Living The Adventure!

Living in obedience to God is a great Adventure! 24 years of saying "Yes" to The Father has resulted in a life full of adventure. These past 3 years have been no exception. Since my days in the mortgage business ended 3+ years ago, life has been an increased adventure with God, as I have lived out the journey of His ministry calling. It has not been easy, yet it has been a great faith building adventure. The past few months have only increased the intensity and adventure as we have been on a journey to greater fulfillment and destiny. This past week was the birthing of something new, as we held our first "Breakthrough Conference" (Oct 19-20). I have been doing numerous conferences and retreats over the past several years, yet always under someone else's vision or as part of a team collective vision. It has all been great, yet it has been preparation for something more. A couple of months ago, I received a prophetic word (in Redding, Ca) that launched something new and speaks well to this season of our life: "You keep trying to be second, but God has called you to lead...I see you digging a well... it's been hard... breaking through to water... God is pleased with your faithfulness. Because of some of your decisions, your children are thriving..." Though it has been hard, our children are thriving. And, despite my apprehension, God has called me to step out and lead. The Breakthrough Conference was the first time I launched out in the leadership role that was specific to the passions and calling God has placed within my heart. The fruit was very encouraging as many encountered God in a very real and personable way (see "Testimonies of Breakthrough" blog entry, Oct 24). While this Breakthrough conference was going on, my family was also in need of a major Breakthrough as well. We were in desperate need of a place to live. Our 9 year old daughter, Kailey, wrote a song that she sang at the conference describing our circumstances well: "I can have Joy in the Lord... God's about to do something great... we're moving in ten days... We're on the rope, reaching for the next knot... I can have joy in the Lord... God's about to do something great...". We did need to move in ten days, and we did believe that God was about to do something great! Though we have been on the rope, reaching for the next knot, we have had Joy in the Lord! Though pressed, God did come through! We move this week! Just as Kailey sang, God did do something great! We needed to find a place to live by the end of this month (October). While that may not sound like a big deal to the average person, it was a big deal for us. We have not been in a financial position to buy or rent a home. We needed God to come through in a big way! He did! Though it was scary along the way, not sure what would unfold, we actually had options to choose from within a week of moving date! God is so good! We move this week into an amazing house, in an amazing situation, with an amazingly hospitable host! Our kids are full of excitement and joy by what God did on our behalf! They are thriving! God did do something great! He is so good! This journey reminds me of a movie clip we use to show on our RTG weekends, called "Never Cry Wolf": A university professor, "Tyler", who is not an outdoor guy, goes to some remote country to study wolves. He hires this rugged pilot, "Rosie", to get him to his destination. They are flying in a small, old crop plane. It's an Adventure! While talking in the plane, Rosie, the pilot, shares his philosophy on life. "...I'll let you in on a little secret, Tyler... The gold is not in the ground. The gold is not anywhere up here. The real gold is south of 60, sitting in living rooms, stuck watching the boob tube, bored to death. Bored to death, Tyler!....." The plane starts to flutter.... "What is that?" Tyler panics. "...What's Wrong?" "Boredom Tyler, Boredom! That's what's wrong! How do you beat boredom, Tyler? Adventure. Adventure, Tyler, Adventure!" The plane is rapidly descending. Rosie, the pilot, steps out on the wing of the plane to fix the propeller. The plane is shut off, nose diving toward the ground. Tyler, panicking, is forced to take the wheel. The plane cranks back up, and Rosie gets back in the plane. A massive mountain is right in front of them. It appears they are going to crash as they head straight for the side of this mountain. At the last minute, Rosie, the pilot, pulls them out of danger. See "Never Cry Wolf" clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAbU7Ha3jTA&feature=youtu.be No matter how it appeared, Tyler and Rosie made it out alive! It was a great adventure! While it is scary at times, there is no boredom when following God step by step! We are all enjoying the Adventure, learning to enjoy the faith journey He has us on! Scary at times? Sure! Yet, the Adventure of living out His calling, in His presence, is well worth it! We are enjoying the Adventure! And the kids are "Thriving"! How about you? Bored? Or living the adventure? There is no greater adventure than saying yes to God and His purposes! God is so good! Enjoy The Journey! Bart

Testimonies of BREAKTHROUGH!

