Be Not So Subtle

Sometimes blessings are so subtle, we miss them. You and I are surrounded by blessings everyday. They're called people!

Our nation is composed of over 300 million people and yet we seldom take the time to have a discussion with someone we don't know.

I've found out it really isn't that difficult to start a conversation with someone. You just pretend your're a five year old and you ask a question: "Whatcha doin?" "Where ya goin?" "Have you always lived here?" "Do you really LIKE Grits? People love to tell you stuff about themselves. The truth is we're all looking for someone to take an interest in us; to listen to us. "

Another way to get in touch with the blessings around us is to help them... approach us. Let them ask the questions. Do something that will get them to notice you (walking across America in 1st century attire works for me but you may want to try something a little less obvious). Be prepared for the question and let your answer lead you to ask them a question.

For instance, people ask me what I'm doing. My standard reply is "I'm praying for America; the land and the people...the crops and the livestock. Is there anything I can pray for you about? That generally opens the floodgates of the soul and we connect at a level deeper than just sports, weather and reality shows.

I have been an outlet for the emotions of people in several different arenas of life. I like to think I have blessed these people by listening and praying with them. I always want them to know that they have been a blessing to me because they honored me with a sacred piece of their life.

Yvonne was in tears because she and her sister had a terrible argument. Jake was torn apart because he feared he might lose custody of his two sons. Eduardo's dad worried about his son's low blood count. Unemployment woes. Legal battles over land rights. Broken relationships over how to divide an inheritance. Fear of disease, debt and death. Fear of.....just about anything you can imagine!

Fear grips people and although we may not be able to cure each others fears...through the power of Christ within us, we can release the paralyzing grip of fear and bolster each other's faith!

You and I are created to be a blessing. Let's not be subtle about it!

24 Dogs and a Dead Alligator

They call this low country but I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it's the southern side of South Carolina. Dogs run free here in packs of four and five. They're strays and no one cares for them, at least that's what Miss Linda from the local newspaper said. She stopped to do a brief interview of a guy the townspeople were describing as Moses.

Walking through Fairfax, four dogs of various sizes and appetites spotted me strolling through town. They started to bark and yelp and make their way toward my leg bones when I decided I better cross the street. There wasn't enough traffic to slow them down until a gentleman in a pickup saw my plight. He slowed down, placing his truck between the dogs and their noon day lunch...that'd be me! He actually "escorted" me down main street. I felt like the mayor on fourth of July! I was tempted to smile and wave but I thought I'd better just concentrate on scurrying on down the road. When he determined I was in the clear, the kind driver sped up, waved and drove off. Unbeknownest to me, one of the dogs decided to make another run at me. He never saw the truck that hit him. Neither did I but Lucy, unfortunately, saw the whole thing happen.

That wasn't my only encounter with multiple mutts. Over the next three days, I encountered dogs in groups of two's and four's and five's. If you know of anyone who sells leashes, collars or pet sedatives, send'em on down to South Carolina...there's a market here!

On our first journey, I met a dog trainer who gave me some insight on seemingly aggressive canines. She said some were just territorial, they would make a lot of noise just to drive you off their domain and then be done with it. She said never be aggressive with a dog. Face them, stay calm and make yourself bigger. She told me to use my stick to hold them at bay but not to threaten. Generally, I face the animal, point the staff downward toward the dog and move it side to side....much like someone looking for water with a divining rod. All the while, I'm moving down the road sideways whispering "Blessed be the Name of Jesus." I got a lot of practice with my sidestep these past three days as I encountered two dozen of God's little (and not so little) darlings.

Dogs I'm kind of used to but the road I was on walking out of Allendale toward Sylvania, GA had swamps on either side of it. I knew they had alligators in Florida but did they have them this far north. I wondered what I would do if I saw an alligator. How fast do they move? Could I outrun it? I pictured myself heroically subduing the reptile with with trusty staff and right in the middle of my day dreams, I glanced over to my left and saw an alligator on the lane next to me. Thump! Thump! Thump! Be still my heart...I took a closer look and thankfully it was dead. I don't know what he would have done with me if he was alive but I know this...even dead he quickened my step and improved my prayer life! "Blessed be the Name of Jesus!"

Friendship Addiction

Drugs and alcohol. We hear about them so much, the damage they do to human lives doesn't even seem to register on our "I care meter." Today I met a gentleman who is addicted. He was trembling as I held his hand and prayed. When I asked him if he had ever tried to quit, he said he had, but then he "slipped back."

God directed me to ask him if after he had gotten clean, if someone had offered him a taste. He said they had and it was then I began to see the drug problem through a different set of lenses. The words that came out of my mouth had nothing to do with giving up drugs or even giving your life to Christ but it did have something to do with giving!

I started to talk with James about giving his "friends" the boot! He had the power to stop using. He had proven that. Now he had to "withdraw" from his associations. The people he hung around with...they were his real addiction. He had to quit them or they would kill him in the name of friendship and the brotherhood.

As I spoke to him, he listened, he smiled shyly and his eyes brighten a bit. He began to understand something that he never saw before. If you hang around with thieves, you're likely to steal rather than get a job. Hang around with drunks and drug addicts, you're likely to drink, snort and smoke and then push the stuff on others to pay your own pusher. But...if you will change who you associate with, then you change! Hang around with honorable men and you're likely to become honorable. Surround yourself with Godly men and your own Godliness will begin to shine.

Did what I say make a difference? Whether it did or didn't, it needed to be said. But more is needed....you and I need to pray for James and anyone we know that may be like him. People are coerced and pressured into doing things that are harmful to themselves and to their families for a momentary high. Why do they do it? For acceptance to begin with. Then they isolate themselves within a small group of users. They have no one to tell them they are valuable children of God and they begin to crave, not just the drugs but the deceptive words that counterfeit family; "We're family, Bro." "I got your back." "It's just you and me against THEM."

Lord God, there is a spider web in our society that catches the unwary. It shows itself like a glittering diamond necklace in the moonlight but it is dangerous to those it ensnares. It is full of deception. Drug and alcohol addiction steals the hopes and dreams of Your children. We ask You, Father, to help each of us encourage those around us. We do not know who is on the fringe of falling into this deadly trap. Give us boldness to speak love and hope into friends, family and strangers alike, for all are Your children. Protect us, O God, and our families from being lured into this life ourselves.

Diamonds

Two days of rain thanks to Tropical Storm Nichole and then two days of brilliant sunshine and mild temperatures! We're in beautiful North Carolina and each hour of walking seems to bring the nicest people my way.

