El Paso was our first stop and man was it incredible! God moved in that city. We had the privilege of meeting the JHOP crew, whom of which are some awesome people, and they took us to the boarder of El Paso and Juarez where we worshiped and prayed over the two cities. We had a worship rally at Nuevo Pacto (New Covenant Church). We saw people physically, emotionally and spiritually healed that night.

Sunday morning we were invited to a church in the poorest part of Juarez so about five of us crossed the boarder. We were greeted with excited, cheerful faces. David preached a powerful message from the Holy Spirit that I soon realized the congregation needed to hear. We lead them in worship; at first they just sat and listened since most of them didn’t understand what we were singing. As soon as we began singing hallelujah they all stood to their feet and praised with us with hands reaching to the heavens. In that moment we were completely one bride for Christ, our bridegroom. We invited people to come to the front of the stage for prayer and majority of the 250 congregation responded.

 The people of Juarez were hungry for Christ! The Lord spoke to me saying “get off the stage and pray over my children”. I began gently laying hands on them praying over them in the Spirit and the Holy Spirit just showed up and were sweeping them off their feet. Every single person that David and I prayed over were falling over in the Spirit. It was such a beautiful sight to see. God’s children weeping, crying out to Him and Jesus just showing up to love on them and share with them His Spirit.

The only unfortunate thing that happened in El Paso was we had to get a new transmission for our van and had to stay there a couple days longer. Of course though, God provided for us financially and we were able to hit the road and head to Phoenix, Arizona.

As soon as our team entered this tiny house we felt a surge of faith for another outpouring of the Spirit in our generation. Within five minutes our whole team was on their knees weeping under the weightiness of the presence of God. It was as if we were reliving the Azusa St. Revival.

One of our young team members, Fernando, asked to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and as the team gathered around him he exploded in his new heavenly language and begin to tremble at the moving of the Spirit on his body.

We literally had to carry people out to the van as they were laughing, shaking and crying so we could make it to our evening service at the historic Angelus Temple founded by Aimee Semple Mcphereson.

As our team lead worship at Angelus Temple they released the fire that fell at Bonnie Brae to the congregation. Later in the evening Fernando got up to share his testimony and could barely stand under the weight of the glory of God. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as he shared about the power of God that rescued him from sin and shame. His testimony and others salted a thirst among the amazing people of the church.

After the testimonies the team prophesied to the church and a couple of the Pastors said that the prophetic words delivered were extremely accurate and very encouraging!

God is on the move! After leaving Bonnie Brae and seeing God use Fernando my heart is alive and expectant for an outpouring that will result in a massive harvest of Souls!

 The Burn Wagon has been on the road for 12 days and has left a trail of fire in Juarez, El Paso, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and tonight we are burning in the small town Oroville California. Already there have been 15 salvations and several healings!

In Las Vegas we gathered on the strip to worship God and to cry out for awakening. As we set up to worship the weight of lust, greed, and addiction was tangible in the atmosphere. Yet, as soon as we opened our mouths to honor the King the air became charged with his presence.

A man broke through our prayer circle and began to mock us and challenge us but within thirty seconds our team surrounded him and he broke down crying. He gave his life to Jesus that night and got connected to a drug rehab and discipleship program. This is why we Burn! This is what the world is so desperate for!

The Burn Wagon team has already become a tight knit family walking in genuine love and raw, vulnerable community. Each night during our team time many have unveiled their hurts, insecurities and secret sins and have found deliverance and healing. This family has become an army as we have fought for one another and have contended for breakthrough in some of America’s darkest cities.

Community, Worship, Prayer and Mission merging together is one of the sweetest and most powerful expressions of the church that I have seen in years. I believe this is where we are headed as the church finds her identity as a lover and begins to love the earth into the arms of the Bridegroom.

God is longing to raise up more groups of Warring Families that will open the skies and prepare the way for the coming of the King to the cities of the earth. The Burn Wagon is helping to pioneer and walk out a fresh expression of the church in the earth! Keep praying for us as we Burn on the steps of the California State Capitol this Friday and then move onto the streets of San Francisco to worship, pray and cry out for a true love awakening.

The Lord also put it on our hearts to take up an offering for one of the street musicians, which blessed him beautifully! What some may not know about this city is that it originated as an oasis in the middle of the desert. Since it’s formation more that one hundred years ago, the city’s purpose has been perverted into a place of addiction and sin.

We believe the calling on the city still stands: that those who need rest and revitalization in the Spirit would find it in a land restored and awakened to First Love. God still has a purpose for Vegas. We remembered this as we called down His presence in the core of the city. As we elevate and worship the name of Jesus over the principalities that have been unrightfully ruling in Vegas, we claim it as an epicenter for passionate enforcers of the Kingdom of God!

