Turning ３１ in the Land of the Rising Sun

Sooo.. Yesterday... or the day before the day before that......(my days are getting all confused in my mind...what with the 14hr time difference) on September 10th, I celebrated my birthday!! It was 10th, I celebrated my birthday!! It was absolutely a day i`ll not soon forget... We started our day off in the usual fashion for us....that is. in　the　usual　fashion for us....that is... RUNNING AROUND LIKE MAD!! Our first performance was in a city called Sendai..well both concerts were in Sendai.. The first was at a missionary baptist school that was 120 yrs old, called Shokei. It was a blast, all of the sweet children received us well, and treated us like rock stars..．wanting to take pictures, and have us sign autographs....NOT that ,that was the POINTof our visit, but it was still sweet, and a lot of fun! it was　still sweet, and a lot of fun!! The BIGGEST star among us, was our own Austin Cagle....whom we`ve now started to call Austin Bieber...because of the way the little girl students screamed and Banshee yelled anytime he was near....or spoke over the intercom.

The next performance was later that evening, in a shopping mall area.... that evening, in a shopping mall area.... outdoors in an area called Parco. Many people stopped what they were doing to enjoy our music... I saw SEVERAL people crying, and wiping away tears.... as the healing balm of Gods` loved swept over them, while we sang and played. The song, The Healing Has Begun has pretty much become the anthem of our trip has pretty much become the anthem of our trip. Its very much got a "We Are our trip. Its very much got a "We Are The World" type vibe to it.... Randy Smith aka...the Right Rev`m of  FUNK....(thats my name for him) sings the solo....while playing his bass....(OOOOH so cool)... and encourages those listening not to be afraid or ashamed of the scars that they bear.....because they`re the proof of Gods healing them.... and we all sing the chorus in Japanese.

A few days ago...I was asked to learn how to say "please sing along" while we`re singing, to rid ourselves of the "us and them,concert　feel" and free the audience to open their hearts. I must admit that I was scared to BITS when Chris told me what was hearts. I must admit that I was scared ｔｏ BITS when Chris told me what was being asked of me... But I just HAVE to say.... that phrase, is probably asked of me... But I just HAVE to say.... that phrase, is probably the BEST phrase i`ve ever learned in my entire life.... Night after night, being able to invite the audience to sing with us, has been the most beautiful moment for me.... All of a sudden, the invisible screen is removed...and we`re ALL just worshipping together.... Tears flowing down our faces, hands raised.... It`s amazing!!

Later that night, after our concert, we went to a that night, after our concert, we went to a church to fellowship with our concert, we went to a church to fellowship with some of our host friends...and ended up having an amazing time of worship.... We sang..and prayed... in english, in japanese... in our heavenly languages... it honestly felt as if God had descened from Glory for a moment...and sat with us.

I`d blogged earlier about how I felt so complete, while out here ministering.... During prayer...Austin whispered in my ear, encouragement from the Lord.. "the Lord PROMISED you, you`d go Lord.. "the Lord PROMISED you, you`d go to　the nations..．.the beginning is now".... This trip has been nothing but a BLESSING...and i`m SO honored, that God would include US...Christ Church..in what he`s doing in the earth!!
THE HEALING HAS BEGUN!!!

i was BORN for moments like this!

last night...our team traveled thru the day by train..and subway from the city of kyoto,Japan....to Tokyo. it's always so funny to me how the "brain"...well honestly..i think its more of th spirit..works. For example after traveling all day...schlepping thru the heat thru downtown Tokyo....soundcheck, and then dinner....ALL of us were starting to feel the stress of the day...and our bodies worked overtime to let us know....it was NOT time to minister to ANYBODY...but to go to bed....EEE-MEEEJITLY...

However...as SOON as the time came for us to lead Gods people in worship...bit by bit our fatigue faded from view in the forefront of our minds....and the MOST important thing in that moment was loving God...and loving his people.. Last nite..several old prophesies came to mind. Its been spoken over me for as long as i can recall, that God would allow my instrument...my voice to take into the nations to win souls for Christ..and to spread the balm of his healing love...to those who look NOTHING like me...and dont speak my language. Well...i've bee singing with and for those who look nothing like me for ions.... but going into the nations of the earth and doing it...is altogether new.... its like i got to meet and hake hands with a slice of my purpose last nite... there were moments where the presence of God fell on me so...i though i would collapse... the most beautiful memory for me is when i was lmobbed" by a beatutiful group of little japanese children...ranging in age from 4 to abou 10. i said my normal...limited...badly spoken greeting to them...Konechewa...fully expecting our encounter to bebrief...since neiher of us could understand each other..but one little girl grabbed my hand...and began to say something in japanese over and over to me...i shook my head an said..."i'm sorry...i don't understand you" and then she pointed to herself and repeated....and then motioned for me.. i realized then that this sweet little girl who would not let go of my hand...was introducing herself.... "ooooooh" i said! "i'm ee-lee-see-yah" pointing to myself... a chuckle of relief went thru all 8of us gathered there....then one by one...sevral ...no ALL of the children grabbed my one free hand (the 1st child was still holding my right one..and was now looking at my skin...and softly rubbing her hands over my skin) in that moment....another part of my purpose revealed itself to me..... To use love....not just any love...but CHRISTS love to unite this world. I may be speaking out of turn...but from the way that swwet child touched my skin....im thinking she'd never been fae to face with a black woman..much less touched one.... while omething was clicking in me.... i feel as if something clicked inside of her....and all the babies.... we are one. unified through Christ by his love for us! I honestly dont know if we'll EVER see each other again....on this side of heaven....but i KNOW we'll never forget that moment.....and so...as the sun begins t rise here...in the land of the rising sun..ive taken a moment to reflect...and honor God for allowing me to see with my own eyes...his prmises being fullfilled. I honestly don't think i'll ever "get over" that moment....or this whole trip.

