It ain't overt till it's over...

I was reading in John 21 about the disciples going fishing after Jesus had gone to the grave...

They went back to doing what they knew to do after 3.5 years walking with Jesus, witnessing the miracles, casting out devils, healing the sick, learning the ways of the kingdom, etc...

They went back at night... darkness will draw you back to the old life. Been crazy lately the amount of believers choosing the "old life" again after the years of being faithful. Lord make me faithful to the end... it is how we finish the race.

Peter and the boys were in a low spot... no resources, no presence, dark, hiding from the public/people. Yet they responded to his voice when he spoke to them the next morning.

Joy comes in the AM! Wait it out till the AM before you make a bad decision in the PM.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved recognized him... John the Revelator, the one who laid on his bosom, who listened to his heartbeat, smelled his breath, his intimacy with Jesus was staggering (another message perhaps)...

At his command they OBEYED and cast the net again... Them boys grew up fishing. They knew you couldn't catch fish in the daylight in Galilee, yet @ his Word!

153 whoppers almost sunk em... could this number be significant in our day? Are we right at the end of the final harvest? 153 unreached people groups?

Nevertheless Lord at thy word, CAST THE NET!

“A man's steps are directed by the LORD.” Proverbs 20:24a

We want to announce that our youngest daughter Mary is moving to the nation of South Africa to work with Life Church - Durban pastored by Gregg and Kristin Evans. Mary has a target date of September and is full on working hard to prepare for the next year of her life. Sandy and I are excited at the reality of one of our kids living as a missionary on the field!

Mary came to me earlier in the year inquiring about an internship for the summer. We prayed together and this opportunity to serve in the nations came about. Yes, it is a little more than a summer but so many young people in other “religions” take two years and invest their lives. Mary decided after our blessing the least she could do was follow the Lord’s leading investing her youth and zeal into the nations.

Mary will be working specifically with Gregg and Kristin Evans and the Life Church team in Durban, South Africa. The launch of the church just took place and now they need help with their children's ministry. Not to mention Gregg and Kristin have a new born baby which one of Mary's greatest strong points is loving on babies!

Mary is currently in the process of working to raise her support. This month she is having garage sales and “jambalaya” dinner fund raisers. Now her highest priority need is for committed monthly support for the next year. This is important for budget plans to be set. Her overall move budget is a great step of faith as she needs airfare and logistical supplies for her move. So we are asking for consideration and commitment to help resource Mary’s step of faith into Africa.

Sandy and I are thrilled with the aspect of one of our children now leaving the nest as a missionary. Just like we did taking a huge risky step of faith to serve Jesus with all our hearts. Thank you for your prayers for our ministry and our wonderful family.

Daylight's Burning...

"The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it." John 19:20

As I was reading my daily devotion this early AM, I came across this scripture that made me smile. Jesus in his most critical hour on earth had in his plan the most simple way to communicate to as many people that could read...

Here are a few thoughts about this scripture that come to mind. I am gonna kind of random shoot here. Enjoy the meditation... Psalms 1:2

• Many times when we minister in the nations, we translate the message into 3 languages.
• What about the people that can't read? How will they hear if they don't have a preacher? Somebody has to go and "read" the gospel to them... Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God!
• We must all preach the gospel, if necessary use words... St. Francis of Assie
• Jesus suffered so that he may both in word and deed demonstrate his great love toward us. "We are always on his mind..."
• Revelation 1:3 Blessed when we read the Word and especially the book of Revelation!

Full Throttle...

Been a long time since I blogged but after getting some fresh revelation here lately thought I need to write some of these things down.

Let's catch up...

November - Katie accident and deliverance from the trap of the enemy.

December - more Katie in ICU. Kind of cool as the family spent Christmas in the hospital alone. Another cool things was Katie's doctors @ the Promise Hospital were all Indian. We loved them and all felt like family. Dr. Gumadi is awesome...

January - Katie out of ICU snuck off to Sri Lanka with Andy, Kyle and Chris.

February - April Katie rehab, the Lord had me watching over her carefully. Been a different year for sure.