Cody Myers

We had a worship rally at Nuevo Pacto (New Covenant Church). We saw people physically, emotionally and spiritually healed that night. Sunday morning we were invited to a church in the poorest part of Juarez so about five of us crossed the boarder. We were greeted with excited, cheerful faces. David preached a powerful message from the Holy Spirit that I soon realized the congregation needed to hear. We lead them in worship; at first they just sat and listened since most of them didn’t understand what we were singing. As soon as we began singing hallelujah they all stood to their feet and praised with us with hands reaching to the heavens. In that moment we were completely one bride for Christ, our bridegroom.

We invited people to come to the front of the stage for prayer and majority of the 250 congregation responded. The people of Juarez were hungry for Christ! The Lord spoke to me saying “get off the stage and pray over my children”. I began gently laying hands on them praying over them in the Spirit and the Holy Spirit just showed up and were sweeping them off their feet. Every single person that we prayed over were falling over in the Spirit. It was such a beautiful sight to see. God’s children weeping, crying out to Him and Jesus just showing up to love on them and share with them His Spirit. The only unfortunate thing that happened in El Paso was we had to get a new transmission for our van and had to stay there a couple days longer. Of course though, God provided for us financially and we were able to hit the road and head to Phoenix, Arizona.

I'm assuming that if you followed the link to this blog that something inside of you is asking one of two questions:  1) No... really. What is Burn Wagon? or  2) How can I be a part of what God is doing through Burn Wagon?

Well, relief is soon to be experienced. :)

Burn Wagon has been the dream of a moment turned into an annual trip throughout the United States dedicated to releasing worship and prayer over our nation. This trip primarily consists of young people who are normally musicians, intercessors, artists, dancers, and all those other creative and expressive personalities who are burning to see God do something RADICAL in our nation. This is our 4th summer chasing after the dream of God's heart to release another wave of revival and awakening in the Church of America. We have had the joy and privilege of joining with hungry people desperate for a move of God in their local areas all across the United States (and even Mexico!). So, if you're wondering how you can be a part of this, there are several practical ways to participate in this vision called Burn Wagon:

1) Join a Burn Wagon team this summer! Be a part of shaping the history of our nation through worship and prayer!
2) Invite the Burn Wagon to your area! We are always excited to meet new people and fellowship with those who have a vision for reformation through an outpouring of the spirit of God!
3) Donate to the vision of the Burn Wagon! All donations will either serve as "scholarships" or be given to teams to who are in need of funding. All your money goes straight into the field!
4) Pray for the Burn Wagon teams! We covet your prayers more than anything as we are fully aware that what we are  doing, the enemy is not very fond of. We would ask you to pray for the safety of our teams, the increase of the manifestation of the glory of the Lord in our nation, for lives to be changed through radical encounters with the presence of the Lord, and most importantly, for the clear, spoken Word of God to be released everywhere we go! Let us know how you will be praying and we will update teams with your prayers and words of encouragement!

Thank you for taking the time to check out our website, and I pray that God stirs your heart and your spirit to be a part of what He is doing in our nation! 

God Bless,

Tannon Herman
Burn Wagon Director

~Becca Smith

This trip has been very diverse so far we have found ourselves in the most random places from Canon Air Force Base Chapel, to leading worship to Homeless Youth in Los Angeles, to contending with the intercessory missionaries in Chico, and singing our hearts out on the Las Vegas Strip.

Once again we were sent on divine assignment to a very unique place. Yesterday we found ourselves in room 126, a stately conference room in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. On the outside we looked like any other tourist who had come to check out the beautiful capitol building but on the inside I could feel the authority of God on us as regents of His kingdom to release the destiny of heaven into the nation from this most important place of Government.

As soon as we started worshiping I felt the revelation of His kingship surrounding us and a sense of joy in knowing that our God held this government in the palm of His hands. Praying from this place of revelation is such a joy because we enter into a place of fully trusting the capable power of God to bring the great shift we have been crying out for.

I was also very aware of the honor and significance of praying from this particular location. Since being here I have heard it said on numerous occasions, “As it goes with California so it goes with the rest of the nation.” California is a forerunner state and therefore what they embrace and the laws they pass tends to set a trend for the rest of the nation.

So there we were singing simple songs about the worthiness and kingship of Jesus on one of the most important battlegrounds in the nations and all I felt is the pure joy of the Lord. I felt that He was happy that we welcomed him to the nation and rolled out the red-carpet for him to bring his presence to California. One by one our team glimpsed the prophetic destiny of California and as these words were released then a wave of confident, authoritative declaration and prayer was released over the nation. This is intercession at it’s finest! When we hear God’s heart for a place we can enter into confidence that it will come to pass and as result great joy released!

The consensus was that atmosphere in Sacramento is pregnant with a great Awakening! Years of prayers, sacrifice and seeds sown are getting ready to be fulfilled in a single moment. It is our joy to be here as forerunners to The Call that will call hundreds together on the mall of the State Capitol to cry out in repentance and intercession for revival. I believe the dam is getting ready to burst in California! Get ready!

I am amazed at what God does on mission trips. We started with 9 people who barely knew each other and in just two weeks it feels like family. As you can imagine spending three weeks on a bus with 8 unique individuals will draw your issues to the surface. If you have any insecurities, fears, or anger it will be exposed when you live so close to another human being! I both love and hate this part of the Burn Wagon. I love it because God does so many incredible works of healing but I hate it because it usually involves a painful awkward process!

