Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Stories About Israel

Brock has so many stories from Israel. He said that the culture is so different. Everyone, guys and girls, must join the military from ages 18 to 21. So, you see these young girls, sometimes in their street clothes, carrying around a machete (that is the gun I saw in my dream...I'm not a gun expert, but I knew that it was longer than a shotgun and shorter than a pistol). When they are on duty, they wear khaki or green uniforms (they wore the green colored in my dream). Because of this, the girls are rather tough...everyone is tough with not much emotion expressed.

They took Brock to the location where Jesus fed the five thousand. They didn't know the exact spot where Jesus stood. Brock began to walk around. He said if it were me, and I was speaking to more like twenty thousand people counting women and children without a sound system, I would stand here. He found a place that was sorta like a natural amphitheater. Brock clapped and you could hear it all throughout the hills. Brock said that it was amazing to try and place himself in Jesus' shoes or sandals or whatever.

One of my favorite stories was this one. All throughout the days of taping, they kept running into people with the same names. The names were Mur and Nissam. They had waiters with one of these names and guides with these names. The drivers for the van and boat were one of these two names. The sound guy got sick and had to be replaced. The guy's name that replaced him was Mur. Even the Israeli crew was wierded out by this, because those names were not very common in Israel. Mur means "enlightenment" and Nissam means "miracles." This is exactly what this television show is trying to do...enlighten the viewers about the miracles of Jesus. I think that the Lord has His hand all over this television special!

Monday, May 30, 2005

Old Friends and Family

We performed in Shreveport yesterday morning and had several old friends come to the show. We keep up with most of our college friends and old friends because we travel so much. When we are in a certain area, our friends that live in that area come out to see the show. It's great!

Then, we went to stay at Brock's parents' house in Louisiana for a couple of days. Some of our very dear friends that now live in the Beaumont, TX area, Brian and Stephanie, are staying here as well. Brian and Brock were in the youth group together. They also went to college together which was where I met Brian and Stephanie. We go on vacation together and try to see each other as often as possible.

Brock's brother is coming here tomorrow. We haven't seen him since Christmas! Also, Brock's grandpa is in the hospital and we are able to go visit him this afternoon. So, our next couple of days will be feeled with sharing time and stories. It's so good to know and be known. Brock will also finally able to rest a little these next couple of days. He hasn't really been able to catch a breath since he got back from Israel.

Sunday, May 29, 2005

Psalm 5:3

"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."

Saturday, May 28, 2005

On the Road Again

We leave this morning and return July 28th. That is a long time. However, I'm ready to go. We lived in our rig on the road for two years. So, even though I love our house, our truck is home as well. Plus, we had a light spring as far as travel goes. I'm ready to take off! I'm going to have to remember this when I'm whining about going home in a couple of months. I'm sure that Brock will remind me. Now, it's in writing!

We have a HUGE summer in front of us. Not only do we have 12 camps, a Livin It, a couple of youth conferences, and a mission trip to Mexico, but we will be filming for the Discovery Channel television show as well. Also,we will be performing new material for tv, so we must get that ready within the next few weeks. It's going to be crazy!! Our shows are in Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Mexico, New Mexico, and Virginia. Pray that our summer will be very successful for the Lord and that we will have the strength to endure.

Friday, May 27, 2005

Flight Troubles is the Theme

This is a long one, but I think that it's worth it. This week, I've been writing a chapter in my book about spiritual warfare. I was just talking with my dad about how Satan seems to attack in themes. He does the same type of thing to you over and over so that it will push your buttons. You can be strong the first and second time, but when you get to the fourth or fifth time, you've had it! Then, you are weak and do not depend on the Lord, and you might even make some bad decisions.

Our theme recently is airport troubles. Brock lost his passport. Then, he almost wasn't allowed to get on the plane to Israel. He also had difficulty coming back to the U.S. He looked so suspicious travelling alone to and from Israel with a fresh passport in his hand. The only reason he was able to come back to the states was because he did magic for the crew at the airport. Then, they lost his luggage. We fly all the time and have NEVER had any luggage lost.

