Media has a Slant

As we were sitting in the green room waiting to go on Fox and Friends news show in September of 2003, a man entered. He picked up a fax and began reading it. Then, he and Brock began talking about the Peterson case. Brock and I had been in the green room watching the newscast all morning, so Brock had gained a lot of information about what was going on in the news. The man exited the green room and was on the television a few seconds later. The anchormen introduced him as the "expert" on the Peterson trial. He proceeded to state word for word what Brock had just told him back in the green room! Just because this guy was a former District attorney did not mean that he was an expert on the Peterson case. He probably had never even talked with the people involved in the case. This man most likely comes in every week or so, picks up a fax with some information concerning the hottest case out there, and walks onto our television screens claiming to be an expert in that particular case. I'm sure Fox and Friends is not the only newscast that uses these kind of "experts."

Needless to say, the media definately has a slant. Lately, I don't know what to believe when it comes to Iraq or our president. The media clings to the negative. However, people who have actually been in Iraq have alot of positive reports. For more clear news concerning the War in Iraq, read some of the soldiers' stories at www.agreaterfreedom.com or some of Sara Horn's blogs at www.sarahorn.com/blog/ (check out the post entitled "Stay the Course, Mr. President). By all means, don't trust completely what the media says.

Quiet

All is quiet this morning. The storm is gone and the sun is out. The only remnants of Katrina is leaves and branches all over our yard. The birthday girl that was over the other night had a tree fall on her house. It didn't really do any damage to the house though. I feel badly for the people of New Orleans and some of those other cities that were destroyed. Brock said that growing up in Louisiana, he always heard about this happenning. They knew that a big storm could potentially whipe out New Orleans. I wonder if they will ever be able to recover completely.

Also, it's guiet here because the guys left. They were gone when I awoke this morning. Yesterday, we spent most of the morning trying to get Luke's teeth fixed. He knocked a few of them out at the skatepark Monday night. However, the guys are gone now. Also, their friends from around here are gone as well. They've made several friends here, so for the past few nights, we've all hung out. I don't know if I can handle the quiet.

Hurricane Party

We had a hurricane party at our house last night. Donnie and Luke from Chaos on Wheels were here. Corey Martinez who is an excellant bmx rider and his new bride were here. Also, one of our friends, Stephanie, was here. Her birthday is Thursday, so we baked her a cake at about midnight last night due to the possibility of lack of power today.

Can you believe that this storm is still so strong this far inland? It is still blowing very hard this morning. Schools are not in session today because of Kristina. I can tell that we lost power at least once in the night because the clocks are blinking, but all is well this morning.

We all hunkered down here last night. We flipped back and forth between a rerun of the X-games and the weather channel. At about 2am, we finally all turned in. It was fun!

"Family"

One of the Chaos on Wheels' teams is staying with us for a couple of nights. This team consists of three guys. Two of the guys are some of my favorite people. One guy was saved at an FX last year and the other one got saved a couple of years ago just before he joined the bmx team. They have both grown so much in the Lord. Brock and Jeremiah (the founder of Chaos on Wheels) have been working with them. Now, they both feel like the Lord wants them to speak at their events and they are reading theology books.

These two don't have much of a family at home. Although they are from Minnesota, they spend alot of time in Nashville because it's an easy place to rest in between shows for a couple of days. Most of the time their shows are in the south and they cannot drive all the way up to Minnesota. Therefore, they stay with us quite a bit, and I love it!

The two guys don't have much of a place to live in Minnesota anyway. Brock and I try to be like family to them. It's really neat because they actually feel like family to me. There is not much trying on my part. We have a really special relationship with them. Last time they stopped in, one of the guys said that it was good to be home.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Funny or Interesting

Alot of funny or interesting things happened at these last few Freedom Experiences. One is when these two guys jumped a fence and came in the side door. They were trying to "sneak" into the event. They finally made it in rather late only to find out that FX is free. One of the leaders said, "Just come in the front door tomorrow night."