The following are testimonies I sent out via email to all who had attended the Breakthrough conference. Be encouraged: "I wanted to share some of the testimonies I have received from those who have already experienced a level of Breakthrough following this past weekend's Breakthrough conference (October 19-20, 2012). May these testimonies of Jesus encourage you as they have me. Remember, sometimes God moves the Mountain and other times He gives us the grace and strength to climb the Mountain toward our breakthrough. Whichever place you are on in this journey, be encouraged because God is with you! May these testimonies encourage us all as God prepares us for the abundant life Christ purchased for us to live out in the garden, eating from His Tree of Life! - A lady (Kathy) shared with me: "This conference changed my life! Friday night I cried for two hours straight and didn't know why. .. God reminded me that I had shrunk back in fear from ministry since the '80's. Today I am free and excited about doing all that God has!... This weekend, I received Breakthrough and it changed my life!" (more below).- - A gentlemen who helped as well as participated in the conference as an attendee stood up Sunday at church and said, "As many of you know, I am not one to say things like I am about to share. It is too flaky for me. Yet this weekend at the Breakthrough conference for the first time, during worship and ministry time, I saw an angel standing over (Kathy). It was an angel called Comfort.... Then I saw angels standing up on top of the suspended speakers and I thought 'why would they be up there?' I heard, "Because we can." :-). The pastor of the church said this right after, "I know (guys name), he is not one given to flakiness, which is why I wanted him to share this." - This morning I received this email from Kathy (testimony above): "Though difficult to express because words seem inadequate for the magnitude of change, the conference was a progressive ministry of breakthrough for me: 1. Not understanding the unstoppable flow of tears Friday evening, the Lord sent my friend (referenced above) who told me he saw an angel with arms wrapped around me ministering comfort. My experience confirmed this, and (his) boldness to share brought an understanding of the extreme ministry of comfort and peace I experienced. 2. The teachings and testimonies of Bob and Bart were a symbolic demonstration (a visual object lesson) of the unity Father desires among his children. Two brothers, serving in different Christian streams, ministering in power together... 3. Knowing the Lord sent Bishop Simeon (from Kenya, Africa) thousands of miles on this missionary journey to America with certain spiritual authority and blessings, I determined to seek a blessing and perhaps an impartation. He provided a beautiful, affirming word regarding my name, position, call, and destiny in the kingdom - new beginnings. His word was similar in content to one spoken six days earlier by Pastor Richard. How good the Lord is to repeat, repeat so we get it! 4. I received eternal teachings, treasures from Haggai, Genesis, Proverbs 13:12 regarding restoration of the Tree of Life and abiding with Jesus so that the sap of heaven flows. Residing where heaven and earth kiss, where the glory is, where healings and miracles naturally flow. 5. I received the love of the Father and gift of faith to believe He will use me as part of His church and as a vehicle for the prophetic in Tallahassee. 6. The final gift of the conference came when I shared with Bart my misunderstanding and fears of the prophetic. He and his beautiful wife led me through a prayer renouncing the lies I had embraced and confessing that I will indeed prophesy. I have been set free. Thank you, Bart and your team for all you brought. May God multiply back to you pressed down, shaken together, and poured into your lap spiritual, physical, financial blessings of every kind. Blessings and gratitude to Father and to you, Kathy" - A middle age man came up for prayer saying that he was severely depressed. He received prayer, renounced generational witchcraft and other generational evil, confessed Jesus Christ is Lord of his life, and received some prophetic words of encouragement. Sunday, he showed me scars on his wrists.... then told me that for the first time he heard God speak to Him clearly and He now knows God is with Him. He is excited about life and his future! He explained that this conference had saved his life. The person who gave him a scholarship to attend sent me this: "I talked to (name withheld) on Sunday..he seemed so much more alive and joyful. He looked good..and has a glow on his face. He said his life has changed forever since the conference. I know he has been blessed and filled with the love of the father and he will never be the same again!" - A lady wrote, " ...I really liked the conference! I went primarily because (someone) invited me and I felt a "nudge" from the Lord. I've been a "spirit-filled Christian" a long time.... But God wanted me there