Miss Elizabeth is an artist/journalist who is working to help the flood victims of Pakistan. She told me the Pakistani people are filled with fear because of terrorists and lack, yet the fabric of

their family remains very strong and close knit. We talked about how in America, it seems the family is fragmented as we struggle

amidst our abundance. The fear in Pakistan draws the family closer in an effort to survive. In America survival is taken for granted and yet the distractions of our wealth and independence often divide us. The difference between the two cultures does not exist in the people themselves but in the outside circumstances and our fearful reactions to them.

Lynn is a young man who is not trying to solve global issues. He is more concerned with the ''invisible" people around the corner. There's a family that has been living in an abandoned house for the past two years. They have no transportation, no "real" address and so, no job. No job means no money which translates to no food, no heat in the winter, no air conditioning in the summer and literally no existence in the community. He "stumbled'' across them, recognized the problem and God touched his heart to do something about it. Lynn has enlisted the help of a few loving folks to, not just donate money, but learn how to work the system and use the resources available to help these folks get re-established. Lynn inspired me. I heard God whisper "Go and do likewise."

Janese and Leslie drove by our parked RV and "just had to stop." We must have talked with them for an hour! They were delightful. Saved through the ministry of Chuck Smith (Calvary Chapel), acquainted with the House of Prayer in Kansas City, we listened to worship music with them and found we had a lot in common.

Adam raises horses and he and his wife Mary were on the way home when their curiosity stopped them. Although our conversation was brief, we got a picture together, became friends on Facebook and plan to stay in touch.

Marcus & Dustin are a couple of twenty-something guys who had passed us early in the day. They couldn't stop because they were on their way to a Baptism. Dustin prayed that God would let our paths cross again and so it was. Lucy had pulled into a parking lot, I had finished up for the day and was changing into my 21st century clothes when they came by. Lucyah talked to them for awhile and then once I got presentable, I went outside to meet them. They seem to be intrigued by what we were doing and I was pleased to meet two such young, respectful men of God.

Americans are like diamonds...each in a unique and beautiful setting, each with a different dimension and each extremely valuable.

The Story Stops the Glory

We were getting out of the RV when we saw her approaching from the back of the vehicle. For a moment, I thought about going around the front to avoid talking with her. "Why?" I thought. We're out here to talk to people not walk away from them! So we turned toward her and said, "Hello" and wonders of wonders...she said "Hello" back! And so a conversation began and before long we had a new friend. We asked Meredith if there was anything we could pray for her about and she said she wanted to receive her Prayer Language.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the term...prayer language refers to speaking in tongues. It's an utterance that may be indistinguishable to anyone except you and God. Some Christians practice it, others dismiss it and still others are a bit afraid of it. But right there in the parking lot, we joined hands and prayed. It was a beautiful experience as we all felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. We said our good-byes and Meredith strolled home with the name of Jesus on her lips.

As we walked across the parking lot toward Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies, we saw a man getting out of a motorized cart attached to shopping basket. He seemed to be struggling making the transition from the cart to the car even though his wife was helping him. I wanted to stop and pray with and for him...but I didn't. As we continued to the store, I thought "I should go back and pray with that man." Lucy looked at me and said, "Do you want to go back?" "No," I replied. I was feeling foolish.

A day or two later I talked to God and then Lucy about what happened. trying to figure out why I didn't stop and bless that man. I have met all kinds of people on the road and speaking with them has never been a problem. We approach each other, we talk, share and pray. Why was this different? Lucy laid it out in simple terms and the Holy Spirit convicted me of the truth of her words.

"You gave yourself time to make up a story. You said something to yourself like... 'He's going to tell me to mind my own business.' or 'He'll yell something like...I don't need your @#%* prayers!' Many times, we write, produce and direct a Hollywood movie in two seconds or less. Then after we've written the story...we believe it! God gives us a chance to be a blessing and then we do our edit and the next thing we know...our story stops the opportunity to show God's glory." Lucyah sat quietly as her words pierced both my mind and my spirit.

How many times, Lord? How many times have I passed up an opportunity to acknowledge You and be a blessing? How many times have I passed up a Divine opening to let Your healing power or Your Words of encouragement flow through me because of a story I made up out of fear? How many times have I let my story stop Your Glory?

Forgive me, Lord, but more than that...help me fear no more.

People!

These last few weeks have been....interesting. People of every personality type and background stopped to walk and talk with us.

Crystal took her car into the shop and decided not to wait for the bus. She started to walk home and saw me up ahead. As she got closer, she wasn't sure she wanted to pass me, talk to me or just linger behind. Finally she took a deep breath, stepped up her pace, came along side of me and said "Good morning." We struck up a friendship right off the bat. She had stories to tell and I had time to listen. Over the next hour I discovered she was a Christ follower, a retired high school teacher and a person with lots of energy and a positive attitude. When we finally arrived at the place where she had to turn, we both felt bad. Neither one of us wanted to say good-bye.

It's an unusual church and then again it's not. It does things in a unique fashion but it loves people just like Southwest Community back in Olathe, KS. The ROC (Richmond Outreach Center) looks like a shopping center on the outside and a convention center on the inside. Its focus on people who have had issues with drugs, alcohol and the law. You see a lot of people with tattoos, piercings and black leather here. The ROC has a launder-mat, a thrift shop, a computer lab, a free medical clinic because people re-starting their life need a hand up with practical things.The man that took the time to tell us about The ROC and show us around is affectionately called "Doc." He retired from the military as a physician's assistant and now gives his time and talents to Christ through the ministry. Besides being a man of skills, Doc is the most excited person I have ever met. He bubbles over with the joy of Christ! They purposefully keep him away from the coffee pot. They're afraid the caffeine will put him in orbit! Just being in his presence, lifted our love level ten degrees! Doc at the The Roc...if you ever get to Richmond, look him up but watch out...he's a hugger!

Jake was worried and when he saw me he felt that God wanted him to stop. He has a court date coming up and he doesn't want to lose his kids. He is in the midst of an messy divorce...are there any other kind? He knows Christ but has a hard time putting his cares into the Master's hands and leaving them there. (Sound familiar?) He was seeking an answer when he saw me walking down the road. We spoke for nearly an hour and then we prayed together. Joint custody was all he asked for but we asked God that regardless of how much time Jake spent with his children that he would always be a father that exemplified integrity, strength, courage and love. AND no matter how tempted he might be....never say anything bad about their mom!