As we were doing this one illusion where Brock spray paints on a bedsheet, I realized that I got a fitted sheet and not the flat one like we needed. I realized this during the actual trick as I was taking it out of the package. I ran past the crowd and out the back and through the maze to get to our truck. I grabbed a flat sheet and ran back in hoping to make it in time. I did. Brock was still setting up the trick, but I was perspiring from my sprint.

I was getting all of the chains ready for the underwater coffin escape when I felt a drip of water. The coffin was left unattended by the guys that were filling it for the show and it was overflowing! That's the first time that has ever happened. Brock ran up on stage and placed a kink in the hose in order to prevent the water from going all over the stage equipment.

Also, during the actual chaining of the water coffin, a mentally challenged guy ran up onstage. He just stood there quietly. I didn't know why he was there until I saw him dangling a padlock from his fingers. We allow people to bring locks and chains of their own, but we usually collect them before the show. I used his lock, and he stood there with me until Brock escaped!

Fender Bender

We had a small accident yesterday. As Brock was turning right, a lady came up right beside him and Brock smashed in the front driver's side of the car. It wasn't really anyone's fault because Brock turns so wide that while making the turn, she just slipped in beside him. She was elderly and probably did not realize that you cannot get right up beside big trucks when they are turning. I felt really sorry for her.

There happened to be cops at the intersection, so they pulled over. They said that it happens alot at this particular intersection. I watched from inside the truck as Brock conversed with the cops. They were just laughing up a storm! After the lady had already left, one of the officers motioned for me to come over. I though that he wanted me to give a statement about what I saw. Nervously, I walked over to the cop. They started laughing and said that Brock needed some assistance. I looked over and Brock was handcuffed. After finding out he was an illusionist and escape artist, they had put him in their handcuffs. This was the first pair of handcuffs that Brock could not escape out of. He's been able to get out of several police officer's handcuffs before (not because he was being arrested...just because they were goofing around like yesterday). I don't know if the paper clip that he was using was too flimsy or the handcuffs were a new kind. Whatever the case, we all got a good laugh including the officers.

Night Three of FX

We squeezed 3,400 people in that little gym here in Harlan, KY last night. It was amazing! We took down our curtains and performed in the round last night. They almost turned some people away, but Brock said that we will fit them in somehow. People were sitting on the floor and standing everywhere! Several more were saved. Everyone was so grateful that we came to their small town nestled in the mountains. This town has 3,000 people in the city and 25,000 total in the county. That means that we had over 10% of the town there last night. Harlan will always remember the Freedom Experience!

Night Two of FX

It was even more packed last night! They were parking over at the hospital and all of our overflow was taken. Tonight, I don't know what we're going to do! Fifty-six people were saved last night. Pray that tonight more people will give their lives to Christ than the last two nights combined.

Yesterday, we noticed that there were signs saying "ATV Parking" all over town. We also saw four wheelers going down the road and at the gas station. The leader that was with us said that so many people had their driver's license revoked that they drove ATV's all over town. We are in the middle of nowhere Kentucky.

These are the towns we like to come to for FX. We can impact the entire city. The only event that they've ever had was a Mylon LaFever concert in 1982. Therefore, they are very appreciative and coming out by the hundreds each night.

Night One of FX

Last night was awesome! It was standing room only and 46 people gave their lives to Christ. We saw the power of God at the prayer service Sunday night and at the show last night. However, the venue doesn't have air conditioning so it's HOT! Also, the bmx riders, Brock, and I am really exhausted. Pray for strength for everyone.

Each town has a different personality. This town is very passive. At the school assemblies, the students were slow to act. At one school that consisted of 4th through 12th grade, Brock told the volunteers on the stage to pick a prize from the ground. They just stood there, so Brock said anybody in the crowd could get them. About 50 4th graders stormed the stage dog piling on top of the prizes. Then, none of the teachers did anything about it, so I had to go out there and tell them to sit down. It was nuts!

Also, smoking is a big problem here. I walked into one of the bathrooms at the school and could barely see due to the thick smoke. We also saw students smoking outside in between classes. They have several tobacco farms here, so smoking boosts their economy. Isn't that sick?

