Update from Duke

Greetings from the promise land in Springfield, Ohio. This is D-love Duke reporting. So much change and transition has been going on that it is difficult to put into words. After a year of enduring a lot of culture shock, hardship (as a good soldier) and great transition, we find ourselves set in a place of great favor over the city. The kingdom of God is at hand; the Spirit of God is moving; revival is here! Not one person will be left untouched by His presence; His too good to be true love is burning eyes open and changing lives forever.

This Saturday July 16th at 2pm, right in the heart of the city on the streets,strategic Leaders and Pastors from Springfield will lay hands on me, officially ordaining and commissioning me to work the Lord has sent us here to do. Afterwards we will gather for a time of public worship, reading of the word and faith declarations and prophetic proclamations for the city. Since unity is already a reality in Christ, we will stand as one man, with one heart in agreement and harmony with heaven; Your kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. "It is finished" And from this place of victory in union with Christ, we simply receive what is already ours--from the God of all grace; the river is flowing--grace for grace; glory to glory. I appreciate your prayers leading up to and during this time on Saturday.

Pictures and more info. will follow after this event.

Also, I will be visiting Washington State from July 21st to August 4th. I will be in Poulsbo, Port Townsend, and Whidbey Island; and possible eastern Washington as well. Much to share; much to report on. I would love to see as many of you as possible. Let me know if it works for you.

Your fellow brother and servant of Jesus Christ Duke

Father's Day

I don't always know how to describe my Dad to someone. There's nothing to compare him to. He's himself, and he's not like anyone else. As I've gotten older, I've gained a deep appreciation for that. He's a single minded man. He's not afraid to be messy: to be flawed and broken and open before God and everyone else. It makes other people uncomfortable a lot. Seeing someone who's completely out there, who's walking in the full light of God, is always uncomfortable for people who aren't. It's inspiring to me. I want to be like that. I don't want to let fear rule me. I want to be courageous enough to walk in the light all the way, and to realize that the tares and the messiness are part of that. It's beautiful to me and I admire my Dad for it. He's endured a lot of censure, criticism and rejection as a result of his willingness to be himself, no matter where he is.



He's never been too proud to admit mistakes, even to his kids. As a Papa, he's tried so hard to make sure that we always know how much he loves us. His heart is for us, and he's always behind us. Everything he is and everything about his life he's given over to God. He's laid down a lot, and has had to make very difficult decisions to walk the path God has called him to walk. It's a pretty radical example. And you know, he's not just my Papa. He's been a Papa to so many people, spiritually and emotionally. He's filled that empty space in a lot of lives; he's championed, and encouraged, and sought out the best in people who desperately needed a Papa to do it for them. My Dad may not be recognized in "legitimate" religious circles, but the impact he's had on so many individuals means a lot more to me, and I think means more to God. He may not ever be a Bill Johnson, or a Rick Joiner, and his name may never be in the history books on Earth, but I believe with absolute certainty that he is in the history books of heaven. He's going to be one of the ones that surprise you there, one of the ones that God honors. He's not perfect; he's a flawed man. But he wholeheartedly belongs to the Lord, and every intent of his heart is for Him.



I want to honor my Dad. He's been through a lot this year, and he's been tempered and refined through it, but he's also been worn and stretched. I'm so unbelieveably proud of him. I don't even have words. He's a grown man with six children (half of whom are adults) and he is still willing to grow, and humble enough to change. I wish I was more like him. I want more people to be able to see him as God sees him: to see how precious and rare he is, and how much of a blessing and treasure. My Papa is special, and I am so lucky to have him.

Leah

Update from Jesse

As of May 5th we have been in Springfield, Ohio for one whole year. Crazy how quickly time passes. It feels like only yesterday that we first rolled into Springfield, at the time nothing like I'd imagined it. Now that I've come to know the place, it feels, in some ways, like home. In other ways, it still feels foreign. At times I even catch myself thinking as if I could hop into the car and head over to a friend's house, a friend from Washington, or go to Port Townsend and spend some time at a familiar haunt. Then I remember that it would take an airplane to achieve this. Which is doable, obviously. Micah, Leah and my mom have already visited. Someday I hope to as well.





After the passage of a year it feels sometimes like nothing much has happened. But then I look back and realize that, yes, a lot has happened. A lot of change has taken place: within us personally and also externally. Our music, for instance, has bloomed considerably. In Washington Micah and I played out rarely and then only in fifteen minute slots at open mics where our main audience were musicians waiting for their turn. Now we regularly play two hour shows where we are the main attraction. Quite a difference. Also, we have written numerous songs since moving here. I've written twenty-two. Micah's written at least six. And our style has changed considerably, Micah exchanging lead guitar for banjo and mandolin and Stephen most often playing djembe instead of the drum set.