Yesterday, the saga continued. I had been staying in Houston with my parents while Brock was away. I was so excited to get home to see Brock. When I arrived at the airport, I found out that I had my days mixed up and I was supposed to have flown out the day before! I NEVER do that sort of thing. I called the customer care and she told me that all of the flights were booked until the following day. I asked if there was anyway I could go on standby. After some coercing and lots of tears, she agreed to allow me to go through security with a standby ticket. Everyone in the Continental department were so nice to me.

Standby is crazy! The flight was totally booked and there were 3 other people on standby before me. I watched as passengers boarded the plane and my chances of getting to spend the day with Brock kept decreasing by the minute. Somewhere in all of this, the calming presence of the Lord came over me. I felt Him reassuring me that no matter what Satan hurls at me, He is ultimately in control. Also, if I wasn't able to get on this flight, He would give me the strength to endure until the next flight, or the next one.

I had been thinking about my book that I was writing and wondering if I should get some help maybe from a ghost writer or someone who actually had written a book before. A ghost writer takes your stories and actually puts them in the book. They help with the actual writing of the book because they are so experienced in writing. The lady who was on standby in front of me and I struck up a conversation about the Lord. She was a believer as well. She made the statement that she only wanted to be on this plane if the Lord wanted her to be on that plane. Right before we were sent down the jetway, she told me what she does for a living....she's a ghost writer!

We went down the jetway and two others on standby behind me were about to board the plane. I heard some commotion behind me. They stopped the two behind me because two passengers had made it to the plane. I was literally the last person on the flight. I got home 10 minutes before I intended.

During flight, I just knew that I needed to at least ask the lady if she could help me. So, I sent her a note via the flight attendent that just explained that even though I'm only 29, I feel as if the Lord wants me to write a book about my adventures in prayer. In the note, I asked her to help me or maybe put me in touch with someone who could help me. I figured that she would never contact me, because I got the feeling that she was big time. However, after the flight, she waited for me. She gave me her card and told me to call her next week and she would love to help me out.

Maybe this was the reason for her to be on this particular flight...maybe this was the reason that I was to be on this flight. We'll see if anything comes out of this new relationship. In the end, the Lord always wins. If we stick with Him through the thick and the thin, we will be victors!

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Together Again

I fly in today at 12:30pm, and Brock and I are going to spend the whole day together. Today is definately going to be a Happy Fun Day! We'll probably talk and catch up all day. It doesn't matter what we do as long as we can just be together. We haven't been apart this long ever since we've been married...10 DAYS! Also, we have only been able to communicate via e-mail. That doesn't cut it when you are in love. Keeping up with your college friends or relatives...yes, but you want to hear your husband's voice!

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Last E-mail from Isreal

This is the last of the e-mails from Brock:

we have been filming 12 or more hours a day .. things are going good .. i am super tired . i have been in front of the cameras the whole time i have been here ... the crew is good . nice and helpful . that makes it easier . i barely have time to take pics . i have been trying to sneak away as they set the camera and take a few shots .. i have to run tho .. its very hot .. over 100 degrees here .. so they tell me .. it feels like august in texas .. i am learning alot .. discovery said yes to the money for illusions...$15000...yes...so lets go shopping .. we have lots of work to do ..

i had another 12 plus hour shoot . we started at 430am and went all day . i am back at the hotel early . but i have a meeting to go to .. then eat then practice for tomorrow . then go to bed .. very early start again tomorrow . long day ahead . tomorrow is the last day of filming . then i get on a plane for the u.s...
the crew is getting an education on Jesus . they arent believers yet but i have made some progress . they are all atheists . and jews except one guy .. but the director and producer are believers , thats all that matters when it comes to the show .. the show is gonna be good . we have gotten great stuff . today i swam in the sea of galillee .. it was for the film . i met some americans today , they came by to watch us as we were filming .. well gotta go back to work...

