NYC lecture and amazing day

This was such an amazing day. I couldn't sleep last night. This rarely, basically never happens. But my thought kept feeling the need to work metaphysically. So I worked on no personality, the real individuality, just like I do in Latin America. It occurred to me that it was relevant, probably more relevant than I realized. I also kept thinking about the need to retitle Being God's Song. I finally turned on the light and filled the hotel stationary with possible titles and word associations. But as I filled all the pages and turned it over to start on the back sides, I suddenly realized that I wasn't retitling the lecture, I was thinking about good titles rather than the lecture. So I took it out and read through the lecture. Then it came to me, The Healing Power of the Bible. This is a title that had occurred to me weeks ago, but I thought it was for a new lecture. I'd prayed last night for what was blocking my thought. I was willing to think beyond what was coming to me. I had no desire to be willful about a title. But the blockage was in thinking that the title hadn't already come to me. God had already given me the title. I didn't need to think about anything more. Instantly I was peaceful and went to sleep.

I'm going to let Pam know to retitle that lecture. I'm going to completely drop the other titles for it, they haven't been particularly effective. That lecture has only been given maybe a dozen times. And I had a thought of how to start the lecture with a story instead of theology. I need to remember to work on that later.

So I got up a bit late, but made it to breakfast. I love Holiday Inn Express, delicious eggs with real cheese in them not Kraft slices, spicy sausage patties and their incomparable cinnamon rolls. Ahhhhh. I'd read the Bible lesson in the middle of the night or early morning, so I started praying for folks and what happens but I get a phone call from someone who wants to go through class. It occurred to me immediately that I should take this person. Since they don't have an email, I just did the application in the form of an interview over the phone. This is a first, but it felt right. I'm thinking I need to remember this for the future and not make the process so formal for some folks. Sometimes the formal is needed, especially when I'm not sure this is the right time or place for someone. Gives them time to think. Anyway, another member of class.

This made me a little late or rather the time schedule I"d had for myself was blown. So I got ready to leave, marched into the rain and since I was late to meet Nancy took a cab. When we had only gone a few blocks, the tab was approaching $5 I thought, this isn't working. So I paid him, bailed out, as I noticed we were at Penn Station and went for the subway. My first venture into the NY subway since I was in the 20s and had a B&H person hauling me around Manhattan giving demonstrations and teaching things. Anyway, was at the perfect entrance. Bought a day pass, and felt like a pro. The train dropped me right at the door of the Museum of Natural History where Nancy and I were meeting. But after I'd stood in the line for 5 minutes, it occurred to me that this wasn't the main entrance, eventhough she had also come by train. And that she would have walked around to the main entrance and was waiting for me there. So I did that and there she was at the head of the line waiting for me. She'd been there for at least 20 minutes probably half an hour. But we got tickets right away and for the planetarium show.

We had such fun. We had all the same interests. We wandered around what was right there on that floor. She talked non-stop the entire time. She just had lots to say and I was interested to hear it. So we wandered, stopped at some displays and read them. Looked at animals from India. Saw some lovely carving from Japan in ivory. Went to the bird exhibit and spent lots of time looking at all the birds and trying to figure out from their diagrams what the names of the various birds were. She was just as interested as I was. I can't think of anyone else who would have gotten excited about stuffed birds from around the world, finding them hidden in the diorama and figuring out their names. Some of them I recognized, of course the ones from Congo were all new. I didn't think the Australia display was very good. The birds in Australia are amazing, with 14 species of parrots, and then the lorikeets etc. They only had Eastern Rosellas and Crimson Rosellas along with some bush birds. No rainbow lorikeets!!! I couldn't believe it. Surely someone could send them a recently deceased lorikeet for their collection.

Anyway, she'd set an alarm so we wouldn't miss the planetarium show. That building is huge. We had to ask several times. We rushed past displays that I would have loved to see. The ocean things looked fascinating. Completely missed the gem and mineral display (she did too turns out it closes at 1pm why wasn't that on the brochure they gave us?) Anyway, we walked right into the planetarium show, Cosmic Collisions, narrated by Robert Redford. It was really good. The current theory is that the moon was formed by a collision of a planet type thing with the earth while it was forming and in a belt or band of forming planets. The collision created a huge rubble mass most of which fell back into the earth. But larger chunks collided together and within a month formed the moon, meaning that there were two bodies with enough gravity for the rubble to fall into. I think that's a lame theory. No explanation of why the entire moon didn't fall back into the earth or how it established such a balanced perpetual relationship with the earth that its orbit isn't degrading and eventually pulling the moon into the earth. That's not happening, and no explanation for such inter-relationship and balance. Anyway, it made for great pictures.

And they have the floor vibrate and the seats shake so you really feel as well as hear and see the show. They talked about sun spots and solar wind storms, and what protects us from them. The effect on a satelite of solar winds. Really good show. I'd love to take Cory and Denize. They would love this place. I found myself plotting how I might get them up to New York for a couple days. Maybe Cory is too young but Denize and I would have a blast.

Anyway, we ate lunch in their food court, build your own salad and some great baked beans. They had pulled pork, but we'd just eaten that wonderful bbq sandwich in Tucson. I left via subway after 2, got home, and took a nap. Slept for over an hour, which I really needed, got ready for the lecture, used the subway and made it to the lecture site in good time. Huge building set for 300. I think they had 100. Great sound, excellent stage set. Well done. This church had been resisting the white boards, but they're glad they did it.

I was introduced by Georgia. She did a lovely job. Not sure why they didn't have her on the stage. That was odd. Should have just given her the hand held mike, but they didn't ask me and it was too late to change it. So I stood on the floor beside her, then ran up the stairs to the stage.

