Applebees and Alcohol

A couple weeks ago we were met with a challenging situation with a man who is very special to us, who has struggled with unbelief in God, as well as other demons. During a bold challenge to this man, Frank told him that God would reveal Himself as real to him within 24 hours. Well, you know God, when He's met with something birthed out of desperate faith, He's going to get the GLORY. Within 24 hours another believer had been compelled to reach out to this man, thus beginning a journey for him to start exploring the possiblity of there really being a God. It has been amazing watching God work in this man's life to bring him to realization that He is really a living and wonderful God!

Tonight we had our small group and since I pretty much feel like I was breathing under water from what seems like an asthma exacerbation from my exposure to some mustiness on the plane trip to New Jersey this past weekend, we decided to skip everyone coming over to my hurricane of a house and go to Applebees instead.

So while we are sitting there, this horribly smelly guy keeps coming in and out to smoke a cigarette and return to the bar. Since my lungs are on strike, I was especially sensitive to his odors. But God pointed him out to me and he was the "target" for the night. hee hee So we are sitting there, the 6 of us, having already finished eating, and we are talking about the ministries and etc that we are getting ourselves involved in, start talking about how the church has failed in so many areas in just reaching out to people, saved or unsaved. We also talked about a video by casting crowns for "Does Anybody Hear Her," which I will post the link too, you've GOT to see this. The song itself is gripping, but to see the video....tear drop city!

So while we are discussing it, I'm watching smelly dude off and on and God is saying, "Wait.......... wait......... wait.......... wait." Ever seen one of those well trained dogs that you can put a cookie on the top of his nose and say, "Wait....... wait........ wait........ wait......... NOW!" and the dog will sit there until you say "NOW" and then he will gulp down the cookie? It's always about cookies with me, isn't it?

So suddenly, I get the "NOW," and before I know it, I'm on my feet standing next to smelly dude, who has clearly had way too many trips to the bar, and I put my hand on his shoulder and look him in the eye. Naturally, he thought I was hitting on him since he was drunk, and didn't realize I was some old chick. So I'm asking him how many he's had and if he needs a ride home soon. He tells me just four beers and asks, "WHO ARE YOU?" I'm like, please, like you don't know WHO I am? Ok, well, he didn't.....having not heard of me in New Jersey where I am obviously famous, so I tell him I'm the angel that has come to keep him out of trouble tonight. He laughs. Jeesh. How rude.

So we chat a bit and I tell him that we want to drive him home when he's had all the drinks he's going to have. So he is like, "Who are you?"

Why am I only famous in my own eyes????

So we start to tell him that we are here because God wanted us to help him tonight. The dude is overwhelmed, I mean OVERWHELMED by the attention we are giving him....the love he is so definitely feeling, and says, "HOW? Who told you to come over here? How did you know to just come over here? I mean did you hear a voice, did you hear something? How does this happen?" I told him Jesus sent us, and that He loves him so much and when he's had all the beer he intends to drink, we are going to be takin' care of him. So he's like, "WHAT? How do you mean God told you to come over here?"

So I tell him, "Here's how it works. We sit, we eat, we wait on God, He highlights the person HE wants His loved expessed to the most, and YOU'RE the one He picked. So understand that we are here to help you get home because God loves you so very much." So then Frank starts to talk to him and I go back to my table and let Frank do his thing. This man was so overwhelmed by the love we showed him, that he could hardly believe it. We never condemned him for having too much to drink and even told him we would wait til he was done with his beer. So after a while Frank comes back to sit down and we talk with our friends some more and then this guy finishes his last beer.

Now our mistake here was probably in walking away from him while he guzzled down the rest of his drink, because then the little devils were encrouching upon him and he got nervous and intimidated out of nowhere and tried to sneak out. I caught him though. Aren't I mean?

So he said he had another ride and he'd be fine. No problem. So we go to leave, and I put my hand on his shoulder, shake his hand, look him deep in his eyes and tell him, "God loves you." He says, "Yeah, ok, thanks." So I say, "No, you're not gettin' it dude. You're pretty messed up right now so you can't comprehend what I'm saying, but that spirit-man that's deep inside of you (and I point to his heart) is gettin' this, and I am speaking to that man deep inside and telling you that God loves you and has sent us here to tell you that so you will know that forever in your heart and come to know Him."

hahahah JESUS GOT HIM! I could feel it. YAY God!!

So I'm convinced that something was happening inside there and God will germinate that seed that was planted, and He will get this dude. You know, that's all you need to do, just love on people, even drunk smelly ones, ESPECIALLY drunk smelly ones. And I am not going to accept that there will be no fruit from that. Frank delivered the Word to him, and God's Word will not return void and will accomplish everything It sets out to accomplish.

In a way, drunk people are easier to minister to. Certainly easier than "religious" people. Their flesh is so plastered that you are really able to get down to the spirit-man of the person, KWIM? The Word digs in deeper past all of the thoughts and fears, right to the heart. Their flesh is unable to reject the Word with a coherent thought, and later, God does His thing in them. I have read stories about people who have been stoned beyond reason or drunk out of their mind and get ministered to, and a year later you find them completely saved and changed and out on the streets doing the same thing you did with them, and this is without the follow up of the initial ministering person! That's good news to me! That's encouraging to me to know you're not just wasting your time with 'em. And truthfully, anytime you SPEAK the Word to anyone, it's never a waste of time. Ever. So speak it!

