Travels with Father

Before I met you

2009-07-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

Before I ever met you or saw your beautiful face

Before I knew your background, your home town or your race

I knew your spirit and what was deep inside

I knew it would gush with love, impossible to hide.

I knew you knew the King

and that was good enough for me,

and you'd make my swollen heart sing

and open my soul to better see.

Before I ever met my love I prayed His grace on you.

I prayed His touch upon your heart and everything you do.

I prayed for His favor on you, that He shine through your smile.

I knew you and I knew you not, and that was odd for a long while.

But I clearly saw your heart and what God put in there

and how He healed you from your past, the disappointment and despair.

I saw the bride warrior you were always meant to be

I saw Him clearly guide you, and place you, in front of me.

Before I knew even your name, I knew you were His beloved child

I saw a hint of potential, a glimpse of something wild.

I knew there was a promise of my innermost desire

I knew we'd share the spirit and beauty of Gods Holy fire.

I saw you clearly, blurred yet heart so open and alive

Impossible, without you to do much more than just survive.

I knew you'd be worth the wait, this I new for sure

the hole in my heart and life – you were His blessing cure

and I would be the man God made, with love, precisely just for you

and we would move with Him in us in everything we do.

I knew that He would give me, exactly what you crave

I knew he'd give me power to be wonderful and brave.

so now that we have found each other

no longer just sister and brother

let us move as one in HIM

and our new life, let's now begin.

Last day of 09 Israel trip, up on the roof with God

2009-07-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hey guys. the last day in Israel, early in the morning, i was on the roof asking to hear from God. I asked him to give me a scripture to help me with this trip. He gave me 1 Kings 2:2. It was a beautiful 'listening prayer' moment for me with Abba, his voice was so clear I doubted it for a moment -- "which verse I asked, which book?" his reply came with new clarity and confidence. I raced to the verse, to see if there would actually be meaning for me:

2 “I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. 3 Observe the requirements of the LORD your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. 4 If you do this, then the LORD will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’

A love too Deep

2009-07-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

To try to put all I have seen and learned down on paper is going to be difficult - impossible. I am still unpacking everything. We saw so much... face to face and from high on a hill overlooking the world carved into 12 Gates. History, todays news, and the Bible all seem to be heading in the same direction. Biblical prophecy is coming alive, being lived out. The news reports scripture and doesn't even know it. How can you describe that? Jokingly (yet for real) I boiled the entire trip down to 2 words = "Come Lord".
- wrote a poem 'bout it -- here it goes: (maybe make a good song)

A Love Too Deep

Last Day in the Land, Abba take me by the hand,
help me make my stand and follow your perfect plan.
Israel is now a part of me, I can't ignore what I plainly see,
prophetic words rain down mixed with tears they flood the ground.
Help me Lord share this glory, these people, this place and your beautiful story.

Help me make them hungry for it, not content to hear and sit.
Lord I don't know what else to do but to tell the travels of me and you.
It's not about the missions or ministry, but the roots of our faith - Your History.
Make them hungry to unveil the mystery.
I want to gather all my friends and come back here again and again,
tell your story from beginning to end.

Lord call your children everywhere, Jew & Gentile & sons of Ismael,
let us dream of Yeshua Messiah and know that He is real.
Help us reach your beloved Israel.
Call us to your feet my Lord and arm us with your Spirit and Sword,
and set us loose unto all mankind to love and honor and help all find......
with the King of Kings forever bind.

As the worlds pulse quickens, our brotherhood in Him does thicken,
and time does not wait for us, we must run towards Him in trust
before our bones return to dust.
Help submit our hearts to you and do what you would have us do,
help us seek and sense and feel ... a love too deep for your chosen Israel.

Come Lord Come

one suggestion: I'd like to offer these words as a new carving for the door to the tomb of our beloved Yeshua to replace "He is not here for He is Risen" "Because He is Risen - He IS Here!"

The Watchtower - Israel 09

2009-07-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Watchtower

In Israel there is a place
where they come to seek His face
and pray for their part of the world
and into the Holy Fire they are hurled

They intercede for all the nations
praying over them the 5th of Galatians
The watchtower watches for God - with Him!
They wait for the Son of Elohim

The world sliced like a pie
the tower in the sky
watching for the people to turn
ready to save - ready to burn

The watchmen pray every day
for the world to wake up and say
be gone evil one
hearts prepare for the Son

Yeshua is on his way right now
hearts ablaze as all heads bow
make a way for the coming King
weep & pray, repent & sing.

Looking over Israel's Holy Land
watchmen wait and firmly stand
they call the spirit, they watch & pray
not for tomorrow but for today.

From every nation tribe and tongue
we watch & pray for the coming Son
the watchers on the tower
praying hour after hour
for all the peoples of this land
for the lost of this desert sand

for MY country, for YOUR country, that everyone should know
the Lord is coming back and soon - it's almost time to go
So come and take a turn and watch the glory of Addonai
and stand with me for Israel - the apple of God's eye.