I had only walked 6 miles when a old rustyVW bus pulled up and a man that could have been Jack Nicholson's twin got out. He came around and opened the side door and said, "I've come to get you." Well, he got my attention but I wasn't going to get into the bus! He explained that a friend of his had seen me but was on his way to oral surgery and couldn't stop and so he had sent his friend to "get me" so he could talk with me. Just then, Lucy pulled up across the street. "Jack" asked us back to his house and so I said to Lucy,"Are you up for an adventure?" "Sure," she replied and off we went following someone we didn't know to a place we didn't know. You always need a certain amount of discernment when you make these kind of blind decisions but remember when Jesus was asked to come...he did.

As it turned out his friend thought I was Buddhist monk. I guess he didn't notice the cross I wear. This particular gentleman followed a religion called Sufism. He said he believed in the divinity of Christ but also believes there are many paths to God. Other people joined us that evening. Jack commented that drugs enhanced the spiritual experience and soon the atmosphere quickly turned to alcohol and pot and so we left. It was sad to see people who are lost and want to philosophize as they get high but won't listen to the Truth even though they invited one of His ambassadors in.

Melissa's tee-shirt had a picture of a pit bull and when I asked her about it, she told me she was an animal rights activist. The Pit Bull on her shirt had been set on fire! She went on to tell me tales of how horribly some of these animals are treated and as she spoke I could see the tenderness of her heart. As terrible as some humans treat animals and other humans, we must remember they are a twisted minority. There are many good and loving people like Melissa who do more than just care...they get involved. As human beings, God has created us to be stewards of this world; the land, the people and the animals.

Avarett is a man I would love to hang out with; he's an original. He's in his mid fifties, never had a television and never used a remote control! He's the editor of the local paper. He is a thinker and has opinions on just about every issue. I agree with some and probably disagree with a few but he'd be fun to argue with because he makes you think! Some folks had called him to tell him "Moses" was walking through town and so he met Lucyah and I on route 360 just outside of Keyesville. We spent about an hour together before he had to leave. He was covering a political fundraiser that evening. It wasn't too much later, Lucy got a call. It was Avarett inviting us to dinner...but he wasn't going to be there! (I told you he was an original.) His wife Susan was delightful and we got to have dinner with the whole family. We even parked our RV in their front yard! Wonderful evening!

The Indigent

It was winter and he was living outside. He was chilled to the bone even when the wind didn't blow. The two women he loved most in his life, both lost the war against cancer. An only child, and now he was alone. He drank to forget but that didn't help so he smoked crack cocaine and he fell deeper and deeper into depression and isolation.

The Salvation Army offered a a warm place to sleep and he took it. He didn't want the help. He hated asking for help although he knew he needed help. His days were lost in a fog; his nights in self pity. Mike didn't know where to go or what to do. Each Saturday, he would go to Monroe Park. Christians came there to tell people about Jesus. "I don't need to know about Jesus," Mike thought. "I just need some help."

It never dawned on Mike that Jesus was the help he needed. He thought he needed money and a job and a place to live and food. He needed a way to get all that. He hated asking for help but...this Saturday, he did. Not only did these Christians tell him about Jesus but they told him that Jesus was the Way....to get straight, get right, get a job, money and food. That day Mike took his first step forward; he listened, he believed and he accepted Jesus Christ as His Saviour.

These Christians didn't just pray for him, they took him to a group home, got him working doing whatever needed to be done and got some food in his belly. He did all sorts of jobs for nearly six months before he told them...he was a dentist!

A dentist! Dentists aren't homeless. They're highly educated professionals. Dentists make lots of money, marry beautiful women and have children with a perfect smile. Whoever heard of a indigent dentist? Scripture, however, tells us that it rains on the just and the unjust. In the words I saw on a passing tee-shirt "Life Happens!"

He had lost his license due to his lifestyle but he soon began to learn that all things are possible with God. Through a series of events orchestrated by the Holy Spirit and the encouragement and love of Christians and Mike's own courage, his life was resurrected! Little by little God has driven off alcohol, drugs and unworthiness

and Mike is getting stronger. Soon he'll be able to be take full possession of the promised land of his life. Today Mike is working in a dental practice in Northern Virginia. He's in the re-learning phase of things since his profession has advanced in his absence.

I share this story with you because I met Mike today. As I sat across the table, I had a difficult time imagining him as a drunken, dirty, smelly, homeless man. He was clean cut, personable, bright and in love with the Lord. Although he is a textbook example of the transformation that a life yielded to Christ makes, I wondered.....

How many people do I write-off as beyond help? How many homeless people have I passed by and didn't speak with? And if my judgment was right 99 times out of 100...how about the one where I was wrong...isn't the one worth the effort?

Saturday in America

Walking through Richmond, I noticed a woman sitting on a low wall watching me approach. "Got any money?", she asked with a shameless smile. "What do you want with money?, I replied. "Need to get a cup of coffee and something to eat."

I fumbled in my bag....DVD's, phone, rock, a small bag of almonds and raisins but no cash. I always carry twenty one dollar bills in a small pouch to share as I can with folks along the way. It always freaks them out to have a "holy man" give them money. I think most folks have the idea that you give to "church" people but they don't give to you. I looked around but couldn't find the cash; must have left it in the RV, I thought. I offered Marie my snack of almonds and raisins but she politely refused.

Walking down route one, I turned onto Azalea St. and made my way to Chamberlayne. I hear a loud angry voice behind me but didn't know if someone was calling me or just shouting. I walked to the corner, crossed halfway across the street and heard the angry voice getting closer. The traffic light had changed and I was stranded on the island in the middle of the street with traffic coming. I turned around to face "the voice" and I saw an unstable gentleman with matted dreadlocks, a multicolored beret style chapeau and a four foot long piece of PVC pipe heading my way.

He joined me on the island and asked me what I was doing. When I shared I was walking for Christ, his response was a loud and angry "BULLSH*T!" He then informed me he was a Muslim (a fact I'm not sure that they would be happy about) and then said "ALLAH!" several times. The light changed and we walked across the street together. I thought he was going straight and I was turning but as the second light changed, my friend went with me. I asked Willie why he was so angry and he went on a tirade about white people and the government. This was the first time I was glad to have a dark tan.

I told him people were people; some good some bad. I shared that I knew good black people and bad black people; good whites and nasty whites. Oddly, he agreed and told me of how he was very drunk one day and dropped his wallet containing $25.00. Three white women were following him, picked up his wallet and returned to him money intact. He was very surprised and touched by that.