With this particular fella, he was totally receiving the Living Word that is inside of us, (no tract necessary here!!) and there was breakthrough happening. But we walked away from the bar and went back to our table to wait for him to be ready. Something I think was a mistake in this case, but that's ok, God has His way even when we mess it up a bit. I literally saw the demonic come over him like a cloud, surrounding him as a buffer to our efforts, and his personality changed. He was no longer receptive but instead was trying to get away, he even broke a 20 ounce glass on the bar trying to leave. Then he was embarrassed because all of his 'friends' were laughing at him. You know who wasn't laughing at him? The Jesus freaks. Then when we went to leave and he had gotten himself another ride (he wanted to go to Lime Light, which is another bar, and we wanted to take him home, not to another bar, so he found someone to take him to L.L.), he was being more influenced by the devil at that moment, that's why he was indifferent suddenly, but when I came over and laid my hand on him again, it's like turning a light on and the dark just goes away. It was pretty cool, and INSTANT. Seriously, you have more power in your pinky than the devil has in his entire fleet of fallen angels. The Holy Spirit that is within me inundated him with His Presence, and the devil must flee! And again, I had a breakthrough with him and got to his deep parts of his heart and he knew and understood that love of God that was reaching out to him. I can't really explain it good, but the battle between the good and evil, or the flesh, the devil, and big, big God, is a might good fun to watch. hee hee Because the Light belongs in the darkness!

And you never know, we might have been this man's "24 hours"....just like someone was for our dear friend. And I don't ever want to miss an opportunity to be the light in the darkness. Do you? Go somewhere and turn on the Light!

Here's that link to that Casting Crowns Song. Now every time I hit this link it says it has been removed, but I find it again, post it again, then it's been removed again. So if this one doesn't work, go to You Tube and type in Casting Crowns and look for Does Anybody Hear Her. It's the video BY Casting Crowns, with that group singing in it. It is gripping and relevant to what happens today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkynTSM1jFw

Take Him With You!

Well I had a great weekend! I had the absolute pleasure of flying to New Jersey for one of my very best friend's 40th birthday party and it was a special treat indeed. We had so much fun wearing tiaras and being self proclaimed beauty queens. I was dubbed "Miss Understood." We also had Miss Leading, Miss Behaved, Miss Chievious, Miss Cellaneous, Miss Nomer, and Miss Guided. It was the most fun I think I have ever had outside of Chuck E Cheese. LOL!

What I did not want to be was Missed Opportunity, so I prayed for doors to open, especially on the flight, and for ministry to happen. And it did! You know why? Because I wanted it, and my Daddy gave it to me. He always gives us the Kingdom things we are hungry for. And while I may never know the full outcome of my efforts to be the light in the darkness, I believe by faith that God's Kingdom was released, most especially on the flight from Atlanta to Phili. God's Word tells us when we draw near to Him, He will draw all men near to us. And He does, ya know, He means what He says. We are the temple of the Holy Ghost, and where ever we go, we take Him with us, and it's our job to release His love into the multitudes. I like that job~it's FUN!

One encounter on the flight that was especially memorable to me was the man who was sitting across the isle from me. God had already high-lighted him and I knew he was "the one," my Divine Appointment. So as I waited on God to make it happen, I read a book on the flight. I was reading "Light Belongs in the Darkness," by Patricia King. I could tell this man wanted to speak to me, as this often happens, most especially when I've been in God's Presence, and the fragrant anointing oil of Him is still oozing about me, attracting people like a magnet. It's good stuff! I kept glancing over out of the corner of my eye and waiting for a God-portunity to happen, and sensing that this man was eager to get some of the stuff that was living inside of me. I can't explain how it happens, it just does, and it's a God thing. He really does draw all men near. Too cool.

Finally, he initiated a conversation and he began to share with me deep personal stuff about his life, and I knew that he was drawn to the Spirit of God and was not finding comfort in my words or my presence, but in His Presence. Wow. God is so awesome! He shared things about his marriage of nearly 30 years that was coming to an end, his emotional attachment to his wife, his hurts and his fears. I mean the dude was sharing some deep stuff here to a perfect stranger.....and let's face it, you can't get stranger than me. Then I was able to pray for him, I reached my arm across the isle and laid it on his shoulder, right there in front of the other passengers (do I care what other people think??) and prayed for him and his marriage and for God to release His love into this man. And He did. I could feel it releasin'! I could tell that he was deeply touched by God through that experience, and I know without a doubt that he will never be the same. God is moving. He is always moving. I just want to follow that Cloud, that Pillar of Light. It was a special time of ministry for that man and I was honored to be a part of it.

It doesn't matter where you go, you are carrying the Light. Don't keep it inside of you! Share it! Spread the Light. Take Him with you.....then release His power into the world! The Kingdom is truly at hand!

