Supernatural (thoughts by Jesse)

There is nothing natural about being born again. There is nothing natural about being a child of God. It's supernatural. Everything about it goes against the nature we are born into. Everything about it wages war against the natural man. You can't be a child of God and be normal, by the world's standards. You can try, but, if you are born again, you won't succeed. The Christian life is a supernatural life by nature. It's abnormal to the world. Normal to God obviously. But definitely not normal to the world. It's offensive to the world. If you are born again, if you are a child of God, you will offend people. It's a given. Because the Gospel is by nature offensive to the world, offensive to the natural man. It requires us to die to ourselves, to our efforts, to our abilities. And that's offensive. I'm not saying that you should go out and try to offend people. I'm just saying that it will happen, because it's a part of the Christian life.



And what is the Christian life? It's not a changed life, or a rearranged life; it's an exchanged life: our life for His. It's not us living for Christ; it's Christ living through us. It's not about religion, conversion, principles, doctrines, whatever. It's a lifestyle. We are literally born again. Our lives start at birth, right? Well, so it is with rebirth. Our lives begin again. And that's supernatural. When something is supernatural it is "attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature," as the dictionary on my Mac states it. Being born again definitely goes beyond the laws of nature, don't you think? It's like a dog becoming a cat, or vice versa, depending on whether you're a dog or a cat person. We go from the first Adam to the last. We literally take on a new nature when we are born again. The old nature, the Adam nature, the nature that compels us to sin, is done away with and the nature of Christ takes its place. Actually, that transference took place a long time ago, over two thousand years ago, when Christ died and rose again. Talk about supernatural! And when we are born again we receive what has already been done, what has already been paid for.



In May, when we first arrived in Ohio, Micah and I were worshipping together at a friend's house, spontaneously singing whatever plopped into our spirits, as we like to do. Micah started singing "highly unusual, highly unusual" over and over again. Later, he sang on a different chord progression, "highly unusual, supernatural God." Yes, God is highly unusual and supernatural. He's not, as we would like to think, normal, comfortable or natural. He supersedes the natural. And He forces us outside of our comfort zones. Being born again forces us outside of our comfort zones. It makes what was once comfortable uncomfortable. But where do we go from there? Too often we fall into traps of comfort, or at least I do. We move from one place with God to the next and stop there until it becomes comfortable, instead of moving on and up to higher places of relationship with the Lord.



Comfort produces stagnation, lukewarmness. And that's not something I want. I want to grow. I want to be pulled and prodded and yanked into all sorts of new places and experiences. I want a kick to my spirit every time I start to drag. And that takes people. It takes the Bride, the Body of Christ. That's why we need each other. We are Jesus to each other, different aspects of Him, different lines in the same poem. We need each other to grow, to move, to enter the uncomfortable, the unusual, the supernatural. And the supernatural is where we belong.


- Jesse

Thoughts on Family

Here are some things I've been thinking about on church family. Meaning the body of Christ. I'd love to hear what your thoughts are on it.

It seems it should be a no brainer that God's all about relationship. But we're hit with an anti relationship society in our western culture . We live in a culture that devalues marriage, family, and even just pure covenant relationships with people. It mocks and discourages having a pure brotherly and sisterly relationship with the opposite sex. And has no understanding of an intimate relationship like David and Jonathan. Our culture also has rampant fatherlessness. So with all that in mind we tend to carry that carnal mindedness into the way we function in the body of Christ. Unintended.

A very true statement my Dad said is that we can look at the way people relate with others, or look at the depth of their relationships, to determine how they relate to God and how deep their relationship is with Him. If people say they're in deep relationship with God, or have intimacy with him, yet have very shallow relationships with people, then it's safe to say they probably aren't as close to the Papa as they say. If you're shallow and casual with God, you'll be shallow and casual with His kids. Even when there are deep one's in relationship with the father and others, they may commonly be persecuted because they don't line up with the rest of the peoples value system. While God values relationship and love, with Him and others, the world and many in the body of Christ value positions, talents (or gifts) and externals. God looks at the heart.

God's all about relationship, His government doesn't function like the earthly system's government. It functions as a family, all the way through.
Family means "a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.• a group of people related (or relating) to one another by blood or marriage." That's interesting. We have His blood, so we're all His kids and we are all His bride cuz we're married to Him.