Our team sat down last night to have a "get real session" and that is exactly what happened. As we went around the room one by one we asked people to share what they loved the most about the trip so far, what they are struggling with, and if they have any issues with anyone they need to talk about. On the first round we got the super, vague, glossy version of how people are doing. However, someone finally braved the waters and told exactly how they were feeling and when they did it seemed to release everyone else to get real.

No one likes to look weak and no one wants everyone else to think they are just stirring up "drama" but the reality is most of us have these issues we just don't want to talk about it. The results were beautiful as encouragement, forgiveness and love poured out from one team member to the other. There was a tangible shift in the atmosphere over our team and a release from the invisible under-current of tension that everyone has felt for 2 days now.

Today a bunch of ordinary, and weak human beings with a new spirit of love and unity will go to Sacramento to release the extra-ordinary power of God to a groups of hungry worshipers and intercessors!

When we arrived in Tabasco we were greeted by a pastor who was wishing that he was still asleep, but he somehow managed to maintain a smile as he was showing us where we were sleeping. After a good night´s rest, we headed over to the house where the girls were staying and stumbled upon more than breakfast - we ran smack-dab into the striving mentality! What was supposed to be a simple prayer for the beginning of the day turned into the most exhausting prayer time. One of the members of the team was sick and was still confronted for not standing and engaging in ¨warfare¨. It was possibly one of the most spiritually draining moments of the trip. After much discussion of what took place that morning we knew that the Lord was again wanting to minister His rest and love for the people of Tabasco. But, to keep things in the light, I was having a really hard time trying to figure out exactly how to convey this message to a congregational mindset who thought all worth and identity was found in what they could do for the Lord. Throughout the whole day several of the team members kept reminding me that the Lord was wanting to free these people from their striving, but I was continually confronted with the dilemma of my own heart - I was so turned off by what took place that morning, that if I was to speak on rest it would be out of spite and anger, not love.

I asked the Lord multiple times, ¨Lord, how do you want to do this?!?¨ No response. It wasn´t until our time of worship that it dawned on me - I´ve got to quit asking, and sit! So, we stopped playing and just sat in silence until the Lord spoke. It came in such simplicity and wisdom... ¨Tell them that I am so pleased with them; then they will listen to every word you say.¨ I laughed, out loud actually, and proceeded to tell them that the Lord was so pleased - and who would´ve thought, they all gave me their full attention afterwards.

The service was held outdoors and the speakers were blaring with the message of the love and rest of the Lord! We began to share that God wasn´t looking for workers, He was looking for lovers! God wants an army of Marys, not Marthas. God wants hearts, not hands! The people began to see and experience the love of God and ran to the platform in tears as they asked for God to show them His love. A cry of repentance was released and they began to fall out of agreement with the striving/slavery mentality and stepped into their new identity as sons and daughters! It was beautiful! People from all over the town began to flood the stage asking for prayer for this heart transplant!!

Needless to say, it was yet again, another powerful night in the Land of Lovers. The people here are so passionate about the Lord! It was amazing to see them released into the freedom of the love and grace of the Lord. Rise up Mexico! The Lord loves your hearts, not your hands!!!

Our team arrived in San Francisco yesterday and after hearing incredible stories about the Jesus Movement of the 60’s that was ignited here and then blazed like wild-fire across the nation we headed to the epicenter of this great move of God.

We arrived in a typical, non-descript, middle class neighborhood searching for the former House of Acts, which was the first discipleship/ministry house started by Lonnie Frisbee. It was in this house that a movement was ignited that kindled the flames of the Jesus Movement. As a result similar discipleship houses were started all over the nation in order to disciple and send out a young army of hippie youth that were getting swept into the Kingdom in 1969.

On the outside this ordinary, middle-class neighborhood did not tell the story of a great movement but as our team walked this street we could sense the heart-beat of heaven for this place. It’s amazing to me the places and people that God chooses to use for his glory. It’s usually the small, obscure places such as a Bethlehem stable or a young shepherd boy that God chooses to do great things through.

Our humble surroundings actually made the Jesus Movement seem accessible to us. The thought running through my head was, “if God could launch a massive revival through a bunch of hippie kids in a small, middle-class suburban neighborhood, then why couldn’t he do it again with and through us?”

As we prayed our faith exploded, the heaven’s opened and we began to pray with authority from the epicenter of this former revival that their ceiling would be our floor and that God would raise up a movement that would eclipse the move of God of the 60’s. As the team was releasing these incredibly faith filled prayers I saw a key turning in the spirit. I felt that this moment on this ordinary street was very important in the courts of heaven and that he was giving us a key of authority and that our prayers were unlocking the door to a new moment in God’s plans for America. Time will tell what our prayers will accomplish for His kingdom!

