Ramblings

Today has been one of those busy doing nothing days. This morning was cold, and I had to get my wife's vehicle tagged, her sticker expired in August, we don't drive the van much, ride together most of the time...and I had misplaced the registration letter, it had fallen behind the drawer in my desk and was on the flood under the desk...55.00 later she's legal again! Then it was off to the airport to drop off our evangelist, which meant a stop at Leroy Selmon's for sweet heat chicken and then to Starbucks on the way home...it's an addiction and an anointing:) Our nine year old had to have a tooth pulled, her first time, thankfully it was a baby tooth, but she needed to come home afterward...so I got to bring her home and spend the afternoon watching the Suite Life of Zack and Cody...she's asleep and I'm still watching Disney....something wrong with this picture? I am a blessed man, God has given me a wonderful wife, wonderful children, and He has remained faithful, even when I was less to Him than He is to me. Faithful is what I want to be, to be consistent, to become more like Jesus, to allow less to disturb me, to respond as He would, to be light and salt, less reactive to the stuff that often pulls us down...to appreciate the process more...God is good and I'm trying to be :)

Book Review

I'm preparing to read a new Thomas Nelson book by Pastor David Jeremiah entitled "What In The World Is Going On?" 10 Prophetic clues you cannot afford to miss! Check out this link and see what you think! I'll be posting more about it in the very near future! http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=078522887X

You Can't Stop A Season!

I am a Chicagoian transplanted to Florida, we don't have hurricanes in Chicago, so when we moved to Florida in 2004 and experienced our first hurricane season, I was flipped out to say the least. When the first one entered the Gulf of Mexico all the models suggested it was coming to Tampa Bay, we live about 30 minutes outside of Tampa so I was quite concerned, what do we do, how do we prepare, do we board up, should we be afraid, will it hit us? These are just a few of the milder concerns I had. It ended up missing us, we would also that same season endure a couple other misses, a the lower end of a category one and the tail end of a tropical storm. It's now been four years since we experienced our first hurricane season, June through November still concerns me, I particularly get nervous toward the end of August through the end of October...but I have learned some things! Hurricane season is much like the seasons of our lives, it's on God's calendar first, He controls the wind and the waves, He orders the events of our lives and either in control of all or not at all. There is nothing we can do to change the season we find ourselves in, much like the coming of the storm, we prepare for it, make sure we have made all the necessary arrangements, have all the equipment and supplies we need, and we ride out whatever comes our way. So often we want to control everything, to figure out what is taking place in our lives, Jesus told His disciples, "It is not for you to know the times and seasons that the Father has put in His own power!" Don't understand me here, I am fully aware that God expects and needs for us to discern the times, we are to have an awareness, but we are not supposed to allow the times and seasons to dictate our victory, our ability to remain focused when trouble comes our way. The storms of life are opportunities for God to reveal Himself in real and relevant manners, He speaks and the winds and waves obey Him. Whatever season you may be going through in your life, don't try to stop, learn to walk in it and see what lessons the Lord will teach you, what glory the Lord will reveal in you as you walk out the revelation of Jesus Christ!

Drew Barrymore

It's Saturday and I'm taking a lazy day. My wife and I have been preaching a revival this week, driving back and forth, so it's been late nights since Wednesday...So I'm watching the movie "Fever Pitch" a great movie with Drew Barrymore as one of the stars. I think she's a cute girl, but sometimes I think she has a big face...just thought the blog world needed to know!

It's Just Stuff!

I need to make a confession, sometimes I let stuff get to me...even little stuff! You know, the car breaks down, bills are unpaid, kids are driving you crazy, God doesn't seem to be at home...ever been there? Isn't it amazing how easy it is for little things to get under your skin, on your nerves, in your head, and mess up your day, your week, your month...your life? It's not that you mean for it to be that way, you want to be adult enough to recognize that it's just life, spiritual enough to know the enemy is trying to distract you, and mature enough to walk through it, but the truth is that sometimes it just gets to us.

