reviveINDIANA Celebration: the end, but just the beginning

reviveINDIANA Celebration: the end, but just the beginning
Last weekend we marked the end of reviveINDIANA with a statewide celebration. What a party it was! With only 4 short days to pull off an event where 6,000 people gathered was nothing short of a miracle.   God came through in a mighty way. The Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne was filled with the Holy Spirit for an evening of praise and testimonies of the power of Jesus touching lives all over Indiana. All the communities came together in celebration. This may be the end of the TTR team physically there, but it’s just the beginning of the lifestyle it created. There are 19 stars to come, local pastors and leaders taking charge to reach 19 more communities in the spread of revival. Going back to old wineskins is not an option for those who were touched. The fire of unity in the Church and going outside the walls is just the beginning.

"Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, 'We have seen remarkable things today.'" - Luke 5:26

As for myself, I look back on the whole experience in amazement of what the Lord has done. The promises the Lord has fulfilled in such a short period of time blows my mind.   It all started with a simple dream and a burning desire to want God to be REAL in my life. Well… He is more real than you can imagine! I’ve grown and been stretched in ways only He could have given strength and ability to accomplish.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," (Ephesians 3:20)
- 7 months traveling to Indiana
- 196 days of revive
- 7 different cities/regions visited
- 2,576 salvations (that were recorded)
- 10 airplane flights there and back home
- 46 prophetic paintings completed
- 4 words to live by: love, listen, discern, respond
- 4 more words: pray, eat, revive, repeat
Thank you Indiana for the wonderful memories and training ground for only more wonder to come! I am beyond grateful to the Time to Revive team for becoming my extended family along with so many Hoosiers that I will always keep in touch with. And most importantly a HUGE thank you to my husband and children who supported me with prayer, love and sacrifice beyond measure.  Without them I couldn't have done this call on my life. God’s family continues to grow…until next time, blessings!

 

To view the entire collection of prophetic paintings I did while in Indiana, click here…

Celebration Sale extends until August 1, 2015.

All Glory to God.

Brush Strokes from Heaven, Painting in the Rain – Fort Wayne, IN

"Let my teaching fall on you like rain." (Deut. 32:2)

Home again for a few short days before heading back to Fort Wayne, IN. This past week was incredible watching God move in mighty ways. I had one of the most refreshing experiences on Saturday night, painting in the rain for the very first time. The evening service with reviveINDIANA had a surprise; Kyle Martin announced that we were all going to head out on the streets to share the Gospel. The entire crowd broke up into 150 teams of 4 people to go share the Good News of Jesus Christ. I normally paint every night in the evening services, so naturally I would take my painting outside to join in the fun. Well, this would be a first. 

When we arrived at the park to set up, it was pouring. We found a little shed for shelter from the rain and waited for over an hour. Not sure whether to pack up and go or wait out the rain, a group of us stood out in the sprinkles and prayed. I had a quick vision of myself painting in the rain, and felt the Holy Spirit say, “paint with me in the rain.” As soon as we finished praying, I bolted over to my supplies and quickly set up under the shed. And went for it. I let the raindrops hit my canvas, collaborating with my brush strokes. I’ve never had such a freeing experience. Thank you Lord for your blessing and raindrops. You teach me more and more everyday when I let go and let you create with me.

Thank you to Tim and Ken for helping me load up and hang out. We had so much fun. Thank you to my new group of friends, the homeless gentlemen at the park, for helping me set up also. We all enjoyed the rain and sharing stories.

 Off again tomorrow with my family to the reviveINDIANA celebration! Expecting mighty miracles and awesome things the Lord will do.

Bless you all and I highly recommend painting in the rain.

Reviving Fort Wayne, IN - Week One

What a week in Fort Wayne, IN! There is a special favor from the Lord over this city. Years and years of diligent people praying for revival are coming to life. The Lord is singing a new song in this place.

I love how God works and speaks to me about each location we go into. Sitting down to write this blog, I reviewed the 4 paintings God placed in my heart to paint here. I went through each theme and love how the story line always fits the city without me knowing ahead what’s going on. That is the adventure of trusting what He shows me and taking the risk to go for it! I often get impressions or visions of paintings as I pray before going into a city. I never know how they will weave into God’s plan there.   God is always faithful and so much fun.

A New Song: God is singing a new song! And so must we. The Lord reminded me of listening closely to what He is doing through the wind of His Spirit. The birds and all creation sing praises.

