that all man made divisions national and beyond are dissolved and we come into unity with him.

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.” (Rm.11:36)

On Sunday morning in Seoul I was invited to share with a congregation of North Korean refugees and on Sunday evening with a packed house of South Korean young people.

I sang Father’s affirmation over both groups…….

‘On the day you were born I danced over you…….You’re the child of my love you’re my choice.’

On returning home, Father then invited us to extend these 3 Victory laps to 5, over the next two weekends.

A few days after we arrived home, I received the fourth invitation, to sing at the GKM Tabernacles conference that was being held just 10 minutes from our home.

I recounted to the group our ‘3 victory laps’ to the USA’s birthplace, to Ireland and to Korea and how in each place we were lead to invite a group to sing by faith, not only for themselves personally, but then also for the nation they were citizens of on earth, the Zephaniah) 3.17 song,

‘On day you were born I danced over you……..You’re the child of my love you’re my choice.’

……..you’ve come this far now step father put out of the vale of tears.”

Then at the Tabernacles conference I encouraged people to sing this in faith for all the nations of the world according to Psalm 67

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us— so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.”

Finally last weekend our fifth (grace) lap occurred right here in the Upper Room of our Big Green House where Father had gathered folk for another wonderful ‘Your Smiling Face’ encounter🙂

Our last action together was to sing the song once more in faith

………………..this time for “The Whole of Creation.’

‘You’ve come this far, now move farther in, while all of heaven cheers,

“Freedom! Freedom!” Let all creation sing,

As we take the hand of our Father, as we take the hand of our King.’

For as we read…..

“The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters! For against its will the universe itself has had to endure the empty futility resulting from the consequences of human sin. But now, with eager expectation, all creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children. To this day we are aware of the universal agony and groaning of creation, as if it were in the contractions of labor for childbirth. And it’s not just creation. We who have already experienced the firstfruits of the Spirit also inwardly groan as we passionately long to experience our full status as God’s sons and daughters—including our physical bodies being transformed. For this is the hope of our salvation.”
‭‭(Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭19‬-‭24 TPT‬‬)

As we closed, Michael O’Connor strode over to eagerly remind me that as we had danced in a circle singing we had found ourselves caught up in the very ‘song and dance’ or the *** ‘perichoresis’ of the godhead.

Hallelujah!

***The following is an excerpt from UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY:The Search  for the Mystery Offspring of Genesis 3:15. Volume 2.  MIchael John O’Connor.  Unpublished.)

Several theologians have referred to the loving interaction among the trinitarian godhead as “perichoresis.” This word can be  translated as rotation, co-inherence, circumincession, etc. As a concept, it conveys the characteristics of an active verb as opposed to a static noun or adjective. It implies dynamism, activity, living in harmony, and loving each other. Something is happening. As a theological concept, it describes the nature of the Trinity as an  ongoing relationship among its three members.

Moreover, this term can be extended to characterize not only divine, trinitarian interaction within its own collectivity, but also God’s interaction with his people. “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21).

 The creation of Israel as the collective people of God entailed certain characteristics that could not be found in one individual. This feature was a reflection of the collectivity of love found in the Trinity. 

Both terms contain the Greek morpheme khor (‘going forward’), as seen in the Greek word, khoreia, meaning a round dance, a band of dancers, and later in the Latin word, chorus, meaning a dance in a circle where the participants are singing and dancing. Each participant has a distinct identity and role, yet each works with the others in such a harmonious manner that their individuality is swallowed up and obscured in their common work. One participant merges into the oother,and vice versa. They flow together in harmony. An example of this is the relationship of God with the Son:  “I and the Father are one.”  

There are also other common features. We also see in the love of this trinitarian collective a yearning to multiply that love among others. Subsequently, God created mankind as a collective unit with the complementary roles of male and female. In this way, mankind was created as a reflection of the collective Godhead. Man was created as a sexual being capable of union with the corresponding sex and was commanded to be “fruitful and multiply.” This command was constantly repeated to subsequent generations, including Israel. The command to be “fruitful and multiply” also reflects an essential characteristic of God’s ever-expanding kingdom. This characteristic finds its origin in the words of God: “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply”(Gen. 35:11).

 

see.also:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perichoresis#:~:text=Perichoresis%20(from%20Greek%3A%20%CF%80%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B9%CF%87%CF%8E%CF%81%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B9%CF%82%20perikh%C5%8Dr%C4%93sis,theology%20by%20the%20Church%20Fathers.

