Vote... no excuses!



A great lady from Poland wrote the following... I thought it would be a good read to inspire us on the benefitis of one of our greatest liberties as Americans... VOTE!

Here is the link to her blog...www.majorchangeacademy.com

Growing up in a Communist country, and being now an American citizen, this is my second time I can vote in the USA. That’s why my whole family went today to a rally in Lee’s Summit, MO to support John McCain and Sarah Palin.

I grew up in a Communist, Eastern European country, during 70-ties and 80-ties. We longed for freedom of choice, for validation of our individual voices, for freedom of speach. I am an American now. I will be voting for the second time. I am Christian. And I am shocked seeing how Christians in this awesome country, are making choices based on pure convenience and personal interest. I still can’t believe that the followers of Jesus, who should follow ten Commandments, are even considering voting for a person who is so bluntly (although charmingly) pro-abortion. What happened to their conscience?

As we walked just two weeks ago around the Mall in Washington DC, we saw the sign engraved on the Korean War Memorial Wall: Freedom is not free. Somehow that took me back to my childhood, when I remember my grandfather longing for a free country, and dying not seeing it. I remember decade after decade without any prospects for political independence. I remember demonstrations on the streets, people dissapearing suddenly, schools full of propaganda, fear and ridicoulousness. I remember that a life of a person was considered nothing in comparison to the collectiv needs of masses. How could I vote against life of the speechless? That’s why I’d rather see USA as one nation under McCain, then one nation under Obama

Here is a link to help you out if you are like me and plan to be out of town on election day... http://govoteabsentee.org/

Whatever you do encourage everyone you know to get out and vote. No excuses...

Mexico - R&R

Since the hurricane's of Gustav and Ike, we have been "swamped" with lots of good ole fashioned work. Things have settled a bit so this past weekend Sandy and I headed to South Padre Island, TX for a little R&R. We went to Mexico for some shopping at a little border town called Neuvo Progresso. I talked to her in that low mono tone Louis Lamour style as we laughed and enjoyed our weekend. We so enjoyed crossing the border into another nation... give us the Nations Lord! As September winds down, we are thankful for the Lord sustaining us. A good report is my mom went through her back surgery with great resuslts so far. She had a rough go with surgery recovery but the pain has been relieved and she is progressing to a better quality of life. PTL!
The next 40 days are shaping up to be times of serious turbulence in the US with the Presidential election fast approaching. These are times that Great Men and Women of GOD rise up and petition the Lord for his mercy. We want to encourage believers to seek the Lord with fastings and prayers over the next few weeks. I promise we will all be so glad we did..

Whew... Been awhile!

We have been rolling since Mexico working in Louisiana and Texas with the hurricane storms.
With a sigh of relief we are finally normalizing a little after Hurricane Gustav tore through our home state of Louisiana. Here is our story… After ministering at a local church in Louisiana on Sunday a week before the storm hit, I was kind of wound up and could not sleep. It got to be 1AM so I looked in the “net” at the satellite images of the Caribbean. Noticing a small cluster of thunderstorms below Haiti I felt this prompting from the Lord, “Go buy a generator before you go to Mexico, this is going to be hurricane and it is going to hit Houma, LA.” I questioned but got no answer as I was schedule to minister in southern Mexico with Pastor Joel Dyke. I really was hesitant to go but felt no stop sign so I boarded the plane trusting the Lord for his leading. We had a grand time ministering to pastor’s and rejoicing in the fruit of Joel and Angel’s 10 years of missions ministry in Mexico. The leaders raised up now receiving training through Joel’s network of John Maxwell’s Equip is amazing. But the whole time my heart was thinking of my family in Louisiana preparing for Gustav. The day Gustav hit as Cat 2 storm, Joel and I were traveling back to the US and I was petitioning heaven of how I was going to get to my family. The Word I got was “backdoor” while I was in the airport in Mexico City. Joel was going to fly home to Monroe and I remembered flying over a cyclone out of Tokyo one time… we were going to fly over Gustav into Monroe and get in the backdoor. I rented a Honda Pilot all wheel drive after the roller coaster ride landing and made the dark journey of 3.5 hours through the backdoor arriving at our missions base safe and sound. Ever since we have been cutting trees and helping folks come back to normalcy. We are preparing now to bring supplies to hard hit Houston, TX from hurricane Ike. Pray for us as we minister to our home folks. Got to go…

Daylight’s Burning!

Mexico Report
Pastor Joel Dyke and I have been in southern Mexico ministering to pastors the past few days. Joel and his wife Angel were missionaries in Mexico for 10 years and now pastor "The Life Church - West Monroe". Joel is a great friend and fun to be with but I saw a side of him on this trip that I have never seen... how he has left his mark for Christ in another nation. Joel has so many friends in Mexico and the fruit of their labor and vision is incrdible! If you want to get connected into a close work on the mission field for your church; this is a great start for new believers to get the "passion" for the lost in the nations of the world. Joel and I had a blast and of course had to battle some "Montezumas Revenge". We were both sick as dogs last night... YEA!
Ok I am now preparing to travel home and already the airport in Baton Rouge has closed from hurricane Gustav. Sandy is not to keen riding this storm out alone and we need your prayers that I can get home before the full force hits. I got a plan... as usual God will allow me to get in the back door. The drive to the house will be let's say, I am glad I have alot of mission field experience traveling in not to keen circunstances. Really I will be home to begin the clean up... I have not begun to think about the needs. If you feel the Lord prompt you to help as we get all the supplies together, you can go to our website, http://www.map1040.com/ and click on the donate page. Katrina had us into the hardest hit area the next day. So I will load up the truck with water and gas then head to deep south Louisiana to check on my friends and help where we can. Keep us in your prayers!
PS: The Indian pastor in the top picture walked all night to get to the conference... yes sir walked!

Storms... Here we go again?
Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on September 1, 2005 and thousands were affected by this storm. I was revisiting those hot days of rescue and change in my prayers this morning. Katrina meant cleansing and how this storm literally cleaned out the city of New Orleans. Now again the potential of another storm named Gustav is forming to impact the US mainland. Ironically, Gustav means God's Staff...
Please pray for the people as they prepare along the Gulf Coast as another storm approaches.
Got some prayer requests...
I am headed to southern Mexico today for ministry and scheduled to arrive back Monday night into Louisiana. Pray for the ministry in Mexico and pray I get back to my family safely. The storm is coming in about the same time I arrive... Just Great... should be a wild plane ride.
Pray for my friend Pastor Billy Fitzgerald as his wife is having some physical challenges. She has a doctor's appointment today with anticipation of the next step. Billy and Diane live in New Orleans and are great personal friends and faithful leaders in the kingdom and the storm approaches...
Pray for my dear friend and honestly this woman is like a sister to Sandy and I, Baby Elam as she fights the relentless demonic attack of lupus. Jesus is our healer... in the midst of the storm!
My mom as she is facing surgery next Tuesday. She is not wanting the knife but the pain is unbearable for her. Lord help her face the storm... take her hand!
One of our partner churches and great friends from Cornerstone Church in Amite, LA lost a key leader last night, one Kevin Carter. He had a heart attack right after prayer meeting. Wow prayer then heaven... lift them up as they walk these days out. "
Jesus... Calm the Seas!