May - Washington DC Conference - Watchmen on the Wall. The Lord is doing something big in American these days. Certainly a shifting is taking place...

June - Panama Kuna Indians, basketball evangelism

July - Costa Rica with Fellowship Church Zachary

August - September headed to Sri Lanka, Dubai, & Spain... I am so ready to roll. We got a church plant in Northern Sri Lanka launching soon. Also Joshua Mills Glory School @ WOW in Colombo... and the most awesome miraculous shout his name from the roof top things is Katie will travel with me to Sri Lanka. We will testify of the goodness of the Lord!

Yes money is tight too... but the only way to please God is by faith. So by faith we step again into the 1040 window again and again and again... When God calls you to stand in his name... faith is challenging but so fulfilling and I love pleasing Jesus, Hebrews 11:6.

So this AM as I was cutting grass... I love to cut grass as it so easy to concentrate on the Lord for me. I know strange... anyway as I was cutting grass I started complaining about things going so slow. I got this thing about Daylight's Burning... so I was whining about things being help up, stuff not happening, souls in the balance, all my grumbling prayers that I am sure the Lord laughs at cause of my ridiculous attitude. Then I was whining about the old mower has seen it's last days as it is 5 years old and the motor is smoking... blah, blah, blah... get the picture?

So the Lord spoke to me and said "increase the power to full throttle"...

What? no it could not be that I had neglected to put the power to full throttle. I looked at the throttle and sure enough it was only half way, only half the power was being used to get the job done. As I eased the throttle to wide open, I sensed the Lord say yes I heard your grumbling but I see your heart son. Keep going at full throttle... the night comes when no man can work.

So we are ramping up preparing for Sri Lanka. Katie was in the pool swimming laps last pm... she knows the better prepared she is the more God can use her.

Mary too is increasing the power as she prepares for Africa. She is headed to the mission field for the next year! Love it...

Keep us in your prayers as we increase the throttle!

Ask for the Nations...

Well I needed to shake the dust off my blog. Life can get so fast with so much to do that the time to sit and write kind of took a back burner. Or should I say another form... I found my Mac had a faster less complicated way to communicate and have been using that for the past few months. Pretty efficient but not raw heart stuff like the old blog affords...

So, let's see where to begin. Ok... let's catch up. My last entry the kids were headed to school and I had just returned from Panama. Since then Luke and I went on a long itineration trip ministering through the heart land of the US. We are finding a grass roots move of Holy Ghost power taking root in the heart of the saints. Christians in the US are hungry for God to manifest his presence. A sincere intimate relationship with the Lord our protector and healer.

From here we jumped deep into the 1040 window... India, Sri Lanka and the UAE. The Hindu world of India is being impacted with great light these days. We were in North India at the Assembly of Believers Church annual conference. Wow what a growing movement of evangelism into the softening ground of north India. Church planting efforts are now taking root into stronghold regions of the world. When the last person has the gospel preached to them, then he will return!

From India we swung south to our beloved heartland of Sri Lanka. I stand amazed @ God's mercy to allow me to minister in these nations and how we as a family lived and worked in these wonderful places. We met with our partners in Sri Lanka and a great report from WOW as the new work is moving forward. A new venue has been established to house this great awakening happening in Sri Lanka. Luke and I got to visit with some of our old friends... mainly a Muslim family that befriended us. Remember... you may be the only Bible some people ever read.

From Sri we traveled to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Wow what a city! This trade city on the Persian Gulf has all the bells and whistles of a modern city but the under current of Islam rang loud as we walked through the streets ministering. We had met a Nigerian pastor in India and got to meet with him and his wife. One of those God ordained moments... We gave them the word of the Lord and laid foundation for future ministry. We stayed with our dear Pastor Neil and his awesome family. They even had a welcome banner in our rooms... so sweet!

We sat Pastor Neil and had awesome discussions on God's Grace! Some great revelations...

So that will kind of bring us up to date... now looking forward to reflecting, relaxing and then preparing to climb the next mountain the Lord has laid before us! Thanks for being our friends and for taking the time to read... God bless you!