Jesus Saves - Even at McDonalds!

Last night we went back up to that Mountain of Worship Conference, which was, as usual, totally awesome! So about 10 pm I'm 'bout to starve to death and am thinking, man we only have about $30 in my checking account, not sure if we'll need gas tomorrow or not, I better wait til we get home to eat, which was after 1 am. So I'm sitting there listening to this awesome speaker who is a missionary to Africa (Suprise Sithole) and part of Iris Ministries, the orphanage that our Children's Church has been focusing on, and my stomach is justa growlin. Can God make your stomach growl like that if He wants you to go to McDonalds? Yes, I think He might can. I had eaten a nice plate of speghetti before we left, and honestly, should not have been hungry. So I'm just growlin' here and thinking, "Man, I wish I could go to McDonalds." And God said, 'Yep, go to McDs." So I was like, well, we don't have very much money in the checking account. He said, "Eat something cheap. I want you at McDonalds."

Hmmmm, feels a little like a set up to me. So I start praying into it and and believing God is getting ready to bring us into a Divine Appointment. So finally about a quarter to 11 we get in the car to leave and I told Frank we HAD to go to McDs, but we needed to eat cheap, and that we had a Divine Appointment. So he's like, Cool.

We get there, go inside, and I'm looking around. There is only the crew and one other man there. Since it's really not always a good idea to mess with people while they are on the clock, I figured it was this dude that was there. So when he got his food, I went up to him and talked to him a bit. Nope. It wasn't him. Then one of the little crew girls comes out and she starts wiping the tables, and the manager goes over and locks the doors cause they are closing the dining room. He leaves one door unlocked for us to get out. So I'm looking at this girl thinking, she must be it. Just before I'm about to muster up the courage to go speak to her (cause I really have to dig deep for courage most of the time, being an introvert....am too!) a group of hoodlems come walking in. The manager says they are closed, they look at him, totally ignore him, and walk over to the area where the tables were. One particular guy was super scarey looking. He had a mannerism about him that just spoke of ill intent. So this manager doesn't even do anything! So they go over and sit and the one scarey one starts to harrass this young crew girl wiping tables. Another girl that was with them slipped off to the bathroom.

So I'm watching them and this guy is laying the flirting heavy on her, she is completely not interested, but I can tell that she probably knows him. So he's all up in her face saying, "Come on...." And she says, "You know I told you I don't have time for boys, now leave me alone." So she walks away to another table and this dude goes over to the door. So I go up to her and say, "Are you OK?" She says, "Yeah." So I say, "Is that guy botherin' you, cause I can totally take him." She laughs, says "No, he's a guy I know, he's just being a pest." So I said, "Are you positive, cause I know I don't look it, but I'm really strong, I could totally take the dude." So we talk a few minutes and then I realize she's not the one we are here for.

Bummer

The only ones left are the scarey looking dudes and the chic that's with 'em.

OK. So Frank finishes getting our food, which I think they were peeling potatos or something cause it took forever, and while he's getting the drink, these people are walking out the door leaving. And you know sometimes things happen that just happen and your body will move in a direction that it's not you, but probably an angel or something makin' you move, and the next thing I know I'm following these people out the door, go up to the scariest guy and without hesitation out comes, "Hey Dude. I told that girl inside that if you mess with her, I could totally take you." Then I smile at him and poke him in the belly. He gives me this look like he's going to chop me into 10 peices and mail me to all my friends. Then he suddenly busts out laughing.

Ok, first of all, how the heck did that come out of MY mouth? And Yay God for not letting this dude eat me.

So I boldly say, "We are ministers, is there anything I can pray for you about?" (Now the funny thing is, I never say to people we are ministers, EVER, so that was like weird, again)

So the girl says, "YES! PRAY FOR MY CAR!" Now, I have prayed for people, prayed for animals even, but never has anyone asked me to pray FOR their car. So I start to ask her what for and this other dude chimes in and says, "Can you pray for me about school?" So I'm thinking he's probably failing and needs prayer about that but he ends up telling me he's in college and just needs to stick with it. We talk for a few minutes and I pray for him. I'm still blown away that THAT dude was going to college. So we talk a little more and the girl interrupts. She wants HER prayer time.

Now here's something interesting. We are spiritual beings, we just are, so it's perfectly natural for people, even unbelievers, to desire something from the spiritual realm, even if they don't understand it. That's why unbelievers will often turn to New Age stuff, because that's spiritual, it's a false source, but the world is HUNGRY for things of the Spirit, and they get it through other sources. And that's how the god of this world, Satan, operates. But we can take him too.