Peruse the scripture and you'll quickly find that our Bible hero's had their moments too, Paul got ticked off and sent Mark packing, Moses killed a guy, and Peter cut a guys ear off...talking about having a bad day! The thing that speaks to me in all of this is that having stuff is human, that's not an excuse it's an opportunity! Because we are human, live in this world, and endure suffering as a part of our walk with Christ, we have to learn how to recognize the difference between an attack or assualt and simply having stuff...Satan uses everything, but not everything that happens in life is demonic in nature, though we can cause it to become that way...I am convinced that I run out of gas today that it isn't the devil, that is, until I open the door for him to invade my humanity and create such conflict within me that it becomes a place of contention!

The Apostle Paul said that in tribulation, stress, and situations, that none of these things moved him. When Joseph was taken from his father, his coat covered in the blood of an animal and presented to his father as evidence of his demise, it was just a coat, Joseph was very much alive and being positioned to revive a nation. Even though Moses was cast to the back side of the desert and forced to feed his father in laws sheep, he was not hidden from God, he was being prepared for his ultimate purpose.

Often those things that appear to destroy us are actually sent to develop us and create in us the ability to minister to others because of the stuff we ourselves have been through...I'm not minimizing the things that come our way, nor I am suggesting that the devil doesn't have his hand in working against us...I'm just saying that the hand of the Lord is upon us, that He has taken great strides in investing His best in our lives and sometimes...It's Just Stuff!

A Place

I find myself feeling quite contemplative today, sitting in a hotel room, watching television, waiting to meet a pastor for lunch, looking forward to ministering tonight in a revival service. My mind is moving a million miles per second, wondering what the Lord is really saying to me for the people tonight, preparing for a revival next week in Tampa, wanting desperately to hear God's voice for both of these places, and for myself. It's an amazing thing to me, the place we find ourselves, confused and content, concerned and convinced, desperate and determined, whimsical and wondering, looking and longing...maybe that's the place I find myself...looking and longing, looking at the world around me, looking into the lives and hearts of people around me, longing for God's touch upon their lives, longing for Him to touch and change their reality, this place called life...longing to be a part of something that will make a difference...longing to do more than just say words...hoping that the words I say are the right words, God's words, and good words...it's just a matter of being in the right place...isn't it?

On My Way...Out The Door!

In less than five minutes I'm out the door, my good friend and neighbor Pete is taking me to the airport this morning, and I'm on my way to Toledo, OH...via Detroit! This week I'm ministering at Faith Tabernacle in Northwoods, a tremendous church in the Toledo area. I'm honored at the opportunity, excited at the prospects, and fully aware that unless the Lord build the house, we who labor, labor in vain...with that said...I know the Lord has wonderful things in store for us this week...He is good and He is faithful! Out the door to an open door to an open heaven...can't ask for much more than that!