LSU Tigers...

Today is the 1st day of classes for the fall semester @ LSU. Andy is a sophomore and Mary a freshman... Wow I remember my days in college as fun yet challenging and away from home. How naive and innocent I was to the ways of the world...

Here is a taste of the note I sent them this am to let them know their parents were behind them and praying for them.

4 things keeps His hand of favor on your life...
1. Faithful - daily relationship with the Lord. Seek 1st the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.
2. Obedience - It is better to obey than to sacrifice...
3. Love - Above all the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13
4. Forgiveness - When we forgive others... God will forgive us.

I just shake my head in amazement as to the Lord's hand of grace upon Sandy and I to be parents. Jesus entrusted us to raise our four kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Such an honor to see God's hand on all our kids and the fear of the Lord deeply rooted into their lives.

Train up a child in the way they should go for when they are older they will not depart from it... I love the Word of God so alive and such a blessing of promise.

Amazing Video on Missions...

My great friend Jack Harris got this video from another missionary named Ryan Philips. Talk about stir your soul... let me know what you think!

Wow for all my followers I repent... two months and no blog posts. Well all I can say is obviously we have been a little busy and I have kind of had some writer's block. So much to say but honestly trying to keep my emotions in check. Just a season but important to effective communication...

A quick catch up since end of June... I went to Sri Lanka to attend WOW - Sri Lanka huge evangelistic meeting and launch of the new cutting edge church in Colombo proper. Exciting to say the least to see the Lord moving in this next generation with signs and wonders. The nation is like a new place with the war complete. But as a great man of God wrote me the war in the spirit for the souls of men still rages violently. I will be saying more about this in the future.

Before I left we moved to a new place in Clinton... a great friend of ours personally has allowed us to move into their home. This positions us to continue the transition we have felt coming in our personal lives. This is a story yet to be played out... I suppose life is a transition as the Bible says we are changed from glory to glory. Everyday is a step closer to eternity. Sandy and I are in the "fun" stages of walking our kids into adulthood... they are gonna turn hell upside down for Jesus!

After I returned from Sri Lanka I got the flu... I don't know if it was swine flu but I sure felt horrible nevertheless it didn't stop me from working and preparing for a trip to Panama. The day before I was scheduled to leave for Panama the fever broke and the yuk in my head broke out and I got totally healed... Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord!

Panama was an incredible trip with my great friend Pastor Johnny Brady and Fellowship to the Nations Church in Houston, TX. Those Texas folks are passionate for Jesus and their love for the Kuna Indians has proven decades of fruit with souls. Johnny's dad starting going their in the 60's building churches and evangelizing the Kuna's. Johnny uses a unique method of bringing basketball players to play exhibition games and draw the crowds. The huge Americans playing the fiesty small Indians is too funny... One of my personal highlights is too see the spirit of the Lord touch the team as most of them are 1st timers to the mission field. Lives changed and passion poured out into young people as they give of themselves... you will never be the same once you leave your comfort zone and go to the nations.

I have always said I could never give back to the mission field what the mission field has done for me...

We have been moving out of the missions house in Zachary to a new place in Clinton the past few days. Actually I am in a hurry now as we prepare to leave for Sri Lanka next week. So a whole lot of hard work is happening at around us these days. First we built a big storage room at my dad's barn in Mississippi in the searing hot heat. All in all a good investment as Sandy said she had enough of giving away all her furniture. I did not over rule this time...

This picture is of my most awesome favorite mother in law in the whole world! Her and Sandy both love to move furniture... I mean serious like therapy. I just stand in awe as they move it and move it back, then move it some more. It is so funny to experience their creativity. So cool to see Proverbs 31 come to life in these great women.

So pray for us as we move... change is a challenge but well worth the effort to allow to God to use you for his glory.

O Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.