So I ask this girl if she's a believer. She says, "Yes." Now we can never assume that means anyone is saved. So I just rolled with it a minute. I asked her what she needed prayer for specifically. She kept saying her car, so I asked her if it was finances to buy a car, she said, "No, I just need help. I just need help." So I'm like, "Help with what, sweetie?" And she doesn't know. So Frank starts prophesying over her and I'm holding her hand the whole time. She is not trying to release my grip or anything, and she still has her cool friends standing around watching. So he starts saying, "I sense that you are in a stage in your life where you are very confused about some things and God wants to bring order to your life...." and she is totally hanging on every word. Then he says he would like to pray for the spirit of confusion to be released from her, and on and on. So while he starts praying for her, I'm still holding her hand and her hand gets ice cold. So I hold it with both of my hands, just rubbing her hand to warm her up. I'm watching her face and she just starts to glow. She has her eyes closed the whole time, not even looking around to see if her friends are making fun of her (the scary dude is behind us and he is kinda makin' fun of us....) and when Frank is done praying she says, "I feel funny, ya'll." And she kinda staggers a bit.

HA. Well, I know that funny. So Frank says, "That's the Holy Spirit." She said, "It is?" So I asked her when it was she got saved. She said she never did do that. So I asked her a few questions, talked a little to make sure she understood and then led her to Christ! Whoo - hooo! So she prayed and invited Him into her heart, and she was radiant! It was so cool. It was like a Light was shining on her. She was just glowing, and she was still saying, "I just feel so.....so.....funny, ya'll. It's really weird." HAHA. SO cool... THAT was God!

So I'm giving her a hug and she's so sweet and full of God's love and it's like WOW, and I turn around and Frank is all over scarey dude. I see him just pouring it out on this guy and he asked him if he could pray for him. So I put one hand on his back, my other hand on his chest, where I can feel his heart beating really, really hard, and fast, and Frank does his thing and all of a sudden, scarey dude is not so scarey anymore. He's getting delivered of this and that, and his body gets all lose and free, and he's relaxed, actually swaying a little bit, and his entire coutenance changes and he has a little bit of tears workin' up in his eyes, gives Frank a BIG OLE hug, real tight and real sincere, (yes Frank's wallet was still in his pocket when we got home) and Frank starts speaking life into him telling him that God intends for him to be a leader, and He will raise him up to be a fisher of men, and thousands will come to Christ because of this dude's leadership and etc, and this guy is just beaming. You know why? Cause Somebody believes he will be something good! Something worth more than what he was ever told in his life! Then the first guy we prayed for was in his car, he got out before we left and gave us both hugs, and I asked him if he knew Jesus and he said he did when he was a little boy. So we just spoke life into him and loved on him and it was awesome!

So we get in the car, get ready to leave, and I'm like trying to act all cool about it, and when their car finally clears the parking lot, I start shouting and praising God and getting all excited and whoo-hooin' and stuff! I could barely drive the car home!

It was so cool.... God is a good, good God!!

Whose Street Is This Anyway??

Well, this First Friday we didn't set up tables, we stood stationary in front of a building because the Art Council in Augusta has decided we now need a vendor's permit. We don't sell anything, but yet we need a vendor's permit. Smart.

So we did the same thing, just didn't bring the tables and chairs. But God is so cool and so big that He is able to circumvent anything the world tries to do to thrwart our efforts to share Jesus. So we stood a lot, and walked a lot. Ministered to several folks. Basically, we took the attitude that this was OUR street, we were the Pastor's of A Church Without Walls, so we went about meeting and greeting folks, as if we owned the whole down town area. Well, we don't own it, ya know, but Jesus does, and since we are joint heirs with Him, we took it in His Name!

One particular group of fellas were soldiers, so we went up and shook their hands, thanking them for serving our country. Then we talked with them about how much we appreciate that they were willing to die for us so that we could sleep at night safely and without thought. Then we shared about Someone Who died for them. We were able to pray with them, including a prayer of safety, naturally claiming Psalm 91 over their lives. It was a sweet time in the Lord. Both men were believers and it was a joy to love them like Jesus.

Whenever I meet a soldier in uniform, I always go up to them and shake their hands and thank them for serving the country. It is a noble thing, and a sacrifice, and they deserve our gratitude. We always mention something to them about their willingness to DIE for us, so that we can have freedom, so that we can sleep at night without fear, and that we can live our lives out without constant worry about attack. Soldiers are awesome! And you know what else? They are easy to talk to Jesus about, because just like them, Jesus was willing to die for us so that we could be free, and He did, and a soldier that is willing to die for me certainly needs to know about the One Who died for him. And this is usually how we bring it up with them, asking them if they don't make it home from battle, do they know where they will spend eternity? I most usually cannot get through that part without crying, you know why? Because while I can say that to any other person on the planet, and certainly mean it, the reality is, this little soldier sitting in front of me, can die sooner rather than later, and this, in my mind, makes it a matter of urgency even more so. So go out there and win a soldier to the Kingdom!

Another man was sitting alone near our corner and we spoke to him. Ya know, sometimes people just need a touch from God, and YOU can be that vessel to touch them! He was sitting there and we just went over and introduced ourselves, just as if he had been a first time visitor in a traditional church setting, as we are A Church Without Walls afterall...LOL! We asked him if he had anything we could pray for him about and he shared some things with us, then we prayed for him and he really broke down and cried. Bless his heart. Frank hugged him and Frank P. invited him to breakfast for the next morning. It's neat to see people touched by the love of God, and that's really what it is! An act of prayer IS an act of love!

So get out there and love somebody you don't know today!

