Walk Across America for Christ

Aaargh! Technology!

2011-03-19T20:30:00.002-05:00

It's been months and for whatever reason I could not access Blogger nor could I get anyone to respond to me in a manner I could understand. Now I don't know if it's all my fault or partly theirs but it has been frustrating. That being said....I'm back to the wonderful world of blogging!

***

For the last eighteen months Lucy and I have been on the road, doing a walk across America for CHRIST. We completed our journey on Saturday, January 8th. We walked route 27, moved over to route 997 and took our final steps at mile marker 30 in the Everglades and not a soul in sight.

CNN didn't send a reporter. Oprah didn't invite us for an interview and we didn't get an offer to do a reality show! BUT...behold underlying truth... when we did what He asked us to do, not understanding a bit of it...we believe we saw God smile.

Old Testament Scripture tells us that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). The Hebrew word shama means to "hear, listen and obey." Notice it didn't say we had to understand what we were doing. Jesus tells us (in Luke 6:46-48) that if we will come to Him, listen to what He says and do what He tells us...no storm will prevail against us. Storms may come but they do not win!

So....What is God asking you to do? Is He telling you to go? Or... Are you suppose to stay and share His love with your family? Are you to go into full time ministry? Or....share the knowledge of Christ in the marketplace?

If you're not sure what God is saying, welcome to the club! Just do the best you can to move forward. Take a baby step of faith and practice listening for His voice and obeying as best you can. He's not seeking perfection. He is Perfection!

Father God is simply looking for a listening ear, a willing heart and an obedient spirit...He's looking for you!

Be Not So Subtle

2010-12-05T15:53:00.008-06:00

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

2010-10-30T15:37:00.003-05:00

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

2010-10-05T14:53:00.003-05:00

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

2010-10-03T17:40:00.014-05:00

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

2010-09-21T18:35:00.008-05:00

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!

2010-09-16T19:07:00.008-05:00

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

2010-09-06T13:48:00.010-05:00

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

2010-09-04T15:02:00.013-05:00

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

2010-09-03T16:56:00.004-05:00

"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

2010-08-24T15:23:00.003-05:00

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

2010-08-18T18:01:00.003-05:00

"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

2010-08-17T13:59:00.007-05:00

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....

2010-08-07T10:19:00.008-05:00

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

2010-07-26T15:29:00.009-05:00

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!

2010-07-24T13:47:00.002-05:00

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

2010-07-20T17:00:00.003-05:00

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

2010-07-11T18:35:00.005-05:00

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

2010-07-07T12:59:00.004-05:00

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

2010-06-29T13:43:00.003-05:00

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

2010-06-26T13:16:00.009-05:00

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

2010-06-19T16:45:00.004-05:00

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

2010-06-09T16:27:00.017-05:00

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!

2010-05-31T12:47:00.008-05:00

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!

Lockhart, SC: Population 617

2010-05-31T11:28:00.010-05:00

He got a call from his daughter about a man on a mission so he made a sandwich, picked up two bottles of water, hopped in his pickup to hunt me down. Arnold Childers is a sweet, likeable man and it took us all of twenty seconds to strike up a friendship! I learned he was part of a group called The Riverside Boys (They don't have a website but if you want to hear some good Gospel Music...Southern Style...call 864-545-6734). I asked if they would be singing anywhere while we were in the area and learned that they would be at El Bethel Baptist Church in Gaffney on Sunday. I said we'd try and make it, gave my friend a DVD of Zacchaeus and took a cold bottle of water to go. Arnold said he'd go home and get Lucy a couple Gospel music CD's.

There was a truck stuck in the road ahead and a young couple drove by taking a picture of me with a cellphone.I only met them for a moment. They are having issues in their young lives. He is a veteran of Iraq. She is a young bride trying to stand by her man. It's been tough...things have happened and some things they caused to happen. They invited me to their church for Wednesday night service and I said I'd come.

I saw an open spot for Lucy to park and I called her but...no cellphone access!! Well, I had walked over two hours and it was getting very warm and humid. I saw an old shack with a bit of a roof over it's porch. I figured I'd just sit and wait and sooner or later Lucy would come rescue me! Just as I had sat down, a car pulled up. Chris was a sales rep whose curiosity got peaked when he saw me walking. When I mentioned my phone dilemma, he offered me his phone. Verizon gets better coverage here than AT&T and we managed to get through to Lucyah.

I introduced Chris to Lucy when she arrived. She excitedly told me that she had met Arnold and his daughter, Monica and that we were going to speak to the youth at their church that evening. I said, "We can't. I already made a promise to this young couple that we'd go to their church." Chris just looked at us and said with a grin "I think it's time for me to go." We assured him we would resolve the situation with an arm wrestling match and we gave him a DVD before he left.

"What time does your church service start?" I asked Lucy. "7:00pm," she replied. "How about yours?" "7:00pm." I sighed. Neither one of us had a phone number for our new found friends.

"What's the name of your church, Lucyah?" "First Baptist." "Where's it at?" "Lockhart." "Mine too! Turns out we met four people from the same church! Thank You, God!

When we got to the church, Monica greeted us and informed us that Pastor Ben had suggested we speak to the entire congregation! That shows a lot of faith on the pastor's part! Since it was a lovely night, we had the service outside. Instead of doing a presentation, we talked about the journey... why, where, when, who, what and how! It was a wonderful evening! More beautiful than I can possibly say. After we spoke, the children gathered around us and laid hands on us and their parents laid hands on them and the rest of the congregation laid hands on the parents. Everyone prayed over us and then Pastor Ben closed. When prayer was completed, they began to sing over us..."It Is Well With My Soul."

I would have loved to have been a bird looking down from above. Surely we were arranged liked a big beautiful flower of prayer and worship with two tiny servants in the center of it all. Oh my! It was overwhelming.

Afterward, we went inside (to the air conditioning) for soda & pizza. Monica was sweet enough to order a sheet cake that said "3300 miles for Christ" on it. We sat around for another two hours just talking and laughing with folks. Glen Steen, one of God's men, left for a moment and then came back with a beautiful sturdy walking stick made of dogwood which he was gracious enough to gift to us.

These are the people of America....giving, loving, kind, open and generous.

Please! Please! Please! Do not be deceived by the networks and the newspapers....television is not reality. If you want to learn about the reality of America, get out and let the people talk to you. Listen to them and you will hear the heartbeat of God in the land of the free.

A Call Started It All!

2010-05-23T19:34:00.013-05:00

She stopped. We chatted. Then Tan called her friend Lisa who was a photographer for the local TV station. Lisa came looking for us but we had stopped for lunch at a place Tan suggested.

Now Sally is a columnist for lives in Hartwell, Georgia but writes for a South Carolina newspaper. She was going to Jim's Grill for lunch when she met Lisa, camera in hand on the street. "Whatcha up to, Lisa?" "Looking for a little guy doing a walk for Christ," Lisa replied.

At this point Sally comes in to Jim's, sees me and says "Are you the guy walking for Christ?" "That'd be me," I replied. "Well, there's a lady with a camera looking for you outside." "Tell her to come on in." The next thing we know, we're sitting with these two ladies and answering questions in between bites of lunch. That Saturday we walked through Anderson, South Carolina and the Anderson Independent did a nice story on us and that began the next flow of blessings (as it turned out all the TV slots were booked so we missed our chance for a "reality" show).

We learned that the article was reprinted in other small town publications over the next three to four days. Then Margaret stopped and she was excited! She told me to be careful since there was a psychiatric unit nearby...we laughed together and she asked where we headed. I told her our tentative route for the rest of the week, bid her good-bye and went on my way. I hadn't gone too far when I looked across the street to see a lady waving hello.

I crossed over and met Patti Hedgepath Lusk. Margaret had called her. She said she worked at the Neal Creek Baptist Church and invited me in. I told her to go on in and I would call Lucy & then wait for her. As Lucy pulled the RV onto the parking lot, Eric & Robert pulled up. They were carpet layers on their way to work when they spotted me. We had a great time talking, laughing and enjoying Robert brag on his two year son Robert Christopher Sherman!

We finally got into Patti's office and found out she was "volunteered" into doing an article on us for their local paper. We also found out she is a musician, author (new book just out!....entitled God's Order) and songwriter! After spending over an hour together, we decided to let get back to work and we headed out to the RV for a nap. A few hours later, Patti brought her husband Scott and her mom Jean over to meet with us. We spent another hour or so huddled in the RV and Patti asked us if we would come and do a Zacchaeus presentation at her church Wednesday evening.

Well, we're always delighted to tell a story but we never anticipated the response from this small country church! Pastor Don Harper stood up when we were done and he asked for a love offering but he included a request. He asked that those who were blessed by Zacchaeus would also give us their name, address and telephone number and he did the same. He looked at me and said, "If you ever get in trouble, no matter where you are...call us! We'll come and get you!" He went on to tell us how they wanted to count us as their missionaries to America. We were stunned, amazed and tearful. When the collection was taken up, we had a generous offering and a stack of names, addresses and phone numbers! They also filled the RV with water and hooked us up to electric for the night!

The blessings didn't end there! Patti gave us a number of a newspaper reporter in Lauren with instructions to call her when we got into town. As I walked into town, the first spot I saw for Lucy to park was in front of Lauren Middle School. As soon as the RV pulled up, the principal came out and I thought "Uh,oh....we're in trouble." (Funny how the sight of a principal at any age causes your pulse to race.) Dr. Harris had read the sign on the RV and came out to see what we were all about. We chatted for a few minutes and I gave him a Zacchaeus DVD. While this was going on, Lucy called Judith Brown with The Advertiser. As they were talking, I was changing into my 21st century clothes and there was a knock at the door. It was Dr.Harris. He wanted to know if we'd like to have lunch with him at the school. We said, Sure" and asked if we could bring a friend and he said, "Of course."

Judith is a person you like instantly! No pretense and no nonsense. We talked and laughed over a plate of catfish and vegetables and Judith took pictures of us with Dr. Harris and the entire kitchen staff. After lunch, she spent another hour or so visiting with us in the RV and then we re-met her at a local coffee shop about an hour later. In between Judith and the coffee shop, we visited our friend Patti's sister Colleen who lives in Lauren.

The next morning as I'm out walking, I see a car drop off a person about fifty yards in front of me. There's a camera dangling and despite the bright sun, I see the now familiar form of our friend Judith. Someone had called her at 8:00am to give her a "news tip" about a strange little guy. Unbeknownst to us I was walking very close to her home. As we walked along she took more pictures until a car stopped. Out walked Mark who was on his way to a "Warrior Run" in Atlanta. He was tattooed, dressed in a kilt with a large Batman buckle and had pieces of bone tied to his beard. He said he had to stop because "you look as interesting as me!" Hmmmm....was that a compliment? I don't know but it made me smile!

A few minutes later, Judith's husband James, stops by while she is clicking away at these two very unusual looking men. After our friend, the warrior, left...James & Judith invited us back to their home for coffee. It was an enjoyable morning as we sat around the kitchen table and talked like we knew each other for years. We liked them so it was an automatic "yes!" when they asked us to join them at church on Sunday.

Their church embraced us and we enjoyed a wonderful meal with their worship leader Marsha, Pastor Herb and others....one person makes a phone call and we are overwhelmed with blessings!...and to think it all started with a good Tan!

A Glimpse

2010-05-15T14:24:00.006-05:00

Crossing into South Carolina has been a lovely walk. The roads are narrow but the sweet smell of honeysuckle and the birds singing so beautifully in the early morning just fill my spirit with joy.

This morning I saw a blue bird flitting by and the flash of his brilliant blue wings caught my attention. My eyes tried to follow him into the trees but he was too quick. I asked God to give me another look. It was then I heard God speak to my spirit. He said, "Why is it, Nick, you always ask for more but you aren't grateful for the glimpse of My Glory you get?"

Was that true? Sadly, I agreed that the answer was yes. It seems like I always want more. Whether I spot a deer in the woods or a raccoon crossing the road, a cardinal swooping through trees or a woodpecker hard at work, I'm always asking God for more and never thanking Him for the glittering glimpse I received.

As I walked along, I asked God to show me how to be grateful for the glimpses and then I started to notice things....the forest was a lovely dark green with cleared away spaces between the trees...squirrels pranced around and then I saw the house. Just before I blessed the home, I noticed it had a sign in front of it. It was the ten commandments! God was giving me another glimpse. He wanted to see if I learned anything. Here before me was a glimpse of the values these people had. I didn't know much about them. Were they Republicans or Democrats? Did they agree with the recent health care plan or our immigration laws? These things I didn't know but I did get a glimpse of what they believed in...God!

I hadn't gone far when a car stopped me. The couple were on their way to have their traditional Saturday breakfast with their children and grandchildren. O my! God had given me another glimpse....of their values. Family was important to them!

Thank You, God, for opening my eyes. Thank You for allowing me to appreciate the glimpses of Your Goodness in the world. May I never ask for more until I have learned to appreciate what You have already graciously given me.

Carpet!

2010-05-11T16:40:00.005-05:00

After spending five days, not walking....two days at the repair shop and three days waiting for things to dry out...it was great to get out and get re-started on this 3300 mile walk for Christ.

We had some issues with our water pump, conveniently located under our bed on, and surrounded by, carpet. Carpet in an RV is put there I believe strictly as a selling tool. Other than that, I don't see it's usefulness plus you need to carry a vacuum to clean it!

After the carpet and underlying padding gone soaked twice, we had to deal with the odor. We stopped at Lowe's and got the latest and greatest "anti-mold" treatments. God blessed us with good weather and a steady breeze so we left the RV windows and overhead vents open to air out our 29 foot tin can. Even after three days in a motel the moldy, wet carpet smell lingered.

We tried to sleep in it the RV one night and we both got sick.We decided to tear the carpet and padding out, treat the underlying wood frame with bleach and go to a movie while that smell faded!

Finally we can breathe again and I managed to walk 11.7 miles today...should be in South Carolina by this weekend.

A Couple of Things

2010-05-07T21:10:00.004-05:00

It was about 7:30am Eastern time, the road didn't have much shoulder and the traffic was loud as it whizzed by. I barely heard the phone ring. My son Frank who works in Las Vegas was calling before he went to work. In an effort to hear him, I stepped away from the traffic, turned my back to the speeding cars and faced the trees that lined the road.

After about ten minutes, the flashing blue lights of a police car pulled up in from of me and my conversation was interrupted. The officer called out to me "You alright, sir?" I assured him I was and he said "We got a call that you were standing staring into the woods." I started to laugh. The officer smiled and said, "We just get the calls and I follow them where they take me." I explained that I was doing a walk for Christ, had gotten a call from my son and gave him a Zacchaeus DVD. I asked if there was anything I could pray about for him. He didn't hesitate ..."Safety."

This brief moment reminded me of a couple things....