Israel 09 Poem

2009-07-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Elohim has a voice that speaks loud and clear
Penetrating, Devastating, Invigorating all who hear
Not long long ago or far far away
but right here in my heart, right now, today.
Surely I will drown in His Holy Spirit
drop weeping to my knees just to be near it.
Gasping for air, longing for more, crying our Lord Come!
Take my breath, my tears, my life for Your Kingdom.
Use me oh Lord, spend me to the nub
Use me to show the world your mercy and love.
As I rise from my knees, Lord take me please
Through me raise the dead, feed & clothe & heal every disease.
Its what I want, It's what I need, to be yours and yours alone
To lead the lost to your glorious throne.

SIX STONES

2009-01-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

1/10/2009
it's just a little flower pot filled with sand & stones
yet it holds my very pulse my inner core my bones.
six small stones in a bed of white sand
deep and rich in meaning yet smaller than my hand.
the red marbled stone set in the center is the heart of my Father
reminding me just how much He loves His sons and daughters
at the center of my being
is the heart of my King.
the second stone is small and black and odd
it's the small rock of great faith in our father God.
the unshakable unwaivering faith that God can do all things
and we His children consider it an honor to serve this king of kings.
the third is white and round and looks like a stone ball
it's the fire starter spirit spreader - it's my love for God & yall.
the fourth stone is gray and brown to remind me to pray
to love & see us all as God does day after day.
every single one of us is special in His sight
we are all His holy body and together we will fight.
the fifth stone is my rock of peace, what else can i say
sweet peace of God right now and every blessed day
the last stone number six is the hardest one for me
it's the stone of discipline & self control you see
it's being daily in His word and Spirit, floating in His river
being missional compassionate a lover and a giver
its just a little dish of sand and six smooth & tiny stones
but it holds the key to my inner being my core my very bones

a Saviors letter

2009-01-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

remember Morph, the Prayer Maze, i found my old notes, there was this one stop on the maze where we were guided to read Psalm 23 and pray to hear from God and journal it, following is what i wrote - oddly - rereading for the first time since the night I wrote it, it looks like a letter from Jesus. this is weird, hold on. yall i don't know what else to do with this but share it with someone so i picked you. tell me honestly if you think i'm losin it.

(i feel some of this is for you)

Be at peace my son, everything is prepared and ready and perfect. You do not have to fight or struggle, I have done it for you. This is not your fight, it is mine and I have already won. Sit with me, laugh with me, let me use you.

Struggle no more, be still and quiet. keep your heart open and your eyes on me. Love All - Always. Be bold, but humble. I will give you what you need when you need it. You lack nothing!

Don't worry too much about friends and family, am I not big enough to love them too? Press into the lost - raise the dead - breath life into the dry bones. Be light and salt, I will show myself in you.

I will show my power in your weakness. I will share my love with your heart, hands & tongue. I will plant gardens with your hands and water them with your sweat and tears.

Be willing, humble, gentle.
Go where I am, when I am not there - bring me.
Move mountains for me!

Pray and teach others what I have taught you. Heal in my name. Encourage in my name. Make disciples everywhere you go - for me! Teach, sew, nurture and reap the fruits of my spirit. Watch for the fruit - watch for miracles, they are everywhere.

Pray but ACT! Pray but Celebrate. Pray for righteousness. Keep me with you every minute of every day.
Look for my coming.

blessing for babies

2008-11-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

Lord Bless Dem Babies

Bless em good Lord!

Right there where they'ra playin. Bless em till their hair stands straight up. Make em laugh out loud Lord.

When they fall from ya, and they will, snatch em back & draw em close to your breast.

Hug on em Lord. Love on em. Protect em from the dark.

Start on em NOW mighty Lord cause they got a long ways to go and a tough row to hoe.

Make their bodies healthy and strong and their minds sharp and bent on You.

Help us teach em right Lord. Teach em to do right by You. To walk along side a ya.

Teach em how to love folks Lord, the way you do.

Teach them to see and treat folks like you do, you know with that powerful - fall to your knees kinda love that makes ya cry it's so good!

Help us teach em better 'n we was taught. To be better 'n us.

Learn em about Your mighty power, Your healings, Your Holy Spirit, and Your grace Lord, don't forget about that. Teach em 'bout Your Boy Lord. What a thing yall did for us - for dem babies.

Lord, if you is still inclined, please bless and love on us some too. Shoot we need ya now more 'n ever. Pour it out in us so we can pour it inta dem babies.

Yes Bless Dem Babies sweet Lord. Thanks and Amen..

this came to me as if it was spoken by an old southern man - audibly, in a deep voice. i heard every word spoken out loud, repeated while i wrote. this happened late Saturday night before I served in Kids Quest Sunday 2-17-07. i am compelled to share it with you all. glenn

Acuna Mission Trip 11-8-2008

2008-11-06T07:26:00.000-08:00

Acuna's just another place
to go and serve and see God's face
to stand beside our brothers there
to let em know how much we care

to worship with them side by side
with eyes and ears and hearts pried wide
to face our fears, not duck and hide
to trust in God 'til fears subside

we go to join the Body of Christ
to call His Spirit to Arize
to serve, and pray for Kingdom Come
to work for God til the day is done

to swing a hammer, to mend a heart
to make a clearing for God to start
the thing He's wanted all along
to fill our hearts with love and song

to build a house, or two or three
it matters not that much to me
whatever He may have us do
lets us do it - me and you

side by side we go with love
not just ours, but from above
with our brothers we'll take our stand
and seek our Lord, hand in hand

No matter where on earth you live
it honors God to go and give
He'll pour His spirit down line rain
our wet souls - never the same

So lend your heart to Mexico
We take your support as we go
To build His Kingdom and light the way
for Christ to come and in us stay.