To hear Russell Brand pray click here….

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FteoinE-qUU

At Minneapolis airport en route to Ireland, I lost my phone……again!

Rushing back from the gate to where I had been seated there was no sign of the missing phone.

“It’s not lost. I know exactly where it is.” Father reminded me.

More at peace I made my way back to the gate where Hilary greeted me with the following text from Robin,

‘A policeman will bring Dad’s phone to the gate.’

Not only had the phone been found and handed in, but Father had delayed the flight to give time for it to be returned to me personally by a kindly cop.🙂

In Dublin airport, sitting on the bus bound for Belfast, another shocking text arrived on Hilary’s phone.

‘I think you have my case and I have yours’

The bus was pulling out, so I dashed to the front to let the bus driver know the situation. He graciously pulled over. A few seconds later and all would have been lost……or at least a much more complicated inter-city exchange would have ensued!

The third ‘lost and found’ experience happened just a few days ago in the beautiful County Down town of Comber.

I lost my wife!

Having finished my business I returned to where Hilary and I had parted only to discover – she had ‘gone missing’.

I searched the town high and low – – but no Hilary!

‘She’s not lost.’ Father reiterated. ‘I know exactly where she is’

I looked up and there was the Hope charity shop.

Sure enough, ‘…….hope does not disappoint us’

There she was…… ready to make her purchase🙂

‘I’ve lost my shopping bag!’ she exclaimed, in a now familiar scenario.

Eventually it too turned up – on the counter, beneath the selected item!

I went on to the car, and waiting for her to join me, I asked the Lord,

‘Am I meant to show the video clip of Russel Brand at the Your Smiling Face event tonight?

I had entitled the talk…..

A Brand New Story and Soundtrack

Hilary got into the car and cheerfully announced,

‘I just got a BRAND New pair of white jeans!’

I had my answer.

I retitled the talk, “A (Russell) Brand New Story and Soundtrack”

…..and began the session with the wonderfully encouraging clip above🙂

‘He wasn’t LOST.” Father repeated. ‘ I knew exactly where he was……and now he knows he has been FOUND…….and been given a pair of Brand new white jeans🙂’

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

I once was Lost but now am Found, was blind but now I see.

Let my heart be a river 

in the hands of the maker

And my soul be a quiver 

on the banks of the river

Let me flow like a fountain 

through the heart of the mountain

Let me flow like a river 

in the hands of the lord

Hello Friends,  

A long recovery from illness has kept me relatively quiet in the music world for some years now.

But there’s a stirring in my soul and a rumblin’ in the veins that run between my heart and my hands and my voice.

An obvious comeback might be to record Romantica versions of songs like “Hurricane” and “Rescue Me” and other musical treasures mined from the fertile pit of suffering and despair (and not to worry, those will come in good time). But there is something more profound that I need to do first.

Who and where would I be 

without the life 

that has loved before me

carving the path of possibility

singing neath the wings of destiny

My father is in his 71st circle around the sun.

When I was 7 years old, he taught me to play the guitar and write songs from my heart.

I have always continued in that tradition.

As a young man, I cut my teeth (and maybe a few other things) in the family band. 

We traveled the world together singing, side by side, my fathers songs, and most of what I know about singing, playing, harmonizing and storytelling, I learned from doing alongside my father.  

A sort of forced apprenticeship, that I don’t regret.

His songs are still in my bones. 

And the memories of that harmony will linger to eternity.

When I was 27 I wrote about my father in the song The National Side….

“Daddy was a preacher in a ship-building town / Momma cooked the meals and wore a crown / because of it, Oh lord because of it”

Well before Daddy was a preacher, he was a young doctor in Northern Ireland, with a professional career in psychiatry and a dream of living a quiet bachelor life in a little white-washed cottage in the foothills of the Mountains of Mourne. 

But as fate, or faith, would have it, he surrendered his life to the mystery, and the young bachelor doctor married my Irish hockey playing mother (who also happened to be his High School History teacher!) and by the time I was born, number 3 of what would be 7, he had given up the security of his career in medicine to shepherd a young church community (formerly a Presbyterian youth group) who had been excommunicated from their own mother church for, of all things, being too viscerally passionate about God.

It was the roaring 70’s and the spirit of God was moving like wildfire through the hearts of young people across the globe too vigorously and unpredictably for the institution to contain.  