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Nightmares and Bombs

I didn't hear from Brock all day Thursday. I was in the car driving to Alabama the entire day. As soon as I could get access to internet, I checked my e-mail to find no new message from Brock. That night I had a very vivid dream. I dreamed that Brock and I were at this hotel. Lots of men with guns came in and raided the lobby. They searched everyone and every bag. They stuck guns in people's faces. No one was hurt, but it was scary. (I used those exact words, "no one was hurt," when I was telling my friends about the nightmare.) I just knew that we were in Isreal. I was rather worried on Friday about Brock. Then, at the end of the e-mail I received from Brock the next night, he said this...

"i am safe...the bombs were on the other side of town .. no one was hurt .. i left jerusalem so dont worry .. i am in tiberious .. tell my parents to quit worrying..."

It made me feel better to hear from him, but it didn't ease my worrying. I guess that I will not really sleep well until he returns home safe and sound. What would it be like to live in a place like that? "The bombs were on the other side of town." What is that about?

Monday, May 23, 2005

The Pact

The girls and I made a pact this weekend. We would help each other accomplish something we want to do before we die by the time we are 50. Amber wants to take an Alaskian cruise. Gin wants to record her own cd. Biz wants to make a quilt. I want to visit all 50 states. We are going to encourage each other to work toward these goals. I've been to 42 states, so I'm getting there. I'm going to try to make Alaska my last one and maybe we could all go on the cruise together to complete mine and Amber's goal. Hopefully, we are going to be listening to Gin's cd and sharing the warmth of Biz's friendship quilt while on the Alaskian cruise. What is one attainable thing that you want to do before you die? Tell someone and work to achieve it!

Friends for a Lifetime

I've been spending the weekend with my friends that I met at camp in the summer of 1998. We only spent two and a half months together, but we became friends for a lifetime. Everytime we see each other, it's as if time has never separated us.

Biz is a woman with a tender heart. Her puppy eyes make it hard to ever tell her no. She and her husband manage a Christian camp in Alabama. While we were staying at the camp with her this weekend, she found a baby bunny and wanted to keep it. As we were purchasing food for it, Amber asked her if she really thought that it was a good idea to keep a wild rabbit.

Enter Amber...she lives in the sticks of Florida with her husband and two children. Although she is the youngest of the group, she usually is the leader. She has a funny way of expressing herself. As Biz was debating on whether or not to keep the bunny, Amber was getting anxious to go get some dinner. She said, "Biz is off chasing rabbits and it's time to go." So, Amber tried to convince Biz to buy a tame rabbit from the pet store instead. Gin suggested that we buy her a new bunny.

Enter Gin...she is the reserved one of the bunch who sits back and adds witty comments or bits of encouragement every now and then. She and her husband are yuppy Texans. After we decided that we didn't have any time to get a new bunny while we were here, Gin promised that she would send Biz a bunny. Biz said, "You can't ship a bunny!"

In the end, Biz did the right thing and let the bunny go free. Tomorrow, we will all go back to our different worlds until we meet together again...

Friday, May 20, 2005

Girl Trip

While Brock is in Isreal, a few of us girls decided to take a trip together. My best friend from college, Gin, and I are driving to Alabama where our other friend, Biz, lives at a Christian camp. One of our other friends from Florida, Amber, will be joining us. With the exception of Gin and me, we all met in the summer of 1998 when we all worked at Ridgecrest in North Carolina. We've been able to see each other almost every year because one of us was getting married. Now that we are all married, we planned this trip to see each other.

I am so excited! I'm so glad that Gin and I get to ride together. It will be just like old times. We took many road trips together. However, most of those were spontaneous. One semester, we took some kind of "excursion" every Wednesday afternoon. We had a blast! Our adventures have taken us to San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Nashville, Oklahoma, Galveston, South Padre Island, North Carolina, and various lakes and beaches.

