By Martha Bush

Note: Adapted from my journal entry during the Sumite Fast, January 10, 2018.
*****
She walked to the well as usual to draw water. Since she was an outcast from her society, she came to draw water at midday because she wasn’t welcome to join the other women of the town in the morning when it was cool. She was unmarried, living with a man and had shacked up with a few others guys before this latest guy. She wasn’t perfect, unlike the “other women” of the town who obviously thought they were. (John 4)

As Lynn told the story of The Woman at the Well and her encounter with Jesus, she had these words to say in regards to our family:

“This salvation experience is what our unbelieving family members are looking for. They need an ENCOUNTER with the God of love, power, forgiveness and wisdom. All of these aspects of Christ are demonstrated in this story.” (End of quote)

While I (Martha) desperately wanted and had waited years for my husband to have a “God Encounter,” the Holy Spirit was speaking to me as I read Lynn’s blog post: “You are living on your past encounters. You need a fresh encounter with Me!”

My mind flashed back to my first encounter, which was the moment I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior after many years of rebelling.

Since then, there have been many encounters, when He, indeed, told me things about myself that only He knew, just like He did The Woman at the Well.
• He told me about hurts from my past, as well as His healing power from those hurts.
• He told me about the failures I had held onto that He had forgiven.
• He told me about my identity in Him.
• He told me about His plan and purpose for me, despite my feelings of inadequacies.

I have always been so grateful for the healing that has taken place in my encounters with the Lord. But, on this day of the fast, He seemed to be admonishing me:

“You are living on your past encounters.
You need a fresh encounter with me.”

And with that, I wrote what He had just spoken to me on the SUM website, and in my journal.

Ann Hutchison replied with the following word from the Lord:

“A few weeks ago I got a few words about your husband, your tortoise (slowest to move) who has a tough shell! I felt God say that when he turns – when he finally says his prayer of repentance and change - it is going to be like a “golden sorry,” meaning that it’ll be like one of those golden windfalls that people get from an employer for longevity (think golden handcuffs, golden parachute). The separation from the old and joining to the new that occurs in his life – finally – will involve a blessing of such magnitude, due to the sheer longevity of the years behind it. I pray in agreement for a fresh encounter for you and also the most amazing encounter, which we know is coming to your Glen!”

Unknowing to Ann, that word LONGEVITY had been a part of my vocabulary a longgggg time. Often times I have said, “I have no doubt about my husband’s salvation; I have heard from the Lord about that, so I have peace he will come to know the Lord. But, the longevity of the manifestation of his salvation has meant the years have passed us by for serving the Lord together. That bothers me!”

Knowing I was so concerned about longevity, the Lord used a woman half-way around the world from me to encourage me and tell me of things to come concerning longevity. “The separation from the old and joining to the new that occurs in his life – finally – will involve a blessing of such magnitude, due to the sheer longevity of the years behind it.”

And right there in my quiet time with the Lord, I had what could be classified as a Holy Ghost Fit---aka A Fresh Encounter.

And so, I now wait with joyful anticipation for yet another encounter with the Lord. Perhaps my next one will be when my husband and I meet “at the well of living waters” at the same time.

*****
Another thing I look forward to hearing about are Fresh Encounters each person will have who attends the--

 2019 SUMite Summit, April 5 & 6
Hear the Roar!