Everywhere we go we are meeting people who are buzzing about the coming awakening! They are speaking our language! They are retelling the stories of historical revivals and praying the same kinds of prayers that we are praying! We have found the hungry remnant all across this nation that God has hidden away in the secret places of prayer. What has been declared and prayed in secret is getting ready to explode into the earth with a violence that we cannot yet comprehend! The King of the earth is getting ready to release His presence in answer to over 100 years of intercession for Revival! Are you ready?

After a 10-hour drive from Monterrey, we arrived in El Higo, Veracruz. We were greeted by a small congregation that had just finished a 40-day fast. It was definitely one of those moments where you could feel a holy anticipation in the air. The Lord was pressing on our hearts a rather interesting message considering the conditions. After 40 days of devotion and consecration most of us would be searching for something to do for the Lord - I mean, come on, who wouldn’t? But the Lord had a different plan in mind for the humble people of this small city - rest.

The whole team had been in conversation for the previous two days about the rest and love of the Lord and we finally knew why - it was for El Higo. We had heard stories of the amazing faith of these people and all that they were doing for the Lord. Miracles and salvations were among the many stories of their group. At the end of the fast the Lord pressed on our hearts to share the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10). The message was simple yet profound - to sit at the feet of Jesus is “the better thing.” Jesus was putting out a call to the people of El Higo to come and sit at His feet. This message was very difficult for many to grasp since the whole presentation of the message of Christ has been coupled with slavery since its institution in Mexico. The choice back then was to be killed or convert to Catholicism and remain alive for the purposes of slavery. God was desiring to break the inheritance of the slavery mentality and raise up a nation of lovers! God wants lovers, not workers! We spent the whole day in fellowshipping with one another and with the Lord. Several times throughout the day members of the team found themselves caught up in worship in the sanctuary next to where we were hanging out. It was amazing to experience the well of devotion that had been dug in the city. Jesus longed to pour out his affection and appreciation over His people!

This past week has been an amazing time. Although it hasn't gone without difficulties, God has worked it all out every time just like He promised. He really has been teaching us to wait on the leading of the Holy Spirit in everything we do. In doing this, the team has become very unified and in tune with what God is saying. Insecurities, fears and all the things the enemy has been throwing in our faces are all being dealt with as we have yielded to the Spirit. The Lord has taken us to established churches, new church plants, house churches, individual homes, the Pottawatomie Indian Reservation, various cities and to the top of one of the highest points in southern Wisconsin to declare that He is the King and to establish a throne of worship and praise in these high places. It has been a very prophetic and rewarding journey so far and I believe there is so much more to come. It journey began in Seminole, OK and from there we traveled to Ardmore and then on to Little Rock and Chicago. We headed to the Northwoods of Wisconsin after that and have been up here for five days. Our hosts, Bear and Amy Wheeler, have allowed us to use their home as a refuge and a base from which we launched out to various places throughout the state. The Northwoods has experienced drought like conditions for the past several years but these past few weeks, the rains have began to fall and are saturating the ground again. I keep hearing the the Lord say the words Release, and Restoration. In the 1940's, Smith Wigglesworth traveled these Northwoods along with several others spreading the fires of revival throughout the land. Since that time things have seemed to dry up and the Northwoods and it's inhabitants seem to have been overlooked and forgotten but Wigglesworth prophesied during his time here that a great river of fire would be ignited in the North again and would flow southward and begin to cover the nation. There are many Native American tribes and reservations in this area. The Pottawatomie being one of them. After spending some time with an elder in the Pottawatomie tribe back home in Shawnee, we have learned that the tribe entered the nation through the Northwoods and traveled south through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and many came to rest in Oklahoma. They were the first tribe to purchase and receive a deed from the U.S. government and they also have a 300 hundred year history with Christianity. We've also learned that at the changing of the seasons they ignite a fire that stays going 24 hours a day as they worship and pray to the Creator. It's called the Pottawatomie prayer circle and the tribe's name means "keepers (or people) of the fire". The journey that they took from the north, southward into Oklahoma was known as the "Trail of Death" because of the many people that died along the way. The Lord led us to the place in the Northwoods where much of their history began in order to declare life and blessings to His people. In my heart I believe the First Nations people are going to be a major part of the next great move of the Holy Spirit in this nation.

During this trip, we have not only been able to minister to others including a significant healing which lead a teenager to the point of salvation and an understanding of who Jesus is, but we have been greatly ministered to as well. Most of our team has received prophetic words which have blessed them greatly. I just wanted to thank each of you for the parts you have played in giving and in prayer for the team. I can honestly say that the Lord has made ways where there seemed to be no way and this trip has been more fruitful than I could have imagined. We probably won't see all that God has done in the spirit for many years to come but the seeds have been sown and the words have been released. I strongly believe a great harvest is coming and each of you will be rewarded for the part you have played in sending and praying for the team. Thank You! There will be more updates still to come.