I remember Dad once preached a sermon to Bono and his band in our strange little community where catholics and protestants would sing side by side – on both sides – of a fractured Belfast. And the rattle and hum was making its way into many hearts. 

So he never went back to biological medicine, but has always continued his healing work in the spiritual tradition. He and my mother both, have devoted their lives, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, to this wave and way of the spirit.

When I was thirteen, they moved our family of nine from Northern Ireland to the United States of America and they had no ‘real’ job waiting for them in the Promised Land. 

I remember cleaning toilets and scrubbing floors with my reverend doctor Dad in the wee hours of the morning, in the big block department stores, just to make ends meet.

He later started a church service in an Irish Pub, where our family band would mix Irish drinking songs with Irish Hymns and tell stories about the Celtic saints and how passionately they followed the Wild Goose (their symbol for the Spirit of God). Bloody Mary’s and Fish n Chips were communion. And to be honest, it did feel like a bit of a wild goose chase at times… but beautiful community and rich and wonderful friendships were born out of it. 

Over the years, my mother and father would open our family home to people they knew that needed some stability, often downcast or outcast. And seek to nurture them back to peace and belonging in the context of family.

The passion of their lives has always been seeking to communicate more deeply, the love of the maker, into the awareness of every human heart that they have connection with.

They’ve never been perfect in this of course. But their desire has always been clear.

One of Dad’s more beautiful songs, still never released on a recording, says it well…

the whole of creation

cries with one voice

your maker loves you 

rejoice, oh man rejoice

As kids, we weren’t always in alignment with how they’ve lived their lives.

I remember writing this Rilke poem in a birthday card I gave my father as a young man.

Sometimes a man stands up during supper

And walks outdoors, and keeps on walking,

Because of a church that stands somewhere in the east

And his children say blessings on him as if he were dead.

And another man, who remains inside his own house,

Dies there, inside the dishes and in the glasses,

So that his children have to go far out into the world

Toward that same church, which he forgot.

There’s always a give and take.

As children, I think his spirit quest was something we both hated and admired about him.

Hated, I suppose, because we wanted more attention, and admired, because of the unusual conviction and passion we saw him live with.

In the end, the conviction, passion, provision, integrity and intention we witnessed surpassed the sacrifice. And on the scales of eternity, they have surely blessed more than they have burdened.

10 years ago, I began working on a project to honor my fathers legacy. 

Singing, playing and producing his best songs. 

Some of the most beautiful have never been recorded.

My plans were interrupted by illness, and perhaps providence, God only knows.

But I’ve been listening to these early recordings and weeping as they move through me. 

And I’ve been having, what you might call, a Mary Oliver moment.

One day you finally knew

What you had to do, and began

So I’m beginning now, to sing, play and produce this BEST OF album, of sorts. I’ve curated 10 songs. Among them are ballads that will break your heart, hymns that will ground your soul, and anthems that will give wings to your spirit.

I want this to be the pinnacle of my life’s work (so far). The best and most beautiful album that I’ve made. I know that’s setting the bar high. But where else is there to set it.

Dad, you have loved me well. And I want to love you with this.

I want to make this Album as a THANK YOU, for all that you have blessed, enriched, equipped, and graced my life with.

~

Through years spent in the wilderness, the little flame on my back burner never lost its flicker. 

And that flame is growing bigger now in my heart. 

My prayer to you all is… would you help me fan this flame into a beautiful and mysterious fire.

Thank you,

Ben

To Preorder and support you can click below

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/benkyle/ben-kyle-romantica-paul-kyle-whole-of-creation-album

….as in Parting Shots, as Hilary and I set out for Ireland on the second of our three Laps proffering the Lord’s Victory!

1. More Crazy Golf Balls.

You might recall how in my blog of 7/7 I shared how God spoke to me through 4 golf balls that I found while walking. Well the other day it happened again!

Walking again the trails near our home by the golf course, I was listening to the book of Joshua in preparation for my weekly meeting with three of our grandsons. I noticed 2 golf balls and picking them up discovered they were a number 3 and a number 1.

I had just got to chapter 12 of Joshua where it lists one by one the kings that the Israelites under Joshua’s leadership conquered. The final verse reads, “31 in all”

A few minutes later I spotted a third gold ball embedded in the path. It took some digging out, but when (eventually prized it loose, I discovered it was another number 3.

I had just been listening to Johnny Enlow Unfiltered episode 118. Johnny’s focus was on how valor (as exhibited by Joshua) is necessary for breakthrough……….the courage, to fulfill our assignment in the spiritual battle in which we are engaged…..as represented by the 31 enemy kings who must be conquered.