Lovin' walkng in my purpose today. God Bless

THE HEALING HAS BEGUN..Japan so far

Alright...this　Ｊｕｓｔ may be the fastest blog ever written! JAPAN is WONDERFUL!! Our hosts have been wornderful... there honest Our hosts have been wornderful... honestly words　fail me. I`m just now discovering how to access my blog from here at the hotel...and SO most likely more will come, just wanted to write a quick note and thank ALL of you who made it possible for me to come and grow and give...here in Japan!!! I love you!! and will be back up to my normal rantings soon!!!

L`quatious Gabby

Thanks Be To Our God!!!

I'm laying in my bed- listening to "Thanks Be to God" the last song on Travis Cottrell's new record...it's very much a benediction to an incredible project...but this song evokes so much emotion in me its not even funny. It...like almost everything does these days makes me think of my friend, Maurice Carter..who almost at the thought of the fact that he's left this earth waaaay sooner than I EVER expected, makes me cry for some indiscriminate amount of time.

Maurice joined my Travis Cottrell Praise Team singin' peeps on this last album which was unusual, because NORMALLY we wouldn't have "sullied" ourselves with his....."type"...lol but Trav' was sick... and so, we FORCED ourselves....to have to tolerate his incredible talent...lol. We sang MANY songs for the record, but a when we got to a certain verse on the final song...all of us looked up, and Maurice had begun to cry, and had taken a step back from the mic'. I'd watched him try to sing thru the emotion that was clearly rising up within him...but he couldn't fight it-and eventually he told us.. "Wow guys, I'm so sorry, I don't know whats gotten into me.." "What's WRONG with me?" He asked us thru his tears, slightly embarrassed...because the emotion, came from seemingly nowhere. Finally it was if he tried to explain to us what was going on with him.. "Whew, it's like the lyrics of that song got all over me!"

Well...by that point.. there wasn't any need to even say anything, almost all the rest of us who were singing had started to cry too.... the lyric "For the mysteries beyond the veil of death,for the peace that opens with our closing breath, When our struggles pass away and we finally see your face and greater glory rises into view....Thanks be to our God......Hallelujah, Everlasting songs will rise for all you've done, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, thanks be to our God!"

I don't know what happens in the spirit before our earthly journey wraps up here.... Knowing Maurice HIS spirit was feeling ALL KINDS of things that his natural mind couldn't comprehend yet...

But MAYBE all of that emotional....rigmarole...occurred in our vocal session to get us in a mindset of TRUE worship.

Thanks,adulation,adoration,and worship Eternally are owed our Father for all he's done for us. Tomorrow nite I get to perform with some friends here in Nashville at an event called Still Waters. I was listening to the song I've been referring to tonite on my ipod while at rehearsal for that event when it dawned on me that the last Still Waters event was on June 3,2011 on June 3,2011 (if my dates are correct), my phone began to ring because Mo' was missing. June 4th, late night.... I laid on my couch and cried because my spirit gave my heart the impression, and the leading, that Mo' had gone to be with the Lord already...But I still prayed, and prayed that what I was feeling was wrong...and that we'd find him. I called, I texted, I harassed him...(like I was SUPPOSED TO...as per the conditions of our relationship...lol) but also there in  this middle of my praying and pleading with God....... I began to worship, and thank God for the life of my friend.... and for the fact that i KNEW that if his time HAD indeed come to enter into his sabbath rest...that Maurice was SO OK.... it would be US..who would mourn... and hurt... but he would be fine.....

And when finally it WAS confirmed that Mo' was gone "Thanks Be To Our God" was one of the FIRST songs that came to my mind because I knew in that instant that though I was a ball on the floor....with carpet fibers in my nails from digging and grabbing....Maurice was right at that very moment...joined with the saints of old, and the angels, and the 4 and 20 elders LITERALLY singing Hallelujah, and Everlasting songs.

My days vary....some days I'm alright...I can go on with life without crying...but most days my heart just breaks at some point...when it dawns on me again, what I've lost...what so many of us have lost...in a friend, and brother. But THEN i hear ANOTHER lil' song from Travis's new cd...my brother Mo's last lil' ad lib on one of the song thats sung and echo 3xs that simply encourages us to MARCH ON...sung over a series of connected 8th note runs that just leave you shaking your head in awe of Mo's vocal Skill(z)...lol

March on...in VICTORY...March on... My friend and brother reminds us from the heavens.... and so... March on I shall.... while worshipping, and singing at the top of my lungs...hot tears running down my face..."HALLELUJAH, EVERLASTING SONGS WILL RISE, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE, HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH, THANKS. BE TO. OUR GOD!!!!!"