Lecture went well. They didn't count, but I think they had about 100 with maybe 10 visitors. Good participation, clearly the audience hadn't expected to participate. Lots of people took notes. By the end several people had tears, including Georgia, so they were feeling the Christ spirit. It was an upper room atmosphere.

The comments afterward were very good. Several people asked about praying about specific situations. One man said he wished he could get together with people and talk about the fruitage and experiences that came from this lecture and using these types of prayer. I pointed out to him that the church had planned such a meeting for the following Saturday and referred him to their calendar. I think he might come.

Another man said he'd trained over 900 people in public speaking in his career and said I was one of the best. He said I talked with people instead of at them. I know what he means, but it was very nice to hear that a professional like him felt it. It was a very nice compliment being that I was in NYC and have had no such formal training. God is the best trainer.

A visitor, African American, thanked me for being specific and that I'd given him so much to pray with. He verbalized how much work went into making it uncluttered and simple for the listener. He must perform himself, because he really got it.

I was there talking to people for about an hour. The church seemed happy. They had begun talking to me about coming back during the lunch after the lecture prep. They were talking about it again after the lecture. We'll see what God says.

I found out that this church is in the midst of a big controversy. They have an arrangement with a catering company who uses the building during off hours for big parties, and serves wine, looking to be a liquor license. It's split the church. Half the church has left. They are down to about 12 members in a behemoth building. So the lecture prep on church growth was relevant. I had so many of the members tell me that they had begun praying with the ideas and prayers already from the prep already. It's a lovely group. They are trying to think out of the box. They might have gotten over their heads but if they keep God first, God will straighten things.

Georgia had asked me after the prep if I had time for an appointment to talk with her. I'd suggested after the lecture which worked for her. So I slipped her a card before we started for that Italian restaurant we'd eaten at the day before. It's only a couple blocks from church. So it turned out we left together and had a lovely dinner. She paid for it. I requested the same waiter, David. We closed the place or rather they kept it open until we were done eating. Very kind of them. We stayed until almost midnight. Had a marvelous salad, and split a pasta dish with delicious shrimp, mushrooms and artichokes. Oh my this place is good. Pane e Vino on Lexington between 61st and 62nd, don't miss it and tell David that Elise sent you. Anyway, we also split a tiramisu. She'd never had it before, ever, and I couldn't resist having it again.

While we were talking and eating dinner, we sat at the same table that I'd sat before right by the window. Two men walked by and suddenly stopped, looked in the window and said how great the lecture was and how much they enjoyed it. It was so....surprising. i thought it was lovely. I'm a complete stranger and it made me feel so at home to be recognized and to have them thank me for the lecture. It was great. She was quite taken as well. I don't think she recognized the men. They weren't members of that church.

Anyway, we talked about the church situation. I shared some thoughts that seemed helpful. We talked about her touring. I'll never complain. She does 8 shows a week, only one day off and there are 40 people in the company so she is never alone. I can't imagine. She wondered if I was ever lonely when David wasn't with me. No, I'm always busy with things I need to do, and I'm never alone because God is with me. But it was a great chat. I told her about the 2 person church and the lady in Mexico and her lectures. She got the point that numbers don't matter and that as long as we put God first, make God the first priority, things work out. I also talked about bringing church to people instead of bringing people to church. She understood that. She thanked me several times for my life, for living my life the way I did and doing what I do. It was an interesting thing to say. I'm not sure if she says it to everyone or if it was something that was specific with me. But she said it enough that it made an impression. She talked about me being on fire for church and how that was felt and how it was the right timing for their church, and might have saved their church from "death". She wasn't supposed to be the one introducing me, but said how grateful she was that she did and had this opportunity to talk together. It had given her a boost that she needed. When she got off the road 3 weeks ago she discovered her apartment had been flooded. She's been sleeping on other people's couches and they ripped all the plaster off the walls and ceilings. She's living in a war zone, and the church being a war zone. I can understand how difficult this has been for her. Then all her friends have left the church including her practitioner and teacher. Her Association won't meet in the church, and a teacher from Boston basically told her she had to leave the church. I just told her to put God first and not be intimidated. She's on the board. The church needs to not be intimidated, by the catering company, by anyone. Put God first and not be intimated. God will work things out, overturn, overturn until He come whose right it is. I don't know the answer but God does.

I was glad she told me I was on fire and that my being on fire is felt by others. It reminds me that during the teachers' meeting I don't need to feel defensive but know that I'm already doing what they want us to do. It's the old 99-1 TMC approach. They want to get a message to the 1 person so they hold a meeting for the 99. I don't need to feel they are preaching at me. I was so grateful to think this through while she was talking. That was my gift from the conversation, and I will remember it because it came from her.

We finally left at almost midnight. She paid the bill and gave David an extra tip. Then we stood outside under the awning and finished talking about the Mexico lectures. I mentioned the workshops in the funeral home. She was aghast but realized why I wasn't too concerned about place. It was the right place at that moment, at that time. I think the stories helped her.

David recognized her and asked if she was in movies. She said television and let it go at that. I think the cab guy recognized her as well.

He was from Turkey. We talked about our upcoming trip and then he talked about going to Egypt. We compared where he is going and where we went. When I got out I gave him a Sentinel. I've managed to give a Sentinel a day just like I've committed, but not a Herald a day. I need to work on that more. There are Spanish speakers all over this hotel. I'm just not focussing on it enough. Anyway, when I handed him the Sentinel he was thrilled. He said, "I love things like this." He immediately turned on his light and started looking at it. He stayed there for a minute or two before he drove off. God is on the job and we can bring church to the people instead of waiting for the people to come to church.