However, this trip, I don't think that we'll take the scenic route. When we were sophomores in college, we took a trip to Nashville. Both of us are outdoorsy, so on the way home, we took the Natchez Trace Parkway all the way from Nashville to Mississippi. Plus, we stopped at almost every lookout spot. Some of you that have been on the trace know how stupid this was. It took us over 20 hours to get from Nashville to Houston! My dad was not too happy with me since this was before cell phones. I'm surprised my parents didn't have a heart attack while trying to raise me!

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Another E-mail From Brock

Here is the only word I received from Brock yesterday and it looks as if I might not hear from him for a few days because they don't have internet where he is going. This is the brief update he sent:

i have been filming for 11 hours .. long day .. now we drive to gallilee . . a 3 hour drive . . i am leaving jerusalem . . safer place . . i am feeling much better but not quite 100% .. i ate a meal today .. gotta go .. hurry .. talk in a few days .

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

E-mail from Palestine

This is the e-mail I received from Brock yesterday:

i am actually in palestine .. the safe side .. the hotel is great . winston churchill stayed here .. not today tho .. i saw a girl carrying an m-16 walking down the street .. it is just like you see on tv .. remindes me of when i was younger and watched kids throwing rocks at each other on the streets here .. i didnt know why they were fighting .. still dont .. but the cab driver tried to explain .. i dont have a clue what he said .. evrything is in hebrew here .. many speak english but not as well as i need .. a stranger at the airport lent me his phone .. he knew i was lost .. the driver was late for pick up .. i had not exchanged money yet .. i didnt read hebrew . or speak it . some of the english words i saw made no sense .. so i did not know how to contact anyone .. ya know i was in a fix and i was feeling very sick .. i am tired .

talked to the medic again he says i am looking better .. he gave me water and toast. the toast is supposed to neutralize the acid..? ok i am disappointed i am missing out on a great hotel restuarant...the bbc people said this is their favorite hotel in the world...we will see bout that .. it is nice tho .. i just dont think i can eat..

tomorrow we leave at 630am . to see jesus tomb and where he was believed to be executed .. and something else .. i forgot .. well .. i am very tired it is hard to see the screen on the computer . so i will go .. not sure when i will email again .. we will film all day tomorrow .

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Safe Arrival

Brock is in Isreal. He's still very sick though. His stomach and neck hurt. There is a medic there that is looking after him. Pray that he feels better as he will be taping all day tomorrow.

Still in Flight to Isreal

Yesterday, right after I posted the last blog, Brock said that he started feeling much better, so thanks for the prayer. His stomach is still aching a little.

He flew out of JFK at about midnight last night. He will arrive in Tel Aviv at 9:45am our time and 5:45pm their time. I'll let you know when I hear from him. Last time, they began filming immediately, so it took him a while to be able to e-mail me.

He said that at the airport, he went through so many security checks. They took his bags from him for a few hours. He was also just about stripped searched. They questioned him several times. I guess he looked a little fishy travelling to Isreal by himself and with a passport that was only a few hours old. He had an escort until he was on the plane. Isn't that funny? They had him guarded the entire time.

Monday, May 16, 2005

Passport Update

Brock has a passport in his hand. The company came through and got it to him within a few hours. However, he is still feeling very badly. His stomach hurts. He's achy and his neck is stiff. His sinuses are acting up as well. He's just being hit with everything! Pray that he will feel better.

Brock's Flight to Isreal

Pray for Brock today. He leaves the house at 4am, flies to Newark, NY, and then drives to Manhatten. He has an apointment with "It's Easy" to get him a new passport. It seems a little strange, because he has to bypass the front desk in the passport building and go to this office and call a cell phone number. However, we have no choice. This company has guaranteed a new passport in one day. Then, if all goes well, he will leave for Tel Aviv at midnight. Pray that he gets that passport. The producers of the show were somehow able to change Brock's nonrefundable tickets to leave later that night without penalty.