Fort Wayne is home of “Sweetwater.” Sweetwater is one of the United States' largest dealers in musical equipment for musicians, recording studios, schools, house of worship, concert sounds companies and broadcasters.   On a drive through the city, worship leader Jon Russell and I, took a meander through this magnificent headquarters. New songs coming out of this place, for sure!

Living Water: I had in my journal this waterfall and river idea for months. I held onto it for every city, with no clear go ahead to paint it until that day in Fort Wayne. I prayed only hours before going on stage for a clear vision from the Lord, as I had nothing all day. Then I heard Him say, “Today is the day for the waterfall.”

That evening was one of the more intense Holy Spirit outpourings in the place. The pastor who stood up to speak was from the “3 Rivers” church. (I had no idea) And a healing night broke out as the Holy Spirit swept through with His water, cleansing, healing and restoring His people. Fort Wayne also had a “3 Rivers Festival” all weekend.

We are One: I knew ahead that the city was known as the ‘city of churches.’ There is something unique about Fort Wayne and it’s rich history in churches. I knew I had to visually declare the Church coming together in unity as one masterpiece for God’s glory. This night was incredible! God brought ALL the people, young and old, together for an evening with a prophetic word over the whole crowd, “will you marry Jesus tonight?’ We all prophetically walked down the aisle to present ourselves to Jesus in union to unite together with Him. It was a beautiful night.

Apple Delight: Fort Wayne is the resting place of Johnny Appleseed. He was an American legend while still alive, due to his kind, generous ways, his leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance he attributed to apples. He was also a missionary for The New Church and the inspiration for many museums and historical sites.

I heard the Lord tell me to paint a piece of apple pie. At first I laughed a little, but when He said, “full circle” to me, I knew what it meant. We are to take the seeds planted before us and ‘make’ something delightful with it. Share it! It is a whimsical picture of discipleship and creating something with what we’ve been given. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I’m sitting in Chicago airport waiting for my connection to fly BACK to Fort Wayne. The Lord wasn’t finished with us there… I’m so excited for what we will encounter with His goodness this week! Stay tuned. Bless you all.

Mindi Oaten Art - Prophetic Painting

Child-like Faith, My experience painting with children.

Home again after a 10-day trip with Revive Indiana to the Northwest Region and Terre Haute. The Lord continues to open my eyes to new things, teaching me more as I rely on Him. I am finding a greater love for painting each time I step on stage. When I reflect on what impacted me the most from my time in Terre Haute, I would have to say it was the experience I had painting with kids.

Going into Terre Haute I felt the nudge to switch it up a little. The Lord lay on my heart to paint with children. So I did. For two evenings I painted with a few of the team members kids beside me on stage. I’m not sure who got more out of the experience, the kids or I. I was moved to tears after the first night. It took me out of my normal and gave me a different perspective of prophetic painting, turning my attention more on the girls rather than focusing on myself. I was so proud of the girls as they came with child-like faith and poured their heart out on canvas. It was incredible!

No matter what age, we can all hear from our loving Heavenly Father. Kids have such a simple faith in Him; they don’t over complicate things, but trust in reliance on His lead. We all prayed and listened before heading on stage. I told the girls to listen to what God wanted them to paint. The youngest, 6 year-old Selah Martin, said she had a picture of flowers in a vase. When I asked her what God said about the flowers, she replied, “It is like the people coming together in Indiana, all together as one.” How precious. We all decided to paint beautiful flowers in our own way to represent the new thing God is doing in Indiana. The Body of Christ coming together to share the Gospel and love of Jesus.  

 I titled my painting, “Budding Joy” because I felt the joy of the Lord all around us painting. He was smiling down on us with His mighty love as He watched little ones paint in worship. I saw budding joy coming out of the kids and also myself. I learned so much from this experience. To let go, have fun, take His lead. I also have a new passion to see and teach children that they too can hear the voice of the Lord and use it in creativity.

The second night I painted with teenager, Elisabeth Goodwin, and the Lord showed her a picture of an eagle soaring. It was so awesome because that night I felt to paint a feather with the opposite message of hers. Without either of us knowing what the other was to paint. They worked together beautifully.

Thank you Selah Martin, Lilly Werner and Elisabeth Goodwin for having the courage and faith to worship the Lord using your creative gifts. Your hearts astound me as well as the skill the Lord has given each one of you.

All Glory to God.

Mindi Oaten Art