A few days ago we had the incredible privilege of praying in the historic Bonnie Brae street house where the Azusa Street Revival was birthed in a series of prayer meetings and seasons of fasting and prayer.  What began as a few desperate believers crying out for revival in one of the most wicked cities on earth became a world-wide movement of the Holy Spirit that has invaded almost every nation with the gospel and has seen millions come into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

As we sat in one of the tiny bedrooms of this house the reality of this movement and its small, obscure beginnings ignited massive faith in our hearts that God could do it again through ordinary average people like us.  "Why not here, why not now?" was our cry on this night. Why not?

I realized that on this night that these great men of God like William Seymour and other men and women throughout history have only served as a picture of what is attainable on planet earth. I believe the mantle's that were on Seymour, Maria Woodworth-Etter, and Oral Roberts will be poured on a every believer in this next move of God! Being at Azusa Street gave us faith that it could happen! It's our inheritance! Let's take it!

The next night we spent several hours in worship and prayer before we took this burning fire to Hollywood Blvd. to share the love of Jesus with the desperate hungry souls of Los Angeles. My heart was broken as I saw so many who have been broken to pieces in their search for happiness. We worshiped Jesus as Lord in front of one of Americas greatest thrones--Hollywood.  The atmosphere shifted as the King revealed His presence. Some got angry, others curious, and others were being drawn in by the beauty of Jesus. We prayed for many and planted hundreds of seeds that will bear fruit unto salvation one day! What a joy to be a planter! We can never have a harvest if we don't plant.

First of all, about 5 people from the church showed up, not including Bear, Amy, and their usual worship leader.  So, we prayed a little bit and started the service.  The first 5 minutes were pretty dead quiet while we waited on the Lord to give us direction.  Then, Ryan began to sing and still we felt like we were hitting a wall.  Soon after that, we were quiet again.  This time, it was quiet in the room, but in my head things were going nuts!  It was a spirit of chaos and division we were battling!  I was getting so frustrated with everything.  For no reason!  Then, Kristy came up and gave me a word saying that the Lord wanted to speak through me tonight and the enemy was trying to silence me.  Well...even after that I was still frustrated.  Ryan felt it, so he started screaming for almost 20 minutes, exalting the Lord as psalms flew from his lips.  Things started to loosen.

I then went over to Ryan and asked if I could play piano and he play acoustic, so we switched.  We went into an attitude of worshipping God again and things still were getting lighter.  I suddenly felt like we needed to pray, so I told everyone that we should come together as a corporate body and pray while I would stay up and play the piano softly.  Well, when I said that, everyone in the building left except for Bear, Amy, and our group.  As soon as those people walked out, the resistance left with them.

As the team was praying, a few really good words came out, and I felt the need to get on my guitar again.  When I did, I felt a wave of the Holy Spirit blow over me.  Just a while after that, the team had reached a point when nobody had prayed anything for some time, so I started to sing.  I was just worshipping when I started calling out the destiny of Wisconsin.  Then, the Lord began to show me Ezekiel walking through the valley of dry bones.  As he walked he prophesied.  And as he prophesied, the four winds came like fire and lit up the bones.  They rattled and came together.

After seeing this awesome vision, I asked the Lord what it meant.  I had recently heard that a while back, Smith Wigglesworth had prophesied that in the end times, a fire from the Northwoods (which is where we are) would bring revival to the nation.  The prophecy is about 30 years old and the Lord told me that hope and faith to see it fulfilled was being diminished.  His word for that area was dying, becoming old, dried up bones, and believers were beginning to wonder if it was even going to happen...if there was any hope.  So as I began to sing over the dry bones, that they would come to life, the Lord was releasing faith, hope, and renewed vision for His word.  Destiny!  Ryan and Bear fell on the floor in deep intercession and could only groan.  He was restoring, renewing, and refreshing vision!  It was the most amazing and encouraging feeling!  I can't even hardly explain it!

God is bringing revival to the Northwoods and to America!  He's resurrecting the dry bones!  He's renewing vision!  Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!  In this nation!

Josh Cotts

It was about 11:30 p.m. this last Wednesday night when we were headed toward Elcho.  We had received a call from our host, Bear, saying to watch out for the deer because they were running rampant that night.  As it turns out, not even 10 minutes later we saw one on the side of the road that looked like she was just itching to run out in front of us.  But...instead of running out in front of us, she decided to run into our trailer, thus bending the fender around the tire that we had just fixed in Chicago.  Just after that, we noticed sparks flying off of the fender because it had been rubbing up against the tire, so we pulled over and had to fix it.

A few minutes later, we were headed on the road again for Bear and Amy's house.  On our way, we ran into a "road closed" sign and ended up having to take a long detour around to a road called Blue Bell which looked like something you'd see on a horror movie.  Soon, however, we were in the safety and comfort of Bear and Amy's beautiful home out in the wilderness.

On Thursday, we were scheduled to go into the island town of Minocqua, WI with George Kupfer to just pray and ask the Lord what He would have us do.  We stopped by a lake to sit and pray, while I couldn't help but going out to the docks just to be closer to the water.  There was so much beauty in the natural, but I wanted to see into the supernatural.  I wanted to see what God saw.  If you all know me, I have a thing for lighthouses.  Any time I see a big body of water, I think about lighthouses.  They serve an awesome purpose to anyone on the water.  As the currents bring the boats in at night, they show them where the land is, or where a "safe place" is.  As I was thinking about this, I looked out across the lake and saw a building that read "Beacons."  I felt like God was trying to say something, so I left myself open for it.

