Officially Obsessed

Wow. I only wish I could describe this place to you. The past few days have been wonderful. The picture to the left is actually on the roof of the Dream Center (which isn't allowed...but we interns have connections, haha). These are just a couple of the people who have blessed my life already. How refreshing it is to be around kindred spirits. The unity already that is already beginning to develop is unlike any I have ever experienced. Yesterday my roommate arrived...Lindsay - who is legitimately one of just those nicest of nice people. Way nicer than me :) Yesterday I went on a tour at the Dream Center and got to see everything. This campus is gigantic - and thats an understatement. I'm not even going to try to explain it.

Last night I attended the Thursday night service that is held weekly at Angelus Temple (the church a couple blocks away that is connected to the Dream Center). The service was awesome. I am completely blown away by the way this church operates. All I could think was - this is how a church is supposed to look...every type of person you can imagine was there. Maybe this will give you a little glimpse - Sinbad's daughter was on the worship team, the entire Men's and Women's and Teens Discipleship program attends (this is the one year intense rehab program @ the Dream Center), the homeless and druggies from Skid Row are bussed in, eighty year old women, a couple of Laker's dancers doing a dance performance, and me - white Arkansas/Texas girl. Put all of this together - worship is powerful, genuine, and these people actually believe in Who they are singing about, its so evident. Help my unbelief Lord. The message was beautiful and ended with a time of prophetic words to sons and daughters of the Abba Father...How beautiful to see women with abusive, non-existent dads at the altar weeping, as the words of the one True Father were spoken over them. Restoration happened. The Spirit dwells here.

Too much to write about, I apologize...today was orientation. This place is pretty lax and chill / there is so much going on - you just kind of have to figure it out and jump in. Part of our orientation consisted of a trip to Target, a 3 story Target might I add, every girls' dreamland. You've never seen anything like it - the shopping carts had their own escalators. The food around these parts is well...all donated. Praise Jesus. You never know quite what you are eating, but I cannot complain as I sit with the homeless who are ravenously eating every bite. Anyway, today we also met Pastor Matthew Barnett - the master mind behind who started and runs this place. He also preaches at the church I mentioned earlier, Angelus Temple. He is so down to earth and all about Jesus and restoring the broken. He was so encouraging and thanked all of us interns a million times for taking part in this ministry. Something he said to us really stuck out to me as he speaking about how the Lord has truly blessed the Dream Center, he said - "If you first reach the people that nobody wants then you will eventually reach the people that everyone wants." Amen, he was referring to some of Hollywood's very own who have contributed and attend church here.

This is enough for now, although I have much more to write about. Know that words do no justice. I am off to go for a run...then all the interns are headed to Santa Monica tonight for a night of fun :)