Sanya Bella

Well, I'm back! Last Saturday I arrived home safely from a truly incredible and remarkable journey to Kenya. This was my eighth trip, but my first alone, I have to admit I was a bit nervous, also this my first time to fly Kenya Airways, a very pleasant experience, other than the crying baby on my way from London to Nairobi, and the fact that my television went off after fifteen minutes, which is huge on a nine hour flight! I left home on Sunday September 21st, arrived in Nairobi at 6:00 AM on the 23rd and was on the next flight to Kisumu by 8:00 AM and in Kisumu by 9:00 AM. My day began on the run, Sammy Franz picked me up at the airport, took me immediately to Moi Stadium where we would have outdoor crusade in the evening and in a massive tent in the mornings. That same day I was honored to meet the mayor of Kisumu and the city clerk, we would later meet with the mayor again at a dinner for the local pastors. Nearly 40 pastors joined together to sponsor this crusade with Peter and Chris Franz of GFI-Ministries and Cita Ministries, these two brother are the sons of a German missionary who planted churches and ministries throughout Kenya, in fact, Peter was born in Kisumu! During the two week crusade over 1000 people made decisions for Christ, many were healed and delivered, it was absolutely phenomenal. The Lord honored me by allowing me to be invited to speak in the day services, I spoke on Leadership principles and Relational evangelism, also spoke in the Fire Conference along with my good friend and mentor, Bishop George Gichana of Praise Celebration Deliverance Church in Eldoret. From there I traveled with Peter and Becky Franz north to the Turkana District, where I saw poverty in a way I've never seen, this is desert area, there is no income, no businesses, no buses or taxis, the people live in huts and scrape by to the best of their ability...yet, in the midst of all of this, GFI has built a church and medical dispensary, they have establshed a long term relationship with these beautiful people...I was honored to eat in the home of Pastor Nachii Johonson, ate goat for the first time...at least for the first time I was aware of it...thankfully it was good and I didn't spew all over the place. This trip opened my eyes to many things, opened doors of opportunity for me to return to this third largest city in Kenya, to minister to the people of Turkana and the pastors of Kisumu, and to continue with my passion and heart for Kenya...The Lord is good and faithful!

The Journey

One of the greatest lessons I've learned in life is that life is a journey not an event. An event only last a prescribed amount of time, whether it be a few hours, days, weeks or month, maybe even a year or more, it will end at a prescribed time, no event lasts forever. A journey is a totally different thing, it does have a beginning and an end, but it is what takes place in the middle that make life exciting, that is the journey! The journey takes us down many different avenues, it introduces to people, places, and things we never dreamed we'd meet, the journey enables us to connect with other, teaches us to communicate, and it teaches us to commit. The exciting thing to me about the journey is that we are able to invite others to join us and together we discover things that event people will never find. Will you join us as we boldly go where we've never gone before?

The Dynamics of the Unknown

In a perfect world we would always know what is just around the corner, who was lurking in the dark, what they really meant when they said what they said, and most of all...how everything is going to turn out...In a perfect world! We would never question what the Apostle Paul was getting at when He said that all things work together for the good, to them who are the called according to His purpose(Romans 8:28), because we would know that He really does have the whole world in His hands...In a perfect world! But we don't live in a perfect world, don't understand why things are the way they are, how things work, or why certain things happen the way they do...we are called to simply place our lives in the care of God and trust Him for His desired results. There is the dynamic of not knowing, the task of walking with God in His word and believing that Job was right when He said that God knows the way we take, and of Solomon who said we are to trust Him with all of our hearts, not to lean to our own understanding, to acknowledge Him in all of our ways...and then and only then would God direct our paths...after all, aren't the steps of good men ordered by the Lord? The dynamic of the unknown is walking in darkness and allowing the light from within to guide us, it is living by faith when the human part of us cries out for knowledge. It is following the example of Abram who left the familiar and comfortable place of his father to go not knowing where he was going, but seeing in his spirit what God was preparing for him, embracing it by faith and moving toward it...one step at a time...Our times demand this type of faith...don't they?

Second Chances...Go Brittany?

Call me a crusader for lost causes, broken people, and those considered underdogs, I am all of those! These week I was scanning cnn.com and saw where Brittany Spears had been on the MTV Awards show and won several awards...I say go Brittany! Before the religious crowd comes out of the woodwork and crucifies me understand that I do not listen to her or watch her, do not agree with her lifestyle and readily admit that she is not my idea of a role model for my daughters...however, she is a person, who has a soul, and tremendous talent and ability, she is a human being, a daughter, sister, and mother, she is someone's friend and a member of someone's family...Brittany Spears is a person who has the attention of many people! She is also an individual who was given a second chance and took it! For months we watched headlines of her failed marriage, apparent breakdown, child custody battle, parents intervening in her finances...we listened as the world said she was done, down for the count, her best days behind her...but she's back, looking healthy and thankful for a second chance! I am thankful for second chances, for I too have failed, dropped the ball, stepped out of the picture, checked out of the box, and found myself in need of family and friends, in need of redemption and the opportunity to try again. How well I relate to the story of David who returned home with a group of battle weary, tattered warriors, who were so discouraged they too considered stoning David. The Bible says that David encouraged himself in the Lord and that God's response was to direct him to go to battle and that he would absolutely be victorious and recover all that had been lost! Isn't it wonderful that God can take our failures, our breakdowns, our inabilities and turn them into places of victory? Perhaps it is this principle that intrigues me, that if Brittany Spears can be redeemed and come back in the eyes of the world, what can God do with ordinary people like me and you? I say...Go God!