From the Archives, Sept 2006 God Does a New Thing in our Street Ministry

Let me see, where do I even begin to tell you about First Friday? It was just too awesome. I told Frank that he started a church Friday night! A Church Without Walls! Whooo-Hooo! Yay God!

We got there about 7 and it was already packed. We had previously claimed, in the Name of Jesus, the spot in front of the Board of Education as our spot and we set up tables with some signs that said, "Need Prayer?" and one that said, "Prayer, Healing, Deliverance." The enemy was lurking but God did something awesome and showed His power. We were there a few hours and found out that Mountain of Worship, the people who put on the conference that Lisa and I went to, had come to Augusta and set up only a half a block away from where we were with worship music and were having a great time in the Lord down there. So, the Church Without Walls had a praise and worship band! HAHAHA! It's so cool that God had this big ole plan. And on top of it, Frank and i have been praying for 18 months for HELP, and for other churches to get involved, and Whala! There were masses of Christians out there passing out gospel tracts and witnessing to people.

Well, this month, Frank felt led to do something completely different. Instead of doing gospel illusions and roaming the streets looking for people, he wanted a stationary spot set up for ministry. Honestly, I didn't know what was going to happen or if it was going to be effective. But I knew something awesome MUST have been in the works, because of all the opposition we were getting. And I was shocked..totally shocked, that people actually came up to the table and requested prayer. I mean, they really came.

Several of them said they wouldn't have done that in their own church, and thanked us for bringing "church" to them. Which was totally the point and SO good to hear confirmation that this was exactly what we were supposed to be doing. One particular incident that just blessed me to be a part of was while I was sitting at a table talking to this man who came by to give us a gospel track. OK, dude, move on, obviously we have a sign and everything...we got it...

Then Frank walks over to me with a woman about my age, maybe a little older...(like 30 wink) and she is looking at me with so much hope. So Frank transfers her hand from his hand into my hand and she grips onto my hand with desperation and looks so deeply into my eyes, like everything she hopes for and desires is dependent on what I'm going to do. It was a tremendous amount of pressure and for an instant, I was feeling completely inadequate and wanted to hand her over to someone else! Well, Frank had introduced her to me, I guess she walked up to the table and told him she needed prayer and wanted salvation. OK, no problem. Actually, it was a very big problem, because I have never lead anyone to the Lord all by myself. You know, with no one there to give me the "you're doin' it right" looks. So I was like, OK Lord, it's just You and me. So I sat her down, her name was Madeline , and I asked her what brought about this decision. I mean I was wondering if she was just walking around and suddenly became convicted of her sins and suddenly wanted Jesus, or if this was a process she was working up to over a span of time. So she says, "Well, I already asked Jesus to save me years ago, BUT..." So then I was like, OK, so not a salvation, something else. And I wish you could have seen the desperation in her eyes. She told me she was backslidden and out of church and she just knew that God didn't even know who she was and had forgotten about her. She went on to explain that she just got laid off and she doesn't know what she is going to do and she just needs someone to help her. And she kept saying she just needed help. At first I was thinking she might be wanting me to give her some money or something, but then I realized she meant spiritual help. She said her husband had recently come out of rehab for a crack addiction and she just wanted God to be real to her again so her husband could see God for himself. She said that she knew God was not available to her and she just needed help. And that He abandoned her and could I just please help her. Just help.

OK, so I started to pray with her and she held on to me like a little girl, holding on so tight I thought I wasn't going to be able to continue breathing. Then I finished praying for her and she confessed some more stuff and said she lived with doubt and fear. And we talked some more. Finally God told me that she needed deliverance from some spirits, specifically the spirit of doubt and of fear, and a few others, so I went to rebuking and binding and etc, then WOAH! She just went all free! I could tell she was totally delivered from some stuff. Her countenance completely changed and she LOOKED lighter. I mean it's so hard to explain, but she had been oppressed with so much junk from the enemy, that she just didn't have any victory or confidence in who SHE is IN Christ. So after a little more praying and crying and confessing, she was all excited and just started to worship God, right there on the streets! It was literally as if it was just her and I and God. That's all. No one else. No padded pews. No pretty alter. Just the three of us. AWESOME!! And then, and this was so humbling, she began to pray for ME! She quoted more scripture than I even know while she was praying for me! Totally blew my mind.

So finally we were done and we were talking about her getting back into church. She goes to a church up the road from my house, but she said she was too embarrassed to go back there because she was so backslidden and lived with so much doubt. I reminded her that she had just been delivered from all that. So she was saying maybe she'll go back to her church then. Then guess what happened? This man comes up and gets her attention and she immediately melts into a blubbering puddle all over again and starts to shout, "Thank You Jesus!" I had no idea what was going on until she told me that this man was the pastor of HER church! So, how cool is that? Obviously a serious sign from God! LOL! So I told her pastor what all had happened with her, and how God just delivered her from some stuff and that she was just contemplating on whether or not she could show her face in church when he showed up. He got so excited and said he was at home taking a nap at 6:30 that evening and suddenly woke up and had this strange inclination to come downtown to First Friday! It was amazing. So I handed the baton over to that guy and went on with "church" on the streets.