When I was a little boy growing up in Jackson, LA. My mom got me to enter the local high school's talent show sponsored by the Future Business Leaders of Louisiana (FBLA). Innocent and young but emboldened with a personality of expression, I belted out the rendition of "He's got the whole world in his hands". Little did I know the performance would bring the house down and I would go home with my first trophy the winner of the FBLA talent contest. As I read the scripture in Isaiah 25:1 this AM my thoughts raced back to God's plan for my life. Such a wave of emotion and thankfulness swept over my soul as I bowed in worship. Jesus is so faithful and worthy of praise!

My Father in LAW - Mr. JB Gulotta

Sandy’s dad passed away on May 24th after a long illness. Mr. JB Gulotta was a great man and he will be missed dearly. He was so good to me trusting me with one of his precious children and his baby daughter. Talk about talented... he was an incredible finish carpenter as I witnessed him transform so many pieces of junk furniture and houses into master pieces. He also loved to grow things as he always had a big garden and grew so many tomatoes as he knew his bride of 52 years, Mary Ellen loves tomatoes. He raised his children to work hard as they ran a dairy in the Loranger area for years then he took over the rural letter carrier post from where he retired.

I was honored to preach the funeral and minister to the family. Gonna be different now without him in this life but look forward to seeing him in eternity. We love you Mr. JB and Daddy!>

All Smiles!!!

We got official word this early AM the war is over in Sri Lanka, www.theacademic.org . The Sri Lankan government has taken control over the whole country as the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) have laid down the arms after their senior leaders were killed in the last battles. Lets of emotions and questions are running through my mind this AM. After nearly 30 yrs of war the country will be at peace... no more road blocks, check points, military bunkers, strained looks on people faces, etc... Sad too that so many have and are suffering for a lost cause. Civil War is horrible!

This war ending was something we have always envisioned for Sri Lanka. Please keep us in your prayers as we look to the future with the people of Sri Lanka with hope for a better day. Pray this new hour will again bring opportunities for the gospel to go into closed areas. This makes me think of all the times Luke and I went into the war zone... only covered by the blood of Jesus and the prayers of the saints. Now we can go bring this gospel unhindered... serving and loving and giving Jesus to this nation. Yes I am moved this AM...

We look to the Lord and his people to help us get to the people.

No Lines...

Today is THE day to celebrate the risen saviour, Jesus Christ. Not a dead God but one who overcame death and the grave! Wow I am so fired up to have such a great relationship with a God that is ALIVE and risen from the dead. Come on this is something to shout about and rejoice. As I awoke this AM the hall mark scripture of John 3:16 was whispered in my ear by the Holy Spirit. My thoughts raced to Jesus and his great love for me personally. then my next thought was his love for the world. I once heard a US senator tell me about his experience when he flew on a space mission. He spoke of his looking back at the earth and seeing a world with no lines. My heart leaped as this man was speaking of how God looks at his creation. No lines... the old sunday School song says, Red, yellow, black or white Jesus loves the little chidren of the world. We are all his children my friend as their will be no grand children or step children in heaven. Just fully paid for blood line inheritance by the precious sinless blood of the lamb of God... Jesus my Lord!
Each day on our website, http://www.map1040.com/ a new unreached people group profile is shown on the homepage for prayer consideration. This is how it all started for us... prayer for the nations. No lines... Jesus died and rose again for the sins of the whole world.

Sandy and I want to extend a Happy Easter to all our friends and family. We are celebrating today with our family in Mississippi. The past few years we have been in Africa ministering on Easter. So it is going to be real nice to sit at my mama's table today. We are gonna eat some awesome Mississippi food and breath in the fresh air and sound of no cars in the rural country side of southwest Mississippi. Ya'll have a good one ya hear...

The Gathering...

Spent the last few days at "The Gathering" in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. 19 international missionaries representing 14 nations were in attendance as well as many home missions ministries. Pastor Darren Davis of Harbour Church, Ft. Lauderdale "gathers" missionaries from all over to meet and get reports. Wow so awesome to hear the reports and to minister to the missionaries. We got to tell our story of the Glory meetings in Sri Lanka and all of the work we are involved inside of the 1040 window.

