BENEFIT FOR THE INVISIBLE CHILDREN AT MORGANS SCHOOL

Making sure you find your seat and are well informed about the nights events...Morgan is the one to help.

Right in our own back yard...well down the street a bit the nations are represented. Although we are at the International House of Prayer, we have found that most of our international experiences and relationships come from friends from Morgan's School. We have hosted young people from Columbia, Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan, Israel, Brazil, Sudan, and other nations.

Friday night we had fun at her school watching dances from Brazil and India, poetry written by these young people and a fashion show. WAY COOL STUFF.

These are two of Morgans fun friends, enjoying the music at the end of the evening...Sorry I can't spell their names (you should have seen how I just tried to spell the word spell!)

So this evening was orchestrated by a group of young people to benefit the 'Invisible Children'. They have organized all kinds of events, soccer tournaments, dodgeball tournaments etc to help these children who are continually on the run and sleep in the streets.

My favorite was the Punjabi Dancers...from India. Lots of beautiful color, the music is fun.

just saying HI...

Christmas Goodies? Nope, not yet...

Morgan and Jacob are stirring up some yummy chocolate chip cookies at MIDNIGHT one night. Every once in a while you hear the mixer churning at the wee hours of the night, or morning. Morgan wakes up Jacob and they make cookies. Well, they were yummy. Only thing is Morgan took most of them to her work and Jacob took the rest to his Karate teachers. I think we all got 1 cookie each. All in the Spirit of Giving! Hope you get the chance to taste these late night treats sometime...

Want to wish you all a Merry Christmas...so glad you are checking in on us...

Hopefully I (misty) will keep you up to date on what is going on...we have LOTS of surprises to announce in the weeks ahead so stay posted! Lot's of changes in store for us in 2009.

coming up soon...info on Philip's hunting trip...! It'll be GREAT.

Never sure what Jacob is up to...mostly being like his sister Morgan...taking self portraits! He seems to have something on his mind he wants to share

WE GOT A CAMERA...

Hey Blog Fans,
I know you have diligently waited for new news from the Honnold House. I have to be honest with you...it is most difficult for me to sit down and write without adding pictures, therefore since we have not had a digital camera, the incentive to write out the exciting news of the day has been somewhat...humm, well let's just say I haven't been motivated. But NOW, I can share with you all the wonderful happenings in our home.
Enjoy...

The Ninja's are Loose...

Today, 3 Ninja warriors were running amuck around the streets of Grandview looking for someone they might apprehend. And who should they happen on to but Meghan Honnold. Sitting prettily behind her desk at the FMA office minding her own business. With the assistance of her boss, Kevin Hardy, the 3 Ninja's stealthily snuck into the office and apprehended their unsuspecting hostage. After a mad drive about the city of Grandview these fearless ones made their way to Mary Leonard's home where they carried their hostage in under the point of a knife and released her to the care of Mary, who happens to be a licensed Massage Therapist. Needless to say, after being acousted in such a terrible manner and held at knife-point while careening around multiple curves and swerves, Meghan was in desperate need of some TLC.

Unfortunately, no pictures were taken of the actual kidnapping, only a few were snapped as the Ninja's paused to release their victim.

Off and Running

Well, I believe, let me restate BELIEVE, we have gotten off to a good start for our school year.
Everyone in this family is in the midst of an intensely busy season. I find myself almost daily saying "LET ME OUTTA HERE". I feel like I could run away.
Just yesterday I shared this with two friends who both are experiencing the same feelings, so that tells me 'God is up to something'! I just wish I knew what.
I am feeling like things that have been SO important to me in the past are taking a short break, the intensity of our schedules demands our full attention. But keeping our hearts aflame and loving one another is the test of the fire we are currently walking through. I feel like there is this wall before me and I am literally pressing on it w/ my head, I will not budge I feel my spirit saying (but my flesh says 'RUN AWAY'). The wall will give way as long as I don't back off. There are things in life that God has said 'don't budge on this one'. So I am not budging.

I guess that 'thing' in life would be the children, the next generation. This past weekend the boys and I went to Alma, Ark. to minister to children and parents for the weekend. I love opening up the word and sharing with children. I love to see their eyes when I read the description of Jesus in Revelation 19...WOW, this is a Jesus they have never seen before. I love to give them historic details about Daniel's or Esther's capitivity, then hit them with the reality of their steadfastness in the midst of such trials. I love to see the Holy Spirit move on them, brood over them, and set their hearts on fire.
And I love to spend Tuesday and Friday evenings w/ my own kids: laughing, sharing stories, laughing again, figuring out schedules, eating dessert etc.
Those are things I won't budge on.

OH, I caused a parent to get up and leave one of the sessions I taught. He told me later he was sorry but he was getting so convicted as a dad he couldn't stand any more! YES...go God. I preach and share the simple truth that God WILL turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. (Malachi 4:6) Sorry guys, I don't waste time painting a pretty picture but I lay down the reality of what that looks like: Jesus dying on a cross. Doing it, pouring out His very lifeblood to death, even death on a cross. AND all for the JOY set before him. My heart is that parents would arrise and be like Jesus. He was NEVER concerned about his ministry or calling. All He cared about was His children's destiny. May we be a generation that sees the way Jesus sees.

CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME FROM THE CORNFIELDS

Well, did any good thing come from Nazareth. YES. The boys and I have found ourselves lost in the midst of cornfields for the past week plus. We have found rest and relaxation and lots of play time in the middle of the cornfields in Indiana.
We basked in the sun on Lake Santee w/ friends that live on the lake. The boys played in the sandbox (you are never too old) making tunnels only to blow them up w/ firecrackers (big boy play!), read, swam, went tubing, played with cats, put a puzzle together, and much more. I on the other hand lavished in the day to day conversations w/ my friend Ann. We pondered the deep things of God together like; What was the first thing Adam thought when he was created, is the Schulamite IN the palanquin in chapter 3 of Song of Solomon or is the bridegroom going to get her, how do we parent, am I in a desert season etc. I spent great time in the word and working on a study of the Song of Solomon for children. We skied together, I got to go tubing w/ my boys, sit in the sun. YES, we relaxed and it was wonderful.
But what about Ohio…is God there. WELL, let me tell you He is. The boys and I have spent 2 amazing days in Waynesfield, Ohio at a retreat center. Now this is no normal retreat center. It is currently still under renovation. It is an old abandon school, w/ gym, auditorium and A PRAYER ROOM.
A few years ago God took a businessman from Cincinnati, imparted a vision for abandon schools and Mike is working almost solo to bring about God’s heart. He calls the retreat center the "Son Center". He has a vision to establish them all over the nation.
The boys and I gathered with about 30 to kids and adults and shared the heart of the King that is returning, empowered them to sing the word, released them in prophetic art, worshipped with them and so much more.
These are people who have never heard of IHOP, but God has been stirring something in the hearts of the children. How they long for something deeper.
Jesus captivated their hearts as I read the description of Him that is in Revelation 1, He empowered them as I shared that He is returning and He is going to establish His kingdom and we will rule and reign w/ him. A young man by the name of John the Baptist said “COOL, I can’t wait!”
We invited these kids into our living room as Philip played his guitar and led worship. We then opened up Psalm 23 and had them singing the word. One mother said “I have been longing to sing the word but thought I was weird! Now I know it’s ok and I can’t wait to get home and sing in my kitchen.”
A lovely young lady named Kayle glowed as she danced to “People Get Ready” and released the message that Jesus is returning through dance. Kayle has one shoe that has about a 5 inch platform on it because she has one leg shorter than the other! It is powerful to see her dance before the Lord.
OH HOW I LOVE JESUS. Children all over the world are waiting and longing to see Him, to know His heart for them, to be told that they hear from Him. Parents and leaders are mystified as to how to raise this generation.
We shared at a church last night that has caught the vision but has had no idea how to walk out empowering the children. So the boys and I went, Philip led worship, we taught them one of the Apostolic prayers and had the kids pray, I called the kids of the church forward to be the ministry team and they prayed over the adults, we danced. I challenged to adults to go deep themselves. Many were touched, challenged and encouraged by all God was doing.
I have been so proud and amazed at my own children. This summer has been an awesome time for the Honnold Family as God has 'set' the kids in new places of authority, identity and in their destiny. What an awesome privilege to be a MOM!

Honnold's on the Road - By Philip

Hey, wasup my peeps?

I took over the computer for a little while, so this post will come with my spin on every story. Right now we're in Indianapolis, staying at my Aunt's apartment for a couple days, visiting her and just doing our thing. We've had a busy weekend, going all over Indiana, so I'll start from the beginning.

We pulled in late Wednesday night, Thursday morning to our good friend Marsha's house, where we spent a couple days resting and recuperating. I slept in til 12:30 on Thursday, getting the best sleep I've gotten in weeks. The next couple days (Thursday and Friday) were spent just hanging around the house, playing guitar, reading, etc. (as a brief side note, Marsha has a gator, which is like a 4-wheeler with two seats and a miniture flatbed, and Jacob spent hours on end driving it around her property, getting his family to ride with him, then doing everything within his power to scare them witless.) We had a deep philosophical discussion late into the Thursday night, then Friday afternoon we went to Indianapolis, to visit my Aunt.

When we got into Indy, we went straight to my cousin's restaraunt, where we had an amazing meal of all kinds of rare delicasies. Then, after we were done eating, we went to my Aunt's apartment where we've been for the past couple days. While in Indy we have seen some relatives, went to a movie (Journey to the Center of the Earth; it wasn't too bad, kinda interesting), and went to hear a symphony at an outdoor place... I don't remember what it's called. They played nothing but Beethoven for the entire evening, and the pianist was RIDICULOUSLY SKILLFUL. He was really good, no joke. It was a blast

That's where we are now, hanging around the apartment, doing our thing. Tomorrow Meghan heads back to Kansas City, and Tuesday we move on to the next leg of our trip.

OH, I almost forgot one of the major reasons for staying w/ our friend Marsha!! My sister Morgan has a new car!!! It's a '98 Toyota Camry, black, 4-door w/ a cd player and sun roof. I got to drive it all the way from Marsha's house to Indy (about 3-hours), and let me tell you, it's amazing. it's so responsive and maneuverable after driving my mom's van all over the place, I can't wait to get back on the road.

Well, I think that about finishes this update. Apologies for any and all grammatical or spelling errors; I've never posted before, so this is new.

Bless you all!!

Philip J. Honnold