1) People care. Someone saw me and was concerned and did something. Don't be afraid to take action. Better to care and be mistaken than to be apathetic and be regretful.

2) Police do more than chase down bad guys; they serve and protect us. We need to pray for safety for them and peace for the hearts of their families.

Can't Say That Word Anymore

2010-05-06T14:56:00.007-05:00

Been using it a lot but we can't say it anymore.

Serendipity is defined as unexpected good fortune. Lucyah and I decided we can't use that word anymore because as servants of the Lord...we expect good fortune! God never surprises us but He always amazes us. Here's our latest blessing....

We attended a midweek service at Trinity Baptist Church....Pastor Jim greeted us and once the service started, he invited us to speak to the the dozen or so people that had attended. After he preached, he announced that the offering was going to be given to us. After the service ended, he invited us to hook up to water and electricity at the church. Such a gracious man! But... that was not the end of it.

That night, we turned on the water to shower and....we didn't have any! When I went outside I saw it had all rundown the driveway of the church. I filled the tank up again, turned on the pump and nothing happened. No water for the kitchen or bathroom and then Lucy discovered wet carpet around the base of our bed. Pastor Jim came over to check on us and offer us the shower at his home! I shop-vac'd the carpet while Lucy showered and then it was my turn.

The next morning I called Apalachee RV in Auburn, GA. I expected them to have me bring it in on Monday but I was surprised to hear Dave say, " Bring it on in this morning and we'll take a look at it." The water pump is located under the bed so Lucyah & I removed all the bedding, folded it up and made it to the RV repair shop by 8:30am.

It took them less than an hour to locate the problem with the pump, fix our turn signal and locate a problem we were having with the refrigerator. Bob, the technician who worked on our rig, came back to the waiting room to tell us that the work was completed. He said, "Your bill is a buck seventy-five." To tell you the truth, I was happy to get out of an RV repair shop with a bill less than $400.00!

Lucy paid the bill while I spoke to a another RV'er. As we walked out to the RV, I asked Lucy what the bill with tax was....she said...nothing! The bill wasn't $175.00....it was $1.75! They charged us for a lightbulb and Tracey (the General Manager) paid for that!

Their only comment to us was "Thanks for stopping in. Have a safe journey.' As we drove off, we were stunned! God continues to bless us over and over again. Lucyah decided we wanted to be like God. We want to bless people whenever we can. Please join us as we pray for this business to increase and prosper for their actions represent their heart and their heart is good.

Email Dave or Tracy a blessing today..... service@apalacheerv.com

An Older Timer Shares

2010-05-06T13:09:00.007-05:00

"What are you up to old timer?" I squinted as I looked into the sun..."OLD TIMER?

I thought to myself, "You talkin' to me, buddy?" but I heard myself say, "I'm walking for Christ; praying for America....anything I can pray for you about?" Turned out he had a son who was a truck driver who got hurt on the job but didn't tell anyone because he didn't want to lose any hours driving. The back injury got worse and now he can't drive. He can't get compensation because he didn't report it when it happened. The young man is twenty-three and feels like his life is over. All he ever wanted to be was a truck driver. I asked if "we" could pray for his son, he said I could but he had to run some errands.

I continued to walk and I spoke healing into his son's body, peace into his mind and life into his spirit. As I spoke to God, I thought about how many people have no confidence in prayer. They hope or wish it will work....they'll try it as a last resort...but....they don't really believe God has any interest in their every day life.

I felt the same way until I started to read God's Word. Jesus told us to "Have faith in God. Whoever says....and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for you." Jesus said, "Ask and you will receive." Jesus said, "I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, He will give it to you." I decided to believe what Jesus said and that has made all the difference.

A Week of Serendipties...

2010-05-03T13:14:00.015-05:00

It was a hot and sticky day. Summer seemed to have arrived early. We parked outside the First Baptist Church of McDonough, flipped on our generator and let the air conditioning flow. Aaaah!

I was on the phone with a friend when a gentleman waved at me and made his way to the RV. I excused myself from the call and met Tom who is the Director of Facilities at FBC. I thought he was going to ask us to move. Instead he offered us the hand of friendship, a tour of the church and an introduction to Dr. Charles Thomas, the senior pastor. Pastor Charles invited us into his office and then surprised us with an invitation to return and present Zacchaeus at their mid-week service! We were delighted and agreed to drive back! Pastors many times are planners and we don't often get a spontaneous invitation like this. It's encouraging when you meet someone who embraces you and your gifts.

As we continued walking, we landed in Conyers home to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. What a lovely, peaceful place. We wandered the grounds for several hours and then joined the monks for Vespers (evening prayers). Their day is divided into prayer, work and reading...perhaps a lifestyle we could all benefit from.

After returning to share Luke 19:1-10 in McDonough, we were on Rt 20 heading northeast. Traffic was fast and furious. It reminded us of California, except traffic in Georgia moves! I was ahead of Lucy and found a Waffle House restaurant parking lot for her to pull into. As I was watching for her to approach, I stood on the corner and blessed the cars and trucks as they passed. A gentleman saw me and thought I was a Buddhist monk.

He came offer to share the Gospel with me but then he saw the cross that I wear and looking a bit bit perplexed, he said, "What...what's going on?" I shared what we were doing and why and gave him a Zacchaeus DVD. He said he was going to call his pastor. He took out his phone and said...."Wait a minute, I am the pastor!" We laughed and at that moment Pastor Matt Murphy of Greater Love Church in Covington, Georgia and I became friends!

Just about then Lucy pulled up in the Christ-mobile and the three of us sat and laughed and prayed together. Pastor Matt invited us to pray about coming to speak at their Sunday evening service. Wow! Another unexpected opportunity to share our gifts! Whenever God gives us opportunity, we say "YES!"

We continued on to Lawrenceville and located Atlanta's International House of Prayer. Here they praise God twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with live music! As soon as stepped into the Prayer Room, we cried, but they were beautiful tears. It felt like we were home. After spending several hours there, we decided to take Saturday off and hang around the prayer room the entire weekend before driving back to Greater Love Church.

Zacchaeus was received very well. This church family reminded us our home church, Southwest Community, in Olathe, KS. It was a small church overflowing with hospitality and love. We went out for a meal with them after service and didn't want it to end. Thunder storms were forecast for the wee hours of Monday morning so they let us hook up to water and electric for the night. So here we sit....warm, safe and dry. Blessed by God all week long and looking forward to another week of traveling with the Lord.

Father, we have done nothing to merit your favor yet you pour Your grace upon us day after day. You love us because Love is who You are. We thank You, Timeless One, for Your hand upon our life; for new friends each week, for Your attention to the little things.

Time...It's a Gift

2010-04-24T19:05:00.011-05:00

I can't explain it, I'm just grateful for it. What is "it"....IT is the love of people.

I don't know what motivates folks to love you enough to give you a piece of their life; to give you their time.

The greatest gift anyone can give you is their time.You can always make more money. You can always take a physical gift back but time, once given, once spent...is gone forever! The millionaires in eternity will surely be those who were the givers of time. This past week we were thrice blessed with gifts of time.

In 2001, Roger & Debbie Tiffany drove several hours to find us after having seen our interview with Dr. Schuller on the Hour of Power. They brought with them over forty bottles of water. About a month later, they located us again, drove several more hours and brought us more water and a set of walkie-talkies. We hadn't seen them in nine years so we were surprised when they called to say they were driving from Daytona, Florida to Fort Valley, Georgia to spend a day with us! We spent all day Sunday with them and it was absolutely wonderful....it was as if we had known them as friends and neighbors all our lives...and of course, they brought water for old time sake. Roger said, "It's our tradition."

Sunday morning we had worshiped at Calvary Chapel Heartland where Steve & Cindie Sandoval shepherd the church. We have had the honor of speaking to this congregation on three different occasions. Lucy and I truly enjoy this couple's company and so we decided to take a day off from walking on Monday so we could have breakfast with them...we had such a good time that we made plans to have dinner together too! They share their tough moments, laugh at their mistakes, take people into their home and raise their children. They seem to take life in stride...They're real people and we like 'em!

Tuesday evening we got a call from a couple of friends from Big Bear, California. They were in Illinois, they were headed south and they wanted to connect with us. Oh my! How blessed we are! Wednesday night they caught up to us and Thursday morning "Cowboy Bob" Wallace and I walked about eight miles together. Bob was wearing his cowboy hat and he said people probably thought he was an eight foot Texan standing next to me! If you think I get a lot of strange looks....Bob & I nearly stopped traffic! Bob's wife Nancy got to see Lucy's end of this 3300 mile journey. They spent several hours together solving the world's problems. Lucy and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with this creative, yet down to earth couple.

Three couples, all as different as night and day, and all folks we don't see nearly as often we would like to and yet they all graciously gave us a piece of their lives...they gave us their time. I don't know if I can put into word how precious that is to Lucyah and I....especially right now that we are away from home; friends, familiar sights and sounds and smells. Sometimes it seems like we are always saying good-bye. That may be the toughest part of this life on the road but saying good-bye to these three couples...they filled us with such love and joy....these good-byes were a little bit tougher.

Five Minutes

2010-04-17T20:20:00.004-05:00

It was Wednesday evening in Geneva, Georgia. I had met a gentleman on the road who said he was a pastor and that they had a service at 7:00pm. We located the church and waited until 6:55pm but no one showed up at the little blue and white chapel. So we decided to see if we could quickly locate another church. After making two wrong turns, we ended up at the right place...Geneva Baptist Church.

We went in for the Bible study and on our way out heard some children fooling around in one of the rooms. As we made our way through the sanctuary, a young girl called out to me. "Sir! Sir!" I turned to see an eleven year old girl named Molly looking me square in the eye. "You blessed me today. I was in the gray pickup truck. Do you remember?"

"Was that you, Molly?" She nodded and smiled. Her innocence touched my heart. It was refreshing to see an eleven year old be eleven. I said, "I'd like to give you something, Molly. Come with me for a moment." She glanced at her grandma and we got the okay to go. We walked out to the RV and I gave her a Zacchaeus DVD and told her to enjoy some popcorn as she watched it. She was thrilled and ran off to show her friends and I was thrilled to see her reaction.

The whole encounter took lees than five minutes and yet when I think about it....it makes me smile.

Paintbrush

2010-04-13T17:00:00.007-05:00

How we express ourselves is important. In fact I believe, it's not what you hear or what you see but what you declare and decree...even when casually spoken...that dictates each life.

Scripture says the power of death and life is in the tongue. It tells us that we are snared by the words of our mouth and that a good man is satisfied by the fruit of his mouth.

I spoke to a man last week who was in the midst of a divorce that he did not want. He asked me what to do. I asked him if he would do anything to get his marriage back on track. He said he would. I said what I am about to tell you may sound silly. He listened. I said "Rent the movie Fireproof." He then told me some more about his problems. I said "rent the movie Fireproof." He went on to tell me how other people were poisoning his wife's mind. My counsel did not change. He told me how he wasn't from Alabama and didn't know where to rent a movie. He spoke all the things that he didn't want. He told all the reasons why he couldn't do a silly simple thing like rent a movie. In fact, everything he spoke was negative.

Today a man parked his car and started to walk toward me. He placed two hand stitched crosses in my hands and walked up the road with me for about a quarter of a mile. I asked if there was anything I could pray with him about and he said he needed a job. We talked a bit and I noticed he had a brace on his left leg. He told me how
no one was hiring a 57 year old handicapped man. I told him they might hire someone at age 57 who was dependable, honest and hard working. He assured me "they" wouldn't.

As we finished our walk together and stopped to pray. He told me to be careful because even though God placed His angels and a hedge of protection around me, "these 18 wheelers don't care about no hedge." I thought doesn't he think God is more powerful than a truck driver?

Both of these men went on at great lengths describing the opposite of what they wanted. The first man wanted his marriage to continue but only spoke about the end of his relationship with the woman he loved...as if there was no hope. There is always hope! The second man spoke only of the job "they" wouldn't give him and all the reasons why "they" wouldn't give it to him.

What would happen, if they began to change the way they spoke. Some people believe things happen to them then they speak it. What if your words were a paintbrush and you could paint your life the way you wanted it? Would you watch your words?

What if you could get what you say? What if Mark 11:22-24 were true? "Have faith in God. Whosoever says....and does not doubt but believes that what you say will come to pass. It will be done for you."

500 Miles and 5 Years

2010-04-10T18:18:00.008-05:00

A few months ago we took our RV in for some maintainence in Baton Rouge and decided to treat ourselves to a movie. We followed the directions of the GPS and it led us directly to a cinema that had been closed for nearly a year! As we sat in the vacant parking lot and sighed, a car pulled up next to us. That's how we met Dennis.

When Dennis found out we were from IHOPland in Kansas City, he called his friend Brian who had just started attending IHOP meetings. We talked on the phone for a bit and Brian would call us from time to time until we became friends. This past week, Brian was in Baton Rouge attending the Jimmy Swaggart Camp Meetings and called to see where we were. We told him we were about thirty miles west of the Georgia state line. He said he would like to drive out to meet us. We told him that would be great but we were a long way from Louisiana. Brian said, "Oh, it's only about 500 miles. I'll be there Thursday night."

Only 500 miles! We could not believe that a guy we never met was going to drive all this way to meet us but we knew that God was doing something in this man's heart. We spent a lovely couple of days eating the wrong kind of food, talking and getting to know each other before Brian left us on Saturday afternoon.

A few hours afterward, we received a call from Matt in Ohio. He and I met on the road in Dayton in 2005 on my 2nd 3300 mile walk across America for Christ. Today Matt was cleaning his truck and found one of our old ministry cards (I can identify with a guy who cleans his truck once every five years!) He said he thought about us every now and again and just wanted to see what we were up to. He told us he was proud of us and encouraged us to keep on going.

Now Lucyah and I often wonder how God touches people through us...and the answer is we don't know how... but we are fascinated that one man would drive 500 miles and another would call a five year old phone number (and not just toss the card!) Our ego would like us to believe that they had an interest in us but the reality is that they have a sincere interest in God. They are simply seeking a spiritual connection with other people of like mind and spirit. Time and distance is no hindrance to the Body of Christ!

Hebrews 3:13 says to "...encourage one another daily as long as it is called Today..." and both of these men fulfilled that Scripture for us.

Easter in Alabama

2010-04-03T19:52:00.006-05:00

Stopped at a campground in Montgomery on Saturday and, as is our custom, looked up churches in the area that had worship services and Sunday School. We saw that First Baptist of Montgomery was only about 1.5 miles away. Their website said that they had a service at 8:30am and 11:00am with a Sunday School in between.