Adventures in Driving the Big Rig

Luke, Donny, and I had a crazy time driving here. One of our tires were completely flat when we left yesterday morning, so we had to find a gas station with an air pump. Do you know how difficult it is to get our Freightliner into a little gas station? At one spot, they wanted me to back up the truck...I don't back! Needless to say, it took us forty-five minutes to get some air in a tire.

Then, a vent on our truck kept flying up slightly just enough to let all of the cold air conditioning escape leaving us HOT. We taped it down with duck tape. Every few hours, the tape would melt away and the vent would fly up again. So, Luke would have to get up on top of the cab and tape it back down on the side of the road.

One time, we were turning into a Walmart and the car in front of us stalled. We were trapped behind them. After the light turned green and red a few times, Donny and Luke ran out to try and push her car. They pushed her car and then it started going down an hill. The speed of the car picked up and I watched as Luke hung onto the driver's side of the car and Donny ran behind it. Luke ended up climbing in the driver's seat and the girl had to jump over into the passenger's side. It was very laughable!

The Livin It that Brock went to Saturday was the best so far. Around 200 people gave their lives to Jesus! Please pray for our team as we begin another FX.

The Ultimate Caregiver

Brock flew to Nebraska for a show yesterday while a couple of the bmx guys and I began driving to Kentucky for our next Freedom Experience. We stopped off in Nashville just for the night. After we ate dinner, I walked across the parking lot to the bookstore in order to get a new book. On the way, I called Brock. He told me that one of our friends called and said that his wife who had been pregnant with their first baby for 8 weeks had a miscarriage this weekend. The most difficult part about the situation is that he is a musician and was gone for the weekend. Also, they are from Colorado and have no family here. My heart broke for her because she is one of my dear friends.

I called her as soon as I got off of the phone with Brock before I was even in the bookstore. As I was leaving her the most heartfelt voicemail that I could possibly come up with, she called me. She said, "I know where you are. You are in the Borders Bookstore parking lot. I know because I'm in the parking lot and saw you walk by on your phone." I told her that I was calling her! I ran to her and through my arms around her. She cried. I cried. She said that she was just thinking that she didn't know what to do. She didn't want to be alone, but she didn't know who to call. She was just driving around. We talked, cried, and laughed the whole night. I ended up staying at her house last night. Her husband is coming in this morning so he'll be with her today.

I thought about how sweet the Lord was for ordaining our meeting. Her husband was so worried about her. He wanted to be there to take care of her, but the Lord is the ultimate Caregiver. He's the only One that knows exactly what you need even if you don't. Brock was probably concerned about me driving the truck with two young guys who had only a few hours experience driving our truck. However, the Lord is taking care of me...He always does!

FX III

This was a great Freedom Experience! There were about 300 people who made decisions for Christ! Here are some of their stories:

One included a father who came to pick up his son from the event. His son was back with the counselors talking with them about Jesus. The father ended up becoming a follower of Jesus right there and hadn't even attended the event! A tough guy that was practically dragged to the event by his friend ended up breaking down to one of our leaders and surrendered to Christ. Some youth who were dropping the f-bomb quite often throughout the show ended up back in the counseling room becoming a Christian.

A counselor led a young girl to Christ the second night. On the last night, the girl came back and brought her boyfriend and family. She went back to the counseling room and sat by the counselor again and watched as she led more people to Christ, one of which was her boyfriend! There was a lady in the audience who had lost her three daughters in an accident 10 years before. The girls were playing in a hole that caved in killing all three. The mother had never grieved over it. She had held it in for 10 years! Last night when Brock came out of the water coffin, she felt as if her chains were coming off. She began to cry and upened up with one of our counselors. She said that she felt free for the first time in 10 years last night!

FX II

The second day of FX, I always get a little discouraged. I guess because it's not the first day with a fresh start kind of feel, and it doesn't have all of the excitement of the last night. Yesterday was no exception. We did three school assemblies which took the whole day. Then, we went to the venue and set up for last night's show.