Our songwriting has grown, as well as our audience. On May 5th, the exact one year anniversary of our move, we had the opportunity to play in front of many leaders of the church and community at the National Day of Prayer Breakfast. And on June 24th we will be opening for a popular Christian artist named Jason Gray. So, doors continue to open. In the meantime, we are hoping to record a new album this summer. Prayers are appreciated on that point.



Besides the music, there is personal growth. I think it's safe to say that all of us have grown in love and humility as the Lord continues to tear down and uproot the vines of fear and pride that have so long grown within us. Freedom is a process, however, and this one is yet to reach its climax. I myself am only scratching at the surface of the root system of fear that has for so long been a foundation in my life. A foundation that I am ready and willing to see replaced. Perfect love, after all, casts fear and there is no place for fear in the Kingdom. So, I am optimistic. Patterns of thinking are slowly coming undone. Pride and prejudice are losing their hold, as fear is revealed within me, and I am eager to move forward with the Lord.



We are all still discovering our place in this city. More and more connections are being made, especially for my dad. But for all of us, really. A couple of weeks ago Micah and I were able to go out on the streets with our new friends Tyler, Chris and J.J. We went to one of the areas with the highest crime in Springfield, a place full of prostitutes and drug addicts. You know, the kind of people Jesus would hang out with. It is too easy within the church to allow ourselves to build up walls of fear against these kinds of people. Too easy to grow comfortable within our boxes and never touch the dark places of the world. In going out that night, I realized again that these people are simply people. Broken, hurting people crying out for God. And we were able to meet them there and share, for a few hours, the love of the Father. I look forward to more of this in the weeks and months to come.


(Stephen and Tyler [not the Tyler who went out on the streets])


(Chloe and Stephen with Allyson)

Leah, Stephen and, more specifically, Chloe have gotten the opportunity of a lifetime with our new friend Hayden. Hayden is a professional horse trainer who was hired to train horses for an old man who has about fifty horses. The Lord put it on his heart to ask Chloe to help him with the task while also training her not only how to ride but also how to train horses herself. Leah and Stephen joined in to help and now even Ethan started getting lessons. They are all having a great time and Hayden has quickly become an unofficial member of the family.


(Hayden is the one in the middle.)





I think that is all for now. There is more to say, more to share, but I think I'll let my dad do it. For now, know that I love you and am thankful for you more than you know. Alone, after all, I am nothing. It is only with my brothers and sisters that I can be something to this world. Blessings and joy!


- Jesse


(Ethan's new rat V.J. aka Varo Judah)

Update from Duke

Hi! This is D-love Duke reporting from the promise land in Springfield Ohio. It blows me away that the same love our Father has for Jesus and the same love that Jesus has for the Father is ours to share. That this God of all grace, by His doing picked us up and placed us at His banqueting table to feast and drink of His love. For as He is so are we in this world; check out the context in First John. Amazing Love.



Your prayers, support and friendship are so vital especially during this great season of change and transition. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I present an appeal to you all. Jesse, Micah and Stephen in their band "Like A Child" are going for it. This is it. It is amazing to see the growth and evolution of their music; Yet not just in their music but in their individual gifts and callings; specific to each one. More and more opportunities are opening for them; to play, perform and minister in the world in the public eye.
This friday they are playing at Un Mundo, one of the few coffee shops in the area; they will be playing from 7pm to 9pm. They will be playing in bars and saloons. They will be playing in other towns as well. They need your backing and support; especially in prayer. They also are planning to produce another CD as soon as the money is available. Their music, their ministry and their divine originality is a treasure and gift to not only the Body of Christ but the world.
Part of my appeal is that you would prayerfully consider supporting them financially or invest in this new recording project. Your prayer and partnership is awesome.



Personally, the Lord is developing and placing me in relationship with two men, who happen to be pillars in the area. It is crazy because we are so different from one another, in gifts, callings and background. I remember when i was in 8th grade, I dislocated and broke my leg playing football. The break and dislocation was so bad that I had to wait 3 days for a specialist to show up. Then they put me out then as team they put me back together. My thoughts are that in these developing relationships It is going to require the specialist work of the Holy Spirit to assemble, join and fit us together. Please agree with me that the Lord will define and establish these relationships in harmony with His plan and purposes. Your agreement is powerful.





Remember, you are loved and treasured of the Father. With all sincerity your brother in Jesus,
D-love Duke

P.S. I might be coming up to the NW by myself to visit many of you. Appreciate your prayers on this.

