A Testimony from School of Prophets 2014
by Trip Underwood
Church of the Resurrection, Asheville NC
My name is Trip Underwood, and I am writing to thank you for hosting the school of prophecy, and tell you what a wonderful job you did. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and I did not want to leave. I wanted more.
I think the most valuable lesson I learned, though, is that I didn’t need more instruction, I simply needed to accept what God has already given. Which to no surprise is basically the main word spoken over me there by Emily. She simply reminded me that God had already shown me this. I just had to go with it. Even the Bishop’s confirming that God had me by a cable, not a string, had more meaning to me than I realized at the time.
I wish, especially for Emily to know the gratitude I have for her taking the time to just listen to me. I needed someone to connect with and sound out what I was feeling. Out of nowhere there she was. Her radiance was nearly blinding, but it pushed me to tie together what I was seeing and learning there. It still thrills me to think how accurate and deep some of the other words I got were and more importantly, how easily the givers of them had received them. I think it was Emily’s roommate who got the word of the hole in my heart through seeing a small hole in my shirt. And I think it was Russ (or Ross?) who saw me on a boat looking around until finally my gaze was locked with Christ.
Wow! Have I said “wow” yet? That is what I felt. I, like a lot of others I know, would never expect it to be something that could come so easily. But God shattered that concept upon my return home.
Sunday, Fr. Bill had those of us who were there, get up and share with our congregation. I have to admit that I totally missed the chance to show my church how easily the word can come. In trying to decide how to explain how easily the word seemed to come to so many there, God put the idea in my head to make an example of someone and show that something as simple as what they are wearing can be a sign. We had a lady that day wearing a yellow sweater with a boat on it. And God told me to get up and say that I felt she wanted to go on a cruise or go somewhere around boats and water. I, not being a sure of what I was thinking, or recognizing it was actually God filling my mouth with the words, decided not to waste everyone’s time. I simply got up and told how awesome it was and how simply it came, that all we had to do was ask. At the end of the service she stood up and said she was already booked on a mission trip to Trinidad. I feel like such a fool. I didn’t even put it together until late that night. Wow.
Anyway, I was impressed with how much I learned in such a short time there. The Bishop, Shelby, and Jason, all did an excellent job of teaching and showing many of the aspects of prophecy. It was regrettable that Jason had to go so fast. But he still did an amazing job, and is obviously Spirit-filled. In all I just feel so blessed to have been a part of it, and a part of the love that is Christ the King.
I was blessed to share a word that I knew was for me with Deacon Tony, and that was to be a firebrand for God. And my experience there is the fuel for that fire. I eagerly await the next school, and hope to at least celebrate with you all again. And I will pray maybe sometime some of you can come here and help inspire others in my church the way you inspired me. Thank you and God bless you all.