I love going to the AIM office.  I'm not really big on the South (except for sweet tea) but there is something wonderful about this little parcel of land in Gainesville and the people there that is just awesome.  I have found that going to Gainesville is like getting my oil changed and my tires rotated, and it rejuvenates your soul. 

 

But I am a New Englander, born and bred.  There are certain things that we just don't do.  We don't do that hand-raising-worship thing, and we don't touch each other when we pray.  And we certainly don't have visions--and if we did, we wouldn't tell you.  We're cold and independent.

 

So when we had group worship time this past Wednesday, and Clint wanted people to start praying for him and each other with hands and the whole deal, I kind of panicked a little.  He's talking about visions of the pool of Bethesda and how we need to all jump in to the pool.  I believe in all this stuff, I know it's real, but I never know how to handle it.  So I just sat there at first.

 

And then something said, "Just stand up, just do that much."  Okay, I stood up.  Now I look like an idiot standing instead of an idiot sitting...now what?  "Laura is your friend.  Go hang out with her."  Okay, I'm walking over to Laura.  So Laura gives me a hug, and then we're just chilling, listening to the music.  No sweat.  Then Laura decides to pray for me, and she holds my hand.  This is cool as well.  No crazy hand on the forehead and signalling for catchers.  This is good.  I can handle this.

 

And then Laura says, "I have a vision for you!"  This is really neat.  I dig it when this happens, but yet I still never know what to do, or how to react.  This is what Laura said:

 

"I saw you at the pool and you wanted to get in, but you didn't know how to.  You were getting your feet wet and trying to figure out how to make it into the pool, but you just couldn't figure out how.  And then this huge wave just comes up from the pool and completely engulfs you and brings you in."

 

She continues that the vision didn't make any sense to her at first.  "The pool of Bethesda doesn't have waves!?!"  But then we discuss it further, and how neat of an image it really is.  I was totally encouraged.  I do want to get into the pool.  I don't want to be afraid to use the gifts and the power that we have through Jesus.  But I can't for the life of me figure out how to get in the darn pool.  I always feel like I'm doing it wrong, or for the wrong reasons.  And it was so awesome to learn that I just have to keep trying, and God will make the rest of it happen.  God will make sense of my clumsiness. 

 

I like wave pools.