I had just bought my little sister, Viviana (6), a slurpee and while driving had the following conversation with her…

Erik: hey baby, ever had a brain freeze?

Vivi: what’s that?

Erik: it’s when your head really hurts from drinking a slurpee.

Vivi: no

Erik: Hey Vivi, do you want to try it

Vivi: [with a curious grin on her face] … yes.

Erik: Are you sure? It’s going to hurt!

Vivi: [with an even bigger smile] … yeah.

Erik: Ok, drink as much as you can really fast without stopping.

[Three seconds go by and then she stops drinking and rests her head down on her hands and says ‘oww!’ (we both laughed)]

But then I feel as if the Lord asked me if I had ever had a brain freeze…
and just like Vivi, I smiled and wanted it

Erik: Father, yes, I want to experience that…

[Lord’s response paraphrased]

Lord: Son, i want you to picture something for a moment… For every box, there’s a corner. For every room, there’s a wall. For every nation there’s an ocean. And while even earth has a limit, the atmosphere, I want you to think for a moment what’s beyond the atmosphere.

Erik: Outer space.

Lord: Yes, but think past that… think of the lack of boundaries in space. No end, no limitation. Past even 900 universes, it keeps going. This isn’t fiction, son, this is real… you are standing in the middle of a beautiful vast expanse… although you may think you’re confined, there’s no wall. no edge to the universe. Just space and beauty that your scientists continue to unravel — beauty in every planet, star, and solar system.

Erik: [speechless]

Lord: And while I created it all, my most beautiful work is creating and knitting you, my beloved and precious son. And while my creation is without limit, a vast expanse, I took more pride in knitting *you* than even the most beautiful flower or marvelous mountain. I love you son… i mean, i love you, for real.

i simply sat on my front porch, dumbfounded, staring past the blue sky into the universe. my brain couldn’t process it. it was much more intense than a brain freeze. Or as Rick Warren beautifully put it in his book The Purpose Driven Life,

“it’s like an ant trying to understand the internet.”

— no kidding

Many responses were received from the previous post, via the email address, myspace messages and through the obvious xanga comment.  While the deadline is still July 31st, I just wanted to thank you for the valuable time and energy that most of you helped to contribue to this project — it will not go unnoticed.  After July 31st, all responses will be placed into the 2007 version (as this is expected to be an annual project).  Thank you again for your incredible support.

I was embarrassed…

I went to take a picture up close and someone leaped over others to tell me that I couldn’t (grr).

I should have known, considering all the camera crews filming Israel Houghton’s huge concert.  But then… a lady puts her hand on my shoulder and gently whispers in my ear over the loud music, “hey… would you like to take a picture with him?  I’m his wife.”  Me? 

Once the concert was over, she whisks me away back stage through multiple tiers of security to the green room (code for “VIP/band lounge”).  I later spend the next 15 minutes, hosted by Israel’s wife, exclusively meeting the entire band — just me.  Not just casual either — she was really interested in introducing me, as if i were some VIP.  She later grouped the entire band together for me and had the manager take as many pictures as I wanted.  Talk about grace.  🙂

Israel Houghton writes incredible worship songs, including “Lord you are Good”, “Again I Say Rejoice”, “Friend of God” and dozens of other songs that I really enjoy on my iPod.  But what really inspired me through this uncommon encounter wasn’t Israel, his band or even his wife… it was the sheer beauty that a man such as Israel, had a woman backing him such as his wife, which in turn helped me to again see a beautiful picture of God’s anointed glory: an authentic and time-tested Proverbs 31 woman utilizing her own anointing, while empowering a man of God.

It sounds silly, perhaps something I should have identified early on, but that night the Lord showed me the further evidence that I needed to see — that I can not do what I feel He’s called me to do alone nor with just any woman, nor can my future bride do what she’s called to do with just any man.

Abraham with Sarah, Billy Graham with Ruth, Ron Luce with Katie, John Bevere with Lisa, …the list goes on.