Sunday morning was very foggy. I plugged in our GPS, looked up places to worship, saw that First Baptist was indeed about 1.5 miles away. We decided to go to the early service so we would could park the RV before the traffic arrived. It only took a few minutes and the GPS told us to take a left on 2nd Street. We found ourselves going down a narrow road in a residential area. The next thing we know, we passed a church on our left and found ourselves in a cul de sac! We couldn't turn around but there was a paved driveway to nowhere that we could park in. The parking lot of the church was already full. This sure didn't look like the church I saw on the web but we were here and we couldn't get out soooo....this is where we were going to spend Easter. This church was the First Baptist Church of Greater Washington and was an all black church.

During our time in Mississippi and Alabama, we have noticed there is still a little racial tension and so we wondered how we would be received.....well, it was wonderful! Everyone was dressed in their Easter best and the kids were styling! They had about 50 children do a story and some singing and then there was a wonderful service with great singing and an enthusiastic sermon!

The funny thing for us was that when we first arrived we felt like we were in the minority....because of color. We never feel we are in a minority because of size! That's the conditioning of our society and you know what?.... we've got to stop that nonsense! We're ALL different....sizes, shapes, colors, likes, dislikes, talents and temperament. You'd think after thousands of years of living on the same planet, we'd get over it. Easy to say....tough to overcome all those years of conditioning!

Lord, help us to remember your two commandments....Thou shall love & Thou shall love...in spite of our difference and because of our similarities.

Rant & Recommend

2010-03-31T17:30:00.003-05:00

I gave Lucy the same gift for her birthday that I gave her for Christmas, our anniversary and Valentine's Day...a day of unlimited hot running water! We checked into a motel and as she washed and re-washed her hair all I could hear was "AAAH!"

One of the disadvantages of a motel room for me is that I have the tendency to turn on the TV. In a matter of minutes, I was overwhelmed with "News" which consisted of child abuse and murder, celebrity vomiting due to drug abuse, marital infidelities, the most unreal "reality" shows and educated experts as guests on talk shows to tell us how to manage our anger, raise our children and eliminate our debt. Problems are highlighted and opinions are freely offered. Yet out of all the answers to our societal woes, no one mentions God....

Any psychologist will tell you that a child who doesn't know who their father is will have difficulty in their life. There is a sense of loss; a lack of identity and belonging. Half of our nation doesn't even talk about our Father God. We have a national holiday called Thanksgiving and yet...we can't teach our children in school "Who" we're thankful to!

Please forgive me, I didn't mean to rant but I did need to get that off my mind and out of my spirit. I do, however, wish to make a recommendation. Let's you and I begin to publicly acknowledge God in our daily conversation.

Try saying "God bless you" in place of "thank you" and "good-bye." When someone calls you lucky, tell them "I am blessed by God and highly favored" or "the Lord is good to me." When someone tells you that that the economy is bad, jobs are down, prices are high etc...just tell them "It may look that way but God is good all the time; all the time God is good."

Seeds! We need to plant God seeds if we want the knowledge of God in America to grow. The following, my friends, is NOT an opinon...it is truth!

God is the only Answer to our questions; the only Solution to our problems.

Call for Hope

2010-03-24T14:28:00.004-05:00

Have you ever been driving and taken a wrong turn when you have no map and no GPS? You feel frustrated at best and helpless at worst. Often the first reaction is self condemnation...."I'm so stupid" or"I should have known better." As the saying goes...we've all "been there and done that!" Sometimes that happens to people in their automobiles and sometimes that happens to people in their life.

We had an article run in a local newspaper and out of it came an encounter with people who had lost sight of The Cross...God's Positioning Satellite. Their life went off the road and into a ditch. Some skidded off into a life of drugs, others let sex put the brakes on happiness, there were those who crashed into a wall excessive drinking and then there were the ones who had prescriptions for their pain and before they knew it, the meds had them! ....all were addicted and their life was spinning out of control. They had lost the map that led to hope....

Behind the trees, hidden from the highway was an oasis that stopped time and space and let "the lost" take a breath and refocus on the only thing that could get them back on course... The Cross. It was the brain child of Pastor Andy at Abundant Life Church in Waynesboro, MS. New Life Deliverance Treatment Center has no web site...not even an email. "How do people find you?" I asked Miss Paula. "God sends them," she smiled.

God sent us there when a car stopped with four women in it and they asked me to come and speak to the ladies. I readily agreed, caught up to Lucy and followed their SUV up the road for about fifteen miles before we turned into the woods. We hadn't gone far when we stopped in front of two double wide mobile homes. As we followed Miss Paula in, we found ourselves encircled by about two dozen women of all ages setting tables and getting ready for lunch. We enjoyed a meal together, spoke with them as a group and then spent some time with a few of the ladies individually. These were good people....people just like you and I...who made some bad choices and were now suffering the consequences. Some had been in prison, some still had loved ones incarcerated. There were mothers who had lost their children to the welfare system and women who had been in horrible spousal relationships.

Lucy was overcome with a sorrow in her spirit. I was encouraged to see people have a desire to change; to finally say "NO MORE!" to living in a pit of darkness. They asked us to go to a revival with them that evening and, of course, we said "yes." As we left them that afternoon and jumped into the RV, we just looked at each other. We loved being there with them. We wish we could continue to serve Christ in this capacity forever!

That night we went to church and each lady was dressed very nicely; their hair was done, their makeup applied and their clothes were neatly pressed. If you had seen them that night, you would have never guessed their life story...their heartache and heartbreak. Scriptures tell us not to show favoritism but sometimes.....

If you know of someone who is addicted to anything...call Jim Riley (601) 735-6447 for men or Paula Riley (601) 410-8662.

Connected

2010-03-23T20:19:00.003-05:00

He had two earrings, drove a pickup and met me in the parking lot of his church. Steve had an infectious smile and an engaging personality. "I just had to stop and see what you were up to." I filled him in on the walk for Christ and gave him a Zacchaeus DVD. A few minutes later, we parted and that I thought would be the last I saw of Steve.

A hour or two passed and a reporter stopped for an interview. Lucy had pulled up across the street and so we moved to the other side of the road so she could interview both of us. Just as we got to RV, Steve pulled up with his wife Deborah who he got up out of bed to come meet us and a he brought us a beautifully carved walking stick made of hickory. As it turned out, when the article appeared in the morning paper, Zacchaeus, Steve and his stick made the front page under the headline "Walking for Christ!" Deborah made the paper too, but she blinked so the photograph shows her with her eyes closed. Lucy and I laughed at all the grief she was going to get from her "friends."

A few days later, we were in a campground in Quitman, MS and a gentleman, named Kyle, who had seen the article approached us. He was a co-worker of Steve's....what are the odds? He invited us to have dinner with his family and we had a wonderful night of good food and laughter.

Isn't it interesting to see how we are all inter-connected. Everyone affects everything...at least a little. So the decision we have to make is to do our best to appreciate each others contribution and enjoy God's tapestry called life.

At the Intersection of Gifts and Talent

2010-03-19T16:17:00.013-05:00

It only took a few minutes to get to really like Charlotte; a personable and professional journalist. We answered her questions and she answered ours. She had been Religion Editor in Jackson (the Captiol of the Mississippi) for a number of years and then had moved south to take care of her aging mother. Our time together sped by all too soon and before we knew it she was gone.

About 9:00am the next morning, two men stopped their pick-up and were all excited to show me the article in the newspaper. “You’re right on the front page. Look! Is there any thing you need…food?...water? I’ll get it for you.” Scott made me smile. He seemed to be bubbling over with smiles and enthusiasm. As I spoke with Jeff and Scott, I learned that Scott was in the NA (narcotics anonymous) program, his Higher Power is Jesus Christ and Scott has been clean for six months. Prior to that, he was living in abandoned buildings and eating out of garbage cans. He had almost ruined his life. He came so close to becoming a grim statistic. It made me shudder.

They gave me the newspaper as a souvenir and after they left I took it over to show Lucyah. The article was terrific and Christ got the front page headline (good job, Miss Charlotte!) but what stuck in my mind was Scott. The article seemed to encourage him; to fire him up for God and in turn, he fired me up! Lucy and I called Miss Charlotte, thanked her for the article and told her about its impact on Scott.

On a country road in Mississippi, a little man uses his gift of walking for Christ. He meets up with a woman who is using her talent of writing to serve the Lord. Two lives intersect for a moment in time; once strangers, now co-workers for Christ. Gifts and talent merge and out of that comes encouragement; encouragement for a third person that neither the man nor woman knew nor will likely see again.

Perhaps Scott was encouraged enough to stay off drugs for one more day. We can only hope...but his reaction to my gift and Miss Charlotte's talent encouraged us. I can't wait to walk tomorrow; Charlotte is eager to write again. Give what you have to God and watch how He uses your gift and talent to touch another life.

Mississippi Spanish

2010-03-16T16:28:00.006-05:00

A red pickup truck pulled over on the other side of the road and the driver yelled something to me. I couldn't hear her because of the traffic and the wind, plus I sometimes have trouble understanding Mississippi-ese even if the person speaking is across the table from me in a quiet room. For instance, if they're "fixin" something, it doesn't mean they are repairing it; it means to prepare or get ready as in "I'm fixin' to go to the store."

Well, the pickup drove off and I didn't know if she was saying hello or cussing me out. A few minutes later, the pickup pulled up on my side of the road. The woman coasted to a stop, rolled down the window and said something to me in Spanish. "Where is Lucy when I need her," I thought. I guess the driver could tell by the blank expression on my face that I didn't have the gift of "Spanish Tongues." She nodded to her grandson, who was about eleven, and he turned to me and said. "She wants you to bless her."

Well, quicker than you could say "altar boy" my mind raced back to my Catholic upbringing. Realizing that she would recognize and appreciate a blessing in Latin, I raised my right hand, slowly made the sign of the cross and said, "In nomine Patris, et Filii et Spiritus Sancti." Her eyes moisten and I just had a moment to give her grandson a Zacchaeus DVD before she sped off.

God was at work again. He touches people through the barriers of time, space and language. He used a little Italian guy walking in Mississippi to bless a red pickup driving Spanish woman in Latin. The translation was flawless for God simply said "I love you."

Every Person Has An Impact

2010-03-09T12:47:00.006-06:00

He was driving to his barber shop when he saw me bless him and as he passed he muttered, "What, in God's name was that?"

That's when the Holy Spirit stepped in and nudged him a bit. "Why don't you go see? Maybe he needs help." Kenneth's car slowed as he wrestled with the idea a bit. "I need to get to work. Maybe he's some kind of weirdo." he thought. "Go and see" came the whisper and so he reluctantly turned around.

As we talked a bit, he told me a story about a woman who showed up at his church one day. She came in an old beat up van and carried a keyboard. She "looked Pentecostal," he said which I took to mean she had long hair fashioned in a bun of sorts and wore a dress rather than slacks. Kenneth goes to a small country church and he said the lady went up and asked the pastor if she might play a song sometime during worship. The pastor replied, "Of course" and after announcements the pastor introduced the "special music" for the morning.

Well, the lady didn't didn't go up to the platform and face the congregation. Instead she sat in the front row with her keyboard in her lap and faced the altar. Seems like she decided to sing to God instead of entertaining the people. She then began to play and sing that great America standard Amazing Grace. "It was beautiful, Kenneth said, "better than anything we expected from an old grandma dressed in a flowered dress."

After she finished she took her keyboard and sat in the back of the church. The pastor went on to preach and then closed his service by asking everyone to bow their heads, close their eyes and pray. He never asked for a love offering for the lady. Kenneth, who was sitting in the back of the church opposite the woman, decided that when the preacher was finished he was going to go and give the woman whatever he had in his pocket. He said the van needed some attending to. Come to find out later that several of the other men had the same thought and had already taken money out of their pocket in anticipation of blessing the woman.

When the minister said "Amen" many people turned to see the woman but she was gone! No one had seen her leave or heard her van start up. No one else in town had seen her nor did she ever return. No one knows who she was or where she is today but one thing they do know is that she was a blessing.

You may not have made as a mysterious entrance or exit into someone's life....or perhaps you have and don't know it!....but one thing is for sure...your life has an impact on others! You matter!

As Kenneth was leaving, he mentioned to me that he has several crosses in his barber shop. I wondered how many people have been influenced, blessed or persuaded by just seeing those crosses and the public acknowledgment of God in his business. Often Kenneth, you and I have no idea of how God uses us every day.

EVERY person has an impact for God and that EVERY includes you and I.

A Vessel of Grace

2010-03-07T20:44:00.003-06:00

He has a sweeping business (Wal-Marts and the like), loves his i-Phone and sings in the choir at Easthaven Baptist Church in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Dee Dee is a friendly guy. We knew him for about a minute and half when he invited us to join him for lunch at a potluck that the choir was putting on. Never ones to pass up food, we were quick to say "Thank you" and grab a chicken leg.

As we gabbed a bit between bites, I learned that his dad was a preacher but once Dee Dee turned 18, he decided he had enough of church and like many of us....well, at least me...he turned to the world and the highly touted "good times." As it turned out, times weren't so good. Alcohol, drugs and poor choices generally bring the spirit of stupid upon us and with it comes heartache, sorrow and regret.

It took a number of years for him to shake that ol' spirit but one day he agreed to go to church with a friend. Conviction set in, forgiveness took hold and it wasn't long before he turned full circle and was baptized. Shortly after that he found himself in the choir!

I asked him what made him join the choir? He told me he asked God that same question for over two years. Finally God answered him..."It's so people can see what I am able to do even with the likes of you...Dee Dee, you are my vessel of grace."

Each week Dee Dee stands nearly in the middle of the choir. He's a big man with long hair and a beard. If you put a guitar in his hands, he'd look like he'd be more at home in a rock band than a Baptist church. I imagine him as a lighthouse calling out to people...shining for the Lord and maybe even humming in his heart..."this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...let it shine...let shine...let it shine." And the vessels come...and they too become full of grace.

A Mixed Up Day

2010-02-28T12:06:00.004-06:00

Sandy said she was going through chemo. Roy was diagnosed with lung cancer. Thomas had problems with his prostate. Carroll had trouble with his sight. Marjorie had Crohn's disease. Ernest was withdrawing and didn't want to talk to people much. Edie was a nanny who waitress-ed on the side. Jettye and Becky were on their way to exercise class and stopped because they were just curious and Barbara had Lupus...yet... when I asked them, everyone said "Yes" without even hesitating.

Everyone one of us has a need.
Everyone of us has a need for someone to care about us.
The best way to care...not the only way...but the best way...is prayer.
So when I asked, "Is there anything I can pray for you about?" The answer is always "Yes"

Now later that day we had a need. We arrived in St. Francisville, LA and had walked about 11 miles when it started to rain. As the day passed the rain increased and we needed a safe place to park our RV. We spotted a large church parking lot at a Church right on route 61 and decided to ask if we could stay there for the night. The lady at the church called an elder who lived around the corner. He'd be over in five minutes. It was pouring out and I couldn't understand why he had to come over but everyone has their own way of doing things.

