Culturally Irrelevant

Just got back in the office after being in Orlando for a week on business. I think it rained every day, which, I’ve learned, is totally normal for FL. We’d step out of the Orange County Convention Center around 5:15 PM  to huge thunderheads, darkening skies and pretty strong winds. Took this snapshot with my phone. Personally, I love thunderstorms, so this was a great way to end a long day on my feet talking to hundreds of people.

On other fronts, Jack just got his 4 year old shots today…3 to be exact. He didn’t cry or panic. I was really proud of him. At breakfast he said he wasn’t scared because he had power in him, and he also knew he was going to get 3 shots. I said maybe just 1 and Katy said she didn’t know, to which he replied matter of factly, “I’m going to get just 3 shots–just 3″ with 3 fingers held up. I was doubtful, but when the nurse said 3 shots, he wasn’t surprised at all. It was as if God prepared him by letting him know ahead of time. Praise God he’s getting it! It ended up being a positive experience

Give Love, Give Bikes was awesome. I wasn’t able to be there physically, but I heard it rained cats and dogs right up to 11 AM and then just quit. God’s love was tangible. 100 bikes and helmets were given away, along with food and face painting for the kids, and the gospel of Jesus was declared openly to the poor, the homeless and the discouraged. A number of ministries and pastors worked together in the park, displaying the unity of the body and God’s love for the city.  I can’t explain how excited I am to be a part of what’s going on in Pensacola and at the Harbor, even if it is from a distance. Their victories are our victories because it’s all about the Father’s Kingdom and Jesus’ glory, no matter where it’s happening! Joe Miller with Pray for Pensacola also commented on the event here.

I want to wish Josh and Laura Beth a belated Happy Anniversary and a big Happy Birthday to Josh…old man! They’ve been a big encouragement to us and an important part of our lives over the past number of months, and our kids think they’re amazing. In fact, Jack was inspired to create a birthday “cake” for Josh, made from bread, Quaker Oat Squares, cookies, and lots of yummy maple syrup inside. Josh was a good sport and took a bite before passing it along to everyone else :)

Our Pensacola family goes to the park tomorrow to join Jesus as he casts a really big net over thousands of hearts. Gang members, prostitutes, homeless, at-risk teens, children, city officials, police, firemen, business owners, church goers. The park will be full of people who are going to hear the Gospel of Jesus and feel the love of God in a new way. Join us in prayer over the next two days. God is doing the work, and we can cooperate with him as we declare his love over the city, pray for people’s hearts to be softened, and take authority over the strategies of Satan to keep people from coming, to keep them from hearing while they’re there, and to steal the seed of the truth after they leave.

I can’t tell you how hard it is to be here in Tulsa and not there. I miss my Pensacola family so much that most days it physically hurts. There’s Kingdom work going on there, destruction to the kingdom of darkness, and we’re all a part of it through our encouragement, prayer and support. I can’t wait to hear the reports from Saturday. And I can’t wait to see what God is bringing to pass in the city of Pensacola, in the church as a whole there and in the lives of tens of thousands of people who are lost.

What an amazing trip! This was my fourth visit to P’cola since last October, Katy’s third, Jack’s second and John’s first. It was intense, fun, exhausting and powerful all at the same time. We discovered just how quickly 4 kids can destroy a house, especially when the rain keeps them inside for days at a time! We spent some time at the beach, feasted on some amazing smoked pork compliments of Arnie, and got to spend some much-needed time with the P’cola Harbor team. God showed up like he always does, and we experienced some powerful times together in worship, prayer and teaching. Katy and I were really encouraged.

Thanks Arnie and Sheree for opening your home. And thanks to the McCall kids for sharing your toys for 4 days. Tony and Alisha, can’t wait to see photos of Maci Rain. I just hope she’s ready for Jett, Aaron and John!

After months and months laboring in prayer, teaching, doing local ministry, and being faithful to connect and communicate across great distances, God continues to establish the team in some physical ways. Housing, better jobs, favor with employers and ministries, open doors in the community and miraculous provision at every turn. Here a little, there a little, line upon line, one thing at a time. At the end of the day, God does everything he says he will do. His word never lies, and he is completely faithful, 100% of the time. He’s good. He’s love. And I can’t imagine doing this thing any other way!

On our way to Florida to spend a few days with our good friends at the P’cola Harbor. We just stopped in Vicksburg, Mississippi for the night. I think Jack loves hotels more than the beach…really. The pool doesn’t open until 9am, so the boys were a little bummed that they didn’t get to swim, but I think the sausage, cheese omelets and fruit loops were enough to distract them. Last night we ran into a really cool couple from McAlester, OK. They’d been on a motorcylce ride across country and wouldn’t you know it, they had just come from P’cola, FL and had gotten rained out because of all the storms. They offered to let Jack sit on their AMAZING bikes, but Jack was a little shy.

Well, better get up to the room so we can hit the road again. Can’t wait to spend some time with our Florida friends, even if it is raining.

A quick update on our church plant journey. A few families are still in Tulsa and the others are in Pensacola, but it’s amazing how close we’ve been despite the distance. Email, Google apps, web cams and cell phones really do have a redeeming purpose!  Both teams have been walking out 1 John, growing in the Father’s unconditional love for each other and the lost, as well as John 15, staying intimately connected to Jesus through everything. 

In the midst of all the “stuff” that comes with big life transition and responding to the call, God has begun to establish some things in the natural for different people on the team. Resources are beginning to come in more and more, God is beginning to establish people in terms of housing (getting into or out of it, depending on if they’re in Tulsa or P’cola), and the teams both in Tulsa and in P’cola are experiencing breakthrough in relationships, finances, jobs and health.

One ray of sunshine for us this week has been getting to spend time with Tony and Alisha and their kids, Juliana and Jett. They drove from P’cola last weekend and will be heading back this coming weekend. They’ve been a huge encouragement to the team and I’m not sure that their car will actually be running come Sunday. Rick may have to accidentally disconnect some wires on the CR-V and keep it in the shop a few extra days :) Tony and Alisha, we’re praying for you and your little baby girl on the way. God’s strength and provision are more than enough.