We should really look at how we are relating to one another and how we value one another. Do we value people for what they do and what they have or do we value them for who they are. . . Sons of God.


I'd love to have some things added to the conversation.



I'll end this post with a couple Bill Johnson quotes to chew on . . .
‎"In the world you perform for identity so that you can be accepted. But in the kingdom, you are just accepted and that is your identity and out of that comes your performance."

‎"Insecure people fill their lives with business to drown out the cry of the orphan spirit."






Your brother Micah

Written by Ethan on October 7th-8th

Hey everybody this is Ethan!

The other day me and my brother Stephen got drunk in the Holy Spirit. Yesterday was my dad's Birthday. We prayed for him and I got words and visions, so then I wanted to pray for everyone else. So then they prayed for me and then we prayed for Stephen. Stephen has always wanted to be a slapping ministry person. The word I got was "Stephen, you are a slapping ministry." The last person we prayed for was my mom. We prayed for her for over a half hour. Then my dad, Micah, Stephen and I started to laugh. Stephen started rolling on the ground laughing and my dad and Micah were jumping up and down. Then I fell off the couch and started rolling on the floor with Stephen. Stephen and I were like that for an hour. That night showed me that I used to be scared about saying things out loud and laughing out loud, but now I'm not scared to say things out loud and laugh out loud. God showed me that I can do things and it doesn't matter if people are looking at me or not. God has been showing me a lot of words and visions. When we were praying for Micah the first vision that I got was a lion walking on his head and roaring.



We've been having these meetings on Friday nights and ever since this one Friday night I've been having visions and words non stop. I hope it will be like this every single day. God has been telling me that it doesn't matter if you're a little kid or a big kid. You can be a kid and get just as many words and visions as grown ups do. Some people say "You're a kid and you won't get visions like us; when you grow up you will be like us." But that is wrong. You can be a kid and you can be more mature then a grown up. And you don't have to be a set thing. You don't have to be an evangelist, a pastor, or an apostle to be special. You are special. Every single one of you is special. You don't have to preach to be special. And if you haven't received the gift of tongues it doesn't matter. Don't think that the people that can speak in tongues are more special then you. And it doesn't matter who prays for you or who doesn't. Because the same God that is in you is in everybody. And when you are praying for someone if you get the stupidest thing come to your mind don't be afraid to say it; it might be stupid to you but it is probably something big to the people that you are praying for. And don't be afraid to pray out loud. Because the Bible says "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34)



One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of when Jesus got baptized by John the baptist. Matthew chapter 3. I have this children's Bible; it is called "The Jesus Storybook Bible." Another sad but favorite story is the story when Jesus was crucified. Matthew chapter 27. Another one is when Jesus was risen from the dead. And you better believe it, he did!! That one is Matthew chapter 28.

God can move with you in the weirdest ways. He can move through you with animals and pictures and books. When you pray for people and say a word to them out loud you might think that word is stupid but really, really it is not stupid. If something has happened to you don't blame it on God; it is usually the little speck named the enemy. Some people have a big devil and a little God but that is wrong; it is the other way around. Everyone should have a big God and a little devil. Some people think the devil is stronger than God but he is not. Picture this, a scrawny geek and a ripped athlete and who is the scrawny geek and who is the ripped athlete? God is the athlete! , and the devil is the scrawny geek.



We have a new sister!!! and her name is Shauna. She moved in with us on September 30th. She is so great. She almost laughs every second.

Just today, Rob, Becca and Serenity Mcpherson came over. First Becca and Serenity. We prayed for Becca and then when Rob got here we prayed for him. I started laughing and rolling on the ground again. That was another experience. Serenity is 3 and she is a little star. They are so great. Tomorrow is our Friday night meeting. Who knows how it will go? It will probably be really good.

God bless!
Ethan signing out.

Update from Duke and Shauna

Hi everyone. This is D-love Duke reporting from the promise land in Springfield Ohio.

Much is happening! The Spirit of the Lord is moving and many lives are being touched and changed by His love. We have been so busy not only with things of the Lord but practical things as well (doing much needed repairs and projects on the house and apartment).


Rob and Micah

We have been attending revival meetings at Riversong, a Church down the road from us on Limestone street. The Lord is igniting His people. These meetings have been going for 15 weeks and there appears to be no end in sight. We have been meeting 4 nights per week and it is breaking out into the city.