He asked me if I wanted to go with him and get a beer. I said “I don’t do that any more.” He laughed. “Any more? That’s funny.” He asked me what changed me and I told him Christ. He just looked at me. As we continued to talk, I realized that Willie’s mental capacity was severely damaged by his lifestyle. He was not a man you could reason with but he was a man who you could plant seeds into.

Willie spoke of his wife very tenderly. He took care of her, he said. I wondered about their life and how they came down this road. I could see that beneath his cursing and anger was a heart that deeply cared for a woman. “I don’t know what I would do without her” he said. His demeanor was calm and serious. I wanted to dwell on his goodness at this moment so I said, “We know you’re a good man, Willie.” “WHOSE WE? He yelled.
“You and I, Willie. You and I” I replied half-laughing. He smiled.

He took my hand. “I’ve got to get back to my wife. She’s down there.” He said pointing south. I said “No, Willie, you have to up that street. That’s where I met you.” He held onto my hand and then we hugged. “Love ya, Willie.” I whispered…don’t know if he heard me. He zig-zagged across the street, waving his PVC pipe and shouting things I couldn’t understand.

I hadn’t gone far when I briefly encountered another man of the streets begging on an island between traffic. He, like Marie, asked me for money and again all I could offer was almonds and raisins. He was hungry; he took them.

I wonder about people; the roads we travel, the choices we make. What happens? I envisioned all three of these people as toddlers and then a great wave of sadness overcame me. It seems to be the way of the world; the way it’s always been...even in America. There are some you can help, some who can't receive help and some who don’t want to be helped. So what are we, as Christians, to do?

Simply love them as best we can.
Pray for them as they come to mind.
Be thankful for what we have.
Share as we are able.

Surely

"My mother died in 2005 and since that time it seems my siblings can't get along with each other. My father is still with us and I want us to become close again but I don't know what else to do." Joanna was beginning to get emotional.

Here we were on the street: a little 4'8" bald headed white guy dressed funny and a 5'10" heavy-set black woman hugging each other as cars whizzed by and people looked on. Neither one of us cared a lick. I knew Christ, she knew Christ but more importantly...He knows us.

I love to pray for people as I walk; so many people and so many different issues. Some ask for healing of their grandpa from cancer, others ask for a touch of God upon their handicapped child. I always feel a twinge of sadness in my heart and a certain sense of gratitude as I quietly thank God that those problems aren't afflicting my family.

This prayer request was different though. This one touched me and troubled me. It touched me because my own family is fragmented. It troubled me because family divisiveness is avoidable and correctable. Conflict in the family is almost always a matter of pride. We don't understand each other and we're too proud to ask for clarification. We have expectations that are never expressed and yet when they're not met...we're hurt. We have unrealistic views of what a family should look like and how "it" should act.

Friends are people we choose to have in our life. Family are people who are involved in our life through adoption, birth or marriage. Once you're family...you're family forever. Surely, we can put aside our pride for a moment and get along to share a meal or a holiday. Surely, we can pray that God bless our family (even the ones who push our buttons) with His best. If we can't stand to be with "that woman" for an hour, surely we could be nice for twenty minutes and casually her presence.

God whispered to me as I walked today, "Nick, make an effort to be your best, regardless of response. Time is fleeting and life is precious."

Sloooooow and Eeeeassy

Speed is matter of perception. A hundred miles an hours is a fast clip for a car but is very slow for a commercial aircraft. Ten miles an hour is a pace that just might win a marathon but will finish dead last in a sprint.

My perception is continually shifting when I think of this, our third 3300 mile walk across America for Christ. Deep within me, I want to be the hare, fully of energy and speed, and anxious to finish; gotta go, gotta do, hurry, hurry!

Like Dorothy, I want to get back to Kansas; to our friends and our church and familiar surroundings. Even though it's summer, I find myself humming, "I'll be home for Christmas. You can count on me."

But, God and Lucy remind me, the journey is not about miles nor speed nor time. 3300 miles is just the name of the journey that tells us when we began and when we finish. The walk for Christ is about people. It's about acknowledging Christ, building relationships, listening to stories, looking for people's strengths and assets and encouraging them to use what they've got. It's about loving people as best we can whenever we can. That all takes time and cannot be rushed.

God and Lucy remind me that the beginning our trip was fraught with mishaps and so it may be at the end. The significance of this mission trip is not determined by speed in which it is completed. Our culture values an action by how quickly it is done. God measures by how nobly a thing is done. Our job is to simply take our time and love well as we go.

Slow and easy wins the race,

Embrace God's people and feel God's grace.

Slow and easy; no need to hurry.

Don't be anxious, fret or worry.

Bless and love as best you can

Take time to love your fellow man.

"Slow and easy," whispers Christ,

"To show some kindness and just be nice."

Grumpy Almost Misses It

"Where are you going?"

I was deep in thought and didn't like the idea of being disturbed, plus I hadn't been in the best of moods the last couple of days. Even though I was walking America for Christ, I didn't greet Officer Benson with any of the joy of Jesus in my heart. We went through the normal routine..."Name...Birth date..License...wait for a moment while I run this."

As the officer did his job, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. "You're not being very nice." "I know," I mumbled back. I was beginning to mentally beat myself up when I heard from the Holy Spirit again. "I'm not condemning you, Nick. I'm just reminding you that you are better than you're acting. A little smile or pleasant conversation wouldn't

hurt."

I noticed that police car said commercial law enforcement. I said, "I have a question for you". He leaned against his vehicle, smiled and said "I have a couple of questions for you too."

Well, it turns out there are only about 45 commercial law enforcement units in the state. They check on the weight of the trucks and in general, make sure the truckers are doing what they are suppose to be doing. As Steve and I talked....yes, police officers do have first names...I found out he was a born again believer, teaches Sunday School, is currently doing a series on the differences between Christianity and Islam and has a heart for people who do not know the Lord. He also has a group called Friends 4 Life that is open to all denominations and prays for needs as they arise. I enjoyed listening to his passion for the Lord and I began to genuinely like him.

As we parted company, the Holy Spirit reminded me of how close I came to missing out on meeting this wonderful man of God. Steve and I are friends on Facebook now and I have the feeling we're going to be friends for a long time. He has about five years or so before he retires from the force but I wouldn't be surprised if we found ourselves in the mission field together.