and the whole reason was for the prayer I got... I ended up waiting til the end, pretty much. God was testing me, "How much do you really want this?" And of course my husband came in and said, "I'm ready to go, I'll wait in the car!" But it was so worth it! I so needed to hear that...Wow! I had been discouraged for a quite while. And I really felt something lift when y'all prayed for me.... I felt somehow there was more space and so clean in my chest, for lack of a better way to describe it! I had never realized anything was there! So thank you for being available to the Lord and for hearing Him. God's blessing be on you..." - Another lady emailed this, "Dear Bart, Dan and I thank you, your family, LifePoint Church and all who helped you for this weekend. We needed that!!! ...Several blessings happened during the conference, including reconnecting with saints we haven’t seen in a while. There were some very personal past breakthroughs that were confirmed, a couple that happened while we were there, and two continue as we walk out this week. As we were worshipping, waiting for the Holy Spirit... to change the atmosphere, I began to get frustrated, so I knelt and prayed to Jesus and Father God. I told them that their inspired scripture tells us that, if we ask anything in Jesus’ name, believing, we would receive. So I ask, “Come Lord Jesus.” When I arose and began praising the Lord, it happened! Maybe it was just for me at that moment, but I felt this tingling which let’s me know He is really, really close! I think that what happened when He visited me was that He healed my body. I had all the symptoms of cancer in part of my body. All symptoms disappeared! I just know He touched me! Hallelujah! Also, I needed direction about what to do with my life... I received a word of knowledge from the pastor that I should rest and wait on God.... When he and Ross prayed, they heard that while I’m resting, I should ask God for the new thing He has for me. Prayer time in church Sunday morning confirmed that and the last little bit of pain, which felt like labor pains to me, left my body. As we left church, I think the “new thing” was "birthed" (spiritually speaking)... as we chatted with a parishioner we don’t know very well. We will wait and see. I’ll keep you posted! I was very excited about the confirmation at the conference that Dan’s spirit has been set free.... to see my husband receive a vision at the conference and trust to report it to you, is amazing and a testimony that God is good!!! I can’t wait for your next Breakthrough Conference! How about this weekend!?!?!?" - A lady and her husband sent me this: "I just wanted to thank you again for making the way clear for (husband) and I to come this weekend. It's wonderful to see you stepping out in such faith and courage to usher in breakthrough for our region and for individuals. I loved watching you step out where your heart and passion lie. Your passion for the unity of the body is rooted deeply in my heart as well. I could see hearts moved during the weekend and I wished we could hear some of the stories of where breakthrough occurred and hopefully you will over the upcoming days... I know the weekend stirred up a lot of thoughts and even questions for (husband) and I and we have been talking about many things related to the weekend this morning.... I think this week-end has given us a solid foundation for experiencing breakthrough... As I was listening to you share followed by Bob doing the 4 sculpts I thought this is another conference - at least a 3 or 4 day week-end retreat. There was so much truth and good in all of it... (husband) and I had an interesting talk this morning about destiny and influence... I hope what you are hearing here is that I believe you have planted a seed of something amazing with what you have done this past weekend. You have been pregnant with this for a long time and this weekend your water broke and now the baby has moved into the birth canal - this weekend was just a ultra-sound picture. Very exciting to get a glimpse of what's about to be birthed. Be encouraged!!! ... Blessings to you Bart! You did a very good thing this weekend and I know your Heavenly Father is proud of you." God is Good! I sent an email to some who had donated scholarships etc. and I received this back from a gentlemen who lives in New Jersey, who donated to the Breakthrough conference: "After reading the testimonies, I rejoiced... But, then I sat back and was working on some other things... Something happened....an intuition, a feeling of more freedom, less restriction as if the Word of God now has less resistance, at least in my proximity where I am. I feel an outpouring right now. And, a lot of things. The Lord... the whole spiritual realm shifted... it just shifted. This is good. I can live with this." "For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus" Rev 19:10. May the prophetic power of these testimonies bring us more into His Glory and ways! May we all enjoy life in His Garden where His Glory dwells among us! Bart