Well today marked a complete and utter FIRST for me which I am so excited about and I just have to write about it!! Yesterday I was really thrilled to get an email from my friend Jesse (author of the "Resurgence" blog) inviting me to set up a programme that makes it possible to talk on the phone via the internet. I know you I.T experts will be unimpressed but for me that is a BIG deal! The programme is Skype - which is free to download! I managed to download it successfully but Jesse and I couldn't chat because I needed a headset. You can tell that I was really excited about it - because all last night I kept having recurrent dreams about chatting to Jesse and even a more vivid dream about flying to the USA and visiting him in Flordia on the way to the Ern Baxter Memorial Library in Mobile (obviously both deep seated longings!).
So I brought the headset today from Birmingham city centre and raced home - and Jesse and I got to have a proper voice-voice conversation at 4pm my time - 11am his time! It was so incredible to actually speak to this wonderful guy! The first five minutes were spent laughing at the novelty of the situation - we both couldn't quite get over the fact that we were talking via the internet! It was so strange to be speaking into my laptop and hearing a voice coming out of it!We then went on to chat first about where we both live with the help of Google maps! We then moved on to chatting a bit about Ern Baxter and the Fort Lauderdale Five and my interest in them. I then shared a bit about my nursing job and the change for me from Intensive Care to the new children's hospice I will be working at. We then went on to talk about books (a mutual passion!). Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones is a hero of us both so we delved into his incredible insight into the Person and work of the Holy Spirit - yet why that didn't seem to be quite reflected in church life at Westminster Chapel. Jesse told me a bit about himself and his background - where he grew up - the exciting events coming up for him in the next few weeks!
Not surprisingly for any who know both of us we ended up talking in depth about the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our churches including sung prophecies and their place as compared to spoken prophecies. Obviously the incredible grace gift of the internet from God to us and how we are both seeking to honour Him through it by writing. I hoped to get into more practical discussions as to how we can further the Charismatic Resurgence in blogging we so desire - but time as ever was against us and Jesse had to get to work!I cannot express what a complete joy and encouragement it was to speak to a fellow guy who has similar interests, passions and thoughts like me. I cannot get over either the fact that we could talk for over an hour - from the UK to the USA - FREE!! Truly the grace gift of God! It is our hope that we can make this regular. I truly thank God for the internet and the blogging world - because for one it has made it possible for me to meet this remarkable guy!
What other "Firsts" are in store for us I wonder?!
11 comments:
I am very VERY impressed! Gosh - I would have loved to have eavesdropped on your conversation. Maybe you too should interview each other and provide us with the transcript! I love the thought of the combination of your passion, your giftings, your vision! Keep talking - keep encouraging each other - keep stirring each other! You and Jesse are gifts to the Body of Christ!
dr S A J Burgess
Woo-hooo! (I am Rufus saturated at this point, sometimes I even think and dream in a South African accent.)
That sounds like so much fun. I know God is going to bring so much good fruit out of these seemingly unlikely internet relationships.
I definitely share your enthusiasm bro about being able to chat. It was quite enjoyable to hear an actual voice to associate with all of the conversation we've had through the blogs all this time. I hope that God gives you opportunities to minister to the children you work with each day.
Maybe you, me and Julie should conference call!! See I am getting heady and carried away with all this technology!! ;) Mind you I think no one would get a word in - with all the talk about the grace of God, glory of God, Holy Spirit!!
I bring a dire warning against this kind of conversation over the internet. It is a mark of the beast and therefore cannot be of God. It is one of the warnings of the premillenial wrath of God coming just before the Church gets raptured.
Beware!
PS: My new book will shortly be coming out. "Glossolaliacs Chaos".
Between Aaron and I, no one can get a word in,especially when we get going about grace. We have to watch that...hehe. He says he needs me to finish his sentences.
Ha ha!! Whoever that was - that's brilliant!! ;) LOL! Unless it really was Macarthur ... then what on EARTH are YOU doing on a charismatic website!!?!?
I think grace is the most amazing topic to get going on!! We don't talk about it enough!! The more the better! I have to say every sermon of Rob Rufus's that I listen to, I learn something new about the passion of the Father for His Church!!
Sounds an exciting new book "John". I'm sure we will look forward to that with as much anticipation as we did "Charismatic Chaos" ;)
\o/
Jesse was really excited he got to talk to you, Dan. He went on and and on about what a great guy you are. Thanks for sharing a passion for the Gospel and the gifts...keep it up!
Well as did I to my friend Scott who I houseshare with!! I'm still having weird dreams about talking out of the internet!! Ha ha! I am so looking forward to chatting again - got loads more questions for him!! :)
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