It is then after this victory that we can experience the blessing of brother’s dwelling in unity as Psalm.1+ 3+ 3 promises, in holding the ground we have won.

I would encourage you if you have not done so already to listen to this episode and the next ones which are also most inspiring for where we are and what is required from us in these monumental days of transition. Click below to watch 119

https://rumble.com/v5bjwit-johnny-enlow-unfiltered-episode-119.html?e9s=src_v1_mfp

2. The Tale of Two Rings

I told the story of our Laurie’s urgency in getting the ‘meaningless’ ring cut off after 30 years.

Then the amazing Kings-town/Queens-town//‘meaningful’ Claddagh ring encounter.

I had also blogged on 6/25 of the 3 Carolyns and marriage

Carolyn meaning ……strong, womanly, King.

The Carolyn, whose wedding we attended in Toronto, told us this remarkable story.

She was walking along the beach one day asking Father specifically his intention in relation to Muroslav. Immediately she noticed something glittering in the sand in the sunlight. She stooped down and picked up a ring…….not just ‘any old ring’, but a gold Cartier wedding ring!!! She got her answer!

‘Blessed are those who are invited to the Marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Rev. 19:9)

Carolyn’s granddaughter,Grace, who was to be part of the bridal party was reluctant. ‘I’ll only do it with a lion.” She protested.

She walked down the aisle with her cuddly lion she had named……

‘Kingston’!

I trust these ‘prophetic’ musings are an encouragement to you.

On a more pastoral note, we will be hosting two Your Smiling Face events over the next few months. One will be in Belfast in September and one in Minneapolis in October. You can click below for details and registration.

http://paulkyle.org/events

We’d love to see you at either of these!

Beyond that you may not hear from us for some time while we are engaged ‘on the ground’ in Ireland. This is by way of reassurance for cousin Barry in England who wondered where we had disappeared to when we ‘went silent’ for quite a while during our last trip😀

On this date, (8/22) 30 years ago, our family took a leap of faith when the 9 of us flew into Minneapolis airport, our worldly goods contained in 2 suitcases each.

It was a New Beginning

I defined the ‘Adventure’ as “What God will ADs when we are willing to VENTURE out in faith in him”

When in faith Hilary and I started out again on our recent road trip I glanced down at the mileage. It was 19537.

I said to Hilary, “Hey that’s my birth year. Pity the last number wasn’t 9 and that would have been my birth month!”

‘Now don’t go trying to make things fit.” Hilary cautioned.

‘OK’ I chuckled….but half an hour later smiled as Father reminded me that the number 7 was even more personalized than would have been the 9, for my mother told me that I was born at 7.07a.m. weighing in at 7lb 7oz!!

God knows our names and knows our numbers and every detail of our lives, and he wants to communicate with us in a more personal way than we could ever imagine that he is with us guiding our every step.

On our first stop in Michigan we picked up with friends we hadn’t seen for 10 years. As Leah commented it gave,’in the twinkling of an eye’ a new meaning as if no time had passed at all between us!

As we worshipped and prayed and shared together on our final morning we noticed a heron descending on the pool outside…….and then another, and another and another and another! Most unusual! Heaven was bearing witness to what we were experiencing on earth.

The heron is a symbol of resurrection life. The number 5 represents favor.

On the morning of nephew Tom’s wedding I was wakened early by the cooing of a dove. I got up and set out for a walk only to spy not just one, but 5 turtle doves on the wire outside our bedroom.

A symbol of both the Spirit and the Bride and another sign of favor.

Our final stop on this first of the three Victory Laps was again with old friends we hadn’t seen for many years. The dear sisters of the Servants of God’s Love in Ann Arbor Michigan welcomed us with open arms.

We joined them for evening prayer. Laura was assigned to help me follow the simple liturgy.

I smiled that once again it was that name, “Lady of Victory’ ……like Laurie our daughter in New York and Laurel Road where we were given hospitality in Massachusetts.

The next morning we were home and as I went to our front porch to welcome the dawn another ‘out of the blue’ bird experience as two young hawks playfully swooped into the tree in front of me…..a powerful symbol of strength, grace, freedom and connection to the divine.

I thought of the trip the two of us had just joyfully completed.

I couldn’t quite remember where I was in my reading of the psalms. So thought I would follow on from the lead of the previous evening with the sisters in Michigan. We had read together Psalm 123 about the servant and handmaiden waiting and watching for the slightest request from their master and mistress so that they could instantly and eagerly respond.