We heard a knock on the door and invited him in out of the rain. He told us that the church had been taken advantage of by some folks in the past and so they made a church policy that no campers could stay in their parking lot overnight. We weren't so much disappointed as we were stunned. We thanked him for his time and left

We looked across some road construction and saw a grocery store and spent the night in their parking lot. Now I'd like to tell you I didn't mutter about this but I did. Then God whispered in my ear..."Pray for them." "What! They weren't very nice and..." Once again the whisper came "Pray for them."

Then I began to understand. It's not about them or me...it's about being like Jesus. He tells us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate you.. I started to think. They have a right to do what they feel is right. It is their property. They are not my enemy, we just disagree on this one issue. It's taken me awhile but I have managed to ask God to bless them in whatever way is needed.

I pray for our land and our people everyday and yet when there's a little glitch in my life...would you do me a favor? Pray for me to have a softer heart and to love people more... especially those who think different than I do.

New Life in New Roads

2010-02-27T15:50:00.007-06:00

Church on Wednesday night is something I really enjoy. It is relaxed and informal and you can actually get to talk with folks beyond "Hi, how are you?"

Now each church has it's own personality. Some just open their arms and welcome you like lost friends and that was the case in New Life Worship Center in New Roads, LA. They have a community coffee and cake fellowship at 6:30pm and service starts at 7:00pm. We felt like we were family after about fifteen minutes! Part of that is that they were streaming the International House of Prayer when we walked in. It felt like home!

Even after the service was over, they hung out with us for another hour or so. Pastor Jimmy and Marlene seemed in no rush to leave even though they had a 40 minute drive to get home and had a couple of their children with them. They also offered to let us stay parked in their lot for the night. Lucyah and I were both very drawn to them. Hospitality is definitely their gift.

We came away thinking that this is the attitude we should all have....friendly, helpful and open. Please remind me of that when I get grumpy.

Re-generated

2010-02-27T15:40:00.002-06:00

Made it to the town of New Roads and was getting settled in for the night. The weather had been beautiful but now we were suppose to get sleet and maybe even some snow! It was cold so we flipped on the generator and...it turned over but it wouldn't kick in....on top of that our heater (powered by propane) was blowing COLD air. Back to the RV Repairland for us! It was about 30 miles back to Baton Rouge so we drove that night and got a motel.

We got in to the service area as soon as they opened the next morning and the service manager took us right in! Being there gave us a chance to get both items checked on. Everything works out for good....Thank You, Lord!

God In An Empty Parking Lot

2010-02-24T09:40:00.003-06:00

He had a bushy beard and I liked him despite the fact that he wore a Chicago White Sox cap. He had sincere eyes. We had stopped in an empty parking lot after getting the RV repaired to get our bearings on where we were and where we were going.

Dennis was pondering some issues in his life and talking to God when he noticed the sign on our RV. "What's that all about?' he thought. Not being a shy guy, he stopped to ask. We invited him in to sit and talk. He was a baseball coach on his way to Florida for spring training. Each year he stops at Jimmy Swaggart Ministry for a few weeks to seek God, get focused and attend classes. He told us they had a little campground there and invited us to spend a day with him and go to a few classes as his guest. We were anxious to get back to walking but when God sends someone to your door, tells you there's a place to hook up to electricity and water plus you can get some free education....you modify your plans!

Dennis took the time to show us around the JSM campus. Many years a ago Pastor Jimmy had some issues of sexual misconduct and unfortunately his ministry is still showing the effects of his error. There are wonderful facilities here that are nearly empty and one un-utilized building that stands as a reminder of one man's fall from grace. It is sad to see. The good though is that the ministry is going forward as best it can. There are students attending classes and visitors are allowed to audit for free. We made it to two of them and one of them was taught by Loren Larson. When his class ended Lucy and I found ourselves wanting more.

Now going around the campus was a bit embarrassing. Dennis would stop people, call across the parking lot, go into offices and say "I want you to meet these people. They're walking across America for Christ." He must have introduced us to two dozen people!

Dennis was a stranger who became a friend in less than 24 hours. That's what happens when people meet under the umbrella of God. Our point of connection wasn't sports, weather or celebrities. We began by talking about Christ. We shared our beliefs. We were in harmony on some and agreed to disagree on others like true friends.

Life is so beautiful when we take time to talk with each other...and when we do, we often encounter God in our midst...even in an empty parking lot.

Maintenance Monday

2010-02-23T06:29:00.004-06:00

Dateline 02.22.2010... Went to Miller's RV for service on our "home." The generator had a disconnect and our water heater wasn't heating. We had a leak in our gray water pipe and our bright lights weren't. They got us in at 8:00am and we knew we'd be there for the entire day...we've learned that's just the way RV repair places are. We expected our bill to be over $1000 and we're bracing ourselves for $1500 just in case. The real expense in motor homes is the cost of labor; generally runs from $80 to $120 per hour.

Michael was our mechanic and he surprised us by coming out to the waiting room and telling us everything he did. He explained about the piece we needed for the generator, what it did and how much it cost. He took me out to see what he was doing on the water heater and explained how he repaired the leak on the pipe. We didn't need new headlights, he said. We just had a fuse out of line. It was 12:30pm when Michael informed us when the work was done, shook our hand and told us the our bill would be ready momentarily. Wow! We were so impressed with his professionalism plus with a non-mechanic type like me, he had plenty of opportunity to pad the bill but didn't. When we received "the damages" it was only $522.00! We were stunned! Miller's only charges $55 per hour for labor.

Attention all RV'ers....if you are looking for good work done at a fair price check out Miller's RV in Baton Rouge...ask for Michael!

Care With Prayer

2010-02-18T19:03:00.003-06:00

Jeffrey, Landry & Christopher are three college guys who stopped and wanted a picture. "Sure," I said. "I'm praying for America. Anything I can pray for you about?" It didn't take them long to come up with prayer requests. It never does. We held hands and prayed on the side of the road as cars whizzed by. Bet these guys thought I was going to pray for them later.

I once had a wise man tell me to "pray at the moment otherwise you'll forget." It only takes a second and people are amazed that you really mean what you say. A similar thing happened today. A car stopped, Dorothy handed me $8.00 and I asked if she had anything she wanted me to pray for. "My three daughters," she replied. "My youngest is eighteen. Jesus has always seen me through and I want Him to do the same for them." It only took a moment to put a prayer in her heart and a smile on her face.

You've heard that old saying..."people don't care how much you know, they just want to know how much you care." I've found the best way to care is with prayer.

Learning in Louisiana

2010-02-15T17:33:00.006-06:00

Attended First Baptist Church in Eunice, LA on Sunday and made a couple new friends in Al & Nanette, our Sunday School teachers. They took us out to lunch at the Krazy Cajun for some Shrimp "A-2-fay" and taught us some things about southern Louisiana. Prior to meeting them we thought crawfish and shrimp were very similar....boy, were we wrong!!

Shrimp come only from the sea but crawfish, affectionately called "mud bugs"...which cured me of ever wanting to order them!!!... can live in water or dirt. In fact they leave little mounds called "chimneys" all over people's lawns.

There's a lot of rice farms around here and big, warehouse size rice drying operations. One of the side crops for the rice farmers is trapping crawfish. When they flood their fields, they lay down traps for the crawfish. Ya gotta love Louisiana they know how to grow their entire dinner at one time...the local staple?...what else? Crawfish and rice!

We also learned that Mardi Gras is not just an event in New Orleans but is celebrated throughout Cajun Country. Saturday is the boucherie (hog slaughter)...let the cooking begin! Then Sunday afternoon was the children's Mardi Gras and we got to go run and jump with the other kids!

Lundi Gras is a day of dancing, drinking eating and general partying and then on Tuesday morning (Mardi Gras) horseback riders will re-enact the medieval tradition of a procession of beggars. They will ride through the countryside stopping at farms, chasing chickens and getting ingredients from the people to make a community gumbo. To learn more about the history of Mardi Gras click here.

The food here is delicious...diet begins Ash Wednesday (first day of lent). What a wonderful corner of America we have landed in. The people have been so friendly and gracious...and patient with all our questions. Thank You, God, for allowing us to experience this beautiful culture within our culture.

Life...So Much To Be Thankful For!

2010-02-11T15:08:00.006-06:00

This past week has been an emotional one...God brought people to us with every sort of struggle. It tears at your heart. There's a four year old that has an extreme anger problem and parents who don't know what to do. What causes anger in one so young...a chemical imbalance, a genetic disorder or learned behavior?

There was a woman who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and is afraid.Her family doesn't know what to say. Keith and Yolanda are struggling in their marriage after five years, he asked for prayers. He loves his wife. Christopher is thirty-four and is a severe alcoholic. His stomach is being pumped and his family says he doesn't want to live. His mother and sister-in-law stopped to asked me for prayer.

So much pain, so much worry and every one wants and needs prayer. Each time we meet someone and they ask us what we are doing, we tell them that "we are walking for Christ and praying for America; the land and the people." Then we ask "is there something we can pray for you about?" No one says "No." Everyone has pain tucked away within. Look around. Stop for a minute and look deep into another life and you will see the hurt that they don't want to share and you don't feel comfortable asking about. When we meet people on the road we don't seek to learn their business, we just ask if they want prayer and God touches their heart and they open up to us.

After we pray and they depart, I thank God for allowing me intercede for them. I am overcome with the blessing of being used by God. As I walk along the road, I ponder their struggle and I am so thankful to have the life Lucyah & I have. I feel ashamed for complaining to God about my so called lack of things. But we serve a gracious God and when I ask for His forgiveness...He gives it to me.

New Taxes & Old Friends in Texas

2010-01-30T07:35:00.003-06:00

Each year before January ends, we do taxes...for the ministry and for ourselves personally. It's a time when Lucy goes into high gear with our good friend/accountant Lori who graciously meets us wherever we are in the country. Lucy and Lori generally hibernate in a hotel room for three or four days and negotiate with Uncle Sam while I stand quietly by and answer a question or two when called upon by the ladies.

It's not a bad time....it's just a business time; something you have to do but something that you're not keen about. It's also a time when I am not walking and that always makes me feel a little guilty...after all I'm suppose to be doing a Walk for Christ not sitting in a hotel room but.....taxes, even for a ministry, are a must!

After taking care of the responsibility of taxes comes a sense of relief. Aaah...that beautiful feeling of separation of the government and the people. We are released from obligation and free to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

Happiness came as an unexpected visit from our Goddaughter Jessica. She is lovely, smart, a joy to be around and single and no, we're not giving her phone number out! We got to spend an entire afternoon and evening with her and it wasn't enough! Did I mention she was a joy to be around?

The next day, we met up with a friend that we had made on our trip to Israel two years ago. If you had to define Ida Lou in one word, you couldn't! She is gracious, friendly, loving, stylish and recently she has been even called "spry." Personally I think she's way too young to fit into the "spry" category. We sat for several hours at her kitchen table enjoyed salad, soup, homemade pie and wonderful conversation.

Life is full...of obligations and of wonderful people. It's important to meet the obligations, doing them to the best of your ability. It's equally important to enjoy the people God has placed in your path; recognizing them for the beautiful creations they are and taking in their unique fragrance.

Taxes and friends....it's been a good week...:)

Divine Jealousy...A Good Thing!

2010-01-26T18:18:00.008-06:00

Scripture tells us in Exodus 20:4-5..“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.”

God! Jealous? I had always had a tough time understanding that verse. I got the part about not putting anything before God in importance. Don't worship money or power. Don't put your faith in man or possessions. I understood that. It was that jealousy part that kind of threw me.

God's jealousy, I began to understand is a zealous desire to preserve our relationship with Him. He desires to hold us close, not out of a sense of possessing us, but out of a sense of protecting us. He knows the damage that evil can do. It infects us with disease. It contaminates our thinking with poverty. Evil seeks to kill us! God in His jealousy, says to darkness, "Not this one! My Son Jesus died for this one!

I thank God for His Divine jealousy...it's a good thing!

Living LARGE

2010-01-25T16:50:00.004-06:00

So many celebrities, athletes, politicians and high profile business people tout the their successes and talk about "living large." They strut, flash their cash, go the most expensive restaurants,wear designer clothes, drive the fanciest cars and call it all the "good life." Material wealth; not bad when you have it. Tragic when it has you!

I do like the idea of "Living Large" though... provided we have our priorities right.

Love people as best you can by doing what is best...for them
Adore God as our Source of all goodness.
Respect God and His creation; man, animals and environment
Give generously of our time, talents and money whenever we have the opportunity
Encourage people today (Heb 3:13)

Change of Perspective

2010-01-24T16:19:00.003-06:00

I am a spirit. I have a soul (mind, will & emotions). I live in a body.

So much of how we see things is physical and yet that is only part of who we are. Isaiah 58:7 tells us to "share our bread with the hungry" and we immediately think of giving canned good to the rescue missions. Yet in John 6:35 Jesus tells us He is "the Bread of Life." So many people are hungry for the Good Life. They think of parties, possessions and money. Often we agree with them.

Peter call us, the believers, "a royal priesthood." We are to be different than those who do not accept Jesus as Lord. We are to have a Godly perspective. Despite what you may think, if you call Jesus Christ your Lord and your God...you are holy.

You and I are set apart to serve and the Bread we are serving will do more than fill their belly for a moment. Whoever eats this Bread will never go hungry and they will live forever!

Didn't Get An Oscar...But

2010-01-19T19:08:00.002-06:00

A pickup truck stopped to see if I needed a ride. The young couple didn't seem to want to talk but I managed to give them a Zacchaeus DVD before they left. A few minutes later they stopped again to give me a bottle of water. I wondered what God was doing in their hearts. They drove off a second time.

After walking for a couple of hours, the day drew to a close and I met up with Lucy. Finished for the day. I was tired. Lucy said, "Joshua called." "Joshua?" I replied. rubbing my sore feet, "Who is Joshua?" He's a young man you gave a DVD to today. It then dawned on me that I never got the names of the young couple.

"Why did he call? Prayer request?"

"No" Lucy said, " he took the DVD home and watched it."

"Already? Well, what did he have to say?"

"He wanted to know if you had any other movies? He called to say they loved it!"

I'm always amazed when someone is touched by one of our presentations. I don't know what they see but I know God is at work. Here was a couple that I didn't think I had made any inroad with. I was sure they were just going to toss the DVD in the closet and forget about it.

Our acting may never get an Oscar but today we got something better...a Blessing!

Family Reunion

2010-01-15T17:33:00.004-06:00

She was on her way to work at the hospital in Livingston when she saw a man walking against traffic blessing people with his staff as they passed him by. Lois thought to herself, "What am I supposed to do with that, Lord?" The Holy Spirit nudged her, she turned her pickup around, looked for the little guy and stopped her truck as he approached her. She singled with her outstretched index finger and mouthed "Just a minute."

Lois wasn't much bigger than I and when she spoke to me she got a little closer to my face than I generally consider comfortable. "You're blessing the oncoming traffic."