People in the Process

Years ago Bill Cosby did a record, not a cd, a real life actual album that talked about how wonderful it would be if Polaroid could create an easier way for childbirth, it would make the process quicker and less painful. I would suppose women across the world would rejoice and we men who want everything in life to be quick would be happy campers...but somethings need process! I don't mind eating microwaved food, at least when it comes to burrito's or corn dogs, warming up left overs is ok, but I want pot roast to simmer all day long, if not over night...there's something that happens in the process that makes it worth the wait! Process is an important aspect of our lives, in our emotion, physical, and spiritual development, somethings need to come suddenly and somethings need to be developed and waited upon. So often in our impatience we look for shortcuts, seeking to find an easier and quicker way, not recognizing that in bypassing the process we are depriving ourselves of much needed elements. The concept of waiting is frustrating to us, standing in line irritates us, going through the various levels of process annoys us...yet, if we are willing to submit to process we will posses and become exactly what God has desired for our lives. The Apostle John talks about this in John 1:12 when he states that as many as would receive Him(Christ) to them He gives the power to become the sons of God. At the moment of salvation all that He is is deposited into our lives, but it takes time and process for it to be developed...how we need to learn appreciate and enjoy process!

Back In Illinois

This morning I left sunshine and warm weather to venture off in Springfield, IL. Tomorrow morning I begin revival at Heartland Worship Center, I'm really looking forward to this meeting, getting to know the pastors and seeing all that the Lord will do. I flew Ted airlines, felt like I was on the Hee Haw Plane, to board I had to go out the rear door of the gate area, down two flights of steps, up another flight to the rear of the plane...where I was seated next to a young family flying with their two year old, who is the next two and one half hours was not still nor quiet for more than a minute, the mother the entire time wanting to move so the baby will have more room, I'm on the aisle seat, she's in the middle...I kindly moved and enjoyed the remainder of the flight. In Chicago for a layover I enjoyed a nice Chicago Hot Dog...something about being in the City...It's Home! United Airlines and Ted are now my least favorite airline, cost me 15.00 for my one checked bag which my receipt calls "Excess Baggage", how can it be excess if it's my only bag? Here in Springfield I'm staying at a nice Ramada Inn with all sorts of places to eat within walking distance...it's going to be a great week...Even if it is only 73 for a daytime high! It smells like Fall and that is something I miss!

Getting Anxious

In 18 days I will board a plane and leave for what I believe to be the trip of a lifetime. In 2004 I went to Kenya for the first time fully expecting it to be my last, before we boarded to return home I knew deep within my spirit that I would return over and over again, and I have. This upcoming trip will be my eighth trip since March, 2004 and already I am looking forward to the next time! What makes this trip exciting is that I am going to Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya, the home town of the new Prime Minister, Mr. Odinga, near Lake Victoria, and will be participating in a large outdoor crusade with my good friend Evangelist Peter Franz. We will teach leaders to lead, share the Gospel, and train pastors and laity alike to share the message of Christ in the streets. Already 80,000 posters have been prepared and will be distributed, I believe many people will come to know Christ! I am excited! We will travel also to Turkana, where the second oldest people group live, descendants of the Cushites, I absolutely cannot wait. When I return to Kenya I always feel like I'm returning home, as if this is the place that I belong, not one day goes by that I do not think of Africa, that I do not dream of being there, and wish that I could spend more time there. I'm not a full-time missionary, probably not even a part-time missionary, but I am Wambua, rain in the Kamba language, the brother of Titus Kiillu, the friend of Rapheal Mutinda and George and Daniel Gichana, Pastor Maurice and many others. God has emblazed a passion within my heart and spirit for these people and I will forever be thankful that God has allowed me to journey into this wonderful land. And so I travel, and I share, and I love, and I dream, and I live in the hope that I can somehow make a difference that will not just change the moment, but the future for the better for the glory of God!

