Gathering some stories and teachings in seed form towards a larger collection of the tale and adventures in God series…
Why tongues can be helpful.
My God story about talking the Parisian guy off the bridge in tongues and three images. What a God story—I’ve told it many places, but hope to write down more the nuances later—here’s the rough cut:
I speak in tongues sometimes, when led, usually just in prayer when i can’t fully understand or overhear what Jesus is actually praying for someone. The Spirit fills in the story, and it keeps us humble to realize we just don’t really know how we ought to pray, but this day, it was actually helpful in a unique way to someone.
This story all started on a rainy night in Paris. I was prayer walking and the spirit drew my attention to a man on the edge of a bridge . He was shaking and very unstable and immediately i knew he was about to kill himself.
First the Spirit slowed my steps. Walk towards but not at him. I did. Then something odd happened. I started just talking to him in what sounded to me like french tongues. I had explored different prayer languages over the years, but never heard this one.
What was more amazing-the man understood everything I was saying. I paused, and kept talking to him from a short distance, then he turned towards me, and i felt led to walk closer to him, while still speaking in french tongues.
He started asking me questions. I would pause and reply in these tongues an answer that evidently made perfect sense to him. He was not crazy either. Then I felt God say, draw a picture of a door and steeple and an arrow as I recall. I did and started pointing at the images and explaining them in these tongues.
He started crying and hugged me and went walking towards this enormous church building in the neighborhood.
God has a thousand thoughts towards each of us daily, and that day i got to express some of His Thoughts towards this desperate man. God is able to communicate to His Own creatures, whatever the language.
Also, working on a piece about’s and  the directional right left’s of the Holy Spirit and how I found my wife after 911.
How I found my wife after 911. God had led me to be at 911, told me the flights to take and where to land, but this is the story after 911. I had bought a red scarf for my wife in London before going to NYC.
I knew i had to deliver this very special red silk scarf as part of my courtship of my soon to be wife, but had never been to the city where my fiancee lived and did not know where she lived.
As I approached CIncinatti, He said, turn right, then left and park in a particular parking lot and wait. I did so, and then a woman arrived in a car. He said ask that woman if she knows Amy MacDonald. Well, a bit stunned the woman replied, yes she is my best friend, are you Derek? I said yes, and then followed her to their community house. Amy was not there, so to be romantic I left the scarf on her bed. Actually I had her friend put it there, as i didn’t want to be intrusive.
Then I had to leave, as there was one more assignment on this mission. I had to go tell a friend in Denver to move to the west coast. So I didn’t linger.
On the un-fear of Death since we know Life:
Are you afraid of dying?
We think of death as the monster at the party, but what do we really think about it?
I think death is just a passage way into a continuum with Jesus. He doesn’t stop loving us as we go into a new form.
And I’m not so sure we just stop and rest for a long time. All my visions have taught me, that my elders are all up above and still growing and transforming and becoming, and helping us out…just a thought.
We really don’t just not need to fear death, we need to welcome that transition! I know there are many mysteries around it all. But we are fearless in Him who has already overcome it. Not just fearless, as if it were an enemy, but trusting that the One who grabbed our hand and held onto our heart down here, when we were blind, will continue to do so into the next!
And we, from my experience, get to continue growing and learning and transforming in Him when we are up above where He is. I’m not fearful, but sort of excited about this great adventure of crossing over the Veil that He has already ripped open.
I’ve had many experiences of my own elders above giving me counsel. So I know they are active and still concerned with what is happening on earth now. They lean in, and help us out! They have more to teach to us down here. This makes me think that even their discipleship of the saints on earth doesn’t end. They keep teaching me many things!  That makes me hopeful that we too will get to continue to grow and bless into that realm.
I’m not afraid of death, i actually see it as a transition, and I trust the One who is guiding me over to the other side or spaces in Him. I think He really did go to prepare a space for me. But I also think i will continue to transform and grow in Him.
The One we trusted down here in this rehearsal, is surely able to guide us into the real play! Don’t fear death, fear God-in the best sense.
Be in Awe of Him, and you will gladly enjoy the transition from this life into the next forms of who you are in Him!
Deliver us from a fear of death, and let us trust You in the transition from season to season down here, and up there! I have no doubt of the continuum of our identities in You! We keep growing, learning, becoming and being satisfied in Our Lord forever.
It just starts here, where our faith is proven or tested or forged, or whatever other word you want to place on how our faith is made genuine and authentic down here in our three days on earth! Let us live before the One we will always live before! Now and forever, Amen.