"Yes, I am" I replied.

"I don't know why but I was compelled to turn around and talk with you," she said.

I started to speak and when I opened my mouth words came out that I hadn't planned to say. "I know exactly why you came back, Lois. God wants to talk to you. He wants you to know He loves you. Your life matters. You are His daughter and He is proud of you."

Her eyes started to fill with tears. "I needed to know that." Oh, Lois, I thought, we all need to know that. We talked for a bit. I gave her a DVD of Zacchaeus asking her to make sure she would watch it with a friend. "Listen to what God is saying to you through this story." I opened my arms up and she walked into my embrace crying. She hugged me firmly and for a long time. I wondered what the passing drivers were thinking. We looked liked a couple of long lost family members being re-united...well, that's exactly what we were!

As Lois left to go to work, I wondered if she would tell any of her co-workers about her encounter this morning?....would she share with her family or keep this to herself?....would she remember this day and how God spoke to her through a little man she would never likely see again? Most of all I wondered....will she remember that God values her?

I felt my spirit smile as God whispered "She will share this day with others and each time, she will remember."

I Believe...Really?

2010-01-15T06:50:00.005-06:00

I met a young man the other day. I’d say he was about 19 years old or so. He wanted to talk. Life just wasn’t going the way he wanted…he had gotten fired from his last job, borrowed money to take a trip, enjoyed himself but now he was in debt. He had gotten another job and just wasn’t sure about life. His father is an alcoholic and has been since as long as the boy can remember. He sounded tired and his life really hadn’t even begun yet!

The good side is that he has dreams! He has already made a decision to stay on the right side of the law. In fact, he wants to make a career working for the DEA or the Department of Justice. We talked for awhile about a wide range of subjects; God, being debt free, saving before spending (what a concept, eh?) and we talked about and prayed for his dad. No one becomes an addict without going through some serious pain. We prayed, not for his dad to quit drinking, …he might just substitute one addiction for another…we prayed that his dad would receive Jesus Christ.

When I asked my young friend if he believed in Christ, he said he did but that he didn’t go to the church....

We talked a bit about how church can be boring at times. I likened it to any school. Church is school for the spirit. Some classes are interesting and others put you to sleep. I tried to explain that he will like some of his criminal justice classes more than others but if he wanted to be the best at any career he chose, he would have to study under a master. It was no different with his spiritual studies. We talked a bit about the Bible. I always recommend the Book of James. To me it’s a short practical guide to living life.

The next day, I re-read the Book of James and as I did so, I wondered what my friend of yesterday would see in those five chapters. In James 2:19 it reads “You believe there is one God; you do well. The devils also believe and tremble.” He said he believed in God. I should have asked him what that meant. What did he believe in exactly?

I thought of all the people who tell me that they “believe” but don’t go to church; they don’t study who God says they are. If we want a good job, we go to college or trade school to study. If we want a good body, we study nutrition and exercise. Want to be a great farmer? Study agriculture. Want to be a great pharmacist? Study chemistry. Want to be a good man or woman? Study God’s Word! Find out who God says you are and through it you will find out who God is!

The next time someone tells me they believe…I’m going to ask them “What is it you believe? I don’t want to miss an opportunity to tell people about our wonderful God on the assumption they “believe.”

Never Cold

2010-01-07T13:13:00.003-06:00

What a winter! It's brutally cold just about everywhere. I know winter is suppose to be cold but right now it's colder in Rusk, TX than it is in Bellingham,WA....what's that about??

All the talk about cold got me to thinking about how blessed we are in America. We can plug in the electric blanket, stoke our fire place, put on our long johns and parkas. We can plow the roads, salt the highways and shovel the walks. We may mumble and mutter but our spirit pushes us forward. Storms come, temperatures drop and we move forward.

Meals on wheels are still being delivered. Blood is still being donated. The sick are still being cared for in the hospitals. Rescue missions are still taking people in and giving out blankets and vouchers. Activity may be slowed but it is not stopped! Our land may be experiencing cold but the American heart is never cold!

Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our heart because it is the wellspring of life...Heart is what the American people are all about. They rise to the occasion whether there is difficulty abroad or at home, whether it's of nature or human nastiness. Good prevails because regardless of what skeptics may say, Americans know there is a God and they guard their heart never letting cold enter in.

Silence

2010-01-03T16:08:00.004-06:00

Lucy is currently engaged in germ warfare. She is battling symptoms with Scripture, chicken soup and rest. Which leaves me alone to ponder the universe and world peace.

The silence is unusual. Even when I'm walking I hear sounds...cars whizzing by, birds, my own voice...yes I talk to myself, God and anyone who stops by!

Silence brings on a variety of thoughts. Doubts creep in and whisper things like, "You haven't done much with your life." "You should be out doing something to help people right now." Mysteries speak to your soul and you ponder the vastness of God; the Power released in the blood of Jesus and your place in His grand scheme of good.

Finances knock on the door of your mind...How much is coming in?...How much is going out?...and where in the world is it going? Family troubles your thoughts...having lived longer you see the potholes in the road of life...you cry out "Watch out! Don't go there!"... yet the young ones will not or perhaps cannot hear you.

When all these thoughts come rambling through your mind like derailed freight trains on a collision course, you begin to realize as Jehoshaphat did when he was surrounded and outnumbered by the enemy....and you pray I do not know what to do, God, but my eyes are on You. Then the silence turns to peace and you feel the Holy Spirit pour His blessings over you and you realize you are the most blessed of men.

You sit quietly savoring the moment and a voice of love breaks the silence and says "Honey, can I have a bowl of soup?"

A Little Bird Told Me

2010-01-02T19:54:00.004-06:00

Today was interesting....a gentleman who was having a garage sale gave us a bag of food and a bag of books...the campground we are staying at this weekend gifted us with two nights free.

People see the sign "3300 Miles for CHRIST" on our RV or notice the Biblical attire I wear while walking and God touches their heart. I don't understand it all but I am glad to be a part of whatever God is up to in the hearts of His people.

The shoulders of the road disappeared after about six miles of walking. Finally I came across a picnic area and called Lucy to come and park the RV. It was a beautiful place to take a break. As I waited for her, I noticed a bluebird on the limb of a rather large tree. It was beautiful and it stayed perched there for a long time. I asked it to come closer so that I could see it more clearly but it didn't move.

I heard it whisper to my spirit "Be grateful we spent this time together even at a distance." With that it hopped from branch to branch until it disappeared from my view. I thought to myself "Why is it that no matter what gift God gives us we want more?" If only I could get closer, I had thought. If I had gotten closer I would have wanted to hold the bird. I f I held the bird I would have wanted it to stay with me. Then I would have wanted to show everyone "my" bluebird.

Guide me, Lord, to be thankful for the goodness of people; the beauty of nature and the gift of liberty. I seek to be less coveting of "more" but rather grateful for all that I already possess...freedom, abundance, good health and true love.

Amazing!

2009-12-29T18:27:00.002-06:00

I'm looking forward to an amazing 2010! Don't have any clue as to where we are going, who we are meeting or what we'll be seeing, saying or doing but...I know this one thing...everywhere we go, we acknowledge God!

Scripture tells us that when we acknowledge God, He directs our path. Psalm 91 says God protects us when we acknowledge Him. That means my 2010 is going to be protected and directed by God! Now that's amazing!

Made

2009-12-22T20:12:00.005-06:00

A couple days ago we made our Christmas trees. Lucy has one and I have one. We make them out of green construction paper and then cut ornaments out of different colored paper. On each ornament we put the names of friends and family members. It reminds us of all the people we love and who love us. We always have a great time together doing this.

Shoes are always an ongoing expense when you're in the "walking for CHRIST business" and we're always looking for comfortable and durable footwear. We made the decisions to try a new style shoe put out by Skechers. It's suppose to help you get in shape and lose a few pounds. Invested in a pair today and they are amazing comfortable for "new" shoes.

We made plans to go to Fort Valley, Georgia on Christmas Eve. Calvary Chapel Heartland invited us to share the Innkeeper on Christmas Eve. We are so excited about going. Pastor Steve and his family are headed to California to spend time with their family whom they haven't seen in a few years. They trusted us with their congregation on one of the the most magnificent nights of the year and we are very honored.

Lots of things get made this time of year...plans, presents, good food and, of course, cookies! But the best thing to be made by anyone at any time of the year is a decision to make Jesus Christ Master of your life. It's not about going to church or following rules...it's about having a new Best Friend. Christ cares for you and wants the best for you. He will never leave you or let you down.
He's the missing piece in your life...You were made for each other!

Dog Day Afternoon

2009-12-19T17:09:00.009-06:00

They came out of nowhere and if they hadn't barked I would have been lunch! It was the classic good dog/bad dog set up. One was black and he was trying to circle around me while the mangy white one was on the frontal attack.

I was walking against traffic on route 380 east on our way to Greenville, Texas. It was a busy highway plus it's Christmas time and everyone was in a hurry to get somewhere or get back from somewhere. The dogs were both about the size of an Irish setter. I generally don't worry about dogs on a busy road. Dog owners normally keep their animals confined in yards or in the house. I don't think anyone owned these two.They were not well kept and they looked hungry! These were neighborhood renegades.

It's a good thing I travel with a staff...No, not a group of people, a big stick! I was taught to never use the staff in an aggressive manner but to raise it to make myself bigger than my attacker or to keep the animal at bay. This white dog was aggressive. I was walking backward down the highway, against traffic with a five foot stick between us. In the meantime, I tried to keep my eye on the black dog far to my right. Now my first line of defense against aggressive dogs is to get to the other side of the road and let the traffic be a natural line of defense. The speed of the cars and the sound of the engine generally discourages any canine pursuit. This day there was too much traffic and I was walking backward!

I've learned that dogs are territorial. They bark to protect their living area and once you have left their area, they return home hoping their master will reward them with a biscuit for staunchly defending the homeland. These two seem to think the world was theirs and I was intruding!

Then it occurred to me...call Jesus! So I stopped, looked my adversary in the eye and said in a loud voice "Stop! In the Name of Jesus!" He looked at me for a moment, blinked and continued to bark and move forward. I thought, "What happened? Did I say it the wrong way? That should have worked." In the next moment, a little red car...I don't know the make or model, whether the driver was male or female, young or old, black or white....a little red car darted in between me and the dog. It honked it's horn again and again and drove toward the dogs running them off. I waved "Thanks" and it sped away.

As I turned around to face the traffic, I asked God why the Name of Jesus hadn't stopped the dogs...I asked why my faith didn't work...doubts began to fill my mind and then God asked me a question.... "Nicholas, my son, Who do you think sent that car?"

A Wonderful Week Followed by Waiting

2009-12-14T20:14:00.004-06:00

We had two opportunities to share The Innkeeper of Bethlehem...one in the high desert at Silver Lakes Community Church and another just outside of Los Angeles at Emmanuel Reformed Church. We made our travel arrangements from DFW to LAS so we could see the family and check in on son-in-law Alex at the hospital before and after our storytelling.

Everything went wonderfully...The Innkeeper of Bethlehem was very well received, Alex seemed to have made some progress and sons, Chris & Frank, took us out to a fantastic dinner at Wolfgang Puck's (they knew the chef...a definite plus!) In between all of that, we got to spend some time with a few of our very good friends in Orange County!

Had put the RV in the shop for some maintenance and had hoped the work would be completed by the time we got back but....nothing seems to work out the way we plan. Needed the shock brackets welded plus we needed new shocks (a special order item...of course!) and so here we sit...still waiting. The good news is that we should be able to pick up the RV tomorrow...or the next day :)

A Touch to the Heart

2009-12-09T10:05:00.004-06:00

Her name was Amy. I saw her at a Keith Miller Conference in Dallas. She was a lovely woman, tall and thin and sat stately in her wheelchair. I looked around the ballroom and just about everyone had their hands raised praising God. Amy caught my eye because I had never seen anyone raise their body to praise God! She pushed herself up on the arms of her wheelchair, straightened her body and joined in the worship.

She deeply touched my heart...it took me three days to get up the courage to tell her so. It's important to share with people how they impact our life. Most folks think no one sees them; no one notices. Yet each of us continually teach the other.

Who touched you today?

Update

2009-11-27T17:55:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving for Lucyah and I was spent at Cracker Barrel! It was a good meal and in the Thanksgiving tradition, we stuffed ourselves! We even had some leftovers to take home and when we got home...which was the RV sitting in the parking lot, we took a nap! Tradition!

No sooner did the day pass than did our thoughts turn to Christmas. The rapid transition for us was due in part to our upcoming trip to see our family. It's funny how God works things out...we had two requests to do the Innkeeper of Bethlehem in California...one on December 6th and the other on the 7th. After our son-in-law got injured, we decided to fly into Las Vegas rather than Los Angeles, visit the family, drive to California do the two presentations and re-visit the family. That takes us off the road for nearly a week!

Shortly before Thanksgiving, some friends invited us to a conference held at the Sheraton at DFW. Bill Johnson, a pastor that we like from California, was going to speak and our good friends were going, so we said "Yes." In the middle of all this, we had some plumbing issues with the RV that needed to be tended to. We decided to see if we could get the RV into a shop and leave it there for some maintenance while we were in California.

God set up everything for us....1) We're going to the conference 2) we'll stay in the RV until Wednesday 3) Take the RV into the shop just before we go west 4) visit the family 5) do the presentations 6) pick up the RV 7) resume the walk without any additional loss of time. WOW!

I love my God!

Stand

2009-11-25T20:30:00.005-06:00

I had crossed the road and was watching for signs of Lucyah and our motor home. It was meal time!

As cars passed by, people noticed me just standing there. Some gawked, some waved, some honked and it dawned on me that sometimes we don't have do anything...just stand our ground.

They could tell I was dressed in Biblical attire. They saw the cross around my neck. If I just took my two square feet for God, the Holy Spirit would do the rest. He would make them think, to examine themselves, to question. He would lead them to The Answer.

God tells us in 2 Chronicles 20:17 to ...."stand firm, hold your position and see the salvation of the Lord." In Galations 5:1, we 're told we are free and to stand firm. I Cor 16:13 tells us to "stand firm in the faith." When we hold our position as followers of Jesus Christ, when we acknowledge Christ by our stand, The Father will honor our obedience and bless our land and our people.

We are all called to go and share the Gospel and sometime that speaks the loudest when we simply stand firm in our values.

Let's Talk About Money

2009-11-24T15:38:00.003-06:00

He pulled on to the side of the road...."Do you need some money?" "No,I'm fine," I replied. "So you got all the money you need?" "I'm fine but I do have something for you." With that I gave Hobson a DVD of Zacchaeus. After that we had a short but pleasant time together. I liked him. He had a good heart...you could tell.