Pray With or For Someone Today

Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us that there is nothing new under the sun. Thousands of years have passed since that was written and many “outside” things…clothes, architecture, modes of transportation… have changed….but people, well, we’re pretty much the way we were in the days of Solomon.

As we travel, we have met people who have endured the suicide of a spouse, the sudden death of a child, those who have battled sexual misconduct and others who have served time in prison. We have encountered addicts that are clean and those who cannot or will not get clean.

There have been families split apart because of misunderstanding and marriages wrecked because of financial pressure. We have met people who take all they can get and others who give without any thought of getting. We pray for them and with them without seeing any physical evidence that anything has changed. Sometimes we are tempted to get discouraged but then we remember… “faith comes by hearing” and then we remember: we are traveling America doing our best to plant seeds of faith by telling people about Almighty God.

As human beings, we don’t know what is going on in anyone’s heart or mind. We don’t know what to say to encourage them or lighten their load but the Holy Spirit does. So all any of us can do is ask the Holy Spirit to allow us to be a blessing to the person we are about to talk with.

Prayer doesn’t always change circumstances but we do know that prayer always changes people. Changed people move from the fear of society who criticizes them to faith in a God who loves them.


Lord, please let those we talk with today hear Your voice and invite You into their life. Help them to understand that You love them and that what they do with their life matters.

What If....

Throughout Scripture we are told that what we say has an impact on our lives. Speak sickness and lack and chances are you will have sickness and lack. Speak blessings and health and they manifest. Whatever we dwell on, we speak. Whatever we speak, we seem to support by our actions. Our actions, in turn, create our world.

Proverbs 18:21 says the power of death and life are in the tongue. Proverbs 12:14 says that a man is filled with good things from the fruit of his lips. Mark 11:22-24 says to have faith in God; whatever we say and do not doubt but believe it will come to pass...will be done for us. Jesus tells us again in John 16:24 to ask and we will receive and our joy will be complete.

What if Scripture were true? What if we could shape our world with God's words in our mouth? Would you be willing to give it a try? Lucyah and I have listened to the words that came out of mouth and wondered....Why did we say that? That's not what we want AND that's not what Scripture says.

We've actually heard ourselves say "We can't afford that?" when Scripture tells us we are the children of God and He owns all the silver and gold and the only reason we have not is because we ask not! Deuteronomy 8:18 tells us that God has given us the power to get wealth. So the question is...Are we using the power (speaking God's Word to begin with) to get what we say we want?

"My back is killing me" comes from our lips instead of "my God is healing me." The Word of God tells us we are healed by His stripes. The same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead raises me right now from a bed of sickening symptoms.

So...let's get physically and financially well. Let's start speaking God's Word and thanking Him for the positive results that are starting to take root. Whenever you get tempted to confess a negative circumstance, speak one of these instead:

I AM healed by His stripes. (1 Peter 2:24). As I live longer, I get wiser, healthier, younger and stronger!

I AM getting all my needs met by my Father and all my desires are satisfied with good things. (Philippians 4:19 & Psalm 103:5).

I AM exercising my authority over the enemy; nothing harms me. No weapon formed against me prospers! (Luke 10:19 & Isaiah 54:17)

A Time For Every Season

Nothing works outs as planned. In a week's time, we should have walked from Lynchburg to Charlottesville. Instead a week passed and we were still in Lynchburg!

Our new friend, Haniel, was working on a new web site for us and needed us to be around for a few days. Getting about five miles to the gallon with the RV, we didn't see any reason to walk and then keep driving back each day. Lynchburg had a WalMart and that provided a place for us to park each night without a hassle.

Our good friend Pastor Bill Zulker has a sister (Betty) in town and we wanted to stop and give her a hug from him but we couldn't connect with her. Then we received a message from a man who simply said he was told

to contact us. We wondered what that meant? It turned out that the mystery caller was a friend of Betty's and when he called again, he invited over his home. Wallace & Elinor Turnbull were missionaries in Haiti for sixty years! They now work with the Haitian students that attend Liberty University. While we were visiting with them and hearing some of their marvelous stories, we learned that Betty was in the hospital and they took us over to visit her. Betty was every bit as delightful as her brother Bill. We managed to sneak in to see her again before we departed Lynchburg

During our travels, I noticed that the front tire was wearing badly on the inside and so we used our time to find a place that could do a front end alignment on our RV. I knew we would need one new tire but as it turned out we needed two! Piedmont Fleet Service was jammed up but service manager Louis fit us in on Friday morning. One look around made me feel confident in who we were dealing with. They service all the Emergency vehicles and firetrucks in the area and the place is so clean you could eat off the floor....really!

Now the day before we were scheduled to go to Piedmont, we had a flat. It was 11:30am and starting to get a little toasty. We called Good Sam's and they told us help would be on the way...in two to three hours! Four hours later, a very nice policewoman stopped and asked if help was on the way. We explained the situation and

she called Good Sam's who tracked down the truck coming to help. They said he should be there "any minute" and the officer said....in a deep officer-like voice "I'm waiting with these people." Lucy and I were so excited! Our champion had arrived!

Twenty minutes later, the officer asked us to call again. Once again her strong voice asked with a tinge of impatience, "Where is he?" After some fumbling and "I'll call him," they said "He just turned on your road." About five minutes later the driver arrived and started changing the tire. As I turned to thank the officer for the help, I saw her drive off. I said to Lucy, "We didn't even get her name." Just then I got a childhood flashback of a masked man and his Indian companion riding out of town.

I'm nor sure, but I think Lucy said. "Why, that's the Lone Ranger."

I checked to see how the tire changing was coming along and as it turned out we had two flats on the same side! The inner tire went flat putting extra weight on the outside tire. Plus the heat we've been having just made things worse and the outside tire blew. It was 5:00pm by the time we got back on the road. We were on our way to All Peoples Church to meet Haniel and Carmen. What a loving group of people...small church...big heart!

It's been a most interesting week but as much as I enjoyed it all. I'm ready to get back on the road!

My! My! My! What a Wonderful Day!

As I approached, he got out of his compact car, walked toward me and gave me a great big hug. “I’ve been watching you walk since Danville and I just knew I had to stop and talk with you.” Danville was about a week ago and that translates into a good seventy miles of road behind me. During that time, not only did he spot me but he took note of Lucy and the RV. He had jotted down our web site, went home one night, and did his research. By the time I met Gates he knew more about me than I did!

