Happy Thanksgiving! I took some time to reflect and remember on things I am grateful for and stumbled on this podcast I recorded ONE WEEK before we left Redding, California to move our family to New Hope, Pennsylvania. We have now been on the east coast for almost a year and a half and it's great to go back and reflect on the journey and remember what you are grateful for. Enjoy this episode.

"Next week a moving truck is arriving to pack up our 'stuff' and then we begin the drive from California to Pennsylvania. There are a lot of goodbyes and see-you-later's happening (and a few leaky eyes). In the midst of this time I have taken some moments to reflect on what I have learned from my time here. I was privileged to work directly with Danny Silk, then Kris Vallotton and through both of them connect and receive personal feedback from Bill Johnson.

So what did I learn that you will never read in a book? Here's some inside stories..."

- Relationship is more important than being right

- The level of trust is the level of connection and means EVERYTHING when you are trying to lead people they don't want to go: tissue paper vs. leather 'connection'

- Two new words for my vocabulary: "What do you need to feel from me in order to thrive?"

- Keep walking and stay close: when you have someone in disagreement or conflict

- Why do you trust me? Because you recognized the culture and protected it...

Best book : Culture of Honor - How to sustain a supernatural environment

- Humility and confrontation: "You are a father in the house, you carry the culture better than anyone I know, including me and I'm sorry for any pain I caused you."

- Then WE made a mistake story

- The value of disagreement pushing back on ideas, challenging to get a bigger perspective 

- Texting every few weeks when our daughter was going through crazy physical asking how she was doing and praying for us

Best book: Supernatural Ways of Royalty - Discovering your rights and privileges of being a son or daughter of God

- Family above everything : Earl Johnson leaving his own annual conference to go watch Bob play basketball... 

- Courage under fire: Enduring Faith -  the message week recorded the before and the week after Bill's father died of cancer. Also, watching Bill now navigate his own wife battling cancer and yet Bill is on fire for the Kingdom of God and miracles. 

- Love for word of God and voice of God above all else - honors people who disagree including writing them a check... Early on at Bethel turning to Beni saying 'this is it...' 

- Passion for the Kingdom - I've had this as a philosophy for years but haven't known how to do it - you are doing it.

Best book: Strengthen Yourself in the Lord - How to release the hidden power of God in your life We came here with a career and left with a story We came here with cracks in our foundation and left knowing if God is for me then no other opinion matters We came here with 12 suitcases and leave with a moving truck We came here with four children under the age of 8 and leave with four young adults who are more confident and secure in themselves and God than I was We came here out of obedience, we leave here out of vision and love We came here as a fat caterpillar and leave as a butterfly, having broken out of the cocoon

I'm sad. I'm excited. I'm grateful.

Thank you Danny and Sheri, Kris and Kathy, Bill and Beni: my life in Christ and His Kingdom is stronger and more secure AND more fruitful because of you.

The things that I heard from you among many witnesses, I have committed these to faithful men and women who are now teaching others also!