After we parted, I thought why is it that folks think people in any type of "street" ministry are broke or hurting financially? Now, Lucyah and I don't have a home, that's true. We don't have a stash of cash or a bulging retirement fund either but we have something better.

We have hope and hope is the positive expectation that God is doing something good in our life today! Now some people wonder why we turn down money offered to us. The answer is we don't always but sometimes God just puts it on our heart to say "No, thank you." It's not that we don't want the money. We just don't want folks to think that we're out here begging for money when we're really begging for them to accept God's love. Hobson insisted on giving me $20 before he left and gratefully, I took it.

God is our Provider. We know many wealthy people who do not contribute to our ministry. God hasn't touched their heart to support us. Many of them support other good ministries. They are still our friends. When someone donates to Christ's ministry through us, we know God touched their heart to do so. When we get an opportunity to speak and a love offering is taken, we know it's because the Holy Spirit touched the pastor.

Ministries, businesses, families and governments...all need money to function however, money is a by-product of loving, serving and building. God is the Source of all provision. He never leaves us, forsakes or fails us. With Him, we lack nothing!

Sweet Serendipity

2009-11-23T10:11:00.005-06:00

We ended Saturday's walk about 10 miles north of Durant, Oklahoma. Since there was no parking around we drove into town to find a church to go to attend Sunday. After settling in at Wal-Mart parking lot, we pulled out our GPS and searched for a place to worship in the morning.

We found one that appealed to us. It had fellowship at 9:00am, Sunday School at 9:30am and worship at 10:30am and it wasn't more than a half a mile away from where we were parked. The next morning we followed the GPS directions faithfully ad couldn't find the church! Grrr! Technology!

It did lead us past the First Assembly of God in Durant and so decided to go back and worship there. There was no sign outside to tell us when the service began or if they had Sunday School but people were starting to arrive and we thought we'd better park the bus.

As soon as we walked in, it felt like home. Everyone greeted us warmly and went out of their way to say hello. The music was right up our alley...oldies but goodies....Look What The Lord Has Done, I'll Fly Away, and Nothing But The Blood of Jesus. We were all praising God with energy and enthusiasm! Pastor Mike's wife Jill was preaching from the pulpit and one of her points was how God re-routes us just like our GPS does when we make a wrong turn. Boy, are we glad we were re-routed!

After service, Pastor Mike invited to do a presentation at the evening service. Now whenever God gives us opportunity we say "Yes!" but this invitation took us by such surprise. We had not done Zacchaeus in several months and rarely does a pastor ask you to preach that day. Pastor Mike said he was open to whatever the Holy Spirit wanted to do. I remembered Isaiah 41:13.

The service was at 6:00pm and the church had nearly as many people for the evening service as they did in the morning. They sang a few songs and then it was Zac time. About an hour later, it was clear that God had touched some hearts. New friends Kenneth and Dorothy invited us out for a hamburger and we spent another hour or two spending some time with them and others of the church at Braum's. When we have experiences like this...sometimes it's tough to move on and yet it's what we're called to do...go...love...and encourage.

What a wonderful day it was! God takes wrong turns and makes them right. I use technology but I depend on Crossology!

Beautiful Daughters of God

2009-11-21T19:15:00.003-06:00

Continued my journey south on route 69. Traffic was heavy and no one stopped for a long time and then a car passed me, stopped and then circled around in an open area and came up from behind me. A woman called me over and handed me a $20 dollar bill and to my amazement I heard myself say, "No, keep it but I have something for you." The jaws dropped on Jeannie Lee and Devon. They probably never had anyone not want their money before! In fact, Devon, a twenty-ish young woman with beautiful big eyes seemed to be in shock most of the time Jeannie and I were talking.

I asked them if they had a DVD player and when they said "Yes," I gave them a Zacchaeus DVD. They told me they were on their way to see Jeannie Lee's mama in the hospital. It was expected to be a time of passing. Jeannie asked for prayer and so I took her hand. When we finished, Jeannie squeezed my hand, closed her eyes, kissed it and pressed the $20 bill into my hand..."Please," she said. As I glanced at Devon I noticed her eyes were brimming with tears.

As I left I felt exhilarated! God had done something beautiful. Those two women were touched by His majesty and I got to play a small part. As I walked along the road I began to shout "Yahweh" and sing loudly in a cadence that reminded me of American Indian chants. It lasted for a few minutes and then I stopped. My spirit was quiet and I felt like I had entered a sacred place.

Thank You, God, for sending your beautiful daughters to touch my life. Though they may think they were blessed...allow them to see what a blessing they were to me.

Why

2009-11-20T17:58:00.005-06:00

Everyone knows the phrase “Stop and smell the roses.” To us that translates “Walk and love the people.” Today businesses and churches alike put an emphasis on touching as many people as they can as quickly as they can. Although this is not a bad thing, our focus is different. We seek to linger, listen and encourage people across

America

. To us touching someone is different than just speaking to them or hugging them. We want to give their heart a deep loving massage for Christ.

Some folks have asked us, “What’s your point?

You’ve already walked across the entire United States twice.

Well, Cal Ripken played in 2632 baseball games. Michael Jordan played in over 245 games for the Chicago Bulls. Surgeons…movie stars… politicians…athletes and architects…. No one asks them why they do what they do or why they did it the first, second, third or fifteenth time!

They do what they do because that is who they are.

I can only give God what I have…I can only be who I am. I walk and talk for Christ!

Today go and be who you are...Do what God asks of you.

And please....don’t go changing to try and please Him… He loves you just the way you are!

Another Day on the Road

2009-11-18T17:59:00.004-06:00

Cameron was on his way from his dad's in Dallas to the Dakota's. He said it would have bothered for the whole drive if he didn't stop and find out what I was doing. I had to smile...it's working!

I do...what I like to call responsive evangelism. I create a situation that causes people to think and ask a question like..."What in the world is he doing?" "Why is he dressed like that" "Who is that guy?" Then all I have to do is respond! When they stop to ask, I tell them "I'm doing a 3300 mile walk for CHRIST and I get to talk to them about God. Imagine that! Talking to a stranger about God within the first few seconds of meeting them!

Even if they don't stop, the questions stimulate conversation....in the car or truck or when they get home. I imagine Charley walking in the kitchen saying, "Honey, you'll never guess what I saw today?"

Some will think I am crazy. Some think I am religious. Others think I am a holy man but they all know by my attire, it has something to do with God. We want God to be back in the thought life of America. It is God who blessed our country and God who made the United States a land of free and brave people.

Everybody notices when you take a stand for your values. Clay Mitchell pulled his 18 wheeler over this afternoon. He turned off the engine, got out of the cab and started walking toward me. As I approached, he stopped, folded his arms in front of his chest and widened his stance. "My, My" I thought, "Another adventure with God."

It is my custom when I walk down the street to make the sign of the cross and bless people as they drive by. You've heard of drive by shootings...well, this is a "Drive by Blessing! Clay said that when I blessed him he felt a touch of God. He stopped to give me a gift...two small bottles of anointed anointing oil. He also gave me some country gospel songs that his wife Marsha had recorded. He told me he went to church one day and liked it so much he married the preacher!

Left McAlester, Oklahoma this morning and walked 13.9 miles and God blessed me with two new friends. Sometimes you wonder if your life makes a difference....well, these two made my day a whole lot brighter!

People on the Road

2009-11-17T06:42:00.004-06:00

He stopped me on the road. “Are you a prophet?” “No” I replied, “I am just a small man trying to serve a big God.” His name was (still is I suppose:) Thaddyeus Thompson, pastor of St.Mary’s Christian Church. I liked him right off. Not many pastors stop me as a rule. He gave me his card and I told him that Lucyah and I would be worshipping at his church Sunday morning. Not sure if he viewed that as a promise or a threat but he did drive off in a happy mood.

It took a little doing but we found St. Mary’s. As we were driving in, Pastor Thompson was headed out. He has a 30 minute radio program every Sunday morning before church. We got there in time to take in Sunday School at 10:00am though. Worship started at 11:00 and ran to 1:30pm…..there was some great worship. I can’t tell you the name of the songs or the tunes but the thoughts behind the words still sing in my heart. Give glory to God, you saints, give glory to God! And always remember to never forget what Jesus has done for me!

There were a couple things I liked about Pastor T’s church. The music, the straight forward preaching and when it came time to take the offering…the ushers stood at the altar and the people got out of their seats and brought their offering to the altar of the Lord! Do I hear an “Amen!”

***

She walked up to me as I was walking through town and put some money in my hand. She said that Jesus told her to give it to me. I am always amazed when folks do that…not because of the money. God always provides for us in some amazing way but because of their obedience.

Angela was a young woman in her twenties. She told me that she wanted more of God than just an hour on Sunday morning. For the last three years, she was working on a more intimate relationship with her Savior. When she saw a little guy dressed up like some guy in the Bible walking down the main street of her town, instead of getting away from the crazy little dude, she obeys an impulse that says, talk to him; sow some seed into his work.

When I asked her if I could pray for her, she said she’d like a prayer for her mother. I inquired if the need was for something physical. She looked down and slowly shook her head. “My mother is lost” she replied. After we prayed and Angela wiped away a solitary tear, we talked. She was so young and yet so sensitive to the nudging of the Holy Spirit; wise beyond her years. How blessed am I to walk the back roads of America and find God’s children disguised as ordinary people.

New People Group Discovered!

2009-11-13T06:46:00.006-06:00

In the Old Testament, we've read of the Amalekites, Moabites and the Midianites. Many of these cultures were wicked and worshiped lifeless idols carved of wood, stone, bronze or gold. History has volumes on various societies and their belief structure.

Yet today there exists a people who no one seems to categorize. In fact, I did not know that my own heritage was intertwined with theirs until I spoke with Rev. Cork Walden from Shiatook, OK. Even though these people go about feeding and clothing people who are in need, giving medicine to the sick and shelter to the homeless, their deeds are seldom reported. In fact their beliefs are often made fun of. They are a people of love, joy and positive influence. These are of a culture that societies across the globe either ignore or persecute and yet today their population is greater than at any time in history.

These are the followers of Jesus Christ; they are the Favor-ites. They do not profess to be better than anyone else nor do they suggest that God loves them more than any other. While other religions and belief systems believe in luck which always runs out, the Favor-ites live in a state of blessing and favor that never ends. Unlike tribes of old, you don't need to be born of a certain lineage or in a particular locale to be a Favor-ite. A Favor-ite simply embraces the Christ that embraces.

I invite you to investigate this new people group. It's time for your life to be filled with blessing and favor. Let God wrap His arms around you and become His Favor-ite.

Fragile

2009-11-05T20:15:00.002-06:00

The body is capable of tremendous feats of strength. It can be pushed to extremes of hot and cold; stress and strain and...through it all, it grows stronger.

Life can be good; full of opportunities, adventure and beauty...and in a moment, it can all change.

People are a paradox; strong like steel and yet fragile as a flower.

My son-in-law lies in a hospital heavily medicated with a badly broken back and a ventilator helping him breathe. The family's feelings range from anxiety to fear to confusion. All of us are thankful. Thankful that Alex is still alive; thankful that we'are not the ones in the hospital. As we move our hands at will, turn our head from side to side and walk across the room, we are grateful to God. It could have been us. Life is so fragile. It can change in a moment.

There's good news in that thought "It can change in a moment." If your situation is not very good, know that with Christ it change in a moment for the better. Talk with Him. Seek His counsel. Listen to His guidance and do what He says and no storm can prevail against you.

If your circumstances are good...you can see and hear and think and feel and have love in your life...be grateful to God for what you have. Use your arms to hug someone you love. Speak a blessing into your child's life. Take a walk with your spouse. Be very grateful... life is fragile ... it can change a moment.

Do What You Do

2009-10-29T15:54:00.005-05:00

We were delighted and surprised to find ourselves mentioned in the newsletter of That Christian Parody Band...Apologetix. It seems we have a good friend who is a good friend and fan of theirs.

ApologetiX gets their unusual name from the word "apologetics" which means "the defense of the Christian faith." They are a band that appeals to kids and parents alike and they travel all over the United States sharing Jesus Christ through their music. Besides their on-stage performamces, they stop at schools to talk to kids, answer questions and are a terrific role model for all of us. Make sure you check them out!

It's another wonderful example of how when each of us uses our gifts for God, God uses us. The Body of Christ is intertwined and interdependent. The dream is to get everyone to know, love and serve God and it takes teamwork to make the dream work!

Whether you pour concrete or pour cookie batter, play the cello or play golf, sew or sing...God wants you! He designed you to share your life and we need you. Apologetix educates and entertains. We walk and talk. Just give God what you have....it's enough.

When you use you talents, it makes Him smile and the world shine.

No Debt....for... Nobody!

2009-10-28T11:52:00.005-05:00

Got a piece in the mail yesterday from Capital One credit card and it really bothered me.

They wanted Breath of Christ Ministries to design a credit card with our logo and our image and encourage our friends and family to use it. In exchange, the ministry would earn 1% of supporters' purchases. So if you spent $1000.00 using your credit card, we would get $10.00 and you would get in debt!

The big advantages touted were:

1) our cause is displayed every time they use their card
2) gave people a creative way to support us
3) could support us without an extra dime coming out of your pocket.

Lucyah and I want you to stop using credit cards!

We do not want to profit from your use of credit cards in any way! The advertisement and lopsided reasoning may sound good to some...but life happens! You may tell yourself you are going to pay the balance at the end of the month but... when you don't make the entire payment and interest is charged and a liability is created.

If you can't afford to pay cash for an item, don't buy it. Think about whether you need it or not ...If you aren't able to donate to us at this time, don't send us anything! Get your family's finances in order first.... Need help with getting keeping your money in your pocket check here.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another....Romans 13:8

Giving + Receiving = Life

2009-10-27T12:10:00.005-05:00

God gave us good weather and Arnold was able to put the finishing touches on the inside of the door. Captain Arnold also spotted a small leak in a line attached to the water tank and he’s using his fix-it skills to get that mended.

This man is blessed with knowledge plus the ability to apply his knowledge plus a servant’s heart. We’ve worn ourselves out saying “thank you” for all the work he has done and all the work he has overseen. Sometimes words just aren’t enough. We trust God will pay our debt…He’s done it before, you know.

Someone emailed me asking how we were doing and if the waiting to leave starting to get us down. We have our moments but how can we get upset over people looking out for our comfort and safety. What are we suppose to say? “Stop! We can’t handle another second of this! Stop loving us right now!”

Solomon tells us “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” This is our season not just to wait; it is our season to receive love and so we will sit and receive this blessing from God. We will enjoy it knowing that those who are giving are enjoying it as well.

Don't Lose Your Joy!

2009-10-25T15:28:00.004-05:00

No matter what words come out from the pulpit, everyone hears something different. What I heard this morning from Elder Bill Russell was don't let expectations and circumstances steal your joy.