Serenity (Rob and Becca's daughter) and Micah

We have opened our home to friday night gatherings. Wow! This is it! The Lord is assembling a core of radical people, on fire and passionate for Jesus. Two of the people, who are both co-laborers and leaders, are Rob and Becca Mcpherson . Rob is a descendant of Aimie Semple Mcpherson and he is packing with the anointing. So is Becca. We simply give our meetings over to the Holy Spirit and everyone jumps in, actively participating as one. I Cor. 14:26 is applied and as a result, people are growing in their gifts and callings. Last friday our God did some unusual things; As Jesse and Micah led in worship, together we flowed in Eph 5: 18-21 and Col. 3:16. Toward the end, in unison we were singing what felt like a bar song, but we weren't getting drunk with wine. While we were praying for one of the young people, the Holy Spirit made it so clear to Maureen and I, and then everyone else, that we were to open our home for her to live with us! We now have a new daughter, Shauna. Just in the last couple of months, the Lord has done a great work in her! Delivered from depression! Filled with the Holy Spirit! Flowing in the prophetic! Empathic intercession! Last week praying in the Spirit for the first time and now with with both barrels blazing. She is an awesome young lady, called and anointed of God. She has a fatherless broken past but now she is a part of our family. And I couldn't be more proud. It's destiny! She fits so well. During this time of change and transition, your prayers for Shauna are so needed.


Leah and Becca

I sensed from the Holy Spirit, that it would be good for Shauna to share from her heart. So, here's Shauna!

Love D-love Bro Duke


Duke drumming on the streets



God is so good. 4 months ago the person and the way I was living was completely opposite from the way I'm living now and I've never been happier. I wasn't walking in faith at all; I was filled with anger, hate and believed and had convinced myself that Jesus hated me. I felt that if He loved me I wouldn't be going through the things I was but I had forgot all about the enemy and how he can side track you from the love of the Lord. I had lost a best friend to a sudden death, and had never felt or dealt with that type of pain and for a year I was in a deep dark depression. I found myself lost in so much pain. I also had a lot of family issues I was dealing with and had always been dealing with, so many secrets to keep and hide. I felt it was me and this insane world head to head; I was alone and hated everyone around me because of the pain I was dealing with.


Shauna and Ethan on her birthday

My mother had been attending church and revival meetings. She had been trying countless times to have me attend but I just kept blowing her off. I wasn't too excited about what she was talking about because I was also dealing with forgiveness problems I had with her and some of the choices she had made in the past. Me and my mother are very close and I love her with all my heart but I've learned that the people who you love the most and who are the closest to you can also hurt you the most. It was the end of August and I had been having a hard time with depression because August of last year was when I had lost my friend so it was all coming back to mind. It was around 4 in the evening and I had been crying all day long and had locked myself in my room and laying in the middle of the floor, asking God why He wouldn't take away the pain and I was carrying on blaming Him for all the pain I was feeling. My mom was getting ready for revival and had knocked on the door and asked me if I would like to go with her. I yelled at her "NO" then a couple seconds after I had said no I had changed my mind and began to get ready for my first night of "REVIVAL!" As soon as I walked in the church I felt such a relief and so many weights lifted off my chest before service started. I was sitting alone looking around and out of nowhere this man came up to me and asked "who are you?" and I replied "I don't know" and he told me "YOU'RE A CHILD OF GOD AND MY PAPA LOVES YOU," and that was the day I met Duke and the family.

The first time I talked to Duke I was so open and felt like I knew him all my life and I could tell he had the Holy Spirit all over him and in him. That night at the end of the service Duke and his family asked me if they could pray for me and I said sure not knowing that would be the night my life as I knew it would be changed. As they all laid hands on me and prayed in the Spirit I began to feel funny like I had butterflies, like something I've never felt before. As they continued to pray for me everything they were saying was dead on, as if they knew me for years! That night while praying I had let out a scream and when I had let that scream out everything that I was dealing with had left: all the sadness, all the depression, the anger. Everything that was bringing me down had left my body and the love from the Lord had entered. That same night I felt a love from the Level family, a love I did not understand because I had never met a family like theirs, a family with so much love and understanding, so much talent, so much peace and the Lord's love all over each and every one of them. I had always prayed for a family like them; I just thought it would be too good to be true for a girl like me, a girl from a broken home, a girl with secret , a girl who wasn't walking in faith with the Lord, a girl who thought Jesus didn't love her. I thought that I wasn't good enough to have a family like this; it just wasn't what I was supposed to have but I was wrong, VERY wrong. Jesus doesn't intend for us too go through horrible things; that's not in His plan, and one thing I always tell myself when things get bad is "GOD WILL NEVER GIVE US TOO MUCH TO BARE." I've seen a lot and had to go through a lot but with His love and the grace of God I made it through.