As we continued walking, we decided to stop by a museum so we could learn more about the history of Minocqua.  It turns out that an early Indian tribe had retreated to a nearby island town to escape a smallpox epidemic.  When they arrived, they called it Minocqua, which today they say means, "place of the midday rest."

That night, we met with the Kupfer's house church there in Minocqua.  There were people there from several different religious backgrounds, which we were excited about, but the enemy had a plan for it.  The worship was amazing.  We felt God so heavily resting among us.  It was so peaceful.  Suddenly, like popcorn, people started giving word after word after word that they had received from the Lord.  Becca gave a word about us being priests who were called to speak God's word into the darkness.  Shortly, though, the enemy started to work.  Two men that were in the group started having an argument about an issue concerning healing.  The funny thing is, they were both right, it's just that neither one of them was willing to admit that the other was right.

One thing that I didn't mention was that since we had entered Wisconsin, we all began feeling very weird.  We knew that something wasn't right in the air.  Thursday night, we were able to pinpoint what it was.  We were battling with a spirit of division.  Like I said, the two men were both scripturally right in what they were saying.  They were just not willing to submit to one another's opinions.  Rachel put it this way:  "It's like one of them was saying, 'Apples are healthy for you' and the other was saying 'Oranges are healthy for you.'"  Ryan, George, and I all tried to keep the peace by telling them that they were both right, it just had to come down to submission.  One of the men ended up leaving early, while the other stayed.  So, that problem never really got solved.  But, in the light of all of that, we continued the service.

We started singing again and the Lord showed me the connection between Minocqua's history and the lighthouses.  Minocqua, being the "place of the midday rest," was to be a beacon of light, a safe place.  Midday is when the sun shines its brightest, the time of day when nothing is left in darkness.  Even shadows disappear at exactly midday.  This was Minocqua's destiny.  It was to be a gathering place for the hungry, the lost, the broken, and the weary.  The "light" that they were called to shine, was going to be an attraction to the environment around them.  They were to be a safe haven, a place of "rest."  So, I released what I was seeing and Ryan released it in prayer.  He also mentioned to them that our body in Shawnee was called to be a safe haven as well.  The north winds were meeting with the south winds in that moment.  And what happens when the cold air from the north mixes with the hot air from the south?  Rain.  A storm.  A tornado.  God is going to drench Minocqua in His glory!

Josh Cotts

Today our team went to hand out pizza to the homeless and to worship in one of the wildest places on earth--Venice Beach.  The atmosphere was rank with marijuana and everyone you met didn't quite seem to be in their right minds. As we walked down the boardwalk there was psychic on every block and homeless youth begging for money for their next drink or hit. Outwardly, people were celebrating the free and loose life of the 60's but as we talked to them it didn't take very long to see that this was facade. The hopeless of this community ran deep and the anger and resentment against anything godly was blatant.

As we passed out free slices of pizza and offered prayer to homeless youth I was taken about at the response to our offer for prayer. Most of these young people who were obviously at the lowest point of their lives could not see or at least admit to any need for God. But amidst all of the evil, hatred, depravity and bondage God was preparing one young man for an encounter with him.

As we were worshiping on the streets and talking to people a young man named Mike approached us for a slice of pizza. Later he told us that he was so drawn to us because he could see light radiating from our team. We spoke to him about Jesus and he immediately soaked in everything we said. It was as if he was at a point of desperation and starving for Jesus! After a time of sharing Mike gave his life to Jesus! Some men from the Dream Center offered to enroll him in the residential discipleship program on the conditions that he would give up his drugs and his cell phone and commit to a one year process. Immediately Mike left all to follow Jesus and we put him in our van and drove him to his new life and his new family!

I was absolutely overwhelmed at the love of Christ to rescue this young man from the fires of hell and the hopelessness of the streets of Venice Beach! God is so faithful!

Most of the places we go on the Burn Wagon we are hosted by churches, Burn 24-7 communities or houses of prayer. On this particular occasion God gave us a divine connection with one of the most awesome, fiery families I have ever met. God divinely moved the Dehart family from Northern California and moved them to Las Vegas with incredible promises of awakening!



On our first morning we gathered with the family in the the Dehart's living room to worship the creator. After driving through the city the night before and sensing the overwhelming heaviness and perversion of the city it felt so refreshing to sit in God's presence. It felt as though we were the underground remnant that God had tucked away in this quiet suburb to rise up and worship the creator and challenge the idols of America.



The presence of God flooded the room and the spirit of prophecy began to flow like an electric current from one team member to the next. Our team, many of them only 16 or 17 years old, began to prophesy over the destiny of Las Vegas and over the Dehart family. Many tears flowed as we watched God refresh the warriors that he had so strategically placed in this vast mission field called Las Vegas.