His job takes him all over the county delivering medication to nursing home. After he left me, he put a call into his bride, Clelon. (Gates & Clelon…kinda sounds like a law firm, huh? No divorce court for these two though, they really love each other!) I met her a couple miles up the road, she came prepared with a cold water and two mini muffins for me! She’s one of these people who was born with a smile in her voice and a twinkle in her eye. She brightened my day just spending time with her.

A little farther up the road, I met a woman who greeted me with “Pick a number between one and sixteen.” “Eight” I replied. She reached it an accordion folder, counted eight pockets over and pulled out a personally selected tract and a picture of an eighteen year old boy. “Are you a Christian?” she asked. I looked at the cross handing around my neck and smiled wryly, “Yes, I am.”

The picture of the young boy she gave was her son Barry. He died twenty-five years ago, six months before he was going to graduate high school. She wants people to know how quickly life can change and how important it is to know Christ. Her only solace is that she will see him again in heaven.

The next person in my cornucopia of American treasures was Lynne. A lady with a quick wit, creative ideas and a charming smile but who has had a hard life. Abuse comes in all forms but the longest lasting, I believe, are verbal assaults executed in rage. She has managed to overcome adverse circumstances but then fell again. Now she is getting up off the canvas for another shot at the brass ring of her destiny. She knows the Lord and is thirsty for to be and do what is right in His eyes. I was intrigued by her openness and authenticity.

Have you ever walked in the forest and had the opportunity to see a family of deer. You are as stunned by them as they are by you. You both stand still looking at each other. They are beautiful and strong; yet fragile and easily frightened. I find people are very much the same. We do not see our own majesty. We don’t know our own strength and yet our fragile egos are so easily bruised and battered. We often become skittish around something or someone slightly different.

After we finished walking for the day, we headed to Wal-Mart for supplies. Lucy was looking for some deodorant and after shower body mist. Like a good husband, I commandeer the basket when we shop and she is free to roam the aisles. When Lucy is looking for personal items, I usually station myself a safe distance away so as not to encumber the shopping experience for Lucyah and the other ladies hovering about.

I was engrossed in people watching. I especially like to watch people who are watching Lucy. Looking up this one aisle I saw an attractive twenty-something woman helping Lucy reach some of the items that were conveniently located at the six foot level. She would bring down a bottle of mist, spray the air and her and Lucy would smell the air. They would then either make faces or they would make sounds “Aaaah” “Ooooh.” They were like a couple of teenagers whose mother has let them go to the mall alone, giggling and laughing. …and there I was without a camera!

Unbeknownst to me, Carmen’s fiancé, Haniel, was watching the same scene. We looked at them and then each other, started laughing and it was then that God started to build a lovely friendship that would blossom over the next week!

BUT.......our day wasn't over. Around 9:00pm, Rebecca came by the RV to visit. I had met her mom on the road that day and mom had called her to be on the lookout for us and kind of, check us out. We invited her in and we visited for about two hours. Every life has a story and every story needs someone to hear it. Sometimes the best ministry is the "listening ministry."

We went to bed that night with the delight of God in our hearts. He had blessed us with the presence of His children and each one, a jewel. We drifted off tired and happy.

Look Around Ministry

He knocked on our door late in the afternoon. His eyes struck me as sad, he was very thin and his teeth were in need of repair. I wondered why he stopped. For food? Money? Directions? Out of curiosity?

Now here's my confession. Sometimes when I see a person I have a tendency to put them in a box. I think ...He's broke. She's successful. That one needs help but that one over there, he's got it together. God's been working with me and I'm getting better than I used to be but I still jump to conclusions about people. I was about to get another lesson.

Chad didn't want anything. He came to see if we needed a place to take a shower or do laundry. He offered us his home! As we talked with this very mild mannered loving man, he told us about his ministry. They (he and his mother) don’t have a website yet but they have that on their wish list.

They help stranded people get home. They go to bus stations and train stations and find people who missed their connection and help them in whatever way they can. Sometimes they provide people with a sandwich, snacks or a drink. Sometimes when a person lives two hours or so away, they drive them home instead of having them wait all night for their early morning connection.

He told us that the stations always have people who are down on their luck. He said, “we make sure everyone gets a Bible but they don’t need a sermon, they need practical help.” This man is a true missionary to America!

He reminded us of the opportunities to help that are all around us and yet so often…we miss them. He reminded us of how easy it is to love God…just love His children as best you can. No words needed…just a snack or a cold drink. All we need to do is...look around.

Learning Curve

July in Virginia...hot...humid and a perfect day for a nice cold slice of watermelon.

After church we stopped by the local Wal-Mart and Lucy thumped a few watermelons searching for just the right one. There it was....round....firm and melodious!

We made our way home, got out our carving knife...all the while savoring a juicy slice of summer. I cut the melon in half and.....................It Was YELLOW!

At first we thought we picked a rotten melon. We sniffed it and then took the plunge and bit into it....Delicious!

The moral of the story is.....you can't judge a watermelon by its color!

It just goes to show there is something new to learn every day.....for instance

A watermelon is a .....vegetable!
Russians make beer out of watermelon.
The world record for watermelon seed-spitting is 66 feet, eleven inches and the world's largest watermelon was grown right here in America....in Bixby, Oklahoma. It weighed in at 255 pounds!

They Can't Hear What We Don't Say

For nearly ten years now, I thought we had traveled across America doing Biblical presentations.

The other day Lucy informed me otherwise! "We don't do presentations, Nick. We do first century testimonies." "What's the difference?" I asked.

A presentation, she explained, is just a re-enactment but a testimony is a statement based on personal experience or personal knowledge. "You don't memorize your characters lines like an actor does, you remember the life you lived as them. When a person in the audience needs an encounter with Christ and sees Zacchaeus was accepted despite his lifestyle, they have hope. They realize that what God did for the tax collector, He can and will do for them."

At first, I thought it was just a manner of semantics but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Lucy was right. Testimonies, given on the stage or on the street, fill people with hope. We all know God can do wondrous things, we're not sure, however, He will do them for us. Testimonies, yours and mine, build the faith of others. Scripture (Romans 10:17) tells us that "faith comes by hearing." No none can hear if we don't share. We don't have to be eloquent. We don't need to be seminary trained...we just have to be willing.

Your life matters. Share what God has done in your life. Give someone hope.

Good Hearts

A Key. Some water. An interview and one very large cantaloupe! So what do they all have in common?

It's amazing to me that Lucyah and I can enter a new town, walk a country road and meet friends that were strangers five minutes ago! When they woke up this morning, they didn't know us and we didn't know them and yet...something clicked in their hearts and ours. Before we leave each others company...we're friends!