As many know, our plans have gone awry and our timetable has been overturned. Every once in awhile I feel the joy leaking out of my spirit but then God sends someone like Bill along to remind me of God's goodness to Lucyah and I. Yesterday was a prime example.

"Captain" Arnold has been working his buns off trying to get the water pump to empty our tank. The hours he has put in the on the RV has saved us thousands of dollars! In the afternoon, Bob & Ginger Leavitt drove about fifty miles to see if they could help. After emptying the water tank through some "Marine" ingenuity, Bob was able to locate the problem (a clogged filter...looks like a cigar in the photo below)) and together he and Arnold put the tank back in. Water is flowing freely from the faucets and shower. Next on Arnold's "fix-it" agenda is our door. The lower inside section is rotted out and needs to be replaced.

The effort, teamwork and love of so many people is like caulking to my spirit. It prevents joy from leaking out. I look at these people and I see the Hands of God at work and I am filled with joy once again!

Lord, we speak blessing into every life that has helped us, supported us or prayed for us. We speak increase and favor on every hand that has reached out to us. Please help them to understand, Lord, that they are important, that You are using them and that their life is pleasing to You....and, Lord, don't let anything steal their joy!

Sometimes

2009-10-23T19:22:00.003-05:00

Although our friends are doing their best, we're still in Kansas City, still have a water pump situation and still don't know when we're leaving to resume our walk for Christ.

Sometimes it's hard to wait.

My mind equates speaking, writing and walking with movement. It associates movement with being productive. The world says that being productive is a good thing.

My mind also links waiting with being still and doing nothing. Doing nothing paints a picture of sitting around and not contributing. When I am waiting, I get fidgety and sometimes that leads to a case of the "shoulds"..."I should be doing this" or "I should have done that." Should often leads to self-depreciation, a place God does not want us to live

God's Word (Ps. 46:10) tells us to...

"Be still and know that I am God"
Be still and know that I AM
Be still and know
Be still
Be

The world tells us to go, move, get busy but two thousand years ago Jesus knocked the "L" out of the world and left us with God's Word.

Sometimes it's hard to wait but... just for today...I'll stand on God's Word... and Be.

Out of the Church...Into the RV!

2009-10-21T22:17:00.004-05:00

Southwest Community Church in Olathe, KS is finally back to normal!

Today we got the last remnants of our stuff out of their facility. My friend Don and I acted as the burros and carried things out while Lucy, Cherril and Pat worked the last two days finding a place for everything. There is more room in this unit than the last one so some of the items could be placed in outside storage.

Captain Arnold was busy as usual. He was replacing batteries and windshield wipers and fixing the trim of the roof. He said he figured we'd be ready to ship out by noon Friday. Woo-HOO!

Had a little rain off and on today. The weather is suppose to be getting a little chillier in the next few days. Glad we're headed south. On the upside, the colors of the trees are magnificent! How anyone can live though the colors of autumn and doubt there is a God amazes me.

America; an Ocean of Generosity

2009-10-21T08:25:00.009-05:00

What a great time in history to be alive!

I remember as a kid sharing a phone line with the neighbors. The phone would ring in four houses at the same time. Each family had the same number but a different ring to let them if the call was for them or not. Today we can share messages, pictures and videos around the world in a matter of minutes and direct to one person or a million. WOW!

It's been great to share our RV adventures (the good, the bad and the ugly) with you. For me it has been a testimony of the goodness of people. Sometimes we don't know how good folks can be until we have a hurt or a need. In this ocean of generosity called America, we have experienced more hugs, smiles and love than CNN has viewers! We have experienced kindness, not just in the Midwest, but throughout these United States...literally from sea to shining sea!

The American people, work, give, help, support and pray to help each other and others everyday. We see it happening everywhere we go. God is the thread of goodness that runs through this nation. That's why we're united and that's why we stand!

Dedicated!

2009-10-19T18:06:00.007-05:00

Sunday after worship we dedicated the 94 Winnebago....Lucy and I went inside the RV (She took the driver's seat!), the church circled the RV and Arnold led us in prayer. It was beautiful!

As anxious as we are to get back on the road, it's going to be very tough to say good-bye to our wonderful family.

It Won't Be Long Now!

2009-10-17T16:01:00.006-05:00

The finishing touches are being put into the RV. Captain Arnold says we should be Oklahoma bound by Wednesday. Woo-Hoo! Here's some pics of the Captain putting his best foot forward and our Thursday night prayer buddies. Love you guys!

Acknowledge God in All Your Ways

2009-10-16T14:30:00.011-05:00

And….

God will direct your path….(Proverbs 3:6)

Acknowledging God is my job description. When people ask me what I do for a living. I tell them “I Acknowledge God” and whenever I describe my job, I‘m doing my job!

In return for that, the Lord cares for me as He cares for the birds of the air. He feeds, clothes and shelters me but because I am His child, He also fills my life with love. You may be thinking I’d like to have a job like that! Well, you’re in luck….God is hiring.

I recently saw this ad in The New Beginnings Gazette:

Wanted: God Almighty is looking for an administrative assistant in your city. Applicants must have a willing heart, a teachable spirit and be flexible (things change fast here). Daily duties include looking for the good in people and telling them about it. Encouraging is only done as long as it’s Today. You are required to use the name of Jesus (Power flows through that name) to open doors to healing and abundance and to close doors to illness and lack.

Benefit package: All of your sins are forgiven and all your diseases are healed. Your life is redeemed from the pit, you are crowned with love and compassion plus your desires are satisfied with good things (please note that this last benefit will be different for everyone).

The job of acknowledging God is one that everyone can do and even though I move around a bit, relocation isn’t necessary. My friend Don Knepp was just hired as an admin assistant in the Prayer Division and if you watch the Kansas City Marathon, you might just see ‘ol 92 flying by and praying as he goes.....

Do what you love and acknowledge God as you do it!

God Likes You A Lot!

2009-10-15T11:56:00.007-05:00

It doesn’t matter how you and I got into debt; our own choices or life’s circumstances. The bottom line is that we’re still in debt and God doesn’t want us there! Scripture tells us that we should owe no debt except for the debt of love. (Romans 13:8)

Recently Breath of Christ Ministries and Nick & Lucy became debt-free! I’d like to tell you that it was because we are such great money managers. I’d like to tell you that but I can’t. It was all God.

In December of 2008 we were debt free and by May of 2009 we were stuck $40,000.00! Accident, illness, RV repairs all played a part. The details of our debt are not important but the details of our deliverance is, because often we think God doesn’t care about the details of our lives.

Lucy turned fifty in March and believed with her childlike faith it was her year of Jubilee and God would forgive our debt. I asked God to help my unbelief. I’m a number’s guy and I didn’t see any way out. In June, the hospital discounted the amount we owed them from $22,200.00 to $2,200.00! Twenty grand wiped off our bill! Lucy was beside her self with joy; laughing, crying and praising God. I was stunned. Despite her happiness, we still had a lot of red ink to deal with and the world was crying recession.

God whispered to me “There is no recession in My Kingdom.” I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to invest in two specific stocks. They were in the worse segment of the economy; automobiles and housing! Yikes! Over the course of the next several months, I invested in Ford and Fannie Mae…and prayed. During all this time, we continued to pay down our bills to the best of ability.

October came and God nudged me to sell. I didn’t want to. Stocks were going up. If I held them for another month or two, we might have a very Merry Christmas. God said “Sell.” I said, “But God…” He said “Sell.” “But” “Sell!” We still owed $11,000.00 and I sold the stocks and received…want to take a guess?....$11,000.00. Now I’m telling you this story for two reasons.

One…God has no favorites. What He does for us He will do for you. Do your best to pay off your debt (go ye and buy only with cash incurring no more debt), ask God to help you and expect Him to act on your behalf. God is real and He likes you a lot.

Two…God worked in our lives in a way that Lucy could understand. She simply stood on His Word and believed. God also worked in a way that I could understand…investing and numbers. We are different people with different personalities and comprehensions and yet He took the time to speak to us in a way we could each understand.

Christ came to set the captives free;

from darkness,

from destruction,

from death and

…..from debt!

Because of the RV

2009-10-14T08:03:00.004-05:00

A few days ago, Lucy & I had the pleasure of reconnecting with our good friend Paul Davis. Paul is one of those mystical, magical guys who understands computers and technology. He is also a staunch defender of the Christian Faith; an Apologist. Besides strongly encouraging Lucy & I to blog daily (he actually threatened us!), he also gave us an interesting perspective on our old RV. I believe he called it one of God’s tools.

Sometimes an item, vehicle, person or circumstance is introduced into your life and the result is anxiety, aggravation or frustration. Often times we too quickly brand it “bad.” These “additions” sometimes cause us to do things we’d rather not do or experience things we’d rather not encounter or meet people we ordinarily wouldn’t meet. There are many times, we travel roads we would not have traveled had “something” not happened. God always…yes, I said always…uses these happenings to teach us something. The question, of course, is do we learn? Sometimes, yes…sometimes, no.

Our good friends Al & Gloriah gave us the original RV. They are wonderful people with great hearts and had no idea the vehicle was going to have as many problems as it did. Instead of feeling bad in any way, we hope they feel honored. God used their generosity to bless people as we hiccuped along the road.

Because of the RV, our rapid rate of travel and mechanical mishaps, we met exactly who God wanted us to meet at exactly where and when He wanted us to meet them. Because of the RV, they blessed us with their stories. Because of the RV, we got a chance to pray for and with people (including 13 Kansas policemen in 17 days!) Because of the RV, people got to use their gifts to replace, repair and upgrade. Because of the RV, you and I saw...the beating heart of Body of Christ!

Just like the Hebrews muttered after Moses led them out of Egypt, I moaned and groaned about the Yellow Submarine a bit…okay, a lot! Because of the RV, I got to look back and remember. God has taken me across a lot of desert. He has pulled me through many a valley. My sins are forgiven. My health is restored. He supplies all my needs AND.... satisfies my desires with good things…after all I'm married to Lucy!

Little by Little

2009-10-13T08:32:00.011-05:00

We're inching our way back to walking miles....

Our 1994 Winnebago is getting upgraded every day! Besides a new floor and linoleum, we have a new bathroom sink, a new water pump for the bathroom (shower pressure) and today we're getting a new toilet! It's for important people on the go...

Friends Richard and Jacque snatched up Lucy early in the day and took her to buy two new blankets! Later Lucy and Cheryl put in drawer liners while Arnold & Pastor Harold made another trek to the RV store for some plumbing fixtures. We already have new faucets in the bathroom and kitchen. I think they just like to poke around at the RV store! Our buddy Bill treated some drawers from the other RV unit with Kilz to prevent mold (remember, we had some water issues).

Our friend Pat is working on removing the decal on the outside so we can put up a new "3300 Miles for CHRIST" sign Friday morning. Even though taking time to put on the sign will delay our departure from Olathe, we feel it is very important. Scripture tells us to acknolwedge the Lord and He will direct our paths. The Bible says it and we believe it!

I once heard an advertising man say that a product has to be seen or heard at least six times before it registers in our brain. When they see CHRIST on our RV, hear you say CHRIST and another puts CHRIST on his tee-shirt and so on, it won't be long before "our product" of Hope and Love will register in their brain.

You know, if you see a Pepsi sign often enough, the first time you get thirsty you'll want a Pepsi. If you see or hear CHRIST often enough, the first time a person feels lost, lonely or hurting, they'll reach for a drink of Living Water....and thirst no more!

People Are The Heartbeat of God

2009-10-12T18:41:00.002-05:00

A "beat" is the contraction and expansion of our heart. I believe God placed this vital organ in us to remind us that we need to come together regularly with others and then separate, come together and separate.

We need to be hugged and helped and then left alone to grow and expand. It is this pattern repeated that we call life.

Our spirits become smothered if we are held too much. We do not fully develop if we are helped too much. We need to stand a bit on our own, wobble like a child and fall forward. Those that love come and stand us up and encourage us to try again....then they move away and give us room. The circle of love contracts and expands. When we feel safe, we grow and as we grow, we recognize God in others...and the beat goes on and God smiles.

Body of Christ

2009-10-11T18:45:00.013-05:00

We arrived at Southwest Community Church on Wednesday at noon and "the church team" was already working on fine tuning our newly acquired home. The floor had a weak spot in it so they decided to replace the old wood and lay down a linoleum floor.

The weather was changing and a storm front was fast moving toward us. Arnold, the RV team captain, suggested we empty the old RV and store our "stuff" in the church before the wet weather came. Lucy and I used muscles we didn't know we had and got everything inside just in time. Pastor Harold is so laid back. He took our invasion with a smile and a wonderful hearty laugh.

Since we were without a car, our friend Pat came over, and after helping us unload the RV, gathered up some of our clothes and whisked us off to her house. She lent us her car for the next few days so we could run errands (check mail, buy meds, register the vehicle etc).

Bob Leavitt had built an "office" for us in the '77 and I mentioned that it really worked well so Engineer Arnold (he really is an engineer) suggested we try to disassemble it and install it in the "94. So I did my best to unscrew and unbolt so the big guys could come in and lift it out.

Arnold, Pastor Harold, Bill Russell and his son Mike worked like crazy to remove this, put in that, tear out and upgrade. There is no doubt in our minds that these guys were, and still are as we speak, working "unto the Lord." One night Mike and Arnold stayed til about 2:30am putting in the linoleum and they laid it as one piece! There are no seams!

Now while the men were working so were the women. Bill's wife Cheryl took the curtains and cleaned and pressed them. She and Lucy washed down the walls and God only knows what else Cheryl has been in to. Jacque took Lucy out to get some sheets and towels (our bed is a different size in this unit) and was so generous, Lucy cried when she told me about her day.

The weather really took a turn. It got cold and it looked like it could snow at any minute! Jeanne, a Thursday night prayer partner, went home and made a bunch of sandwiches and a big crock pot of potato soup. It was appreciated by all! (Pastor Harold to the left; Mike & Arnold below) Good job, Jeanne!

God Cares For His Children

2009-10-10T17:28:00.008-05:00

We thought we would drive into Olathe, take all our stuff out of the old RV and put it in the new RV and drive off into the sunset to resume our walking.

Then I heard the whisper of the Holy Spirit.."Not so fast, Grasshopper! What are you going to do with the old RV? You need to register the new RV and in order to register it, you have to get it insured! Plus, Eager and Impetuous One, you must learn how everything works on the new vehicle. Some changes occurred between 1977 and 1994! You must read the instruction manual!" Read the instructions? Yikes!

Now before we could leave Oklahoma, there were a couple things to do. First,we had the honor of being on KOKL radio for forty-five minutes. KOKL is an Oldies/Country Western station and has many listeners who may not grace the doors of a church. It was great to bring encouragement & hope of Christ into their homes, cars and trucks.

Next we wanted to fix the starter on the generator. Pastor George said he would provide the labor once we got the armiture repaired. We were expecting to pay over $200.00 but a Jewish man who owned a starter repair business provided the repaired housing for $65.00! Yeshua has connections everywhere!