Arise - a poem from Israel trip 07

2008-06-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

Arise my church Arise
It's time to do God's will.
Brush the sleep from tired eyes
Light God's fire high on the hill.

Hear Him calling, "Get up and get out!"
Swallow your pride, remove selfish doubt.
God has things for us to do-me & you
Arise you chosen ones
It's time to call those in the dark
to the Father and the Son.

It's good to learn about His way
To meet His spirit, and see hearts bend
The time in pews to sit and stay
is drawing to an end.

Arise believers - Arise and Go!
To the corners of your globe
It's time to share His Holy Spirit
For His Word has told us so.

There is a darkness on our troubled land
Hearts are begging for something more
It's time to take lost by the hand
And walk them through God's open door
To unite as one - from shore to shore.

Believers we must sing together
His message loud and clear
Dark storms we'll soon weather
As Christ's return again draws near.

Look to Israel O sleepy eyes
Lift your hands and pray
Don't let His coming be surprise
Be ready for the day.

Help your neighbors meet the King
Help them understand His ways
So together we can joyfully sing
Mightily for His Praise.

Lend a hand - take a stand
Let the Body be as one
Let us reach our broken land, with a plan
to lead them all to the Son.

For Christ is coming - this is true
And coming soon I say
Holy Spirit show us what to do
to get ready for that day.

Daily Prayer, at least it should be!

2008-06-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

DAILY PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, please give me strength today as I try to ground my every thought, attitude, motivation and every action on Your Word. Thank You for this new day entrusted to me. Please help me to be a good steward with the resources you give me today. With each opportunity let me praise you. With every obstacle let me also thank You.

According to Psalms 142 “Hear my prayer, O Lord; In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! I will not enter into judgment with your servants; for I know that no man living is righteous before you.” Help me as “I meditate on all that you have done; I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Let me hear you in the morning of your steadfast love for in you I put my trust.

Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Deliver me O Lord, from my enemies! I have fled to you for refuge! Teach me to do your will, for your art my God! Let your good spirit lead me on a level path! For your name’s sake, O Lord preserve my life! In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. For I am your servant.”

Thank you for Psalms 145, Lord, for being “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” I agree with Proverbs 3 verse 5 as I put all my trust in you Lord with all my heart. I do not rely on my own insight. In all my ways I acknowledge you, for you will make straight my path. I will be not wise in my own eyes, I will fear You my Lord and I will turn away from evil.

I will not be a Worldly Christian, I will be a Spirit Filled Christian and will honor you with all my substance and with the first fruits of all I produce for it is by your grace that I produce at all. I will gladly and joyously give all the credit and glory to You Lord.

As it says in Psalms 141, I ask you to “Set guard over my mouth O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips ! Incline not my heart to any evil. My eyes are toward you, leave me not defenseless! Keep me from the trap which they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked together fall into their own nets, while I escape.”

According to Your Word in Romans 12, I present my body, a living sacrifice holy and acceptable in your site. Your Temple. A vessel placed here by you, to do your will. Lord, help me engage in healthy acts today eating right, exercising, being diligent with my time, organized, patient, and a good steward of the treasures that you share with me.

In preparing for this day, in the name of Jesus, I put on the whole armor of God, that I may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Lord, I put on YOUR salvation for my helmet, YOUR righteousness for my breast plate; YOUR truth as the belt around my waist, and on my feet, the readiness to spread the gospel of peace.

Lord I take up the shield of faith to put out ALL the fiery arrows of the evil one and take up the sword of the spirit which is the word of GOD to fight temptation like your son Jesus did. Ephesians 6: 11+ Heavenly Father I praise you and thank you for the armor you have provided for me to dress in this day in Jesus Name.

Lord give me the wisdom to make all the right decisions today in life, love, family, and business. Help me to set and achieve worthy and realistic goals while leading others to you by example. Thank you for being my partner in life and in business. Thank you for presenting various opportunities today and for giving me the wisdom to recognize them and act upon them. Thank you for helping me find my soul mate.

I praise you Lord and thank you for my prosperity and good health even as my soul prospers. Thank you for prospering me and my family spiritually, physically, financially, and mentally. According to Phillippians 4 verses 13 &19 “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.” Lord please bless my family, help them to know your love and mercy.

Thank you Lord for supplying all my needs according to your riches in glory. Help me to minister to my friends and family by being a living example of what you can do with one man’s life. Bless my family Lord, thank you for one day bringing us all together in eternal joy with you, your son, and the rest of your children in heaven.

Thank you Lord for the many prayers that you have already answered for me and for the many blessings laid upon me and my family and for the blessings still to come. Thank you for sending your son to die for me Lord, for forgiving my sins which I openly confess to you, for I am a sinner. Thank you for helping me resist the daily temptations that the devil uses to try to trip me up in my walk with you.

