Greetings from Springfield Ohio, also known as Champion City, a place where many firsts were birthed. Many more to come! Hi this is Duke. How's everyone doing? I look forward to hearing from you!



"Burn open their eyes with the fire of My love", the Word of the LORD came to Maureen. Oh Lord burn open our eyes with the fire of your love! I was reminded of something the Lord spoke to me almost 15 years ago, when I walked the beach on Whidbey Island; As I was walking, the Lord said, "I'm going to take you to the place of my anointing" I got all excited and said, "Yes Lord take me to this place!" A little bit later He said, "The place of My anointing is My Love!" I would like to say that I am there at this place now, but like the rest of you I am still being processed. I would like to make a confession; first to let you know, I heard the Lord awhile ago say to me, "Just because you see, doesn't mean you be" In other words, sometimes the prophetic gifts of seeing can puff us up and deceive us into thinking that seeing is being. Only to find out that knowledge puffs us up and blinds us, but love, His love builds up and brings life and sight.



Before I was saved, I met such a man who was walking in this anointing of His Love. I was working at Chubby and Tubby's, a crammed ma and pa hardware slash clothes and shoe store on Aurora avenue in north Seattle. One day a big burley looking man came to me and asked me to help him in the shoe department area; even though he smelled of alcohol, he said he was a Christian; I don't know all that was going on but I began to open up to him and confess my frustrations and feelings of hopelessness; he didn't even preach to me; he just listened and at the end of my confession, he simply said, "You give me hope for young people!" In remembering this moment I recall thinking something like this, "What is wrong with this guy, I'm a mess." But after he spoke this, he came up to me and gave me a big bear hug--to this day I don't know if the guy was an angel or a man--but once he hugged me, there was a release of the power of God's love that so touched me and shook me to the core--talk about being messed up. I was so freaked out and shaking that I couldn't function or work; so I went to my boss and said I have to go home. My life was never the same after this encounter. And the guy didn't even bring a message; he was just a man packing the anointing of the Father's love. I so want to walk in that kind of anointing. So as I said I would like to make an honest confession; so here it is. I told the Lord, I am sick of the prophetic; I don't just want to see or hear stuff, I want to be; I want reality here and now. Oh Lord take us and establish us in this place of your Love. Thank you, I feel better now.




Sometimes, we are not aware or are blinded to areas in our own life or heart--especially wounds from the past. First, I would like to say honestly I don't know or can't explain all that is going on within me, but something is happening to me--change and transformation; something deep in His Love. As the Lord has said to me, "You are no longer under the tutor of rejection", He is taking me through a process of stripping me of the old, the past, old ways of thinking, triggers and reactions shaped by years of rejection and woundedness. He is healing me. My co-worker and treasured brother Stephen had been carrying a word in his heart for me ; He said he was pregnant with it and for a couple days was in warfare and intercession with it. When the time was right, he delivered the word. It was a vision of Jesus kissing my heart! So Stephen in obedience to the vision literally kissed my heart. Even now, tears flow. The next day while Chloe was playing the piano and praising, I was thinking about my heart being kissed by Jesus, I realized it is the Mother heart of God--so tender, so sweet, so gentle, so healing. Like a little kid when he gets a scrape or cut, Mama kisses it and makes it all better. "All better now," she would say. Jesus kisses my boo boos and makes them all better!



Thank you for your patience with me. In this process Jesus is taking me through, He is making it clear, I am not to stand or act alone again. Together is a big word these days. Jesus is building His church, people fitted and knitted together in His righteousness (right relationship); In him we are joined together...In him we are built together...to become a beautiful expression of Himself on this earth. I need you and we need each other. Only together will we see the fullness of Himself. This is not normal for me; thank you for supporting my family both in prayer and money; if the Lord is calling you to support us in prayer or bucks an address will be forwarded to you; along with our phone #. Thank you.



Still more. We were directed of the Lord to visit the serpent mound approximately 2 hours from Springfield. The Serpent Mound is an ancient effigy almost 3000 years old. There is still some question and uncertainty as to it's purpose; we walked the grounds, prayed and decreed as the Lord directed. We felt and sensed a great shift in the atmosphere. Jesus is Lord!



Finally, The Lord says, it is imperative as his children that we have fun! He has been pounding this home to me a lot. I know many of you will be shocked, but I met my match. His name is Brock, a two and half year old. When we first arrived in Springfield Rob and Jenny Rue, a family we strongly feel called to connect with, invited us to dinner. They have 4 awesome children; Zach, Lydia, Brock and Rachel, all under 5 years old. I'm telling you Brock at two and half years old is packing with the Spirit of God. Brock and I were in the living room on the floor wrestling around and I started praying in the Spirit with my hands on his chest. Brock immediately returned the favor and aggressively put his hands on my chest and yelled out, "Goochy, Goochy, gwah!" The Lord touched me with such joy, laughter and fun. Goochy, Goochy, gwah is a cry of freedom over Springfield and our lives. And the Lord giving us permission to have fun. So, the Lord has made it clear, I need Brock in my life, not only as my young brothrer, but as reminder that we are Papa's little kids and He desires for us to have fun. Even in the midst of challenges and difficulties, have fun in JESUS name!