Also, Brock is feeling very sick. He has battled fever all weekend. We don't know if the sickness is due to exhaustion or a virus. Just pray that he will feel just fine and get ample sleep on the plane.

Sunday, May 15, 2005

FX Results

Over the last two nights of FX, there were about 1,700 people in attendence and over 260 people made decisions for Christ! That equals over 400 lives were changed here in Illinois during our visit. Everything worked out. For our lights, we needed 2 six foot pieces of metal tubing. Jeremiah, from Chaos on Wheels, had a couple of the exact sized pieces we needed sitting on the floor. They were "extra," so we were able borrow them to hang our lights. Last night, both the bus and our truck were running. We turned everything off in the whole school and were able to draw enough power to run the show. The decision to move the event inside proved wise, because it was cold the first night, raining the second, and very windy the last. Brock said that these three things are his worst nightmare when it comes to outdoor events. It was a great Freedom Experience!

Friday, May 13, 2005

The Frangrance of Rain

I'm sitting in our trailer as the rain is coming down. I feel as if the sweet fragrance and the gentle drops are a reminder to me of God's sovereinty. You see, we were praying for rain. We were supposed to do our event outside at a festival. Since the forecast called for rain, we decided to move it indoors all three nights. However, yesterday and today, we have not had a drop of rain until now. We wanted rain so that the people who set up everything outside wouldn't feel slighted and that students would choose our event over the festival.

A lot of things went wrong today. The band's bus will not start. Our battery on our truck keeps dying. Brock lost his passpot which he needs to fly to Isreal Sunday morning. The building didn't contain enough power for our equipment, and we lost the peices which hang up our stage lights.

Brock stopped everyone who was helping set up the show and gathered us around to pray. After the prayer, one guy said that we must place it completely in His hands. My mom had just told me on the phone that I place too much on my shoulders. After I pray, I need to turn it over to Him which means not worrying about it anymore.

He hears our prayers. It may not always be a smooth ride and may not be exactly the way we want it, but He is always in control. I need to give Him that control.

When I came out after we finished praying and saw the rain which was an answer to prayer from yesterday, I felt the Lord. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Best First Night of FX

Your prayers worked. I began feeling more and more positive as the day went on. The school assemblies were easy. Illinois youth are very mature and polite. We always enjoy an Illinois crowd.

The set up was the smoothest I've ever seen. There were zero problems. Normally, there are numerous difficulties. Brock and I even had a little time to spare where we were able to go in the truck and take a nap....a two hour nap!

There is a young girl from our home church that joined us this trip to help out. She took a nap in the afternoon as well. When asked what she thought about the first day, she said that it was tiresome! She actually took my place in assisting Brock in a couple of the school shows. She has been a big help as well as the regulars that came to help from our office. They are becoming pros at the Freedom Experience.

We moved the event indoors due to rainy weather. The crowd was big for a first night. The gym was 80% full (probably about 650). The audience was very attentive. The show went on without a hitch. It was probably the smoothest performance we've ever had on the first night of FX. 154 people made decisions for Christ! What an awesome night!

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Discouraged

Pray for us. Both of us are rather discouraged. We begin an FX today that is outside. It stormed all day yesterday, so who knows what will happen? We leave at 6:45 this morning to do school assemblies and then set up, do the show, tear down, and return to our hotel at around midnight. Tomorrow, it's the same thing. Then, I thought that Brock flies to Isreal Monday, but I just found out that he might have to leave on Sunday. This means that we have to leave after our show Saturday night and drive all night long in order to make his flight.

The spiritual opposition has already begun. Remember how I told you that several of the Livin It team were in car accidents last week? Well, I had a little fender bender while Brock was gone for Livin It last week. Then, yesterday, the side of the trailer got scraped up. Neither one of us has ever had anything like that happen. All in one week is not fun.

I was also looking at our summer schedule and it is rough. Since our road manager didn't work out, we will be going it mostly alone. The girl that was supposed to travel with us the entire summer will only be able to be with us for a couple of weeks.