Before we left Mt. Airy, NC, the Barefoot Prophet gave us the key to his home. He said we were always welcome whether he was there or not! I hadn't been walking in Virginia long when a young girl (around twelve or so) saw me on the road. She thought I looked hot and tired...she was right!...and she asked her mom if they could go get me a cold water. Five minutes later I was thanking my sweet benefactor.

Not too much later Richard Rogers, the News Director of WHEO (1270AM) in Patrick County, VA saw our RV parked at Wal-Mart and stopped to talk with Lucy. He wanted to do radio interview. We didn't have cell phone access so she sent him up the road after me and said she would join us shortly. Richard played the interview several times the next day and asked people to call in or tell if they met us or saw us.

The next day, we met Daniel Louis from WHEO. Daniel oversees their webpage and while telling him how friendly and giving the American people are...Buddy knocked on our door. He just wanted to know if we'd like a cantaloupe. He said he bought two but he only needed one. He just didn't know why he bought the other one until he heard the radio program and then saw our RV parked right across from where he was working!

All these people gave what they could....a key, some water, an interview and a very large cantaloupe. They all offered the hand of friendship and we took it. Being on the road we've discovered that the American people want to give and if you want to show them respect, you accept what they offer as thankfully as you can. Receiving with grace is a gift that you give back. It tells people, "I value you and I appreciate your thoughtfulness" and we do.

We so appreciate this country and its people.

Generating Friendships

Not too long ago we had to replace our generator. It was a costly repair but a necessary one as the heat index (a combination of air temperature and humidity) has been a real challenge. We need the generator to power our air conditioning for the six days each week we are not at a campground. Normally the oil is changed at every 150 hours of operation but the mechanic who installed our unit said to change the oil at the first 50 hour mark since we were breaking in a new unit.

My dad was a tool and die maker by trade and a perfectionist by personality. He was a good man and a loving father but when it came to mechanical things I just couldn't seem to do very well to suit him. Even after all these years, I just dread mechanical "stuff"... even something as un-challenging as changing the oil. It's always been easier to pay to have it done than have to fight my own lack of confidence and besides, I hate getting my hands messy.

I knew this day was coming. Sooner or later, you have to face the fear of whatever it is that is limiting you. I bought the oil and an oil pan, grabbed a rag and piece of plastic to lie on and slid underneath the generator. I couldn't see a thing and so I had to get out from under and go get my glasses. "Oh, this isn't starting well," I thought. I got back into position, tools by my side when I noticed that the screws holding the cover over the oil plug were neither Flatheads or Phillips. They looked like five pointed stars. "What the heck is this?" I thought.

I could hear the evil one whispering once again, "You don't know what you're doing." Then I heard another voice, "Need some help?" Instead of feeling grateful, I felt embarrassed. Here's a guy who is going to think I'm an idiot because I can't do a simple thing like change the oil. "Don't think I have the right tool. These screws look like they need a star fitting," I said, not peering out from underneath the beast. He walked away, came back, stooped down and handed me a star shaped metric thing. Don't know if you would call it a wrench or a screwdriver but whatever it was....it fit!

Once I got the screws off the cover, I had to deal with nut that fastened the oil plug to the generator. I had a wrench to fit but the nut was in a recess and so I needed a rachet to give me the leverage to loosen the nut. My friend had that tool as well. As the oil drained in the pan, I slipped out from underneath and met my new friend ...Jon Van Hall Sr. He gave me a big smile, extended his hand and said, "Just call me Barefoot." I shook his hand, thanked him for his help, looked down and sure enough He wasn't wearing any shoes! In fact, Barefoot hasn't worn a pair of shoes since November 27, 1989! He literally stands on Acts 7:33.

We talked a bit about walking for Christ and then he said, "Would you like to see my walking staff?" No sooner had I said, "You bet" than did he hop into his van, smile, wave and said "I'll be right back." Lucy had been doing the laundry and so I helped her get things out of the dryer while we waited for our friend's return. No sooner did we finish our duties than did Barefoot return dressed in a white robe, with a red stole about his neck adorned with medals from his service in Viet Nam and his staff in hand.

I noticed that there were marks along the side of the staff. He said he puts a notch in for every year he walks barefoot. Barefoot prayed with and for Lucyah and I and then he asked us to put our mark on his staff. He handed me a small penknife and as I carefully carved N + L into the wood, I could feel God etch Barefoot into our heart. We invited him to have breakfast with us but he said he had to go to work. Before he left, he insisted we keep the tools he had let us use.

We had finished breakfast and we sat silently sipping our coffee; both of us stunned by God's goodness. I needed someone to hold my hand as I faced a childhood fear; someone who would not judge me nor do it for me but just help me. God had sent His Barefoot Prophet and we sat there feeling incredibly blessed but....

Our new friend wasn't through with us yet. He walked into the restaurant with a gift covered in a cloth. It was a framed article about him and God's call on his life. It appeared in the February 3, 1993 edition of the Mt Airy News. It will be the first thing we place on the wall of our home...when we get a home!

Moravian Falls to Ronda

We had an online introduction through our friend Pat in Kansas City...Kevin Basconi's book is Dancing With Angels and he and his wife Kathy have encounters of the supernatural kind. Despite their many angelic sightings, they do not worship their heavenly visitors as many people do. They are very clear, they only worship Christ! They were kind enough to invite us to stay at their home in Moravian Falls as we were without air conditioning due to generator difficulties.

My first reaction when someone tells me they see angels on a regular basis is caution. My reasoning mind kicks in and I wonder, "Are these people for real or are they lost in space?" I believe that GOD gave us a brain to analyze things but there are also some things that are true even though they are beyond our understanding. I don't have to understand everything to know it is true. I mean I have no idea how a microwave heats items so quickly yet I know it does and I benefit by using it.

Although I have not had some of the experiences that Kevin and Kathy have, I have no doubt they are sincere in the expression of those experiences. One thing I do know is that GOD is bigger than whatever I as an individual can imagine or experience! It turned out to be two very inspirational and educational days!

After we left their company, we walked one day and then drove about 50 miles to Camping World in Colfax to get our generator repaired. The cost of RV labor is about $100-$120 per hour and after factoring in the cost of repair versus the cost of a new generator, we decided to go for the new model and get a three year warranty. It took us three days in the waiting room for the part to arrive and be installed but now we have power for the AC and the laptops.