Address: 1555 S. Limestone Street
Springfield, Ohio 45505

Phone: 360-643-0826

Creative Miracle Testimony

Hey so a few weeks back God healed my toe and I posted it to you guys. Well now he blows me away even more and gave me a creative miracle.

My friend Stephen called me from Bethel last night. He's going to BSSM (Bethel Supernatural School of Ministry). He was telling me how the Spirit was being poured out big time at that night's meeting. He then told me that he had been flat footed his whole life and Kevin Dedmon got a word about arches forming. He got prayed for and arches formed. What he didn't know is that I was flat footed too. I told him and he began to pray for me. I felt fire and tingling on my feet. My brother put his hands on my feet and I literally saw arches form before my eyes! I stood up and I felt way different. I even felt something in my back pop. I felt more balanced, like my weight was being distributed more evenly. Literally 10 minutes before he called I was praying for signs and wonders. That I would see signs and wonders. So Jesus answered what I asked for, just not in the way I was thinking. I was asking for other people and he does it for me. Haha.

It really made me wonder! He really is a good God. Being on the receiving end of His healing and miracles is really blowing me away! He's blessing me big time. Yahoo! King Jesus is good! Again testimony is the spirit of prophesy. If you need a creative miracle in your body just receive it. Right now just release your manifest presence and glory in the room King Jesus! Your presence is the treasure. When the King shows up, the kingdom stuff shows up. Just turn your affections to Him right now. There is no formula. But if you wanna close your eyes, hold out your hands. Just receive. I declare healing to their bodies! Creative miracles right now! Right now! Thank you Jesus. Someone's eyes are being healed! Take it! Someone's back is being healed! Take it! Someone's knees! Take it! I see some scar tissue dissolving in someone's body. Like it's located in your bones. Like a build up of cartilage looking stuff in your back. I'm not a doctor so I don't know what that is. But just take it!

Amen!

Micah

Update from Duke

Greetings from the promised land of Springfield, Ohio. This is D-love Duke reporting. You heroic child bearing women, I salute you! Transition! Transition! Transition! Oh the pain! Oh the joy! Breathe--hee, hee, hee. Yes, yes! No! No! Give me an epidural! Beam me up Scotty! Well you get the idea. Major change and transition at hand, as the Lord is transforming us both in heart and thinking. Like the cicada or the butterfly the shedding of the old skin of yesterdays light is wrenching. Yet our God of all grace is faithful to His work in us and through us to make us like Himself. I'll get back to this change stuff in a moment...

A couple months ago, Maureen and I were awakened to a 1 or 2 a.m. semi-automatic gun fire, approximately 12 rounds, followed by sirens. Last week 2 blocks away an armed robber gunned down by police. We certainly aren't in Chimacum Dorothy!Yet the Kingdom of God is Here! And this place will never be the same.

The last two months of 2010 were so frustrating. What the heck are we doing? Why are we here? Feeling so lonely, isolated and disconnected. Frustrated with the church system; frustrated with people etc. We found ourselves in the familiar territory of desperation and need."Lord, I give up--clue us in that your plans and purposes would prevail." Maureen and I found ourselves coming together in agreement with simple prayers.. The answers are coming and as Micah wrote in a recent song, "hope is dancing on the horizon!" and we are rising to dance with it.



Back to the change stuff; It cuts into the depths of who I am--mind sets of thinking--old security blankets and giving up my special binky, a comforting and familiar friend. Can you you teach an old dog new tricks Lord? Only You know.
Well here it is:

I was walking the trails in the woods near Crabill Homestead, and I heard the Holy Spirit say, "There is no place for pride in My Kingdom". I responded with, "yes, Lord get em; deal with em etc," Hello, Mcfly are you in there? Knock, knock! "I'm talking to you Duke!" I am against you in your pride, but I give grace to the humble. I have been caught! I have been found out! the problem is in me. Oh the wretchedness, oh the highmindedness ; the blindness of it all. I have realized the main source of this frustration is simply an expression of pride and crossing a line into criticism and mental judgement. I have such a prophet/justice perspective that left unchecked, gets me in a whole lot of trouble. What is the source of this pride? How did I get it? Knowledge puffs up--and the knowledge, I'm talking about is not just information, but as divine originals we all have a history, a unique path of experience and revelation in relationship with the Lord. These God ordained valid and vital experiences are the tools and ways He shapes and conforms us to the image of Jesus. And only the Master Potter knows the perfect process and path for each of us. In my own life this path and process has developed mind sets and a world view that is limited in light to the divine original I am. Yet the problem arrises when I superimpose through the filters of thinking my path and process on others--the way I have walked is really the more spiritual way. What ignorance, arrogance and small limited thinking on my part.



