The Spirit of God

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Allah'u'Abha (this is a greeting that Baha'is use when they meet each other, it means God is Most Glorious) and considering where I am, I could not address you any other way! God is Most Glorious!

I can not even begin to describe the unbelievable bounty it is to be here; I've never in my life experienced God on Earth, you know in the "Lords Prayer" "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven," I can feel it, the bounty, the magnificence, the love, the compassion, the awe, the beauty. You really can feel the spirit of God on earth!

If you are receiving this email then I prayed for you in the shrines today. For some reason my pilgrimage got off to a rocky start (which is weird because up until now its been pretty smooth sailing), but last night I could not sleep, I only got about 3.5 hours, because there were no more single rooms available (due to the fact that I got a last minute pilgrimage) I had to take a dorm room, the room has 8 other people in it… This is not working for me! So I made my way out early this morning because I wanted to really spend some time in the shrines. Me having the internal compass that I do, I made my way out without the help of anyone and boy was I off (did I mention I only got 3.5 hours of sleep), if I would have been my usual self, I would have been fine. At every turn I was almost right but the terraces were not open as early as I got there so I had to take streets that went every which way but straight, so I spent some time going in circles which is really not like me… Also for some reason I was itchy all night long, I felt like I was getting bitten by flees, but now it being almost 20 hours later and I'm still itchy, I wish I would have gotten that benadryl that the pharmacist recommended. I never have allergic reactions to things, another thing that is off for me, so now I'm looking for another place to stay, I have not waited 6 year to come on my pilgrimage just to ruin it because I could not sleep, hey if I have to, I'll be working at Starbucks the day I return!

Any way, I finally made it to the shrines and it was unbelievable! Walking down the terraces, the closer I got to the Shrine of the Bab the more I'd cry and my knees would shake, as I said, I could feel the presence of God.

I want to say a special thank you to: JB, Lin, KC, Eric, Tara and Jamey, you all were a very special part of my day today, and I can't thank you enough for your many gifts, having you all in my ear (ipod) walking down the terraces was something special, singing the words of God. Oh and Ms Robin and Mr Floyd - Helen Baylor was with me too - Our God is an Awesome God, that's the tune that started my walk down the terraces (thanks for that gift, I can't hear that song without you being with me and all of us dancing in the kitchen, yeah you too Tiff). There is a biblical prophesy that says that someday the kings and rules of the earth will walk up the seat of God thrown, this was part of the walk that I took today and amazing can not even begin to describe it.

I've attached a few pictures for you to experience part of it, although let me tell you, I've seen pictures too, but to be here there is nothing like it! (I'll have to send pictures when I get home, for some reason it is not working here).

I really was in the presence of God today, it was almost stronger than I could bare. I love each of you and pray that God will continue to heal, protect, guide and keep us all steadfast, until the next time, Faith

Hello Everyone again, I've had some real technical difficulties, which is interesting because before I came on this trip, some of you know that I had said that I needed to get lost in the world somewhere, and not be distracted by my phone and my computer, and so even though I can receive phone calls here in Israel (at $2.49 a min) I turned my phone off because I want to focus just on my pilgrimage. However the computer part has become a little different because I want to be able share this with you since each of you have been in my prayers. So hopefully tonight I will finally be able to send this… (in sha la, Arabic for God Willing although I'm sure that is not how you spell it).

So I was finally able to move to another place, some of you will get a real good laugh out of this one, because it is so appropriate, I'm at the St. Charles German House run by the nuns! Good huh… It's perfect for where I am emotionally, spiritually and physically, its simple, minimal, quite, spiritual and the nuns here just ooze love for me, I am exactly where I am meant to be!

So the past three days have been wonderful and very full, we have visited the prison cell and city where Baha'u'llah was first imprisoned when he was banished here, it was said to be the worst prison city of that day and people had remarked that the city had such a horrific smell that if a bird flew overhead it would immediately drop dead from the stench. There were a few different houses that he was able to move to once he was released from imprisonment and in each of these homes he revealed prayers and writings speaking to humanity. So part of my pilgrimage has been a historical and spiritual visiting of these places. The other part of this journey for me is intense prayer and meditation.

One of the most significant things for me on this pilgrimage (so far) is the central message round which every other principal in the Bahá'í faith revolves and that being the "oneness of mankind." The work that I do has always received its inspiration from this message but to be here and immerse myself in His life and history has moved me in ways I can not yet explain.

Two very significant stories for me, Baha'u'llah had a son whose name was Mirza Mihdi, one night while he was a young man (22 years old) he was up on the prison roof (Baha'u'llah's entire family was imprisoned with Him) walking and praying and got so enraptured with prayer that he forgot to count his steps and fell through a sky light, onto a wooden crate below which pierced his ribs and caused him to die 22 hours later. "His dying supplication to a grieving father was that his life might be accepted as a ransom for those who were prevented from attaining the presence of their Beloved." And that "…all that dwell on earth be united." There were people from Persia who would walk for 6 months to be able to visit Baha'u'llah but because he was in prison they were not permitted to see him. Through the mystery of God, after this tragedy some of these people were able to finally meet with Baha'u'llah.

Today we were in the room where Baha'u'llah passed away and it was in this same room that Edward Granville Brown a distinguished Professor of Cambridge University visited in 1890, his recollection of this meeting is very lovely and again really speaks to my life's work… "A mild dignified voice bade me be seated, and then continued: "Praised be to God that thou hast attained!... Thou has come to see a prisoner and an exile… We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations; yet they deem us a stirrer up of strife and sedition worthy of bondage and banishment… That all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled - what harm is there in this? Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the "Most Great Peace" shall come… Do not you in Europe need this also? Is not this that which Christ foretold?... Yet do we see your kings and rulers lavishing their treasures more freely on means for the destruction of the human race than on that which would conduce to the happiness of mankind… These strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family… Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind…"

All of this is so confirming for me and just strengthens my resolve to do this work, I'm not sure how it will manifest itself yet, through Oneness directly or through other means but I know that this is what God created me to do and I feel so blessed and honored to be able to give my share however big or small!

I have never been happier in my life, I've never felt the spirit of God closer - physically and spiritually and I've never spent so much time in prayer and meditation.

Again please know that each of you are in my prayers and heart during this time, be well and happy, Faith

PS, please send to Mama and Pop Pop Myers

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Photos

Pilgrimage Day One
The terraces did not open till 9am so I could not walk up since it was 8:20am, but this was my first view

Pilgrimage Day One
But then I started at the top and made my way down

Pilgrimage Day One
The Closer I got the more I could feel the most powerful spirit...

Pilgrimage Day One
The terraces

Pilgrimage Day One
more of the terraces