The Story of “The Upper Room”
As told & lived by Peter & Rebekah & Others
December 2, 2011
October 10, 1995
Dear Peter & Rebekah
I want to thank you ever so much for providing The Upper Room – God’s rocking chair – a place for people to come and experience the gentle, loving arms of their “Papa” wrapped about them. The orchestration of the weekend opportunity to come and enjoy His presence is awesome to me. Just knowing that He desired fellowship with me so much that He put this together without me even asking has overwhelmed me. There has been a time of real healing, cleansing, rejoicing & renewal in just a few short hours.
I would like to be able to come again for a longer stay – if and when He puts it together. May He continue to bless you, keep you, provide for you & may your know His presence continually in your lives.
I am leaving a small love gift to hopefully help in the continuing ministry of The Upper Room.
In Him
Ellen
February 8, 1996
The Civil War is raging high. Nowhere for my spirit to hide. My Father is fighting for the enemy. Is He choosing to shoot at me or has He been defeated unknowingly? I’ve been severely wounded in this fight – will it never come to a peaceful end? I want to reach out and hold His hand but my fear of another injury keeps me hiding in the deep moldy foxhole of my heart. Wondering when it will be safe to come out and feel the light against my face until it penetrates the deepest valleys of my weary soul – but for now only darkness surrounds me. I just don’t have the courage to lift my head out of this place. I quiver at the thought of being pounded back down into the cold damp earth – being forced to bare witness of yet another scar reminding me I’ve failed again!
I’ve grown confused and unable to follow my Commander’s orders. Ready to move with just a whisper of His voice is a thing of the past. Now he screams – at least I think it’s Him accusing me again! Accusing me of being unworthy – trying to fight this battle to overcome my enemy. The Commander is unconcerned with me – I have caused Him shame – I’m going to wait for the enemy to destroy what is left of my weak and dying soul. My decision has quickened my heart, turning it to granite – unable to feel compassion for the other soldiers – still battling the enemy around me – shedding their blood dark red with love. My eyes take one last look at the battle around me – while my mind works at forgetting the fight within.
A fellow soldier reaches his hand down – daring to ignore the foxhole boundaries. He grabs my hand – pulling me out of my prison. Holding me up with his strong heart of confidence, believing that our Commander will deliver us – he followed orders to rescue me from the war that has entwined itself – tearing apart everything deep inside my soul. The enemy continues to fight but the war is no longer mine alone. The Commander has taken over my foxhole. The soldier carries me into the safety of this fortress. My wounds are being bandaged as my scars slowly fade. The lonely battle I fought was not mine after all. The enemy disillusioned me with chemical warfare – hoping he could destroy me before I realized that through it all my Commander Jesus has won another victory!
Connie Jo
June 11, 1996
The Night of the Bat!
Restless … Afraid … frantic … hemmed in on all sides. Climbing up and down the screens and windows looking for a way out, the bat flew up, down and around.
Four A.M. … the bat wakes us. “There is an animal in our suitcase dear!” I find nothing … go to the kitchen to get water and Jeanne runs to me yelling, “There is a bird in the bedroom!”
I rush to the bedroom to have a bat buzz by my head. To no avail our friend the bat won’t leave and so we all go back to bed … Jeanne under the covers head and all!
It’s 8:25 A.M. At 6:30 I succeeded in closing the bedroom window and trapping friend bat … I thought! But now he is out and merrily flying around and buzzing us as the coffee perks!
Now… a little yelp from Jeanne as the bat flies by her and as I turn and look, friend bat flies out the front door… FREE!
How much like a trapped bat I’ve been in life … hurt, frantic, bewildered by expectations piled on by others/myself; angry to the point of being destructive; surrounded by people, family and loved ones yet … lonely to the bottom of the pit in my heart.
Struggling to attain … get the bills paid … have money left to eat on … suffer horrible guilt over Christmas and birthdays (often hating the day I was born) … wondering why I was alive, why I had fathered seven children? Self-condemnation over job failures, being often a poor father, going through a divorce … remarrying … starting over with priceless Jeanne who often got no better than the first wife got … wondering at the incredible, horrible pain of life and yet …
Surviving to try again. I hate bootstraps … tugging on them to get up in the morning. Yanking on them to jumpstart the day. Pulling on them till it feels my arms must come out of their sockets over the effort to be me, conform, fit into others’ view of me, when I detest my view and theirs.