After prayer our hosts suggested that we take our worship to the streets of the Las Vegas strip and at other key locations. There was victory in the air and zeal to take down giants! The challenge of the Las Vegas strip only revved up these young warriors even more. The Las Vegas strip represents the idolatry of greed, and lust that is so intense in our nation. Unbelievable lawlessness, perversion, and greed rule in this city but all of this information did not stop the fire of the Holy Spirit from burning in us to believe and pray for total transormation.



We spent two hours worshipping in front of a psychadelic 1960's hippie bus parked for show in front of an outdoor casino. As we worshiped the presence of God invaded that ground, the joy of the Lord was released and our team began to sing, prophesy and dance in front of that bus! The contrast in what we were experiencing was night and day but God was drawing so many to the light! From this tiny little street prayer furnace many of our team launched out to share the love of Jesus with the hopeless and barren of the city! It was an amazing site.



Later that night when we got home, we were exhausted but the Spirit of the Lord wasn't done with us. We all sat around the living room and one by one each of our team members shared the deepest places of their hearts--insecurities, fears, hurts and challenges. In that atmosphere of love and safety people exchanged the lies, the hurts and the fears for the love, encouragement and strength that was pouring out from the family of God.



Last night there truly were things that were expose, healed and laid down. Our team is leaving behind many things from our past in Las Vegas! What happened last night in Vegas will truly stay in Vegas!

Most of the places we go on the Burn Wagon we are hosted by churches, Burn 24-7 communities or houses of prayer. On this particular occasion God gave us a divine connection with one of the most awesome, fiery families I have ever met. God divinely moved the Dehart family from Northern California and moved them to Las Vegas with incredible promises of awakening!

On our first morning we gathered with the family in the the Dehart's living room to worship the creator. After driving through the city the night before and sensing the overwhelming heaviness and perversion of the city it felt so refreshing to sit in God's presence. It felt as though we were the underground remnant that God had tucked away in this quiet suburb to rise up and worship the creator and challenge the idols of America. 

The presence of God flooded the room and the spirit of prophecy began to flow like an electric current from one team member to the next. Our team, many of them only 16 or 17 years old, began to prophesy over the destiny of Las Vegas and over the Dehart family. Many tears flowed as we watched God refresh the warriors that he had so strategically placed in this vast mission field called Las Vegas.

 After prayer our hosts suggested that we take our worship to the streets of the Las Vegas strip and at other key locations. There was victory in the air and zeal to take down giants! The challenge of the Las Vegas strip only revved up these young warriors even more. The Las Vegas strip represents the idolatry of greed, and lust that is so intense in our nation. Unbelievable lawlessness, perversion, and greed rule in this city but all of this information did not stop the fire of the Holy Spirit from burning in us to believe and pray for total transormation.

 We spent two hours worshipping in front of a psychadelic 1960's hippie bus parked for show in front of an outdoor casino. As we worshiped the presence of God invaded that ground, the joy of the Lord was released and our team began to sing, prophesy and dance in front of that bus! The contrast in what we were experiencing was night and day but God was drawing so many to the light! From this tiny little street prayer furnace many of our team launched out to share the love of Jesus with the hopeless and barren of the city! It was an amazing site.

 Later that night when we got home, we were exhausted but the Spirit of the Lord wasn't done with us. We all sat around the living room and one by one each of our team members shared the deepest places of their hearts--insecurities, fears, hurts and challenges. In that atmosphere of love and safety people exchanged the lies, the hurts and the fears for the love, encouragement and strength that was pouring out from the family of God.

 Last night there truly were things that were expose, healed and laid down. Our team is leaving behind many things from our past in Las Vegas! What happened last night in Vegas will truly stay in Vegas!

Rejection crossed out

Your love Sweet Beauty lifts me of my burdens

I will dance!

Romans 8:26

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Healing

Wounds crossed out

For Today

Emotions

Cold Play

By my side

move on

I need you! Beloved!

Right by my side tell me you wont leave me

~ Julia Quistad

Before we went to do the burn on the 15th of June we needed to make a stop at the laundromat. We had a total of 4 loads to wash. I, Julia, was designated as the one to wait there at the laundromat when the others took a quick stop at Wal-mart. When I was waiting I met the woman who ran the place and we  talked for a while. She asked about our team and where we were from. I told her about our mission and why we were here : To spread God's love to Maine. Later,  a woman named Mindy came and joined in on the conversation. Sarah, the precious woman who ran the Laundromat told me about the largest tree in Maine.  Low and behold, she described a place I had envisioned.  About two days ago I drew a picture of the very same tree.  As she looked at the picture she stated  "It was as if you knew that we were going to talk and you would have this picture for me" The tree had deep roots and was beside a stream of " living water" (Jesus is our living water).  It was as the tree was a faith tree, because it grew from a mustard seed. In the second drawing I showed her there were three people holding hands around a huge tree. The four people were  Sarah, Mindy, Me and Jesus! The tallest trees in Maine are crying out for revival. The rest of the team returned to the laundromat and were in awe! 