Leah, Shauna and Chloe

I am so thankful for the Level family , Papa Duke , Mama Level , Leah , Jesse , Micah , Stephen , Chloe , and little Ethan [ I LOOOOOVEEE YOOUUUUUU ALLL ! ] ; thank you so much for bringing me into your home and family and loving me and excepting me for who I am and letting me know Papa loves me. I'm so thankful for you all. And Jesus thank you for being a never ending loving father and forgiving me for all my sins and never leaving my side. Thank you for bringing the people in my life to me and shining your love through them on to me. I LOVE YOU PAPA.

Shauna

Pictures!

Hey everyone!

These are a few pictures of our apartment. We have been so blessed with it. It's amazing. God is so good! I will hopefully be adding another picture post sometime this week. Keep an eye out for more!

Much love,
Leah



Still need to do some electrical work





Stephen and Micah playing Risk



Micah trying to figure what's wrong with our AC



Me at the main house on my birthday







More Risk!

Update from Duke

Hi, it has been awhile. This is D-love Duke reporting from the promise land in Springfield, Ohio.

The Lion is moving not just in the church buildings but on the streets of Springfield. The reality and imprint of His Presence is clear. I have been directed by the LORD to walk the streets especially Limestone. There is a specific perch i go to--a bench on the corner of Limestone and John. It is a very busy street; a 4 way with lots of traffic; I know to many, I probably look like a homeless guy; but I feel so at home and the Presence of the Lord is so clear and evident. It is a wonderful place to be; waiting on the Lord and watching Him move. He has assured me that it is paid in full and therefore; I don't have to work for what is already purchased. In simple faith we receive all that He has promised; including and especially the harvest. Many sons in glory are coming forth. There are times, I am so moved by the Love of God--tears flow--as I witness His Love burning eyes open. Oh He so wants to persuade and convince us of His Love. On this corner I have been given many opportunities to pray, preach and prophecy into people's lives including an Islamic man; sometimes the Holy Spirit moves on me and I leap from the bench and cross the lane to a person sitting in the passenger seat and tell them the message the Lord gave Maureen. "The Lord is burning your eyes open with the fire of His Love." I am absolutely convinced, that not one person in Springfield will be left untouched by His presence and His Love.

Dream with me! For I see and am convinced that Springfield is Champion city and thousands of His champions are coming forth. One time on the bench, I heard and felt the Heart of My Father. "These are My Champions!" The broken ones, the tattooed ones, the homeless, the nobodies, the foolish and forgotten ones. These are His chosen and many are His leaders in this upcoming move and end time harvest. I know before the foundation of the world, He chose Springfield for His purposes and thousands and thousands of Champion Reapers will be raised up and released from this place. "Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit!" There is much to be put in place and in view of the enormity of this vision; only the Lord will do such things. But, we believe and are persuaded that He is. It will take all of us together as one man. Agree with us as we move forward with Him; that we will be fitted and joined together with others in harmony with His purposes and will. Here and now, Lord!

I gaped and gazed at a Monarch butterfly for about a half hour--What a wonder is our God to have thought up and created such a marvelous creature. "Learn the lesson of the Monarch butterfly" He says. "They are coming forth; changed and transformed by my Love" They don't have to try to be, they simply are an incredible expression of His grace and beauty. Be you in Jesus name!

We have opened our home and are about to have our third meeting this friday. I love it! I Cor. 14:26 is applied and it is so exciting to be connecting with others especially younger people who are hungry and thirsty; who respond to and move in harmony with the Holy Spirit.; to see growth and development in the prophetic gifts. And genuinely touched by the love of Papa.

Right now, Maureen and Micah are in Washington, at the waterfront in Seattle eating Ivar's clam chowder. Something is not right; I am so jealous. Oh how I miss the beauty of the water and the beaches. Get over it Duke. They will be in Washington from Sept. 14th to the 24th. Give them a call if you want. 360-643-0826. By the way Maureen's 50th b-day is this Saturday. Excuse me for a moment. She is an incredible Women of God!