Before we left, Bob Leavitt solved the problem of what to do with the RV. He simply told us to drop it off at his house and he would put it in his garage and tinker with it as he could over the winter. You never know, we could sell it to Hollywood as a vintage piece to be used in a movie...did you see Surrogate? There was an RV in it just like ours!

7 Days Later

2009-10-10T16:21:00.004-05:00

What a whirlwind of blessing this past week has been....fasten your seat belts and watch the Hand of God move!

After being overcome by propane fumes, we slept on the altar of the church, got up in the morning and put in a call to Pastor Harold at our home church in Olathe, KS and asked him for prayer. We then called our friends George & Brenda Shafer in Bixby, OK . I said "Hi, Pastor! You said if we ever needed a place to stay to call you...well, here we are!" They opened their home to us, listened to our tales of woe and loved us.

For the next few days we just sat, talked to God and our friends and wondered what was going to happen. Sunday afternoon Pastor Harold called to inform us that they found an RV that might work for us. He gave us a link to check it out. He and his elders were physically looking it over as I pulled it up on my computer. I noticed the price was $20,000 and gulped. The pastor said, "We're going to get it for you. How soon can you be back in Kansas?"

"We are going to be radio guests on 'Good News Behind the News' in Okmulgee Tuesday morning so we could be in Olathe by Wednesday I suppose." I hung up the phone stunned. Lucy said she had to lie down. I put on my jacket and went outside to take a walk (hey, it's what I do!)

As I looked over the farm lands and into the vast blue sky, I felt the heart of David... who am I, O God, that You would be mindful of me. I thought maybe I had been dreaming and so I called Pastor Harold and asked if he had really called me about an RV. He laughed his hearty laugh and said yes, he had indeed called. Then he went on to tell me the rest of the story...

The church felt they needed to stay within a budget of $10,000 but couldn't find a RV in good condition for that price. Pastor Harold started to look in a higher price range when he came across an ad for this vehicle at $20,000. When he called the owner, the owner said he had sold this unit two years ago!

The pastor apologized for bothering him and then the man told him he sold it to one of his neighbors and that the fellow didn't use it very often; perhaps the neighbor would be interested in selling it. He gave the pastor the gentleman's number and the call was made.

The short version...The man decided to sell. The church wanted to make an offer but...how much did he want? He said, "I'll take $10,000." Of course, he would! God is soooo good!

We arrived back in Olathe on Wednesday, entered the driveway and pulled the old RV(1977) nose to nose with the newer model (1994). . Lucy took out her camera and we saw what we should have known all along; Christ is in the center of our lives.

There's more blessings to tell....will write more tomorrow

The Quandry

2009-10-04T17:13:00.003-05:00

Saturday Pastor George Shafer and his buddy Marvin took some time to investigate our RV. They took apart the starter and pronounced it dead...hope to get a rebuilt one on Monday.

Next on the fix-it list was the bathroom. They conferred with our buddy Bob Leavitt via cell phone and seem to make some progress on the bathroom. They got it to flush properly and I was a bit exasperated because they did everything Lucy and I did. The toilet worked for them them and not for us! It was kind of like calling the TV repairman and the TV works while he's there and then goes on the fritz when he leaves.

We turned on the furnace and the propane fumes filled the coach. You could even smell the as outside the coach in the back. After checking the lines and seeing the pilot line burn orange instead of blue, it was determined that the mixture was off. You could also hear the furnace pop...sounded a bit like popcorn. Gas is heavier than air and lingers and the general consensus was that if we continued to try and use the heater, it was just a matter of time before we'd blow.

Perhaps it's time to get another RV... but what to do with this one? Lord, You are good. We trust You and we seek You direction.

Blessings and Bumps On The Road

2009-10-02T15:36:00.009-05:00

Today we're just south of Tulsa and the last couple days have been...interesting as usual. We never lack for conversational days. Praise God!

This past Tuesday morning, we took our RV in for an Cummins/Onan generator check. The diagnosis, we needed a starter transplant, oil & filter change: minimum damage: $700.00 (not counting the possibility of needing a new carburetor).

Before anything was done we wanted to get an estimate on fixing our non-functioning bathroom so we meandered over to Tulsa RV. They guestimated that we would need at least ten ours of labor (@$100 per hour) plus parts. Totaling everything up, we were looking at investing another two grand or so into our 1977 GMC Kingsley. At this point, Lucy and I drew a line in the sand. No more money would be put into this rig! We would go forward as best we could for as long as we could. We slept good that night. God will provide for us somehow. He never lets us down.

Wednesday we were blessed to be on Oasis Radio Network for forty-five minutes! It was wonderful! Here we are pictured with Steve Schwaderer who does just about everything at the station! After the program we had calls come in from all over Oklahoma. The serendipities continued as friend Matt Beucler from California stopped to see us. He was on his way home from a Corvette rally in Kentucky. Always good to spend time with Matt; he is a Life Coach and asks great questions that make you think.

Things kept getting better, as Pastor Kevin Lewis invited us to speak at Midwest Agape Chapel Wednesday evening. It was wonderful sharing "road stories with God." People seem to enjoy listening and God know I love to talk! A lovely lady named Cathy drove down to Bixby because she heard us on the radio. We also were blessed to pray for people afterward and spend some time with a young couple and counsel them a bit. What a blessing it is to work for and with God! It was midnight before we got to bed.

Thursday things got even better as we re-connected with friends we hadn't seen in a few years; Pastor George & Brenda Shafer. They founded Midwest Agape Church and have been active for and with the Lord all over the world! Pastor George travels extensively teaching about our Hebrew roots. We could listen to him for hours. Fascinating stuff! Next Tuesday, we have the privilege of being guests on his radio program. My Goodness, we are blessed!

It was about 11:00pm before we got to bed. It was a little chilly and so I turned on the heater. At about 2:30am, we were overcome by propane fumes and Lucy was very sick. She couldn't stop vomiting and had some trouble breathing. I got her dressed, picked up her blanket and pillow and went into the church. Thank God we were parked right next to the church and Pastor Kevin had graciously given us the key!

We sat on the steps of the altar for about an hour, catching our breath, talking with God and each other and asking the question..."What are we gonna do now?" No generator, no bathroom & now no heater. We need to get another RV somehow. 2Chron 20:12 came rushing into our mind; "We don't know what to do, God, but our eyes are on You."

We laid down on the altar underneath the cross, held each other, our eyelids got heavier and we dozed off. We're with You, God, no matter what. Use us. Direct us or...re-direct us.

Simplify

2009-09-26T19:20:00.004-05:00

He wouldn't let the newspaper print his story because they were going to make it all about him and he wanted it to be all about God. He might be a little irritated at me for telling you but...I just gotta tell you about this guy. He inspires me

His name is Jeff Holley and I would guess he is forty-ish. He has been a business man for the past twenty years and has done very well for himself. Just a year or two ago, he found himself living on the west side of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The west side is where the "haves" live. The east side is where the "have-less" live. He and his wife and four kids lived in a $400,000 home. They had a big screen TV and all the good things that go with success. He was a Christian, went to church, was active in the community and coached a young girls' basketball team. Life was good then one of his basketball players, age 10, got Leukemia. She fought hard and went through a period of remission...then it revisited and a bone marrow transplanted was needed.

Jeff and his oldest daughter Kayla went to visit their young friend and brought her a team jersey and a basketball. As they were leaving, the cancer stricken young girl said, "You know, Coach Jeff, I win either way." He looked at quizzically. "If this bone marrow treatment works, I get to stay here with you and Kayla and if it doesn't I get to go and be with Jesus. Either way I win."

Jeff's life took a turn that day. He told God he wanted that kind of child-like faith. Jeff started working with some of the less fortunate kids in the area and would bring them to his home. They would look around and say "Wow! You're rich!" What he had taken for granted was treasure to them! He listened to some of the stories the kids told about their life. He couldn't believe it. Sex abuse, domestic violence, parents in prison, drugs, alcohol...could this be happening in Bartlesville?

Each night after work, Jeff would return to his nice home and have a good meal. Each night he would think about these kids who had nothing to eat and no one to care for them. He was feeling the nudge of the Holy Spirit and finally he told his wife Marci, " I'm selling everything!" She looked at him with a look that said "What took you so long?" and said "Okay."

Together they started Vision Onward which is a non-profit created with the purpose of igniting a passion of unity among the churches in Bartlesville. The idea is to bring them together in action to serve their community. But Jeff didn't just talk the talk. He really did sell everything! He moved his family into a fixer-upper on the east side of town and he bought vans to pick up kids and bring them to church functions. He started after school activities and even put a couple of brothers in the Lord on his payroll to help him in his vision.

Jeff told me "if we really wanted to love our neighbor as our self, we'd see to it that he lives as well as we do." I had never heard it put that way before. I was convicted! Jeff is not a theologian or a philosopher...this man is a disciple of Jesus Christ.

He was making a healthy living and could have stored up a bundle for his family but he decided to invest. No he didn't invest in Wall Street for his family's sake. He invested in the one stock that always multiplies and never loses its value...Love. He did it for Christ's sake and for the sake of his community. If you're looking for a man to look up to or a cause to support, consider Vision Onward .

OOOOOOklahoma!

2009-09-25T18:33:00.006-05:00

We made it to state number two...only about ten more to go!

God continues to show Himself every single day. Robert & Tyler stopped me to see what I was up to..these are a couple of nice guys who are in their early twenties, with pierced tongues, earrings and tattoos. Not my style, but a couple of God's children expressing themselves in a fashion this sixty-three year old doesn't understand but God whispered..."You don't have to understand them, Nick, just love them."

A little later down the road, a car stopped and out jumped a couple of friends from Kansas City; Randy & Elizabeth Davenport. They travel the country doing prison ministry. With Randy's music and Elizabeth's preaching they make a powerful team for the Lord. Take the time to check them out.

Next, we get a call from our good friends Don & Pat Knepp and they are only an hour away! Wow! How great it is to see folks from home on the road. They graciously treated us to a night in a hotel...how sweet!

The next day, we met Jeff Holley & Jeff Berg. By now we'd walked through Dewey and into Bartlesville. These guys do youth ministry in both towns. They work with the churches to make sure none of the kids fall through the cracks. When you think of middle America, you think wholesome and safe but unfortunately, drugs and alcohol have left their mark on families here too. Parents on coke or in prison leave many kids without direction and that's where these two come in.

They embraced our ministry and invited us to speak to a group of young men Wednesday afternoon. We talked with these guys for over an hour and half. Telling stories, answering questions and asking some. It was great! That night there was an after "the pole" event.

Meet me at the pole is a youth movement that encircles the world. Each September junior high and high school students gather around the flag pole to pray in the early morning. The youth ministers in Dewey & Bartlesville worked together to put on an evening event as well. Over 500 students attended. There was food, music, a clean comic, more music and Lucy and I were asked to address the crowd for a few minutes. These guys trusted God enough to allow us to speak without knowing what in the world we were going to say...that, my friends, is faith!

After the event, we got to speak to a number of young people one on one. Let me tell you this, if there is one thing people need in America...it's encouragement! They couldn't get enough of us telling them that their dreams were awesome, they were smart and that God loved them... And...it's all true! It felt so good, Lucy and I could have stayed their all night!

The next morning I was walking by the American Baptist School and a young man named Michael waved at me from across the street. I crossed over to say hello and he said, "You guys did good last night." This coming from a teenager is a huge compliment! A moment later a lovely young girl (perhaps his sister) named Addie came out and we talked for awhile before they had to go to class. That day, I can't tell you how many cars passed us honking their horns and waving. We had only spoken for five or ten minutes but God touched lives and it felt good.

Water, Water Everywhere…Sort Of

2009-09-21T16:51:00.003-05:00

Life on the road grows more interesting every day.

We have two water tanks. One is to hold fresh water for showering, drinking and washing pots and pans. After the water is used, it is contained until we get to a place where we can dump it out and fill up with fresh water. This used water is referred to as gray water in the RV world. Some of the water is diverted into a secondary water tank used to prime the pump to flush the toilet. This used water, after being used, is delicately referred to as black water.

Sunday, we filled up our tanks with water, went to church and after service was over we came out to find we had no water in our secondary tank to use for bathroom duties. I looked under the RV and it looked like it was raining. The secondary tank was doing its impression of a sieve.

Oh what to do, what to do! But of course…head for Wal-Mart, the place of great bargains and all night bathroom facilities. Lord, help us think through this dilemma.

We decided to “improvise” as best we could, get a good nights sleep, walk in the morning and look at the tank to see if we could apply some LocTite to the leaks as soon as the sun came out and everything dried out.

Monday morning was a beautiful day for walking; cool, overcast and the sky was bursting with the magnificence of God. We walked about four and a half miles and it started to thunder and rain…then it cleared. Walked about three miles and it really poured! There was a little town just a few miles ahead of us and so we drove in to see if there was any chance of getting some water inside our RV instead of just all over it. The rain was on and off. We stopped at the Christian Church of Caney and met a very helpful woman named Darlene. She told us where the outside faucet was and, in between showers, we filled up our the primary tank.

Now the way our system is currently working, we can carry water and take a shower but can’t transfer it t the secondary tank to use the bathroom facilities. Looks like there may be porta-potti in our future!

Right now it is storming like crazy outside and we have water everywhere…sort of.

Click!

2009-09-20T17:11:00.003-05:00

Did 12.6 miles on Saturday, my best so far plus Lucy and I got to talk to a variety of different people.

There were these guys that had Hooters on their plates. One fellow informed me that he only talked to God when he was p_ssed off. Now when you meet folks with this kind of attitude who stand there looking at you with their arms folded, there's not much you can say that they will listen to. I find it best to smile, be friendly and encourage them to investigate Jesus Christ for themselves. I believe that with the mere mention of His name, the Holy Spirit goes to work on that person's heart.

I believe each person has a combination lock on their heart and every combination is different. Seven clicks to the right, three clicks to the left, nine clicks back to the right and...Pop! The heart opens up. I also believe that the name of Jesus Christ is a click. People always ask how many people I've led to the Lord. Truth is I don't know. I'm just a little ol' safe cracker on the road. You see it doesn't matter to me if I'm the first click, a middle click or the last click, the heart doesn't open until all the clicks have been hit. That's why it's so important that you and I publicly acknowledge the name of Jesus Christ.

Don't worry about the reaction you get from people. Folded arms and cold stares are just defense mechanisms that say "I'm afraid but I don't want you to know." The Holy Spirit of God uses all of us to bless all of us. As God's people, we don't have to convince everyone to believe as we do. The Bible didn't say "Go and convince." It said go and tell (Mark 16:15). Just get in the habit of sharing the name of Jesus Christ and the next time you do, if you listen real carefully, you'll hear it...click!