Friend's and Friend's of Friend's

Please read Pete’s response to me first (here) before reading what I have shared here with him.

Pete,

I so love your heart, it so exalts the one who is our Life! A friend of mine once said, “I know God is no respecter of persons, but maybe He is a respecter of hearts”

As far as my ‘former ministry,’ looking back, what I now see was my trying to be someone something other than whom He had purposed for me to Be, and without a revelation of His unconditional total love for me this could have easily turned into a greater nightmare than it already was.
Prior to Him burying us, my wife and family and I alive, I was rich in some of the most incredible experiences a person could encounter, and that all followed my very powerful and dramatic re-birthing.

The day before I was (euphemistically) ‘let go’ from the ministry, I along with my fellow colleagues were together in one of our weekly staff meetings, I won’t bore you will all of the details, suffice it to say, when we opened up in prayer, I was immediately aware of the Lord wanting to show me something, so I mentioned this to the others as we were praying, they encouraged me to go further into seeing where this might lead to.

What followed was almost like something from a science fiction movie.
You have to understand what was unfolding before me although wild; I was use to encounters like this, only this was far different.
In my spirit I saw Jesus in a shadowy silhouette approaching me and as He got closer I could see/make out he was holding a communion chalice, and it being filled to the brim. He was not saying anything with his lips, yet I could hear His words in my heart.
He motioned that this cup he held was for me, and somehow I knew that I could receive it and drink it or I could say no thanks, and somehow I knew His love for me would be the same.
I could see in His eyes/heart a love for me that was so foreign to anything I had thus far experienced, I choose to symbolically reach out and take this chalice/cup from him under No compulsion, putting it up to my lips, and drinking it all.
Then for the first time He spoke to me, and this is where it gets wild, He says, “I now give you permission to enter into the fellowship of my sufferings.”
The next day I was called into the senior pastors office to be informed, I was being let go~yikes.

This set into motion my being brought into what I call, ‘the school of the spirit,’ I was being brought into a living encounter with the One who had called me to BE His, not a call to be someone apart from Him. When I was let go from the ministry, I was not only being stripped of my many colored coat, much like Joseph was, but SO much more. We were living in a postage stamp sized house, renting it, why, because we lost Everything, another story to be shared another time.

I slowly began to see and learn of a Father that was smitten by me, this was unfathomable to my thinking, but He had my attention big time.
As I learned and am learning of His love, I have been awakened into an understanding of His grace that is so transforming my life, I no longer resemble the person I was for so long, even as ‘a Christian.’
I dare anyone to ask my wife and my kids as they are able to cut to the chase and speak the Truth re: this progressive ongoing transformation in my heart, thoughts, words and actions.

Pete my dear brother, there is so much I could share, but won’t right at this time, only to encourage you as you have done to me. You are such a priceless and vital living expression of His hearts purpose and to us His body, and for that reality I say, thank you Papa!
I love your rambling please never stop, many would be greatly refreshed and encouraged of His spirit living in Pete, as Pete.

Rich