On our first day back on the road, Terri pulled over and talk to me for a bit. She has a genuine smile and a quick sense of humor. I liked her as soon as I met her. It was 6:30am when she invited me to lunch! We made a date to meet at the Town Hall building in Ronda at noon. We actually walked past Ronda and then drove back to catch up with Terri and her husband Mayor Victor Valera.

In addition to being the mayor, Victor works as a scientist doing cancer research. Their house burned down last year and they are still in the midst of reconstruction. They were in the home when it caught fire through an electrical malfunction. The smoke alarms weren't activated because the fire actually started above the alarms. By the time the smoke got down to the alarms, the roof was gone! The good part was that they only lost stuff; not each other and not their animals!

Between Moravian Falls and Ronda was sandwiched LIFE as experienced by three different couples. Encounters with angels, mechanical failure and raging fire and yet in each circumstance these people chose to focus on the provision and protection of God. Never did we nor the other two couples speak of fear or lack but only how blessed we had been in the process. LIFE is a process and it happens to everyone; sometimes it's rain and sometimes it's a rainbow....always GOD is there...always.

Blacksburg, SC to Earl, NC

This past week has been more about people who blessed us than people we have blessed. Last Wednesday, we stopped to worship with the folks at Mt. Paran Baptist. Pastor Jay invited us to say a few words and after the service, a neighborly man by the name of Garnell took us over to his house to fill our tanks with well water. Sooo nice! Later we met Pastor Jay & Christine for a cup of coffee at a nearby truck stop. Everybody has a story and finding out how pastors become pastors is always an interesting tale.

Thursday morning, quicker than you can say "Blackberry cobbler," we were in Earl, North Carolina. Now we didn't expect much out of a town named Earl but....where we ever mistaken! We stopped at New Hope Baptist Church and a lady named Tamara stopped to check on us. We moved on but she called her pastor who wanted us to come back for a photo and a little conversation. She tracked me down later on the road and we made arrangements to meet Pastor Russ when our walking day was over.

Lucyah had parked at an Ingles supermarket and the manager and a cashier came out to investigate. She was able to share about our walk for Christ, praying for America and gave them each a Zacchaeus DVD. The cashier asked if I would come in so she could have a picture taken with me. Later on Zacchaeus interrupted her work day for a photo-op.

As I walked through town a bit, a man came out of his trailer and approached me on the side of the road. “I’m mentally ill,” he said. His hands were behind his back and there was fast moving traffic behind me. In less than five seconds, all kinds of scenarios came into my mind. What if he was holding a hammer? What if he pushed me into the traffic?I asked him why he thought he was mentally ill. “The doctors said so. I’m schizophrenic and bi-polar.” “Do you take any meds?” I asked. “No. I hear voices.” Do they tell you to do bad things?” “No. Not bad things.” Do you know Jesus?” “Yes, I do.” We continued to talk about the healing of the Lord and after a few minutes of mentioning the name of Jesus, my friend abruptly left.

Finally, our walking day ended and we returned to New Hope to meet the pastor and that’s when we met Kirsten. Her husband is a navy chief currently deployed. He’ll be home in late July and until then she has three energetic kids to handle. One of her hobbies is taking pictures so she got lassoed into being the photographer of the day. Pastor Russ and his youth pastor Travis were very gracious, open and curious. Sunday morning was a salute to the graduates …high school and college…so they invited us to present Zacchaeus to their congregation on Sunday night. Woo-Hoo! We always get a thrill when a pastor who never met us before steps out in faith and invites us in! God is always looking to bless a man like that!

Kirsten had been on the phone to her grandparents, the Crawfords, and so it wasn’t long before we were at their house for supper! They and their family have lived in these parts most of their lives. Despite a houseful of hungry relatives, Mrs. Crawford managed to save us a couple of slices of homemade strawberry pie…..soooo good! Just before it started getting dark, Mr. Crawford, got us hooked up with electricity for the night plus directions on how to get back on the road in the morning!

In the town of Shelby, there is a health ministry called Hallelujah Acres (www.hacres.com) and the first Saturday of every month they have a free seminar. They’re teaching people how “You don’t have to be sick” and a lot of what they have to say makes sense. Not only did we get an education but we also got a chance to eat some healthy foods like pizza (made with macadamia nut cheese, spinach & sun dried tomatoes) and homemade coconut ice cream (without the cream!) After we learned to eat “skinny” we headed back out to the Crawfords for lasagna and home made apple cobbler. The diet begins “tomorrow”

These are the people of America. They are not the exception; they are the rule. They are your neighbors who are waiting for you to step out and say “Hello.” They want to share their recipes and their lives with you. They want to get to know you but don’t know how.

You need to take the first step. When trying to connect with people we’ve never met before, you can simply ask a question. We use what we call the Indian technique…that’s right… we simply ask “How.” How long have you lived here? How did you learn to do that? How did you come up with that idea?

Try it….you’ll make new friends and …so will they!

Blessed Again!

Wal-Mart moved and didn't tell our GPS!

We drove to Gaffney after walking on Saturday. We had told our friend Arnold of that we would come hear The Riverside Boys (Gospel Music ...Southern Style...864-545-6734) on Sunday morning. We had overnight-ed at Wal-Mart so we only had to drive 11 miles in the morning and we gave ourselves forty-five minutes to get there so we felt confident that we'd make it in time for 9:15am Sunday School. The address of the "Save More; Live Better" giant listed in their Atlas was an old address and so our directions took us north instead of south. Grrrrr!

Now I hate being late. I really hate missing Sunday School because each Sunday is an opportunity to hear a teacher that we may never get a chance to learn from again. There's great wisdom in many of these Sunday School classes. They haven't written a book or been interviewed on Oprah but they know how to live the Word of God and I enjoy learning from them. So when we arrived at 9:30am, I was muttering! Then I noticed...no cars! The sign said Sunday School was set to begin at 10:00am. They forgot to update their web site...bless their hearts! My mumbling slowly turned to thanks as God told me one more time to rest in Him.

This morning was a special day. There would be Sunday School, worship service, a traditional potluck lunch and then our guys...The Riverside Boys! They sang about four or five songs and then took some of their "stage" time and asked us to come speak to the church. As they introduced us, they encouraged folks to contribute to our journey as they were able. We were stunned! These guys gave us some of their time and now some of "their money"...they don't have an ounce of selfishness in them!

After the service we were approached by a woman from another church and we went on to speak at her church that evening. God allowed us to be blessed and be a blessing! How fortunate we are to work for our God!