We all have different gifts, callings and unique expressions in and from the Lord. My calling is the most important; my gifts and expressions are the most vital. The eye! No, the ear! No, the hand! No, I say, no, the feet! I am guilty of thinking that my gifts and calling are the most important. How desperately I need grace to think with sober judgement, be me without trying to control you. There is one calling that none of us can escape--the call to love. We are commanded to live a life of love. Be imitators of God as dearly beloved children and live a life of love. The goal of this instruction is love... Above all else put on love and love one another. God is love and His love fulfills all the Law and Prophets. Love, His love is the very expression of His kingdom... for God so loved..that He gave... His love to us, in us and through us is other worldly, supernatural and humanly impossible apart from His life in us. In light of the love list in I cor. 13 my own lack and wretchedness has been exposed. Love is patient; love is kind,...... Love keeps no record of wrongs... etc. Yet I have blindly walked in spiritual McCarthyism with my little black book filled with suspicion and speculation, an I'm right your wrong mentality. I forget that mercy triumphs over judgement and love covers a multitude of sin. Love is forbearing--it puts up with one another.



Thanks for putting up with me. I'll share more later.

Thanks to all who are partnering with us on this great adventure.

Love Bro Duke

Healing Testimony

MY JESUS IS ALIVE AND HE IS GOOD!

I broke my toe and for the last 5 days or so I've been hobbling along with crutches. Even the slightest bump on my toe would bring terrible pain. Earlier today Jesse just tapped it and it brought such bad pain I had to take 3 Ibuprofen. I've had it wrapped, iced, elevated. It's been green, and swollen.

My friend Anthony called me, he was sharing testimonies of encountering angels and how he found a gem. We did a little impartation to each other over the phone and then I asked Him to pray for my toe. (This whole time we're on the phone I have my foot wrapped and I'm standing with my crutches). He saw my dad laying his hands on my foot. So I took off my wrap and got off my crutches. My dad put his hand on my foot and Anthony said a simple prayer. My dad lifted his hand and suddenly we heard a pop. It wasn't painful, my foot just made that sound. And I was able to stand. I walked all throughout the house. Jumped. And all the pain was gone! I pulled on my toe that just hours early would hurt if it was just bumped. I wiggled it. My toe was healed!

If you're reading this and you need healing, you're getting it right now. Receive it! His presence is gonna fill the room you're in. If you want to, put your hand on your body and declare healing.

Micah

Change and People

It has been an interesting year. Full of upheaval and homelessness and change. Some of those changes have been really obvious: selling our house and moving halfway across the country for example. Some of those changes have been a lot more subtle.



I've been really challenged to rethink people: how I relate to them and how God wants me to relate to them. I'm not a people person and I haven't been for a long time, to the point that I have felt like I could be completely self sufficient without friends or any thing else. That sounds pretty harsh. And you know, I've never felt like I should apologize for that. But in the last six months God has really been speaking to me about how prideful I am, and about how much that self sufficiency is a mask for crippling fear. I don't care what anyone thinks of me, and that is a good thing.

But people mean something. They mean something to my Father. And yeah, people are difficult. They aren't easy. Friendships aren't easy. If they are, there's something wrong I think. Conflict and challenge are neccesary. Without them we are all wallowing around in shallow water with each other. People hurt (themselves and you). They won't ever understand you perfectly. You will never understand them perfectly. But that's what's beautiful. We see in part but God sees in full. And what you have of God is something I have no comprehension of. By denying people, I'm denying my God. I will only ever have a partial picture of him. I will always be limited to what I can understand, to what I can hear. I will be missing out on the countless revelations of who He is through someone else. I'm only hurting myself. And yeah, I'm making myself pursue people because it's no longer natural for me to do it. But God's working with me. He never intended for me to be alone.



It's freeing to no longer rely on other people's opinions and to have confidence in who I am in Christ. But it's also a defense carried to an extreme. I'm safe behind my wall, completely unaccessable and unavailable and unassailable. It's cold isolation. And I'm tired of it. I want more of God and I've only allowed him to show parts of himself to me because of my pride. I can only be endlessly grateful for God's intense mercy and grace in my life. I would have given up on me a long time ago. I'm thankful for the humbling work of the Spirit of Truth and Revelation. And I need more. It's an incredibly painful thing to have God show you truthfully what you look like. And it's not easy to let him show you. I can only lay myself at his feet and receive his incredible love through discipline. It hurts. But it's a neccesary hurt. And I want to embrace it fully.

I'm thankful for all of you who are reading this. You've meant a lot to me and my family and I love you guys. Thank you for loving me inspite of myself. And for revealing new and different aspects of who God is to me.

Leah



P.S. Just for the heck of it, here are a couple videos of two of the boys new songs! Check it out and let them know what you think!

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!