Jesse and Micah are starting to play concerts and are being well received. The presence, power and love of God are flowing from their lives. Leah is a changed women! It's a wonder to see. Stephen is an animal in the Spirit! Chloe is so anointed! and Ethan is a Spiritual giant.

In the next few days we will upload a bunch of photos. In the meantime check out Jesse and Micah's blog with recent photos of their concert at the farmers market. Here's the link:

http://likeachildband.blogspot.com/

For all of you who have been sowing into our lives. There is a huge harvest coming for you!
Like the farmer who plants the seed, it is a no brainer that with certainty--it will grow and bring forth fruit. watch and see. Love D-love Duke



P.S. May the Lord mess you up in His love!

Mailing Address: 1555 S Limestone st
Springfield, OH 45505

Update from Chloe

Hello Everyone!
God has been doing so much in my life lately. Late last night I felt stirred to pray. You ask about what, well I just started praying in the Spirit. I felt like I was being attacked by the enemy. I just started singing, "It's not I who lives but Christ who lives in me." Then I got out my bible and asked God what He wanted me to read. He said, "Turn to Luke." I opened Luke randomly and right there this passage of scripture pops out to me. Luke 11.1-13.

"Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples." And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation." And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and will answer from within, 'Do not bother me ; the door is now shut , and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence (shamelessly bold. Woah! I wish I was shamelessly bold!!) he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, 'ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for a egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

That same night my Dad had a dream:
He dreamed that he was chased and attacked by a bear. He picked up a big log and with two hands holding it was fighting off the bear. He fought it for awhile as it came close to the family. He finally whacked it on the head and it died. The dream ended. My dad believes that the log represents the word of God and the bear represents our circumstances. Our circumstances whatever they may be must yield and give way to the word of God. And by impudence in prayer reminding Our Lord of his word and promises break through is here and now.

Then God told me to turn to Colossians. So I read Colossians 1.3-14.

'We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing, as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

That's all I have to say. I hope that God speaks to you through this.
Blessings!
Chloe

Like A Child

We created a blog for Like A Child. Here it is. It has an update about our show.

http://likeachildband.blogspot.com/

Jesse and Micah

Update from Jesse

Hey everyone.

Just a quick blurb. Micah and I are having a free show as Like A Child this Friday. For those of you in Springfield, it's at the Un Mundo Cafe at 7:30 PM. For those of you who aren't here, prayer is always appreciated. Besides that, life goes on. We're still doing some work at the Mennonite Church, as well as working on the house and the apartment. I hope everything is well with all of you. God bless.

Jesse

Update from Duke

Greetings from the promise land in Springfield, Ohio. This is D-love Duke reporting.



I woke up with a new song in my heart a few weeks ago: "Revelate all the time with Jesus. Revealate every hour!" Revel: to be festive; make merry; to take much pleasure (in) (Phil. 3:1) Reveal: to make known (something hidden or secret); to show; exhibit; display. May we revelate all the time with Jesus! May we revealate every hour.



Also the Lord spoke and said, "Learn the lesson of the Cicada" I marvel at all of His creation and wonder at it's design and beauty. What an incredible creature, the Cicada. The Cicada is a large flying insect with transparent wings; they praise the Lord with an amazing sound; kinda like a metal chain saw sound--usually through out the night. We witnessed and watched some of them as they crawled out of a hole in the ground and slowly climbed a tree and attached itself to a leaf or small branch. By the way thanks to my son Ethan, this lesson comes to you. His childlike curiosity in our Father's creation is such an example to me. Anyway, as the Cicada attaches itself it proceeds to shed its skin or skeleton; because it out grew it. I never thought I would like bugs, but I do. Once they shed their skin; they sing for joy-enlarged, changed and transformed. Yet there is more.



In reading about the Cicada, I found out that there are annuals and periodicals. Annuals obviously come out every year, but the periodicals come out either every 13 or 17 years. Almost all their life they live in a dark hole in the ground, hidden and alone. In this place of darkness is where most of their growth occurs and then at just the right time they come forth, shed their skin and sing praises to our God. They only live above ground from 30 to 60 days and then they die. What an amazing message. To all you Cicadas out there; your time is coming; come forth in Jesus name. Thank you for your willingness to live in a hole and not bypass the process of growth and formation. Many have bypassed the process--only to live for the immediate. But many of you have said yes to Jesus and your time in History is at hand. Get ready for the Cicadas are coming!