Frank prayed for so many people that his voice was hoarse by the end of the night. A grandma came up and got him to pray for her grandson who was separated from his mom who was on drugs, so he prayed for deliverance from drugs for that lady and the grandma was so touched and built up in her faith. We had a lot of people come by for prayer. I couldn't believe it. People are so hungry for a touch from God and The Church has failed so many people with all their programs and rules and cliques and social club mentality, that they avoid the church, but still desire a fresh touch from God. It was so amazing. SO AMAZING! And we actually had help from a couple in our small group who were newbies to street ministry and help from a couple from a different church who are into street ministry too. It was a really good night. And we were supernaturally protected all night! Later on the news they showed that right after we left, there were a lot of shootings and fights. In fact, the very building we were standing in front of had a bullet shot through the window on the side we were on!

So we ended up going to Denny's with a married couple that we had recently hooked up with. The night before, she and I and another lady went to this mexican place for a mom's night out. And we were talking about giving and tithing and that sort of thing and one of them said that when she and her husband get out of debt, they will be able to up their giving to beyond the tithe. So I was telling her how the economy of God is very different than the economy of the world and they should consider studying what the Word says about it. So my other friend was telling her some testimonies of things God brought her and her husband through financially with giving and etc. So when we were at Dennys, Frank got the check and it was $18.69 and Frank told me to make the debit card amount out for $25. So I was kinda whining about giving that lady such a large tip, considering she didn't even smile at us or refill anything. She practically ignored us. So he said, No, the Lord told me to do it, so let's do it. Okie Dokie. So then Frank goes into this teaching with our friends there about giving and stuff and tells them how God eliminated $15,000 in debt we had in two years by us giving our way out of it. They seemed impressed with what God's power could do, but were apprehensive to try it. So, because God is a God of signs and wonders.....LOL!!.....we leave the restaurant and walk out to the parking lot together and guess what was laying on the ground? A ten dollar bill. So Frank laughs, picks it up, and says, "See, God's economy is different. Give your way out of your debt. You'll see." Pretty cool, huh?

Anyway, a lot of other really neat stuff happened but I'm exhausted and I'm pretty sure I need some ice cream.

The Party Bus

The party bus is our van. It was GIVEN to us in the summer of 2005. It's an AMAZING story.

Frank lost his job in October of 2004. He worked at ********** ******** as a store manager for over 14 years. He was top in ranking in sales the previous year and was actually high in ranking for most of the years he worked there. He even got a trophy the year before for being #1 in GMR sales (I don't really know what that is). So it came to a serious suprise when they fired him for sales performance issues. As it turned out, they fired a bunch of store managers who had been with the company for 8-20 years and then replaced them with younger managers at more than ten thousand a year less, so the company profited a lot in those few months of mass firing. Then they sold the company to ********. Obviously they needed to show a bigger profit to make the sale. It was devestating, not just because of the obvious financial blow to us, but because of the hurt of being fired unfairly by a company he was loyal to for so long.

So for 8 months he looked long and hard for a job and it was so hard but God used that time to show us so many, many things. And my best friends "the dolls" were totally holding my hand the whole time in prayer about that. I still can't even believe we have had such a drastic change in lifestyle....and survived it. God showed us so many things during the last year. One thing he showed us was that even though we were so poor, we still needed to be tithers and givers. We never stopped tithing, but giving was a little harder. Yet God would prompt us randomly to give to different people or ministries and then He would just so completely shock us with His promises of "give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bossom." I could just go on and on with many many examples of how God would just do something so totally amazing and surprising. He just was so awesomely providing for us. I have always struggled with trust, and this was an area He really grew me in.

He lost his job in October, and my online homeschool support group that I had grown very, very close to, and affectionately call "the dolls" had planned to meet at Hershey Pennsylvania in the summerish time (where else do dieters meet for the first time? We did however at the last minute decide to go to one of the gal's house in Virgina though) and I was really bummed because I knew I wasn't going to be able to go. So I just really accepted that and didn't really think much else of it.

At the end of December, one of the dolls came through our neck of the woods to go to Florida for a family vacation and stopped by for lunch. We had a lovely 3 or 4 hours together. At that time she was having some serious female problems and hemoraging frequently. One of her prayer requests when she was traveling was to stop bleeding so she could enjoy the trip at Disney. From what I understand, it was really, really bad. Well after we ate, Frank said he wanted to pray for Chris. He had her sit in a chair and we gathered around her and annointed her in oil and prayed a prayer of healing for her. I could tell her family probably wasn't very familiar with that kind of thing so after they left I told Frank that those people will never speak to me again! LOL! I was like all worried about it and all.

The next morning she called me from Florida and was just sure she was going to say "You guys are really weird and you need to lose my email address." But she said that the time we had together really meant so much to them and that she had something exciting to tell me. She said that they had been driving and she realized that the bleeding had stopped. She had been passing really big clots and everything, but now she was really feeling good. So instantly she became aware of God's power to heal and to still perform miracles. She also said that when we took our trip to Hershey she wanted to share a room with me and she wanted to pay for my share of the room. I was floored. And very appreciative. And so excited that she had experienced God in a new and exciting way. You go God!