I know that this is negative, but I feel defeated before we even start. I'm tired. I'm getting too old to work all day and drive all night only to work again. Please pray.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Music Showcase

Last night, we did something a little different for us. Brock hosted a music showcase. This particular showcase was introducing Fervent Record's artists to Word Records. It was fun because we knew alot of people that were participating. Jupiter Project was there filming and the bands performing included Inhabited, By the Tree, Big Daddy Weave, and Barlow Girl.

Brock performed some fun, volunteer tricks in between acts. The crowd really had fun. Also, since Brock knew the bands, he included some extra little tidbits about each band during his introduction. For Inhabited, he talked about how we have performed together and we've placed them on some stages with really tough audiences yet they handled it like pros. Brock informed the crowd that By the Tree shares his love for motorcycles. Before Big Daddy Weave took the stage, he told the story about when we first met them at a student conference. Super Chic and Phat Chance were at the conference as well. Brock explained that I actually called them Big Fat Chic! Brock hinted at Barlow Girl's excellent double performance at the GMA Awards as he introduced them.

At the reception following, they had a chocolate fountain. It was a great night!

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Answered Prayer

Friday, I spent the day praying and fasting. My main prayer was for Brock's meeting with the producers of the television show. When Brock gave me a positive update on the meeting, he made the comment that we needed to get everything taken care of at home because we were about to get extremely busy. So, I began praying about that. Who could I pay to cut the lawn that I trusted and where would I get the money? Who could pick up the mail and pay some bills that cannot be taken care of on the road? These questions turned into worry and later...stress!

At church, we are going through a study by Rick Warren called 40 Days of Community. Sunday during our small group time, we were talking about being a servant to people within our church. At the close of the class, our teacher directed us to take on a project of service for somebody in the church. They placed a few ideas on the board and one of them was to help us out in some way. Brock said that the way we needed help was in upkeep of our house while we were gone for the summer. To my surprise, this is the project that the group decided to do. I listened as they talked about how they would take turns mowing the lawn and getting the mail. One friend is a CPA and said that she could handle the bills with no problem. One couple decided to be the leader of the project. I was so overcome by relief and gratitude that I began to cry. The whole group prayed for us as we leave to do a lot of ministry in a lot of places. By the end of the prayer, lots of people were crying. They were touched because I was touched. It may have seemed like a small task for them, but it was a huge service to me.

Friday, I prayed for two things...the meeting and the upkeep of our house while we were gone. The Lord answered both of those prayers. However, the one that moved me to tears was the smaller of the two. Why? I think that it is great that the Lord totally has a hand in this TV show and this shows His power by making His name famous on the Discovery Channel. But, the fact that He cares enough to work out the small details of my life shows His love for me. He displayed this beautiful love through my wonderful small group.

Monday, May 09, 2005

Peas and Carrots

Yesterday was our six year wedding anniversary. Last year, Brock surprised me with a trip to an all-inclusive resort in Cozumel. It was amazing! This year, we went to 6th Avenue skatepark and ate at the Melting Pot...not quite as exciting as last year, but easier on the pocketbook and less time consuming.

Brock and I have been on so many adventures in our six years. We've lived in five different houses as well as on the road for two years. We've been to 41 states, Australia, Canada, the Bahamas, and Mexico. We've had 17 different vehicles or trailers of some sort. We've performed over 1,000 shows together.

There has been some bad experiences as well (especially theft related) but we will not talk about that today. I wouldn't want to do life with anyone else. It's almost as if Brock and I were made for each other. We are both so different from everyone we know, yet we are so much like each other. We're like peas and carrots...

Sunday, May 08, 2005

My Mom

I heard Dr. James Dobson on the radio the other day talking about raising a stubborn child. He said that people are born stubborn and you cannot change it. The only way he suggested to deal with it is to focus on the good qualities about being strong willed. I think that my mom did a great job steering my stubborness in a more positive direction. She encouraged me to be independent and driven without allowing me to run over her. She was so patient with me. You've got to understand! I'm really strong willed. One day, my mom actually pinned a note on me when I was in pre-kindergarten that said "I dressed myself."