So I turned to the next psalm 124 …….about our breaking free ….like a bird escaping out of the fowlers snare!

I went upstairs, only to find Hilary listening to this beautiful rendering of the very same psalm!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k4cddVjyQc

I recounted the CD we had been gifted by the sisters was called ‘Uncaged Bird’

…..and my being wakened that last morning with the sisters, by a bird outside our window singing at the top of it’s voice

……Come On! Come On! Come on! Come On! Come On!

You’ve come this far now step farther out, out of the vale of tears

You’ve come this far now move farther in while all of heaven cheers.

‘Freedom! Freedom!’

Let all creation sing!

The inspiration for this song had come from Zephaniah 3:17……There were the three Victory Laps again!!!

And now today, 8/22 the 30th anniversary of our New Beginning

Might this 8/22 be signaling another New Beginning (8) for the Sons of Light(22)?

Romans 8:22 …..

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to…………THIS PRESENT TIME.”

The impetus for our road trip east, was a wedding. Our nephew Tom was getting married in Toronto on Sunday 11th August.

We thought this would be a good opportunity to visit our friend Carolyn who also lived in the Toronto area and she was delighted at the prospect. A few days later we got a message from her.…..

‘I’m getting married to Muroslav and the only date that works for us is Saturday 10th August!”

What are the chances of two of our friends both getting married in Toronto one day after the other???

Then there was a third wedding that signaled to us this was a strong and timely message from the Lord.

One morning our daughter Laurie announced at breakfast.

‘I woke during the night and had an urgent sense I needed to have this ring cut off.” She told of this ‘meaningless’ ring she had worn for 30 years that was now irritating her finger and she was unable to take off!

So we headed in to Kingston i.e. the King’s Town where after a kindly old jeweler surgically removed the ‘meaningless ring’ we went next door for coffee.

The conversation shifted to our both recounting our experiences in Ireland where we had separately visited the month before.

We told of almost getting to Galway. Laurie told of their making it to the city.

Turning around she recognized another local friend and introduced her Irish parents.

‘Oh! My family are from Cork’ (once called Queenstown) she said. ‘In fact next week I’m going over there for a family wedding in Galway.’

I began piecing this second amazing set of ‘Godincidences’ together..

The claddagh ring originates from a fishing village in Galway.

Unlike Laurie’s old discarded ring It is full of meaning……the hands of friendship, and heart of love, under a crown. The motif is captured in the phrase, “Let love and friendship reign.”

The story goes….”Once upon a time,, a young Irish sailor was captured and sold into slavery. Far from his native land, he held the memory of his sweetheart deep in his heart. He never forgot her. Years later, on his safe return to Galway his gift to her was a Claddagh ring.”

Is this not reminiscent of our Bridegroom King’s return to wed his Queen?

It was our nephew’ Tom’s second wedding. His previous marriage which had ended sadly had been the first of 8 weddings we attended in the summer of 2008. Father showed us how each of those weddings represented one of the 8 days of Tabernacles as reflected in the 8 miracle signs in John’s gospel. (Dr Stephen Jones has written extensively about this at Godskingdom.org )

The first of the signs was the turning of water into wine at the wedding in Cana. This prophecies of how at the first resurrection we will like the water be changed in our atomic structure (Gk.’atomos’) as described in 1Cor.15:52.

Our first wedding that summer was Tom’s in Cana-da. In the city of St.John.

On this occasion it was my brother – St. John who was lead to speak about Cana once again!

‘The amount of wine Jesus created.” John announced, “….would have filled 1000 bottles!”

He was unaware that 1000 is the number for ‘glory’ this again pointing to our ‘glorification’ and the manifestation of the ‘sons of God’

6 (‘stone water jar’) years ago we had helped Carolyn move back ‘home’ to Canada. We often talked about how we could get a clock to her that had been left behind. At the same time she had made for us the beautiful wooden slab pictured above on which is embossed Patrick’s breastplate around the ‘tree of life’.

We knew this was the God appointed time for the exchange.

I noticed the clock was stopped at 2.20.

22 is the number for, ‘Sons of Light’

The exchange again presented a double witness to our coming into complete unity with Christ who is ‘the tree of life’ we now feed on.

I shared with the couple our sense of 3 Victory Laps. Carolyn smiled.

‘Look what Miroslav had me make and put up on our wall yesterday.”