Last night we had a Burn at the House of Prayer in Maine. Prophetic song, dance, and  art flowed freely. Freedom! "Perfect love cast out all Fear" Mighty deliverance and restoration of family is the word for Maine. People get ready, Jesus is Coming!! Get ready to receive Him.  Our God is awesome! He says we are worth it. YOU ARE WORTH IT BELOVED.

Our drive to Maine was beautiful. Several of those on our team have never been to this section of the US and were certainly not disappointed. We've been given many opportunities to minister in the most random settings, like the tollbooths for one. We arrived late at night to Waterville, Maine and were warmly received by Jaimie Dixon and his leaders. The next morning we went to a beach in Acadia with Jaimie where we got to rock climb to a cave. Song of Solomon 2:8-14 came to mind ;). We then returned in the evening to hang out at a bonfire with some of the leaders of different ministries in the area. It was so much fun and felt like a family reunion. Tonight is The Burn and we are stoked to go and worship with our fiery brothers and sisters, and greatly desire to see others encounter Jesus either for the first time, or in a fresh new way! 

After our services at Ardmore, I felt extremely out of place.  Any time anyone asked us how the services at Ardmore went, everyone on our team would say, "Eh...it was good...I guess."  Then, I would be in the back going, "WHAT?!  It was AWESOME!"  It's not that my opinion was different than everyone else's, just that I seemed to be more excited for some reason.  So, I addressed it in a team meeting this morning.  As it turns out, everyone was struggling with similar issues.  They felt weighed down, weary, and just to put it simply...blah.  Several of them were saying things like, "I thought the services went well, I just didn't feel much."  I knew we had to figure out why, so I dug a little bit.

After a lot of digging, we realized what was going on.  We were putting too much of our expectation on the way God moved in the natural.  We expected to "see" things happen.  And, to be honest, they weren't!  NOTHING happened in the natural except for just the normal stuff that usually happens in a church worship service.  Every time I heard one of the team members saying, "Eh...it was good" I was so confused because the entire time we were at Ardmore I was thinking, "YES!  God is moving!  He's here!  He's reigning over this city!  It's so EXCITING!"  Yeah...nothing happened in the natural.  But in the supernatural, God did some major junk!  He got some stuff checked off on His to-do list!

When we worship Him, when we praise Him, when we exalt Him and lift Him high over a nation, HE GETS STUFF DONE!  We can't base everything that we feel off of what we see in the natural.  We have to believe and know that God is moving whether we see it or not!  We are to set our eyes on the realities of heaven!  We are to have a heavenly mindset!

God keeps saying, "High spirits!  High spirits!  High spirits!  Be joyful and know that I am God, I am King, and I WILL DO WHAT I WANT WHEN I COME!"  God is not enthroned on our praises to just sit there and look around.  We invite Him in to take care of business!  Believe it!  Be joyful!  Be excited!  He is moving!!!

He is pushing us to march into the battle believing that He has already conquered the battlefield and not to walk in there feeling "blah" and wondering if we might win this time.  Celebrate!  Rejoice!  Focus on what He is doing now!  He is a today God!  And when His children gather with faith that He is going to show Himself, He will get stuff done!!!

We should be able to find excitement even at the most unnecessary times because He is King and He always will be!

Josh Cotts

We just finished the Sunday morning service in Ardmore, OK and it was INCREDIBLE!  God came!  He moved!  His fire fell!  His glory suffocated us!  [Insert fiery word here!]

This morning the Lord gave Ryan and Kristy VanMeter a word about the spirit of pride that existed in the area and how we needed to handle it.  Kristy said that she felt we needed to handle it by "coming in a spirit of humility."  Becca Smith also received a word about not keeping in a box.  It seemed we were all hearing different things, but they all came together in one big glory explosion!

During the service, there was a moment when the worship team got extremely quiet.  While we were waiting on the Lord, you could feel the air in the room begin to get lighter.  We began to sing, "Lord, we want You...Lord, we want You" very softly.  Before you know it, we were welcoming the King into the atmosphere just as we did the night before!

As we continued to wait on Him, Ryan VanMeter had a word for the body in Ardmore.  While he was giving his word, things began to intensify.  The Lord's presence blanketed the room and He began to speak in such a heavy way.  Ryan was speaking about coming in the spirit of humility to deal with a spirit of pride.  Thinking that we know it all, feeling like we know exactly what God wants to do, can hinder what He wants to do.

After his word, the Lord began to tell me that He wanted to release perfect wisdom and fresh revelation from heaven, strategy over Pastors Andy and Jami, for the future. So I began to shout, “Wisdom, wisdom, wisdom! Fresh bread, fresh bread, fresh bread!” Little did I know, Ryan told me that just before I started shouting that, he had seen a blue light fill the room. If you didn’t know, the color blue in the positive represents WISDOM! He was pouring out the river of wisdom flowing straight from the throne into the hearts of the leaders of this body. He was doing a new thing!

Ardmore will harvest in the goodness of the Lord!  Stay tuned for a video!

Josh Cotts