She never let me use the phrase "I'm bored." She beleived that you should find something to do with your time, not rely on others to keep you entertained. This is so helpful to me today because in this career, there are many occassions where I have time on my hands.

My mom is never bored. She is always the life of the party and is up for fun every time. One of my mom's gifts is hospitality. Sometimes, my friends would stop by my house even though I was off at college. I'd call home and my friends were eating dinner with my parents.

Mom has so many wonderful qualities that it would take me all day to talk about it. However, the most exceptional trait about mom is her love for the Lord and people. I can remember her serving homeless men food out on our front porch. I've seen her lead people to the Lord on more than one occasion. I watched as she demonstrated how to be an awesome helpmate to a Godly husband. Thanks mom for everything.

Saturday, May 07, 2005

An Update on Livin It and the Meeting for the TV Show

Livin It went very well. Seventy one people made decisions to follow Jesus! Brock will be at another Livin It show today in Savannah, GA.

The meeting with the producers of the TV show went extremely well. The executive from the Discovery Channel really liked Brock. Brock told her and the other producers about some of his ideas for new illusions. She liked the ideas so much that the Discovery Channel might possibly buy the illusions for us and use them in the show. Pray that this actually happens. The illusions they spoke of purchasing would equal about $20,000. This would really bless our ministry.

Lately, Brock has been talking with this organization called Christian Blind Mission International. It's a cool ministry that collects money to cure blindness in third world countries. There is a surgery costing only $35 that helps cure the blindness that is inevitable in these countries due to malnutrition and poor health care. When Brock told the producers that he knew how to heal the blind, they were very excited. They might fly to India and film one of these surgeries. This would help CBMI get so much publicity! Pray that this happens as well.

Friday, May 06, 2005

Fasting

Today, I am fasting for Brock's meeting with the producers of the television show about the miracles of Jesus. I know that I don't fast enough. I'm reading the book "Prayer, The Key to Revival" by Paul Cho for the second time. Paul Cho is the pastor of the largest church in the world. They had 500,000 members when he wrote this book in 1984. He loves Americans because we are the ones who initially brought the gospel to Korea. However, he does hint that we are not very disciplined in our prayer life. His accusations must be true. He spends hours daily in prayer. We have trouble having a daily 30 minute quiet time.

I think that one of the disciplines of prayer that we, as Americans, have the most trouble with is fasting. We love to eat (myself included)! We've got such great food here! However, many Godly people have fasted from Moses to Jesus to Paul to Paul Cho to P.O.D. (I read in a secular magazine that P.O.D. fasted for their album "Satellite" to be a success.) It should be part of our prayer life in some way.

I never really thought about fasting until I met Brock. He went on several fasts as he was beginning this ministry trying to seek direction from the Father. The long fast he did in 1998 not only led him in how to develop this ministry but changed his life as well. It seems like you can hear God more clearly during a fast.

Paul Cho says this about fasting in his book: "If we can combine this intense natural desire [to eat] with our natural spiritual desire for communion with our spiritual source, then what results is a much greater intensity: this is the purpose of prayer and fasting."

Thursday, May 05, 2005

Prayer

Brock said that while he was in Malta, he could feel our prayers. When I first started blogging, I didn't really know why I was doing it. I simply felt like the Lord wanted me to blog (that sounds funny when you put it into words). Now, I realize that this blog has created a prayer community. The Lord has really been working intensely in our lives. I believe that power comes from prayer. Thank you so much for the prayers. We can feel them.

If you have a prayer need, feel free to ask us. We would love to be praying for you as well. You can always e-mail me or comment.