One of the highlights for me personally is this church is where my baby sister came to know the Lord Jesus and now she is being sent out to the nations. Tish is heading to South Korea to teach at international school. We are too excited as she has been living with our family this past school year and we have been preparing her to move forward. 

Commitment...
Done deal at our house as the wedding went off in grand splendor. Ty and Katie stood before the Lord and vowed the marriage covenant on March 21st @ 6pm. Wow it was so special and honestly I did not cry... Sandy wept and I laughed with joy! We had a great time celebrating with our family and friends. We had guests as far as India grace the wedding as the "international" nature of our lives even shined through with a curry dish in the wedding feast.
Our main goal was to honor the Lord as a witness to the bridegroom coming for his bride. We so prayed for God to bless this time. We sensed such a special presence of God in the event... May his name be glorified and honored in our lives and specially in Ty and Katie's.

Wedding Week...

Well this is the beginning of wedding week at our house as our eldest daughter Katie is set to get married March 21st @ 6pm. Katie is marrying Ty Rigby who in our opinion is the man God intended for her. Ty has a great heart and an intensity about him that we sense will grow and need to be married to Katie, hello! The best thing is Sandy and I are convinced of his love and dedication to Katie. Enough mushy stuff... all the wedding plans are in full force. The Lord has been so good to set this time to celebrate in royal fashion.

The wedding will take place at our misson's base in Port Hudson, LA. up river from Baton Rouge. This old house is called Willow Springs and was a hospital site for both sides of the great American Civil War conflict at the Battle of Port Hudson. Interesting how this place is a place of healing and peace. The beauty of the setting with the old live oak trees and park like garden will be ordained with all the pomp and circumstance of the local culture. Basically this translates into a whole lot of work for us but it will be well worth the joy. Sandy is set to put our best foot forward in welcoming our family and friends to celebrate our 1st child's wedding. What an awesome time for family and we are gonna have a great time.

The greatest wedding with soon take place at the marriage supper of the Lamb when the bride of Christ will be united with her bridegroom, Jesus our Lord. What a cool picture of how weddings are really gonna be like... What a party it is going to be! So let the celebraton begin...

Built for specific purposes...

After I watched this video performance the first thought that came to my mind was God built us all for a purpose. Inspiring rendition of Amazing Grace I am sure you will enjoy...

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid271552717/bctid1913313052

Slum Dog wins Best Picture @ the Oscars... Reveals India to the West!

India cries out…
I am not a big movie goer but I had to go see this work about India. My great friend and missions mentor Jack Harris (Global Messenger Service) told me about this movie. So off I went to experience India on the big screen… WOW! I cried off and on during the movie so stirred with the sights and sounds my family and I have often experienced.
India was what moved me to action of obedience to the harvest fields of souls. Nothing I have found on this earth will move you like the raw desperation of humanity in India. The sights and smells of thousands of dung fires preparing supper for their families in Bihar will stir any man's soul. The masses of people, honking of horns, chi tea in stalls everywhere, cows in the streets, colors of dress, huge temples, deeply religious people, etc... Oh Incredible India!

I got to accompany one of the greatest missionaries of the modern time in one Jack Dyer to see Slum Dog. This was my 2nd time to go see the flick... I knew Jack would be impacted in an incredible way. Jack and his wife Shirley spent 7 years in the rugged Himalaya mountain region serving at Wood Stock school after 27 years of service in Honduras. The big eye opener is Jack did not get started until he was in his late 40's... he forsook the ways of Babylon and left the comforts of familiar to bring honor to the name of Jesus. I am humbled just to be his close friend...

I got some cool friends name Jack...

Jack Harris - Fenton, MO

Jack Dyer - Baton Rouge, LA

Both are world changers and passionate to make His name great in the nations!

Slum God will give you an idea of life in India. An idea is nothing like the smells... HA! Oh come on now, if my wife can handle it anybody can... she is amazing.

God call us to sell out for souls... Let the Word of the Lord run swiftly (II Thess 3:1-5). Lord give to us the deeper revelation of masses of multitudes in India in the balance of eternity in Jesus name.

Harvest @ East Gate
Trincomalee, Sri Lanka