Our tent dwelling days are done; they served a purpose but now we are in a house. No more tick checks, no more bug bites no more smoke smelly clothes; The Highly Unusual One came through as always. Thankful for the testings; we move on changed, encouraged and excited about the future. A year ago while google mapping Springfield, I was so drawn to Limestone street; I sensed a phrase in my heart, "Limestone street revival! Yes Lord, here and now! Well guess where we are living--you got it; right smack dab on South Limestone street! While we were living in tents we all sensed that with no effort on our part, the Lord was going to present a place to us. A week ago we were called by a man who not only offered the house to us but also an apartment across the street--a perfect place for Leah, Jesse and Micah. This all came to pass through the Divine appointments I mentioned in a previous Blog.





We have been sent with a purpose and we are going for it with all our heart. South Limestone is a very impoverished place, "we aren't in Kansas anymore". Yet as I have walked the streets in prayer; the tangible presence of the Lord is so apparent. I sat on a corner for about an hour on Limestone; all the while a butterfly remained even in the midst of windblown traffic it stayed. Jesus is here to stay. The eagle has landed. The Lion is roaring and great transformation and change is at hand. I danced with a broken drunk man on the street: he prayed for me and I prayed for him. I met a guy named g-papa and a guy named d. We prayed together, "Oh Lord burn open their eyes with the fire of your Love!"



We love you. We would love to hear from you. Your prayers and support are so crucial. For you specific intercessors and you know who you are; thank you! THANK YOU!

Our new address:

1555 S. Limestone St
Springfield, Ohio 45505

Love D-love Brother Duke

Update from Duke

Greetings to all! This is D-love Duke reporting from the promise land in Springfield, Ohio. It has been awhile since I last talked to you all; mainly cause I haven't known what to say or I simply I haven't felt like saying anything at all--what a shock to some of you. There has been a whole lot of shaking going on. "And the Word of the Lord tested him." We are being tested--with many contrary circumstances, conflicts within and conflicts without, opposition, internal uglies, feeling pressed beyond our ability to handle it, even as Paul said, "despairing of life " itself; feeling alone, isolated and displaced; But thanks be to God!

In His great love for us He who is in control and reigns over all our lives and circumstances, allows these wonderful gifts to overflow into our lives; for His eternal purposes. To see Him, to know Him and to be conformed to His image. To break us to a place of absolute dependency upon Himself. To crush the yoke of the delusion of being in control; to deliver us out of fear and expose the unbelief in our hearts. Our Jesus is worthy of our trust! Our Jesus is worthy of our faith! And yet the fire only exposes my nakedness and my lack. I thought I had faith only to realize how small and puny it is. I am thankful for the fire--Jesus I lack and I see the ugliness of unbelief in my heart; Thank you for forgiveness! Thank you for cleansing me! And I now receive your faith Jesus (Gal 2:20). Selah!



When the Lord spoke to us many times that we would be like Abraham, I didn't think He meant literally, dwelling in tents in the promise land. He does have an awesome sense of humor. So here we are almost a month living in tents--what a challenge and adventure it has been. Maybe we will start a new blog called "The glamorous life in a tent".

I gotta tell ya--one early evening a guy warned Maureen and I of an impending storm coming; since we don't have TV or even listen to a radio; We were very thankful for the heads up. We battened down the hatches as best we could; created barriers with the vans around our tents and trusted for the best. Oh My Gosh! Suddenly a huge dark wall cloud was upon us with intense winds--predicted to be up to 60 Mph; I walked down to the site of a fellow camper; to find them huddled in their car; these are local Springfield people, afraid to drive home because of the storms intensity--I thought oh oh we are in trouble. We, like a bunch of scattered chickens, rushed into the big blue van (by the way, the name of this big blue van is Abraham) so we jumped into Abraham and drove close to the bathroom/shower facility in case we needed to take refuge in it. At a heightened level of prayer, we of course read Psalm 91! What a show--shock and awe of God's lightening and thunder. It was a little freakish and frightening. At one point we found a classical radio station and with music playing as though it were perfectly timed with the light show; we listened and watched! Wow!