So a little time goes by and we have this neighbor next door with an unsaved husband and the wife had recently been diagnosed with MS. She was having trouble with her knees and was told that if she didn't get a car that was an automatic, she would have to have surgery. She had to stop working because of the disease and was fighting with the disability agency to get some help financially, so getting a car was not in the budget. But immediately after she told us this, the Lord spoke to Frank and I both and told us to give her our little white car, the one Frank drove. It was really so cool that He told us and we both knew it was what the Lord wanted us to do. So we did, and it totally blessed that family. In fact several months later, because of the trust that had developed with the husband after the car was given to them, he ended up getting saved at our house. It was so cool!

So anyway, whenever I was vaccuming out the car and getting it ready to give to them, I was kinda bummed thinking that this was the car I was planning on driving to Hershey and now I wasn't going to have transportation. So I was sitting on the floor of that little car vaccuming and praying and reminding God that He had provided my hotel fare to be paid, now I was doing this thing out of obedience, so I hoped He would remember He had to come up with a way to get me there! LOL!


Later that week I get a phone call out of the blue from that same doll that had offered to pay for my room. For some reason she is compelled to send me plane tickets to go to Hershey. I'm totally blown away. I can't even believe it. God just really surprised me on that! And He did it so fast!

So, a day or so later we get this really bad ice storm and all these trees come crashing down and everything and I guess one of the other dolls saw it on the news all the way in NH and she calls to see if we are all OK. In the course of our conversation she asks me if I am going to be able to go to Hershey with Frank not having a job and all. I tell her that amazingly, someone has offered to pay for my hotel AND pay to fly me up there. She is like totally amazed and all. So I mentioned to her that it was truly even more amazing because we just got rid of the car that I had been planning to drive up.

So about an hour later that amazingly generous other doll calls and wants to know why I didn't tell her we had to sell our car. Well, it's because we didn't sell our car, for one thing, and mostly it's because when you give someone something like that when the Lord tells you to, you just sit and wait on Him. So I just kinda said that it didn't seem important to tell her. So she was like, well it is important because her husband just came in here and out of the blue told me to do something so I'm going to drive down to Georgia and we are going to fly to Virginia together, then drive together to Hershey. So I was like, you don't need to escort me on the plane, I have flown before, I'm a big girl, I can do this....really I can. So she is like, No, you don't understand. I am driving my conversion van to Georgia and flying back with you because we are signing the van over to you and Frank and then we will go on our trip. I was like, WHAT? So she said that he had just come in and told her that he felt like God was telling him to do that.

It was overwhelming, as you can imagine. God totally replaced our vehicle we gave away with a BETTER one....one we can (and do) use for ministry traveling. How cool is that? Anyway, this doll had always called this van the Party Bus, probably because it has all these cool lights and a tv and all that, so it just kinda stuck and the kids call it the party bus too. I don't even think they know it's a van......it's just the Party Bus to them. God is so amazing, isn't He??

From March 2006, Drunk Guy Gets Saved on Streets

Here's something from the archives...

Well, now I know why the enemy was attacking us in full force this week.
We had First Friday this weekend and God just did an awesome thing!!
And get a cup of coffee, and a donut, or a whole pie, cause as usual, this is a long story......


Given the week I had, I didn't want to go to First Friday, so Frank had talked a guy from church into going, but he called at the last minute and said he had to work. Bummer. Now I had to go. Our oldest son, Franklin, wanted to go really bad, so the three of us went. As soon as we got down town, it was like a spirit of fear just overwhelmed me and I didn't want to get out. It seemed especially crowded, probably because the weather had warmed up. It was about 9 pm and it just seemed darker than usual. We walked around a bit, and Franklin did his coin tricks and then we had a crowd of about 30 insane people crowd around us. They were snatchin' Frank's cards and acting ridiculous. I was really discouraged. I was also probably a lot more on guard because I was trying to watch Franklin and keep him from getting mugged and stuff.


Then the next corner we get this guy that was clearly unimpressed with the tricks, said he knew how they were all done and just basically wanted to spoil it all. Now this is really the first time we have ever had this kind of response. Tough crowd, ya know. I mean every now and then we get this, but not every stinkin' group. Then we got some pan-handlers come (which is normal) and tried to bum five bucks off of us. We never carry cash down there anymore (I always fall for people's sob stories), but Frank did pray with them. Then the rest of the people were just too drunk or too whatever for some reason. So about 10:30 I said, "Frank it's getting late. We got one more chance to get someone saved before it's time to go home."

So we started heading back to the van and stopped at a corner for a second where people were listening to music and Frank kinda turns and sees a guy standing there, and it was a dude he knew. So we stopped and talked to him for a minute and he asked us what we were doing and Frank told him and he was like, "Oh yeah, I knew you had a street ministry."