Love from D-love your brother Duke

Update from Maureen

The other morning I was woken out of a sound sleep with the words "Burn...their...eyes...open". What ? "Burn their eyes open". Then, "With the fire of my love". Woah. "Burn their eyes open with the fire of my love. " I woke Duke up and told him about it. I knew it had to be the Lord. I was just minding my own business (as my friend Suzanne would say), actually I was asleep, and I heard those words as plain as day...words that I had never heard put together in that way before.



As Duke and I talked about it we were reminded of words spoken by our friend Stephen. He said, "Duke, Your plum line is always going to be God's love." That's it. It's more important even than the message the Lord has put on Duke's heart. It precedes the message. Any one who has had a conversation with Duke in the last year knows that the message is "You're my son, and I love you"! (That goes for daughters, too, by the way!) But we realize it's not just about spewing out the message, but about the love of God penetrating into people's hearts. That's what brings about change.



Romans 2:4 says, "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"
May I never forget the kindness that God has shown me in bringing me to repentance!

Much Love,
Maureen

Update from Jesse

Well, here we are in Springfield, where the sons of God are going to spring up from the fields of harvest. As the waters cover the sea, so the increase of His government will know no end. Saints and sons of the Father are going to spread through out this city like blood through veins, giving life flow to places of darkness. With the joy of the Lord in our bones, we are ambassadors of Christ to this nation, representatives of God to this city. And may the Holy Spirit have dominion as we go about the work He has sent us for. Amen!

There is a general air of excitement over here, as the Lord begins to peel back the veil of fear and break the chains of insecurity. Freedom has been on my mind a lot lately. The glorious freedom of the sons of God, which all the earth is groaning for. And the thing is: I am just starting to know this freedom. I sing about it, thinking of others. But I need it just as much as anyone. More so. The Lord has been illuminating the amount of fear and insecurity there is in my life. And He is beginning to release freedom.

The day after we got here, Papa and our friend Stephen were out in the yard talking. Soon Micah, Stephen and I joined them. We all prayed together, clasping arms as a picture of the joining together of living stones. Friend Stephen asked me if I had a freedom song to sing. I didn't. But I felt like we were supposed to dance. If you know me, you know I'm reserved. Even the fact that I'm writing this blog is amazing. I normally prefer to hide myself from people, both out of fear and selfishness. But the Lord said dance. So we danced. It ended up being kind of a tribal, warfare dance, with clapping and singing and stuff. And it was right in the front yard for all to see. It was a prophetic declaration, not only for us, but for the city, as the Lord is going to be releasing a freedom so profound it will be seen right out in the open, with no shame.







That night we spent some time together in prayer. The Lord released more freedom, specifically for my dad. The word of the night was "uncorked." Well, we're getting uncorked. It's a gradual process, but it's big. I've felt very much corked for at least the last year, kind of wandering around in a desert. Well, thank God for the wellspring that is He beginning to pour out! For me, it began in Kansas City when our new friends John and Sarah prayed for us. When they prayed for me, I cried. I'm not ashamed to say so. I like crying, because it reminds me that my heart still works, and that there is still a receptivity in my spirit. So that was the first wave. And there are many more to come. Right now the desire in my heart is intimacy, relationship. The Lord has revealed to me that I have nurtured an identity in performance, specifically music. If I can't write a song, I feel like a failure. But not anymore. My identity is in Christ and Christ alone. And I long to know him (yada) as I've never known Him before. I have a hunger to be hungry, a thirst to be thirsty, a desire to desire Him.





Freedom! Oh there's such a freedom we've never known. Praise Jesus for the work of the cross! We are seated with Him in the heavenly places, with every spiritual blessing! Oh the riches of His glory, the riches of His grace! Riches! Take a second and ponder over that word. His grace is boundless! Hallelujah! And I am just beginning to know it! All of you have so much going on in your lives I almost feel silly to be writing this. David's in Mexico (Praise Jesus!). Aunt Pat is living the life of a saint. People are working and living and seeing to their calls. Some are suffering. And I pray for healing, and for the love of God to be poured out in a way that is immeasurable, but tangible! Oh thank you Jesus for all of these wonderful people! Forgive me for ever taking you for granted, brothers and sisters. You are a part of me, and I love all of you. May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ grant you grace and peace in this time of changes! God bless all of you.

Love,
your brother Jesse

Update from Micah

After a bug infested camp ground in Illinois, a strange groundhog sighting, crazy traffic and a blown tire on the cargo trailer, we have arrived.