Love The One You're With!

When our oldest daughter was born I could not imagine loving a child more than we loved Kaitlin. She was and is the apple of my eye, as a baby I was consumed by her, to the point that I honestly believed that she was the only child to ever have a cold, get the sniffles, fall down, or any of the other things that happen in the lives of our children. If she went to the doctor for a routine checkup I would beg God to let her be OK and not to die...I was fanatically consumed with this child...and still am to this day...often some of our most important decisions are based on how it would effect this child. When Kaitlin was three we moved from Kentucky to Illinois, my wife wanted to have another child, while she was consumed with having another, I was content and consumed with not having another, after all, how could I love another child as much or in the same way I loved Kaitlin, and I would never divide my love for my children...I love them both equally...they are the joy of my life! This morning we had a guest minister speak at our church, he spoke of God being our refuge, our resource, and our rest, he told us that God loves us not because we are valuable, but that because God loves us we are valuable. He made a statement that spoke volumes to me, he said there are times when we give more to one child than the other and that there are times when people ask the question, "How do you give more to one than the other?" The answer, "Who ever needs more at the moment!" What a powerful thought, God loves each of us the same, but there are times in our lives when more grace is required, when our needs are greater than another's, and God in His infinite love and wisdom releases into our lives exactly what we need! Do I love my girls equally, absolutely, are there times one gets something or more than the other, certainly, but not because I am unfair or because I feel differently towards one of them, but because at the moment the opportunity or need arises and we are blessed to bless them! I guess we simply need to love the one we're with!

What If It Is...What If It Isn't?

Recently I saw a flier for an upcoming youth rally called "The Final Push" it is intended for the "final generation". The lineup looks incredible and this will no doubt be a fantastic gathering! When I read the title though the thought immediately came to mind, what if this isn't the final generation? I admit I can be cynical, but in this instance it isn't my intention, I along with many believe that we are living in the end times, but I also believe that there have been several generations that have lived in the end times...so how do we know that this is the final generation? And if it is the final generation when will it end? And if it isn't the final generation what do we do? It seems to me that the teachings of scripture taught an imminent return of Christ to the earth, but it also emphasized readiness, a sense of urgency, but not fearfulness. The return of Christ is to be the blessed hope, the passion that propels evangelism, that creates a missional church that walks out and lives daily the teachings of Jesus...not just a theme that preaches well and causes hearts to be fearful. Ted Dekker, in his book, "The Slumber of Christianity", suggests it is the lack of looking for the return of Christ that has caused Christianity to be where it is today, that too many of us are more interested in obtaining earthly fulfillment that readying the hearts of those around for eternity...I must admit that I would like to see my daughters grown, have grandchildren, spend retirement with my wife and pay off some debt before the end comes...does that make me worldy minded? Is it possible that this could be the final push for the final generation and that what Christ has called us to do is disciple the nations in the message of Jesus Christ that when He does return we are not found idle, but as Jesus said, "occupying until He comes?" So if He comes in my lifetime I am blessed and ready, but if He doesn't...I'm still blessed, ready, and getting others ready with me...Sounds like we win one way or the other!

All That Jazz

I took an important step today...can't tell you what it was, but it was important to me, an inner thing, something I needed to do. The powerful thing about it is that I am at peace, the acid test of any decision in life is when the dust is settled, the decision is made, and the commentators have dispensed...we know we've heard God and walked in the path He has prepared for us...I am at rest, and it is good!

