Acquire the Fire

Phil Joel, formerly with the Newsboys

at the Dome with Zeb, Ryan & Jylle


Rock fists!

Up all night, finally caught up with ‘em. They knew
people would snap pics, but tired doesn’t care.

"Acquire the Fire" in Tacoma was this last weekend. There were 35 kids (including two of mine) and four adults. We took a charter bus and had a blast. The speakers and musicians were great, and the drama was thought-provoking and well done. Ryan said it’s the best youth event he’s ever been to so far! There was all the freedom in the world to worship however you wanted. I didn’t do the mosh pit, not because I didn’t want to, but because I loved the freedom to move on every side since most of the kids were up front. The music wasn’t so loud that I needed the ear plugs I brought, so that was a lovely surprise. I loved the upraised hands, the One-on-one time, the lyrics, and the easy movement from LET’S ROCK to Let’s worship the Holy One. I am ready to keep on and am invigorated for battle. This is the gist of what I shared with the congregation, to whom we all gave some kind of testimony of the weekend:

"I took some notes because my brain turns to oatmeal... We did the regular teen things--made new friends, sang, played games, laughed a lot. We also went to Starbucks three times, rode a trolley, ate pizza in the cold, didn’t sleep enough, and laughed and laughed.

"One line from a song in the worship was “You are my portion.” Psalm 73:26 says, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” When I think of portion, I think of Oliver Twist and the scene where he holds up his bowl and says, “More, please.” The dictionary defines portion as 1) a part that is allotted to a person or group, 2) a dowry, 3) A person’s lot or destiny. God is my portion. He doesn’t give us a bit of Himself—He gives us the ALL of Him. He gives us the ALL of His nature, He gives us the ALL of His Son, Jesus Christ, and He gives us the ALL of the power of His Holy Spirit. That is my portion. These 35 kids want the ALL of God, and that was exactly what I needed.

"I can’t watch the news but once/week because I get so bummed, so disheartened (my new most-used word). Witnessing the passion of these young people was a tonic to my soul, a balm in Gilead. There was not a dispassionate soul in the bunch. Being around that, I was 18 again--and that’s been a hundred years... God sent me on this trip for my own personal revival and refreshment. I have a new hope for our community and our nation as I see the fire in these young people. Pleeease pray that satan would not steal the glory and inspiration of this weekend from these kids because that’s exactly what he’ll be trying to do. And thank you so much for your support of this youth group. May God bless you."

Honestly, except for my air mattress going flat almost immediately, making for fitful sleep, and not being able to find a comfortable position to sleep in on the way home, it was a wonderful weekend. I even got "a new bff" into the bargain (smile). I’d do it all over again. Next year. After I get some sleep.

I have continued to receive comments on my “preaching” (not in an unkind way) and can totally see how Tina would love a platform from where she could preach and exhort and lift up and put out there the Love of God and the Name of Jesus and the Life He has available to everyone who would believe! I am content to have been a part of this weekend and to have met with God and done business with Him. My battle is in the ordinary everyday, the boring, the uncomfortable. These are my challenge areas. I am grateful for abiding, ongoing Love & Presence. “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind, both its inclination and its character, is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You,” ~Isaiah 26:3.