Lord draw me to meditate on your word today. To find Wisdom and Guidance in your word. Push me to be more, to do more, to love more. Today Lord, help me grow closer to you, love and honor my family, stop smoking, get fit, find a soul mate, stay mentally focused, become debt free and financially secure. Help me seek You each and every day.

Dear Lord I you to bless those less fortunate than me. Give me strength, wisdom, and compassion to help myself, and to help others be more like you. Guide my every thought, my every word, my every action, my every motivation and attitude. Bless the work of my hands, Lord, let them do good for others. Most of all Lord, shower me and my family and friends with peace, understanding, compassion and humility.

Father I have prayed according to your word and as you said in Jeremiah 1, 12th verse You would “watch over your word to perform it.” Help me grow in all areas of my life to more like your son. Help me share my faith and my success with others Lord. Father rise up and live BIG within me today for I am your child. In the name of Jesus: Jer 1:12.
Amen

GOD MORNING

2008-06-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

GOD MORNING

Good Morning Father - King of Kings. Creator of .. Everything. The one who makes the south wind blow, the one who sends the rain and snow. Thank you Father for this brand new day, for the chance to praise -for the words to say. This day shall start and end with You and continue on with all I do. For You alone have made me whole, with arms outstretched you saved my soul.

Good Morning Jesus - Lord, Savior, Friend. Your sacrifice has made amends for all my sin and darkened heart, for in You now my day will start. I ask for blessings and bright sun light, I ask for favor in your sight. I humbly thank You for guiding me through, all the things You’d have me do. Yes Jesus Christ, you died for me so I may truly someday see ALL mankind through your blameless eyes, and love them all - not despise, for You my Christ are very wise.

Good Morning Holy Spirit, who Christ left behind to guide my hand, heart, soul and mind to speak through me along the way, head bowed in awe through You I pray. The great Counselor, beloved wise choice, as I love my neighbor You are my voice. I am but a stumbling man, Holy Spirit take my hand and lead me steadfast through this day; guide my footsteps, light my way. In your counsel I walk with trust; my spirit soars, my bones will rust. At days end again I come, to thank you for the work you’ve done.

Yes Good morning Father Son and Holy Ghost, please join me as this day unfolds, until I walk Your streets of Gold, use my hands, my heart and soul. To share Your love all day long, through spoken word, in deed and song. To walk in YOU so all may see, that I’m in You and You in me. At days end, soars my heart, I’ll dwell in You when tomorrow starts. With You in me Lord I am not just a man, stumbling alone with empty hand, so come with me this day throughout, your Holy Name, with love I’ll shout.

LA Dream Center 3-2008

2008-05-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

Summary:

The trip was great, urban outreach ministry like I have never seen it. Very powerful: in LA's darkest neighborhoods, mobile kids programs, intern programs, food programs, clothing, groceries by the truckloads. 10 month programs for HS & college age kids, 12 month program for gangbangers, homeless & young men & women who just want out of the old and into something new. The DC Disciple program, yea. Plus a few hundred short term mission group members from... England, Canada, Florida, Georgia, Ok, NC, AZ, Brazil, Texas, all over the place. Texas had three teams while we were there including another from Glad Tidings in Austin. Serving together and getting all trained up. God allowed us to literally take someone off the streets and put them into a shelter and help offer them a bed, food, and some new choices. We saw him in church the next evening. God used John to bend a Muslims heart to Christ. God used me to give testimony and preach at Santa Monica Pier and young Ben Haney gave a few scriptures.

We served & worshiped with the most diverse yet like minded group of people; and the young people are so passionate about the Lord. The mission was clear to all, serve with love, have fun, and invite them to church, worship & pray. They plugged us into every kind of ministry you can think of in 7 days. We TOOK OVER McArthur Park on Friday with every ministry and soul working together to have an enormous block party. thousands came. Food, clothes, bags of groceries, games, prizes, mobile medical clinic, music, kids programs, soccer games, not one interruption or incident, perfectly orchestrated. it was the best organized, reaching the most needy, conglomeration of various different ministries coming together to make a difference in the world TODAY that I've ever seen. The Body in action. A mostly tweenies, congregation who can't wait to worship, arrive hours early, stay late, rush the stage, fall to their knees, rockin out for god, holy spirit worship. The next generation is coming up strong. Revival is not coming, it is here.

Notes:

DC Disciple program: 12 mo, 15% make it through, some stay for second year or more.

Teen Disciple program: a way out for youth heading down the wrong road

Masters Commission program: 10 mo, college credit courses

Help for the Homeless Youth: a hand out, a hand up, some new choices

Homeless: 80,000 homeless in LA

Skidrow ministry: "to the least of these"

Intern program:

Short Term Mission: hundreds, from everywhere

MetroKids: 'blocked off alleyway to put on kids show' in South Central LA

Bus Ministry: bus em in from target neighborhoodsMedia: cool, youthful, fun, energetic

Adopt a Block Program: Shelly cried for the young man shot in his adopted neighborhood. door knocking. "we're here to serve you""go after those no one else wants"Target specific neighborhoodsSingle focus events, RAK, (random acts of kindness) roll out in forcedaily & weekly, same place same time, they were waiting for usalways relational, always loving, always pointing to HIM

where dreams are made

Off to LA, to that Dream Center Place.