The Lord has been challenging me with a few specific scriptures, including putting childish ways behind you. Paul said though I am free from all men ( most of you know, I am a freakish wild man), yet he said I make myself a slave to all in order to win as many as possible to Christ. The other scripture is in John when Jesus said (paraphrased) "Peter when you were young you went where you wanted to go; When you get older, I am going to take you to a place you don't want to go." We know that this speaks of Peter's death, but the Lord spoke to me through it--Lord not my will but Yours be done is the only way- and His will for me is leading down a path that is calling me to a place that I would not have expected or chose. I am free--but surrender in obedience (really His obedience in me) to be a slave--and in His love dial down and adjust myself to others in order to bring the ministry and message of the gospel and His heart for many sons in glory!



The Lord told me that I would have Acts 10 experiences. So, let me share what I believe to be an Acts 10 experience. A guy "randomly" came to our tent site and gave us the rest of his fire wood (only Maureen, Micah and Ethan were there at this time). His name is Dave. He and his wife are Mennonites and sold and left everything a year ago to live and travel in a trailer and follow Jesus. Dave happens to be from Springfield. Our story was shared and a significant connection occurred. So much so that Dave determined to tell his parents (local leaders of the Mennonite fellowship) about my family. He left his card, so later that day I called to thank him him for his kindness (by the way he said the main way he worships Jesus is by simple service to others). It just so happened that right when I called him he was talking with his parents about us. He said that he challenged his parents to pray about coming and visiting at our tent site. If I recall correctly, this was on a Wednesday.

The next day, "randomly" a photographer of the local daily Springfield paper stopped at our tent site and asked if he could take a picture of our family camping. He said he needed a picture because a reporter was doing an article about camping in Ohio. So, Micah posed for the picture, stoking the fire with the tents in the background. Well Dave's parents were praying whether to come see our family, and the determining factor for them to come was a "random" picture of Micah in the Sunday paper.



The caption read, "Micah Level sits by his family's camp fire this week at Buck Creek State Park". The next day Leon and Glenda called. What sweet and treasured people in Jesus. They called and asked if they could come and visit us that night (Monday). One of the first things they asked (having never met) was "Do you need anything? can we bring you anything?" Talk about a timely visit; Maureen and I were at a place of "despairing of life" that very day. Leon and Glenda, a couple in their mid seventies, so full of the gentleness of Jesus came to our tent home. What a divine appointment and connection in the Lord. So much so that there on the spot they invited me to preach at their church on a Sunday morning. Also the boys have an opportunity to play music. It blows me away, for our Lord is highly unusual and very unpredictable. You see, before coming to Springfield, I would google map it and look around. I kept feeling very drawn to Limestone St, a road that cuts right through the center of Springfield. I kept sensing the Lord say "The Limestone Revival". Well a week or so prior to meeting Leon and Glenda, we (Micah, Jesse, and I) prayer walked the South Limestone St area. Guess what: the Mennonite Church building is right on South Limestone. The Highly Unusual One is up to something. And we are excited to find out.

Let me finish for now, with a song the Lord put in my heart about 15 years ago.

A hopeless generation,
A fatherless nation,
without the knowledge of Christ.
Man's solutions,
bring confusion,
people are bound in fright.

I'll awaken My Church to the task I have called.
In the day of My power she will go.
I will raise up an army obeying My command,
To take My heart to every Man.

Many Sons in glory, The Spirit cries out.
Many Son\s in glory, Is what the Father's heart is about!

The Church in it's flesh,
tries it's best.
Barrenness prevails.
With no power ,
in this desperate hour,
men are going to hell.

But in one instant moment,
I'll pour out fresh oil.
My Bride will revitalize.
With sickle and scythe in every hand,
a harvest will sweep through this land.

Many Sons in glory, The Spirt cries out.
Many Sons in glory, Is what the Father's heart is about!

Thank you for your timely and obedient intercession for my family. Thank you for your timely gifts and support.

Love D-love Duke

Update from Jesse

After a weekend in the Carolinas, we're back in Springfield, Ohio with our tents pitched at Buck Creek State Park. Carolina was a bit of fresh air after the drudgery of staying in the same campground for two and a half weeks. The journey there was long and fraught with arguments, especially near the end when an uproar of opinions rose up over where we should stay that night. Most campgrounds were closed. The only one that wasn't had street names like Scream and Halloween and, well, wasn't really nice enough for it's price tag. In the end, we settled on a Motel 6 in Fort Mill, South Carolina, not really settling considering we hadn't slept in beds for a while. So that was a nice break for most of us. Mama, however, wasn't feeling very well and a bed was little relief. So prayer is appreciated on that point.