Just Want To Testify!

In April I returned from a revival in Ohio to go through an awful bout with gout, it was one of the most painful experiences that I've ever endured. During that two week period my feet were swollen to the point that I couldn't wear shoes or stand to have anything on my feet. After trying unsuccessfully to treat it naturally I ended up at a doctor's office, my blood pressure was 160/100 and my ankles were swollen, which I assumed was because of the gout. However, after clearing up the gout I continued to struggle with this swelling, better known as edema, which often is related to heart disease, kidney or liver issues...none of which I was wanting to deal with...so I prayed, I prophesied, I proclaimed the Word of God and I worried! I raised my hand when the pastor asked if anyone needed healing...I lost weight, walked 4 miles every morning before work and changed my diet....they would go down at night, but when I awakened in the morning I could feel them swelling when I got up. I took a prescribed diuretic that didn't seem to work. A couple weeks ago we flew to Texas, spent the weekend with my relatives, my aunt spoke into my spirit the Word of the Lord, that in the last days men's heart will fail them for fear of things to come...I have been fearful that something is wrong with my heart...so I began to rebuke that fear...my feet still swelled that weekend. We traveled on the Church of God General Assembly and they were fine all week, until the weekend as we began to travel home...Strange I thought, this nothing more than stress and God has not given me the spirit of fear. One week ago this past Saturday my feet returned to normal and they have been normal ever since. I am so thankful for the healing work of God in my life, it is an act of His grace on my behalf. Today the scripture in Revelation comes to mind, that the testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy....it says to one who may read this blog today that if God will do this for me, He will also minister to you...I am blessed and so very thankful!

You Have To Turn To Turn Around

A couple weeks ago I was on my way to a preaching assignment early on a Sunday morning, my mind was on the service that morning, and I was trying to get that first cup of coffee down without spilling it on my clean shirt! The route I was taking was quite familiar, but I missed my turn, drove right past the road and was on my way down a road I had no idea where it would come out...I had to turn around and go back...ever been there?

Life often takes us places we've never been, but it also takes down familiar paths, we just get lost along the way. The exciting thing about it is that we can get back where we're supposed to be, the painful thing is, we sometimes have to retrace our steps...we have to turnaround. For me turning around can be embarrassing, it means that I have to face my failure or mistake, I have to admit that I've missed it and doing something over again can be quite frustrating. Turning around also enables me to see things I didn't see the first time, taking note of things that have always been there, I just didn't notice them...I tell my wife often that there's a new house on my way to work, it's been there thirty years, but I just saw it...observant aren't I? It's easy to look over our shoulders and see where we've missed it, to observe where we need to be, to admit something needs to be done, but in order to get there, in order to turn around, you have to turn, to the left or to the right, you just have to take the time and make the effort to turn!

The prophet Isaiah said, "Then shall you hear a voice from behind saying, "This is the way of the Lord, walk in it!" God will give us direction, He will reveal His plan and the path we need to take to get where we need to go, it may require a turn around, it will require a turn...because you always have to turn if things are going to turn around...make sense?

Just Thinking Out Loud!

My Life This Week

Julie and I have been in a tailspin this month, went to San Antonio the first week of August to attend the Church of God General Assembly, came home and teachers returned to school on Monday. Today was the first day of school and it was absolutely the best first day of school we've experienced since being a part of Heritage Academy! I had a tooth pulled this afternoon, one of my back teeth chipped several months ago, I let it go, but this week it went south...some of the most incredible pain I've ever experienced in my life...nothing touched the pain, ibuprofen, tylenol with codeine, oxycotin...nada. Thankfully my dentist had an opening and now I'm in good shape...one tooth less! Tropical Storm Fay is coming, we're believing it's going to miss Tampa...we'll see! Guess I've got a boring life...but the week is young, I'm certain it will spice up soon!