To learn and to serve and to seek His face.

Some of us flew, Some of us drove,

all of us went to share our King’s love.

That Dream Center looked like a broken down hospital
But the light from within of things much greater possible.

Black Tee shirts hiding scars of addiction,

abuse, neglect, despair and affliction.

But the eyes shining bright and the smiles ear to ear.
Our Christ fills the hearts as they serve a week or a year.

Side by side, hand in hand,

these children together with God boldly stand.

Many come to serve there from all over the place
To love on the broken to show Christ in their face.

Homeless addicts asleep in the sand,

dreaming to be reached by God’s healing hand.

Ignorant in the ways of the king,

too angry to praise, too lost to sing.

But God’s Spirit is moving in the hearts of His sheep.
We hurt for those lost - so hard we weep.

Should we wake them or shake them and show them the cross
Or silently pray to our God for those lost.

The light in his children who throw out His love
Christ reining down complete from above.

Bringing hope to the lost, healing & salvation
To the broken and hurting in each and every nation

Father I love you, you’re king of all men,

let me serve you with Joy from now till the end.

I love being your son and calling you friend

serving beside you again and again

Father you are worthy of so much more than I have to give.
So I give you my life that my Savior might live.

That the Spirit may come and pierce every heart.
Not waiting for someday, but NOW let it start.

2008-05-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

To My Awakening!

Mission Trip To Reynosa Mexico June 24 - 29 2006

Reynosa Mexico had always been a place to go party and stock my bar. It was fun for me, but I always got a sense of deep despair & desolation, not far from the mercado. I ignored the hurting of others. When my church Gateway, said 'mission trips', I was not really interested, but when they said Reynosa MX, I felt something. I felt God call me out. He had heard me searching for ways to get closer to HIM. I knew it was a challenge issued directly to my heart and I wanted to prove my obedience. It was a gloves off, face slap kind of a challenge and I accepted. I would go to Reynosa and give back something....I did not know what. I would go and help those people, pray for them in the comfort and safety of 28 believers, some translators, and a Jewish Rabbi.

To prepare myself I asked God to take a 25 year addiction to nicotine from me so I would not be 'wigging' like that skinny guy on the last Survivor. I declared my last cigarette, stated matter of factly that I was just not strong enough to quit and issued a challenge right back to God. “If you want me to go to MX, you have to take this addiction from me.” I have not had a cigarette since that moment, nor a craving, or withdrawal symptom, nor needed the patch or anything else. I was truly set free of it...forever. And I give all the credit and glory to God. HE did it, not me.

My life was not very active since I worked and lived at home, I also asked God if HE was big enough to give me the strength and energy needed to go on this trip and maybe even be a leader of some kind. If you want me to go to MX and work long hours, I will need more energy than I had at home. I gave it to God and not once during the 6 long days, bunk up at 5:45, lights out at 11, not once did my energy wane. I never lacked the strength or energy to do what was required of me. Not even after my first night where I barely slept. I even passed up nap opportunities to be with my teammates.

I was not sure why I was going on this mission trip. I did not know what I brought to the table, what I had to offer the poor people of Reynosa. What can I do Lord? I kept asking. I really wanted to go and do something for someone else, perhaps for the first time in my life - even though I knew that there was something in it for me. I decided to trust Him and just be willing. Willingly Ignorant, I called it. I didn't know why, when, how, what, or who, but I was willing for whatever God had in store for me. I went with a willing heart.

5:45 AM came really early for me the day we left and I was amazed by all the people who came to pray for us and send us off on our journey. Love & prayers of protection filled our Church parking lot and surrounded our vans. We loaded up the trucks and moved our hearts to Mexico for a week. We went to 'work' immediately after meeting our Rabbi, David Shchiff, in Progresso - another border town I have frequented. The 3 blessing exercise forced me to go meet, touch, and bless the very people I was scared of - that I had contempt for.

The first night, I barely slept. The morning came (very early) and I arose with the first of two visions God gave me. It was a mental video of our two youngest members JK and JA, twelve and fifteen. Anyone who knows these two boy/men knows what kind of men they are training to be. JA was walking over a hill backwards with his arms spread out and JK was beside him playing some sort of recorder/flute. They both cleared the horizon of the hill and another, shorter, silhouette, a younger child, rose over the hilltop. Then a few more, then several, then many. Then my view shifted, rose up so I could see on the other side of the hill. I saw hundreds and hundreds of children following them. They were pied pipers for God.

Speaking later to their parents, and getting to know them both some, it is no mistake that these two young men will light a path for the next generation. It gave me peace. I prayed for an army of JK's and JA's to lead our country and to lead our world....to HIM. Not to put undue pressure on these two, but they both ministered to me and I remain in awe of the quality of their character and the Christ Love in their hearts.