The next morning we packed up our begs and drove off to Ebenezer Park, where we quickly found a campsite and prepared it for living (set up is becoming a quick-fire routine after three weeks of this). Unlike the sites we'd been using in Springfield, this one had water and electric. So that was a bonus. Plus they had Wi-Fi, so we didn't have to drive off someplace to use the internet. That night (Friday night) Leah, Micah, Stephen, Chloe and I went to a free John Mark McMillan concert in Charlotte, North Carolina. If you haven't heard of John Mark, you should definitely check out his music. Most people know him as the author of "How He Loves," a song that's been covered by everyone from Kim Walker to David Crowder Band to The Glorious Unseen. But he's written plenty of other good songs. And he's been a huge inspiration to me and Micah. So we were excited, to say the least. The concert was awesome. A little band called Matrimony opened. They were cool. Then JMM and company took over. They rocked. I encountered God more there, singing those songs, than I have in all the church meetings I've been to (no offense meant to church people). So that was cool. After the show, Micah gave John Mark one of our CDs and we got some autographs and whatnot then left for the campsite.





The next day, Papa told me and Micah that he'd had a dream that we went to Morning Star (a ministry located in Fort Mill, SC if you aren't familiar with it) and that something was going to happen there at 1:00 PM. So the three of us and Chloe headed for Morning Star a little after 12:00. We wandered around the building for a while, checked out the sanctuary, stuff like that. We asked if something was planned for 1:00 and the answer was no. But obviously God had something planned for 1:00. At about five till we ran into a lady who was heading for the bookstore. We ended up talking to her. She needed healing in her right hip. We prayed for her and Papa spoke sonship over her. She cried. The Spirit was touching her. We didn't see a full manifestation of the healing but she said it felt better. She left. Then Papa prayed for a girl who worked in the lobby. On our way out, he noticed a girl who he recognized from his dream. So he went and prayed for her too. Then we left.











On Sunday the four of us went to the Morning Star church service. It was good. I didn't feel very connected, but whatever. They're doing what God's called them to do and I suppose God's called me to something else. Rick Joyner spoke on various things, including a dream he'd had and stuff like that. A lot of it had to do with the vision the Lord's given them for their ministry. A lot of big stuff. It's almost overwhelming to come into contact with something like that, that has such a wide-spanning focus. Humbling too. I'm struggling with vision for myself, let alone the world. So it's cool to see people who have vision for and connection with the wider body of Christ. Obviously our family has vision for the body of Christ but it's different. Not so governmental. Maybe that's not the word. Well, the means is different. Let's say that. So anyways, not a lot happened there. A lady there gave me a word, which was cool. And Papa prayed for a couple of people, one a man he recognized from his dream. So that was pretty much that. We spent the rest of the day at the campsite in 106 degree weather. And then the next day, Monday morning, we broke down camp and journeyed (fairly smoothly) back to Springfield, picked up our minivan from our friends the Bell's, and then set up camp at Buck Creek. So there you go: a rather long telling of the events of the weekend.





Now to the important stuff. One of the things we've been going through is struggling about whether or not we're supposed to stay in Springfield. Various ideas have sprung up: let's go mobile, let's go back to Washington, let's go find a cave in Africa. Stuff like that. But over the weekend God has made it clear that we are supposed to stay in Springfield. Who knows what will come of it? Maybe we'll live in tents for the next three years. Maybe God will provide a house. We'll see. But we believe this is where we're supposed to be right now. Already God has accomplished great things: in our relationship with the Bells, in our hearts, in the way we relate to people, even with our vainglorious ideas of what moving to Springfield would look like. So, yes, God is doing things, and I trust He will continue to do things. After all, His primary goal is to conform us to the image of Christ. And what does that mean really? It means hardship. Testings. Failures. Disappointments. Scourgings. (That last one was a half-joke.) It means foregoing comfort for the will of God. And learning to rejoice in all circumstances. As I write this I am sitting in a canopy at a picnic table in a campsite at Buck Creek State Park. It is raining. Birds are chirping. I can feel the water dripping on my back. And (you know what?) there's no place else I would rather be.

Jesse