So here I am … with the woman I love, at The Upper Room where God’s Spirit prevails and invades … gently and firmly. For the first time in my life – rest for body, mind and spirit.
I do not have to be a frantic bat any longer. In Jesus I can be me and Jesus in me is the hope of Glory. “He must increase and I must decrease.”
Thank you dear Lord for the bat … I learned so much! Thank you for the strange new, growing pool of peace in me. May it gently ripple out to engulf me and touch others.
Finish your work of creating in me a peaceful, gentle man for Christ’s sake. Amen
Jim B
August 29, 1998
Dear Peter and Rebekah
Thank you so much for sharing your Upper Room with me these past few days. We have truly been blessed with God’s presence and His peace in this place. Your hospitality and your gracious words have been precious. I was very moved by your story in “The Wood Blossom” (renamed “To Hell and Back”). It brings much glory to God. May He continually grant you the desires of your heart as you continue to delight yourselves in Him. His joy is evident in you both.
Love in Christ,
Debbie
P.S. The lyrics to the song below were inspired by the feeling I had when I first walked into this place and sat down in the rocker – D.
Deep in Your Love
D. McCracken
1.) Every care melts away in the stillness of Your presence. I can feel You holding me – pressing me close to Your heart. Joy and peace fill the rooms in my soul, as incense. You invite this weary child to make a brand new start.
Chorus: Let me rest deep in Your love – Listen for Your voice – learn to heed your touch. ‘Cause when I rest deep in Your love, You fill me so much. I’m gonna rest deep in Your love, here in this place my heart’s been dreaming of. To feel Your caress – Your kiss from above – so deep in Your love.
2.) At your call I lay down all my busy-ness and pride. I don’t have to be and do. I don’t have to hide. Here in your embrace of love – wrapped up in Your arms – I can let all pretense go – just be Your humble child.
(chorus)
(No date)
My dearest Peter & Rebekah
As I leave this holy place, once again my heart is filled with gratitude for you and for the wonders of the special place you have made for me here. There is not another place in the world where I feel as safe, as sheltered, as loved as I do in your home and in this precious Upper Room.
This is my Bethel where innumerable times God has met me, comforted me, loved me, rebuked me, and challenged me – and I must not forget, delivered me! What price can one put on the presence of God? I bless the two of you for giving of yourselves and allowing the Lord to use you as His Stretcher Bearers.
Much love,
Your daughter Karleen
No date
(One of the many teddy bears in the Upper Room speaks these words – via our friend Joyce)
Hi, my name is Sweetie, Sweetie II. I almost didn’t get to come and live in your Upper Room because when the Knights bought me, they loved me – especially Mrs. Knight. She would hold me up against her chest and I was almost like holding a baby. She hopes that you experience the same feeling when you hug me and never tire of it – so any visitors you have are welcome to hold me close, too. She said there would be more bears there. I hope I get to sit close to them and help your visitors experience peace. I know that the Holy Spirit gives true love, joy and peace and I’m only a toy bear so I’ll just point you to the Living God who gives us every good and perfect gift – especially eternal life because of Jesus.
John 10:10 ….. I am come that ye might have LIFE and have it more abundantly.
October 13, 1998
Peter & Rebekah,
Thank you both so very much for providing such a place as this.
The presence of God is so richly abundant here that you can almost touch Him, literally! I know that He has touched our spirits with the reassurance of His love and provision.
The most significant move of His Spirit however, has been the awesome amount of His peace that is here. His peace, coming wave upon wave since the first step into The Upper Room, has brought a rest these last few days that is unexplainable, but easy to receive here!
Thank you for your ministry, your love for the church and your sole desire to see the Father bless His children.
We will keep in touch.
We love you, Steve & Sallie
To be continued by folks who visit “The Upper Room”
First posting of letters: November 13, 2011
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All writings by Peter, the Lord's Scribe and Storyteller and all paintings by Rebekah, the Lord's artist are copyright free.
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