At the first ATL (ask the Lord) sessions I thought I was to be physically stretched with construction on the second floor of the orphanage and I wrote that down. It must have been quite obvious that this was not what God wanted, and I knew it was me, not HIM. So I was sent to Cover Prayer to pray for my teammates and the folks they came in contact with. If you can imagine praying for 3 hours....I was not very excited at the beginning. It turned out to be a very powerful period and I must say that I felt so much love and spirit in the air that I cried for about an hour and a half while we prayed. I cried for my brothers and sisters, I cried for Mexico and her troubled people.

We prayed for hours and hours. Not weak, watered down, luke warm prayers, but bold, powerful, out loud, spirit filled, shake your boots prayer. I saw miracles in the room: a man's man broke down and wept and had one of the 'top five' pivotal days of his life. This inspired me in ways I cannot describe. This was not my only 'shift' laying down cover prayer. This process of extended group prayer filled the little room and our hearts with the Holy Spirit. I saw miracles in that room. I saw visions revealed. I saw a man take the burden of back pain from another man not in the room. Later, I quickly went and asked GK how his back was today. My faith was confirmed and strengthened as he said "Praise God, my back is feeling great today." Coincidence? No, Christ Incident!! This was one of many marvelous things I saw in Cover Prayer.

During a cover prayer shift that I was not at, my teammates prayed for me. They wrote down some scripture and some notes and "10%." Later at our debriefing they told me... and we don't really know what the 10% is...but I knew EXACTLY and IMMEDIATELY. WOW, I was scared and amazed at how vivid this was revealed to me. The 10% was what I was holding back from the Lord, it was the last ten percent that I would not submit to HIM. This was BIG for me. This was my struggle with a 28 year pot habit. This was my struggle with Lust. These were the harsh words and thoughts that I say to my loved ones. This 10 percent was my dark dirty room where I kept my sins to myself. Let's just say I had a huge breakthrough in this area.

I had some trouble quieting my internal dialog to hear God's word, so from then on at the ATL I simply asked for the hard thing. Whatever would make me most uncomfortable. The worse it felt, the more I didn’t want it, the more I KNEW it was what I was supposed to do. This theme carries on today. I asked the Lord to allow me to do what was furthest outside my comfort zone. I joked with my team that “I have spent so much time outside my comfort zone, God has helped me redefine the boundaries of my comfort zone and I am no longer comfortable in my old comfort zone.“ I told God that I trusted Him and the crazy Rabbi and I was willing to do whatever they needed. I even asked God to have the Rabbi 'break me' if it was His will. I embraced these hard things with an odd passion. From then on whatever made me feel uncomfortable, I trusted God and willingly did it.

One of the most uncomfortable things was the Prayer Walk. This is where a team went around the neighborhood of the orphanage, our control center for the work days, and prayed. The first teams prayed for the passing people, the buildings, animals, homes, streets, businesses, etc... My first walk, the Rabbi said it was time to meet these people and pray with and for them. Door to door, it just doesn’t get any more uncomfortable than that. We walked and took turns knocking on doors and having our translators tell the people that we were working with Alma and the orphanage and we were out asking the community to support them and then we would ask if they would pray with us for Alma and the children, then we would ask what can we pray for you for?

We stopped work at a woodshop, Suarez Woodworking, and prayed with the owner and his employees for their success and for their families. We met Alphonso, who "knew God, but did not have faith". He did not want us to pray for him. He did not believe God would help. Finally, as I was ready to move on, Wes said, "ask him it if would HURT him if we prayed for him?" And we prayed for him and his illness and for his salvation. He softly smiled as we blessed him and moved on. Mustard Seed!!

Doug stood in the street and stopped a mule cart, boldly, and we prayed for the men in it. We prayed for Ephram for his family, for his cup to be filled so he could share with others. I saw Ephram four more times during that trip and every time we said HEY and shared a smile and our love for God. We met Raul, who was mixing mortar and who would not stop working, but we knew his heart was open for what God had to say that day. We prayed for the labor of his hands and for his family, his sister and daughter in law who was pregnant. We saw 4 little children in a doorway with no adults near. The door was a torn sheet blowing in the wind. We later came back and gave them some food and some more of God's love.

We met Noami and prayed for her and her 3 daughters. We passed an ally, were called to go back, passed a house and were called to go back. Soon Doug was belly laughing with Carmen, which is odd because Doug speaks Spanish like I do. We all gathered around a table in a dirty alley in front of this old house and talked to Carmen. She had 10 daughters, 6 sons, 50+ grandkids....several of them came out of the house to see what was up. We held hands and prayed with and for all of them. What a legacy. We prayed that this family would be strong in Christ and spread his love and light. We were led to go back and take her some groceries. God used us and we let Him - gladly. There are more, many more. We boldly knocked doors and the people never failed to bask in God's love with us.

We were amazed at how open to prayer with strangers these people were. In the end, I prayer walked 3 times. The last time it was FUN. By the last time it was not difficult, it was...it made me happy. These people opened their businesses and homes to us, stopped what they were doing and sought God with us. This last time, I took a big piece of street chalk, about 5 inches long, and drew a circle with a "D" in it with a slash through it as if to say that the Diablo was not welcome here. We declared this God's neighborhood. I wrote it on every corner and in front of every place we prayed. I was silly for the Lord, but perhaps it was not silly at all. At the end, the chalk was barely big enough to grasp between my fingers.