We need more prayer right now. Tomorrow, Brock is meeting with all of the producers for the show about the miracles of Jesus. They are ironing out the script. It is a big deal because one of the executives of the Discovery Channel will be involved. Two of the guys from our office, Gresham and David, will be there as well. Pray for wisdom for Brock, Gresham, and David. Also, pray that the script will still claim that Jesus was the Son of God. Thank you so much for praying.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Livin It Tour

Brock will be leaving tomorrow to speak on the Livin It tour. Livin It is a dvd put out by the Louis Palou Association which combines skateboarding and born again actor Stephen Baldwin with the gospel message of Jesus Christ. The dvd has received such great success that they have decided to take it on tour. We are very excited to be a part of it.

We had the whole Livin It team come to Nashville back in February as Brock and the other Livin It speaker lead in training. These young athletes have a great heart for the Lord and are eager to spread His name to this generation. Stephen Baldwin, Tim Byrne, the King of Kings skateboard team, Chaos on Wheels, as well as Brock will be involved in the tour.

Like FX, they have already experienced spiritual warfare. Last week, Stephen Baldwin, King of Kings, and the director of the tour all were in car accidents. They were in totally different places in the country, but it happened all on the same day. I don't think this was a coincidence. Also, there is probably more warfare to come.

Please remember Brock and the whole team this week. Tomorrow, their show is in Atlanta and Saturday in Augusta, GA.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Learning That I May Be Part of the Answer II

While I was standing outside of the mall Sunday afternoon, I saw a young girl crying rather hysterically. Usually, I would just pray for her, but after hearing my dad's sermon and Brock's words, I decided to approach her. "Are you okay?" I asked. "No, I need to use a phone," she replied. So, I handed her my cell phone.

I listened as she and her boyfriend had it out on the phone. After she finally hung up, she told me briefly what was going on. She was from another state visiting her boyfriend and they had an argument. He left her at the mall with no car, money, or phone. Danielle was her name. Danielle did not know what to do.

After she told me her story, he drove up in a fancy convertible. She was probably no older than 21 and he was at least 50 years old. It was so sad to me. However, I acted and helped her by offering my phone. Who knows what she would have done if I had not. I'm learning that I need to not only listen to God, but I might need to act as well. Sometimes, their need is something physical like a hug or a phone. It was so easy to allow the girl to borrow my phone. It also was not difficult to simply ask what was wrong. Now, I can still pray for Danielle's spiritual life.

Tell me about some of your experiences where you were part of the answer. You can e-mail me or comment below.

Monday, May 02, 2005

Learning That I May Be Part of the Answer I

My dad preached a sermon the other night about prayer. He stated that most Christians have a problem with listening to God. He also said that after you listen, you may be part of the answer. This made me think. The majority of the time, I just pray for the person and that is the extent of it.

Yesterday, during the service, I came in a little late. I had to slip by a lady in order to sit by my friends. As I passed by her, I felt as if she had a need. She did not look needy. She was a well dressed lady probably in her 50's. The only odd thing about her was that she was by herself. She looked like she should have friends and family surrounding her. I began to pray that the Lord would show me her need. At one point, in order to display the importance of affection, our pastor had all of us stand up and hug each other. I hugged my friends as we all were laughing and hugging. Then, I glanced over at the lady and she was just standing there by herself. I ran over to her and threw my arms around her...not one of those side hugs with the two pats on the back but a full on embrace. She said, "Thank you." When I sat back down, I just knew that a hug was what she needed. I don't know why. After the service, I walked by her to leave and she said, "Thank you again for that hug. That made my day!" I told her, "Ah, you are welcome."

Later, as I was telling Brock, I told him that I was part of the answer! However, I could have done more. I was so awkward when she thanked me. I felt as if I should have said more. My close friends and family would not agree with this, but I'm not a good talker (the disagreement would be because I can talk a lot!). Brock said that I know what to say. I wanted to know why she needed that hug. He said to just say it! It will only be awkward the first few times.

So, yesterday afternoon, I was at the mall and I saw a girl just crying her eyes out. This is getting too long. I'll continue it tomorrow...