Portland Week 3 – Final Week
Back to Prophet’s Notebook June 2009
Final Week I originally booked my flights for three weeks. Apostle’s wedding meant that he would not be around for my final week. If I had known this before I booked then maybe I would have only gone for two and not three weeks. I wondered why it had panned out this way but there were significant things that I felt were necessary things for me to be part of. Day tour Pastor Richard Sharpe is a keen historian. He decided to take me to a Fort. My idea of a fort was a place where the US army had a presence to defend territory against the native Indians. Fort Vancouver is across the River Columbus is Washington State. It was set up by the Hudson Bay Company, a British trading company. The fort was used as the company’s main headquarters and supply depot for trading operations. I found it fascinating being a lover of history. It was this operation that was a major factor that allowed the settlement of this area by the pioneers opening up the North Western territories. Lunch was burger heaven. Not your cardboard and wet lettuce MacDonalds version but Carl Junior’s. I had the six dollar burger. Pastor Sharpe said I sounded like the commercial. It was without doubt the best I have ever had. After lunch we went to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. They told the story of the pioneers who opened up the North West in exhibitions, video and a live presentation. I began to realise how hard pioneering is. Great suffering and hardship. Along with the settlers came missionaries. People who loved the gospel so much they were willing to die for it. Made me think how easy it is these days. Maybe that’s why we are seeing decline in church attendance, we’ve lost the true value of the gospel and grown fat just hearing the word week after week but doing nothing about it. Gone Fishing As a boy I was surrounded by fishermen but I never really could see the point of it. When Ben went to Portland in 2007 he was taken fishing. He has mentioned it many times since so I was hopeful that I could somehow fit this into my itinerary. I was not disappointed and was offered the chance to do two days fishing. One of church members, Dennis, has his own boat so after getting a license to fish we drove to a place opposite Beacon Rock. It was exciting for me to go through the process of launching the boat. I was told it would be cold on the river and given fatigues to wear. It turned out to be hot day and my face and hands both got burned. Unfortunately the salmon weren’t biting that day but we did have a good time trying. Next day we tried our luck pond fishing. Dennis is a member of a fishing club so Pastor Sharpe and I became his guests for the day. I really wanted to catch something or I wouldn’t be able to live it down with Ben. He caught quite a few. Unlike the river fishing I had to cast the line. After a few false starts I got into it. Within a few minutes of being there I caught my first fish, a trout. Altogether I managed to catch and land six or seven fish that day. Good fun and fellowship so thank you Dennis. We ate the fish later that week and they were delicious. Prayer Meeting Friday night was prayer meeting night. This was a little different to ones I am used to and was a refreshing time. Most fellowship meetings start with praying for needs and testimonies. It was announced I would receive prayer since this was one of the last opportunities. We were also to pray for John, one of the members who has no kidneys and survives on dialysis. The Lord had spoken to me concerning several things that were to happen in the meeting but I felt that I should not say anything and watch things unfold. I had seen when preparing for the meeting that this man John would pray for my kidney condition. Sure enough there came a point when Pastor suggested the man with no kidneys pray for me. I received prayer and prophecy from the people which I have recorded to weigh. The words were accurate even confirming verses God had led me to earlier that day. I also had seen that I would minister to several people and so there came a point in the flow of the meeting where this seemed right. God moved and people were blessed. Final Service Sunday morning was my final service. It was special to see how the Body moved in the gift of prophecy. Many prophecies. I had felt that week to bring a word from Luke 5 where Jesus told the disciples fishing to cast their nets on the other side of the boat since they had caught nothing. They obeyed and were blessed with abundance. The Lord didn’t bring this to mind in the meeting but another Prophet stood and gave the same word. I confirmed it and the church rejoiced in receiving it. The remarkable thing was another prophet sent me an e-mail whilst I was away saying exactly the same thing so I forwarded this to the church. One of the people I prayed with on the Friday testified that as I prayed she felt God touch her and she had received a breakthrough in that area. Praise God for His faithfulness. Journey Home I was ready to leave Monday morning. God always has given me the grace for the time I am away and when the time to come home arrives I am ready. The journey back was through the night but there was permanent sunshine due to the fact we travelled over the Arctic Circle. A strange phenomenon. We arrived in Schiphol early and after a stopover of three hours I caught the plane to Birmingham. I suffered no jet lag and was up and working the next day. Last time I slept 24 hours after my return. I had prayed for no jet lag and God answered. It was an eventful and blessed time away. I was conscious from comments and gestures made by the church members in Portland that God was using me in ways I wasn’t even aware of. People would say the kindest things and often with tears. This has to be God touching lives not me. It was a pleasure to be with people who accept the Apostolic and worship in the flow of God. I made many new friends. Many things were done in my own life. I look forward to receiving Apostle Richard and Cheryl next year to Birmingham. I also hope to make a trip next year with my wife Annie God and finances willing. Thanks for your prayers, They are effective and are answered in ways you may not even be aware of. Much blessing Graham, Annie, Ben and Jenny Unsworth