While prayer walking, John was led to go into a store and pray with the owners. Not wanting to crowd the door, I stepped back for cover prayer and accidentally ran into a young man named Armando. I literally backed into him. Our translator was inside the store, so I began my tex mex broken Spanish. Armando spoke pretty good English and I told him about Alma and the orphanage. I'll never forget this part.... As we spoke of the children and of Alma he asked where was this orphanage. He asked again for the address and said "I want to help...because I NEED help." Tears filled his eyes as he began to tell us of how he ran away from his home in Matamoras because he wanted to get away from the drugs. He told us how the guys he was living with in Reynosa were also using and how they came to his job, his day job, and asked for money. He had none, he told them he spent it on food and they told him to get his stuff and get out. He had nowhere to go, except his second job. I wept with him as he told his story. I had a drug problem and I really related to him, to his despair, to his wanting out. We waited for him as he went to get a check from one of his jobs. As doubt crept into my heart, he did come back and he followed us back to the headquarters across from the orphanage. Eddie, Mikey and Malu, our translators, our Mexican friends, our new brothers and sisters, visited with him in Spanish for some time. He poured out his heart to them. They spread Gods love back to him. We fed him and prayed for him. He kept saying he had to go to work and I just wanted to find a place for him away from the drugs.

I remember running to the Rabbi in panic and saying "I'm freaking out, we're losing him..." As the Rabbi made a simple gesture with his hands I said out loud, “peace, patience, faith” and those things calmed my soul. God did not bring us to him for nothing. When I got back on the front porch, he was gone. We got his mothers phone number and he took down Mikey and Malu's numbers. Armando is still on my heart as I await to hear from someone about him.

One day I was at the Detention Center and we were playing soccer with the young boys. They were running, playing, laughing just like all young boys. I tried to keep up, but soon I got my "physical stretching" and did more watching than running. The part of this story that is mine is that I kinda hurt my knee. Just a little tweak, but the next day it was all I could do to walk to devotion at 6 AM. I sat in the front row, hid my face and cried for the entire hour. I don't think I heard one word the Rabbi said and I could not figure out why I was crying. Finally I realized how this simple little pain in my knee was blocking my spirit, it was limiting my choices, it was killing my joy and it was peeving me off! It was just that simple. It was as if He said to me "you must give up your last 10% to hear Me." It was revealed to me earlier and now it was time to give it up and I did, in front of the whole team I gave up smoking, my struggle with lust, my struggle with harsh words.

I acknowledged that smoking pot was blocking my joy, blocking my spirit, deafening my ears to hearing God speak to me, and since I claimed these gifts as mine, this was making me mad. I gave it all up to God, just as I had done cigarettes. It was like....peace....an unveiling of my new body and soul. It was the biggest thing I have ever done, for the Lord. The wise Rabbi prayed for me, but not for healing, for God's will. That day I was limited to cover prayer and took my bad knee, prayed on the tile floor for what seemed like several hours. That day in CP, it's just hard to describe the power of focused prayer. Lives were changed. I saw people pray for those they did not know, as if they knew everything about them. One Christ Incident after another.

Upon leaving that room and heading for my next 'assignment', the orphanage and playing with the children, the Rabbi called me back over and softly asked "How's your knee?" As God is my witness, the pain in my knee had all but subsided. I could move it front and back, side to side where just that morning, I could not. I hollered up at Nate on the roof of the orphanage and did a high kick. I don't think Nate understood, but the Rabbi and I shared a knowing smile. We got to know each other as if we were life long friends, including our hosts, Alma, the children, the boys at the detention center and especially our translators Mikey, Malu & Eddie.

A rumor was started that we were going to take up a collection for Mikey to get his car legal in Mexico. Apparently it is not about good tires, emissions, or safety, it's about giving $300 to the government for registration. The nicer the auto, the more it costs. Anyway, long story short, we tried to collect the $300 and since we were not supposed to bring much money, we only raised enough to pay Mikey's registration AND the young pastor we met who had the same need. Yes we actually raised almost $600. Someone gave the exact amount of $300 to one of our teammates to take to Mexico and use for God's work. We were amazed at how God orchestrated the whole thing. The look on Mikey's face....priceless. When I think of the 20 year old pastor, his wife and 2 month old, the formula and groceries we bought them that day, and the gift of his vehicle registration that we left behind, it's good. All the credit and glory go to God.

SO.... the last day the Rabbi was going around kinda summing up each person and our 'net result' in a word or two and he pointed at me and said "new man". He could not have been any more dead on right. God had made me a new man. This would be a great story if it ended here, but some things happened post MX that deserve a place in this story.
We did not even make it to the MX-US border bridge before Satan started poking at me. I was feeling rushed, irritated; I felt the spirit leaving me. Satan was trying to get me back to business as usual. A curse word slipped out. A racial joke. A harsh word to my sister. A lustful thought. Then we stopped at a rest area just about 60 miles north of the border. As we were finishing and I was heading back to the van, I noticed a Spanish gentleman sitting on a brick wall with his head down. I oddly reached out and touched his chest and he rose up startled. I saw on his shirt a graphic picture of the face of CHRIST, weeping, bleeding as He was on the cross. "Vaya Con Dios" was written on his shirt. I pointed and laughed and said "Jesuchristo - that's my God too." We laughed and shared a moment as my spiritual tank refueled. I had said those words a thousand times, "Go with God" in Spanish, but this time they were for ME! I was reminded how much satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy God's spirit in me. I took it back. I did not allow it.