So Frank asked him what he was doing here and he said he was still in town because his computer he ordered hadn't come in yet. He also said that he gets wasted every Friday night, so that's why he was there. He also said he was looking for an ATM cause he wanted to get something to eat, and he and Frank talked a little bit longer and then it was getting later so we started to leave and Franklin wanted to do a coin trick first, so we let him and then we were going to try to find one more group so we could try to get the gospel out one last time before we left. Then Frank asked him if he had ever seen any of his tricks. He said no, but he wanted to see them. So Frank showed him a few and he was clearly impressed.......as he should have been and then Frank showed him the King of Hearts trick. He was totally blown away by the sleight of hand and then Frank said, "Ya know what man, I don't think I ever asked you this. If you died tonight, would you go to heaven or hell?" And then the dude just looked all serious and he said, "I have no doubt that I would go to hell." So Franklin and I walked down the sidewalk a ways and Frank led this guy to Jesus! Yes he did, and the guy was crying and everything. It was beautiful! So I came back and he told me and he said he just couldn't stop smiling. He said he had an emptiness all his life and now he felt full and he was so excited. He also said that he had had 4 pitchers of beer and he no longer felt impaired, he was like "I'm a NEW person inside, this is so cool, I can't even believe it!! I don't even feel the effects of the beer.....this is SO awesome.....!"

So we were like, WOW, ya know, a drunk guy that was sobered up just cause the Holy Spirit entered him! He also told me his dad was a pastor of a church and he had heard this stuff all his life, but he never really "got it" until tonight. Too cool.

So Frank invited him to come to church and he wanted directions and said he was staying with his parents while he was in town. Come to find out, he was staying in a neighborhood right behind our own neighborhood...so that was pretty cool. He actually drives past our street everyday! So of course we offered to drive him home, which we would have even if he lived somewhere else, but it was just such a cool thing that he was staying right behind us. So we start walking to the party bus (the van for those of you who don't know it's proper nick name) and he's all fine and everything, talking normally and not even acting drunk or anything. We get to the van and he says, I think I should tell you I'm diabetic and hypoglycemic. I should really eat something. I'm thinking the dude just had 4 pitchers of beer on an empty stomach, there is no doubt he needs to eat. So Franklin gave him his taco from earlier. He ate it and took his blood sugar.....it was really low! He said he had never had his sugar go this low except for when he was first diagnosed after he went into a coma. Well he started sweating and then he was going in and out of coherence and slurring in his speech. He was shaking and just having all those classic symptoms that we are so familiar with since our youngest son suffers from the same problem. So we stopped at a convenience store and got him a snickers bar. After he ate that, he started to get his wits about him. I told Frank that I was a little nervous (well, I was a lot nervous....I had been praying the whole time that this guy would not puke in my party bus) but I was truly concerned for his health and we needed to get his sugar up and balance him after he got up with some protein....what a night. It was intense!

So Frank is driving, and you know Frank, he just lays hands on him and starts praying for complete and totally healing of his pancreas and etc. The guy said he'd never met anyone like that that cared that much about him to just pray for him like that.....and he's a pastor's son! So we found an ATM and by the time we got there he was saying that his feet had stopped tingling and he started to apologize (??) for going in and out and all. He said he was really scared though, so we ended up at Burger King. Clearly, nothing calms your fears like a Whopper. So then he was OK and we drove him home.

This guy TOTALLY got what had happened to him. TOTALLY got it. Totally got how God had orchestrated a family who had a hypoglycemic child of their own to find him and to KNOW exactly what to do to help him. He said he KNOWS without a doubt that he would have passed out and because he was drunk, no one would have ever thought to check his sugar and he says he KNOWS he would have died and gone straight to hell. If he had driven home, he would have passed out....cause he was in and out as it was......and he would have probably been pulled over and thrown in jail, without a health exam, ya know. Or he would have just passed out and not even been found at all. He said if he had made it home (which he wouldn't have cause he hardly made it to the convenience store before he passed out) he said he would have just gone to bed and died. He totally got it how God not only loved him enough to send his Son to die for him, but that God loved HIM enough to send the right people his way to show him how to get saved and save his soul, AND actually saved his physical life in the process. Isn't that the coolest thing? And to think we almost didn't go because of the kids being sick and all, and that we almost gave up at the last minute while we were down there because there were so many obstacles all night long. God is so good.

Now, as we are driving him home, he gets a phone call from his wife and he tells her that he had a really low sugar and had gotten really bad, but that some awesome friends came by (don't know if I've ever been called awesome before....been called lots of other things....LOL!) and that these friends saved his life AND showed him THE light and that he had something truly amazing to tell her later. Then he got off the phone and said he had no idea how he was going to tell her that he just met Jesus because she's an atheist! Poor guy. So we have been praying for him and his wife. But I'm telling you, this guy was NOT the same person he was when I met him a few weeks ago at Frank's work......he was clearly a changed man. Instantly. And once his sugar got back up to about a hundred, he was back to acting normal, not even drunk at all. So amazing. And I'm SOOOOOO glad he didn't puke in my van!

Welcome to A Church Without Walls

This is a blogsite journaling our adventures with street ministry. We hope our testimonies and experiences will inspire and motivate YOU to get out of the four walls of your own churches and begin to bring Jesus into your communities.