The aftermath of the Upward Call 2008 conference continues. The theme SHIFT was no joke. Let me back up just a little. We planned this conference long before we would know what kinds of things would need to shift in order to actually see the ministry fulfilled that the conference is designed for. As we approached the dates (February 22 and 23) there were certain battle stages that were set up to hinder the release of ministry that we had to win and shift through. The brief list: some churches that we thought would be with us weren't inspired to attend; Martha was set back by a deep breathing and sinus problem setting up interference to her clear thinking preparations and threatening her ability to show up and communicate clearly during her session; two of the musicians (including me) that were preparing for the interactive workshop set aside to court the presence of the Lord and help Shift the spiritual atmosphere over our lives had hindering physical ailments during the week prior to the conference; I had two days of spiritual attacks and battles flair up; and then the fun started. A snow and ice storm showed up coinciding with the same days as the conference. We had to make a decision about to keep going or cancel. Shifting again on Friday, the first day of the planned schedule, we canceled the evening sessions and moved everything to Saturday. Had to shift the start time from 8:30 to 9 am. Had to shift the inspirational power point presentation to a no show because of format conflicts. Had to shift the sessions to fit the new schedule. While I was on my third shoveling pass of the driveway for clearing the snow on Friday the Lord said to me, "all things are going to work for good". So our prayers became, "God get the greater good out of all these things." Then on the way to the hosting church, we found that the highway was closed and a detour into the woods was set up, and unmarked clearly. From one end, the detour signs were posted before arriving at the church, though there was no other way to get there. We had a lot of out of town folks signed up to come, and this was the final challenge for anyone to make it through. So, to get to the SHIFT we had to shift many times, and in the end it was worth it all. The last thing accomplished during the Saturday sessions was a response to those who felt they were called to be shifters. The entire remaining folks in attendance responded. WOW! So in the end all the shifting ended in being shifted to be shifters. And God is getting the greater good out of all these things that touched and ran through our lives.

The greater good still unfolds as we get reports back from different ones that took what they received and have been using it to influence others with what happened to them. I am so glad for grace of God that enabled us to stay the coarse though we had to shift many times to do so. It felt very much like a rally race for sports cars - up hills, down hills, around hairpin corners, fast then slow, shifting, shifting, shifting. A great hands on experience for all those that were exercised by it. If we are going to be shifters, we are going have to get use to making a lot of shifts happen, and use to being shifted in our own lives to align ourselves to the success of the journey of the Upward Call of God in Christ Jesus.