When I finally got home to Austin, I loved on my dog and found by bed about 3:45 am. I was awoke at 8:15 by one of my friends who prayed for us while we were in MX. I wept with her because I was so glad to be woken up by one of "us"; by one of God's children. This seemed to cement the story of how this mission trip to Mexico changed my life. That day I gathered up all my pot smoking stuff, I blessed my sledge hammer and I smashed that stuff in the name of my God. I burned it in my fire pit because I was free of it. I will never be the same person again.

I will close with the second vision I had in Mexico. The Jigsaw Puzzle of Life. This young man was kneeling down struggling with a huge jigsaw puzzle. There were 2 or 3 pieced forced together and hundreds of pieced laying everywhere. Time went by. His son took his place and continued to work on the puzzle. One day a young boy asked the man working on the puzzle, “what are you doing daddy?” “Son, I’m working on this jigsaw puzzle of life. I’ve been working on it most all my life and I can’t seem to get the pieces to fit. My father worked on this puzzle. He worked close to every day of his life. We just can’t seem to get the pieces of this puzzle to fit together.” The young boy asked, “daddy, have you asked Jesus?” The father, son and wife all held hands and prayed about it. The next morning they awoke and ran into the living room like it was Christmas. There was Jesus. HE had picked up each and every piece of the puzzle and put it into the box top. He looked at them, smiled and threw the hundreds of puzzle pieces into the air with one motion. In slow motion, every single piece of this puzzle of life landed in place, one after another, fitting perfectly together. My next mission leaves in one week.

This story is dedicated to a crazy (for the Lord) Jewish Rabbi named David Schiff, Team MX, Nate our leader, Gateway Community Church, and the Love for our Creator that we all share.

Shalom yall.

What happened Last Weekend 5-16-2008

2008-05-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

So much happened, so little time to share.

Here's how I think God might answer the question: What Happened this weekend?

This weekend I blessed my children, especially in Austin Texas. In ONE church alone, I took over 100 men and poured into them training about how to be a man after my own heart. I broke them, I built them up, I used iron to sharpen iron, as I said I would in my book - Glad you were paying attention. I renewed and transformed hearts. Their praise warmed me. They called it "Dudefest" - that name cracks me up. Boys will be boys. New warriors were armored. Some of my 'baby boys' walked for the first time, some ran, some flew. They are growing up so fast. They were "ALL IN" and I really liked that. Later I baptized over 100 from the same community in my special living water. They opened their hearts, and I quickly poured in. They confessed their love to me and I to them. I SOO love a big family. They sang for me, it was Guuuuud!

At the same time, across town, I took a group of 35 or so, mostly my daughters, and used them to serve some of my other children on the poor side of town, who really need help. I stretched them, worked them, broke their hearts, I SHARED their tears and their laughter. I used them to meet need after need. How I loved spending the weekend with them in service. My SON was a server and his heart for service is what I want for my new sons and daughters. Not just to "Go and Do", but to "Do while going - All the time". It's the way I will reach around the world, to each and every nation and people - to every wounded heart.

This weekend I introduced so many to my Spirit, which is alive and working well on earth thank you very much. I showed them new ways to please me, new ways to treat each other, new ways to grow my spirit within them & to help it spread. I trained many disciples this weekend. I used willing hands and faithful hearts to heal, to bless, to bleed for, to serve some of my less fortunate children. I shined bright, DEEP into the darkness, through the eyes, lips and hearts of my faithful children. I matched those whom I have gifted for "such a time as this" with some of those who are lost, flailing in the darkness and need help now. I sent rookie shepards after lost sheep. They did great! Hands crying out for help were filled with hearts ready to serve. It was fun to watch. I answered prayer after prayer in a way that many of them did not even realize that I was using them to answer the prayers and cries of others. It was sweet like honey.

We worked on one of my new "Lighthouses" and stuck a SECOND flag on one of the darkest corners in this city. It's ALL mine, and I'm not just talkin' Austin, but lucifer just does not want to admit that yet. I'm taking it back - "No child left behind" - that was MY idea. Now my children are so active on one side of the street that the dark side is just getting smaller and smaller. Light WILL overcome darkness. I called my kids by name this weekend, and they came! I told them what to do, and they listened and did it - with JOY. I made a plan and a way, they did their part. I was with them the whole time. Hiding, watching, whispering directions, popping out at just the right moments. They're such good children. I love them SO much and I'm SO proud of them. They called it Urban Submersion Weekend, lol - they have such creative names. I simply call it "Heaven on Earth".

All over the world, in practically every city and town, I played with my children, our family is growing bigger every day. It was a good weekend for me. How'd your weekend go?