For the last day of driving Leah and I were in our white honda van and the rest of the family was in the blue van, otherwise known as Abraham.



On the road I found myself praying, "Father of glory, give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of you, having the eyes of my heart enlightened, that I may know what is the hope to which you have called me". He then gave me Romans 13:8

"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."

A few weeks ago, before we left the Lord spoke to me 2 Corinthians 1:21. "...It is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us".

Prior to him showing me this verse the Lord had been speaking to my Dad about joining and building. It's God who establishes us. He's the one who joins us together. In Him we're joined together. There's no other place but in Christ. So God is gonna be joining us together with some people. He's going to build something and we get to partner with him.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15



As we crossed the boarder into Ohio we all felt the witness of His Spirit. I was half asleep, but I woke up and Leah told me she heard a full choir singing. Shortly after that Chloe called from the other van telling me to put the phone on speaker so we could all pray together. As we prayed I felt joy, excitement and anticipation! The Lord said:

Isaiah 33:5-6
"The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness,
and He will be the stability of your times,
abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is Zion's treasure."

Isaiah 30:23
"And He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures."

As we hit the out skirts of Springfield I looked at the clock and it said 5:55. 5 is the number of grace. Right away the Lord prompted me to look up Isaiah 55:5 which says:

"Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the holy one of Israel, for He has glorified you. "

A promise from the Lord. When we got to Stephen and Jenny's house I told Stephen the verse and he said that he saw 5:55 and was feeling grace. He also reminded us that it was 5/5/10. The Lord had also given him that verse as a promise about a year ago.



As a family we are asking for the United States. Knowing that the Lord says ask of me and I will give you the nations and that Jesus has reconciled the world to God.

On this adventure the Lord told me he was taking me on a journey of discovering more of him and discovering who I am. Finding His identity and mine. Throughout the trip the Lord has brought prophetic encouraging words from lots of brothers and sisters. Using the words to expose things in my heart. I know the Lord has imparted things during this trip. I'm excited to see what unfolds.

I'm desperate to see His glory revealed, hungry to encounter Him and see His face and expecting to experience fresh waves of His presence!

A little adventure has ended and a great adventure has begun.

Blessings and Joy in Christ Jesus our Lord

Love,
Micah

Update from Leah

So our next stop in our road trip across the country was Kansas City, Missouri. We got here on Saturday the 1st, and we ended up staying until Tuesday morning. It was a long day of driving, but it was worth it. God had some amazing things waiting for us. While we were here, we checked out IHOP (the International House of Prayer). For about five months now they have had these Awakening services going on four days a week. So when we got here we checked in, unpacked and headed out to check one of them out.



It was my first experience with IHOP, and although I've heard a lot about it, I wasn't sure what to expect. The message was the gospel, which was awesome and an affirmation of the message God has put in our lives. During the few hours we were there, God really reminded me of some things, refreshed me and renewed me. Towards the end of the meeting, they asked any visitors to come forward to receive impartation so we all headed up there.

I was standing in that line, feeling the Spirit, but standing like a board, and this older, white haired woman came up to me. She grabbed my hands and wanted me to dance with her, so I did, but it was half hearted. While she was dancing with me, she said something just in passing but it really cut into me. She said: "Don't be religious."

My gut reaction was offense, but within ten seconds I felt a witness of the Spirit. When did I start to take myself so seriously? When did I forget to rejoice? To dance? To yell and clap and stomp? God really did something in me in that moment. A work of release and freedom.





Dad was in his element. Surrounded by older, wacky intercessor women, grunting and dancing and having a ball. It was awesome. There were some really right on words for a lot of us, and I left encouraged. We spent the next couple days checking out the 24/7 House of Prayer, and experienced several divine appointments. We also connected with some friends of our friends Stephen and Jenny. Originally, we were going to leave Monday morning, but really felt that we were to stay another day. I am so glad that we did.

John and Sarah Markman were the reason we came. God had something for each of us individually here, and although we were all enjoying IHOP, I was waiting for that to happen. Because we stayed an extra day, we were able to meet them and their two adorable little girls, and they were courageous enough to have all eight of us over for dinner in their apartment. It was such a divinely anointed time. They are originally from Springfield, Ohio and they are on staff with IHOP. Wow. God spoke so clearly through them to each member of our family. It was timely, accurate and encouraging. It brought a renewal and a release of the Spirit. God did a final work of freedom for me in some areas, specifically self hatred and my identity. It was so awesome.



The process of this trip has been interesting. At each stop I feel like the Spirit has been doing a step by step work of preparation in all of us, getting us ready for Springfield. I am so excited for what the Lord has for us there, individually and as a family. And I know that He has a home for us, and that the provision is there already. Thank you GOD! There is such a joy in my spirit right now!

Love and blessings,
Leah