I wasn't the only one that felt this way. One of the bmx riders, Luke, was very uneasy right before we began the program last night. He said that he felt as if he was being attacked by the enemy in his mind. If you are not really focused while flipping your bicycle in the air, you could mess up badly or get injured. You must be on your game every single time. A few of us layed our hands on him and prayed for him right before showtime. One of the guys prayed that he would ride better than ever. I started agreeing with that prayer. I thought that if Luke rode extremely well, it would encourage him and let him know Who ultimately has the power if we only ask. Our prayers were answered. Luke said excitedly that he pulled tricks that he thought he couldn't pull during the show! We all thanked the Lord for answering our prayers.

Overall the show went extremely smooth. Many more were saved last night as well!

FX I

The first night was fabulous!!! Brock prayed that the room would be full on the first night. We've never had that happen before. Last night was a first! It was standing room only. Plus, there were hundreds of people who came to know the Lord. For a first night of FX, it was great. For the first night of FX with a whole new crew, it was excellent!!!

Being Positive

Even though I woke up yesterday with bad sinus problems and Brock somehow got a catch in his back, I decided that I was going to be positive. The hotel has no elevator service because lightening struck it a few days ago. Also, I missed the continental breakfast because it closed so quickly, and the light over our bathroom sink doesn't come on. So, in spite of having to walk up and down the stairs outside, being really hungry, and getting ready in the dark, I'm going to be positive. I need to be positive because at Freedom Experience, things always go wrong.

At FX, the enemy attacks in multiples. For example, lots of the team has health problems. Several band members are sick and the riders get hurt. Epuipment breaks before the show---amps blow and a bike breaks in two. Several people have car accidents on the same day, etc. This time, one of the bmx team's van's transmission went out. The production crew's transmission went out, and our manager's transmission is going out. However, I've just put it in my mind that no matter what happens, I'm going to remain positive!

Driving to FL

Today, we drive to Pensacola, FL to begin a Freedom Experience. One team of Chaos on Wheels is here in Nashville. Part of the team was going to ride with us while the second team drove down and met up with us in Pensacola. They called last night. The second team is stranded somewhere in Missouri with a blown out transmission. That's not good. So, we will be using this team for FX.

I'm a little nervous about this FX simply because alot of the usual people will not be there. David Mackle who sorta runs the FX will not be at this one. Inhabited will not be there. We'll have a different band whom we've never worked with before. Now, Jeremiah from Chaos on Wheels will not be there. He's been to everyone since the beginning! Pray that everything still goes very smoothly and lots of lives are changed forever.

A Childhood Song

Lately, this song that I learned when I was a child keeps coming back to me. The lyrics are:


Did you ever talk to God above
Tell Him that you need a friend to love
Pray in Jesus name believing that God answers prayer?

You can whisper in a crowd to Him
You can cry when you're alone to Him
You don't have to talk out loud to Him
He knows your thoughts.

On a lofty mountain peak, He's there
In a meadow by a stream, He's there
Anywhere on earth you go, He's been there from the start.



That really seems to sum up the meaning of prayer doesn't it? Sometimes, we need to have faith like a child.

Sleep

4am
Sleep is such a wierd thing. You have to have it. Friday night, both of us had little sleep and we had worked out very hard. Therefore, we were exhausted yesterday. So, we took a nap yesterday afternoon. I was asleep for almost two hours and Brock slept for probably an hour and a half. So, here we are in the middle of the night wide awake! I don't know what to do. We don't want to miss church. However, it is 4am and Brock hasn't slept at all. I don't think that I'll be able to get him up in time for Sunday school. If I did wake him up early, he'd want to take a nap this afternoon. I slept for a couple of hours tonight, but then I woke up wide-eyed.

7:45am
I woke up on the futon in the office where I last left Brock working here at the desk online. He's now in bed. So, I think that I could wake him up in time for church and he'll just be slightly tired...but we cannot nap today! I don't want to start a vicious cycle!

Road Manager

We had almost hired a guy that was going to be our new road manager. We've been praying all week that if the Lord didn't want him to work for us, that he would decline. Everything seemed great on his end last weekend when he came with us to the Texas show. He was selling his business this week and then he would go on the road with us. However, even after the papers were drawn up and the buyer only needed to sign the dotted line, it didn't go through. Therefore, the Lord revealed His plan for this young man and for us.

Now, we are still left without a road manager. We really need one for the fall and spring. In fact, this conference tour that we are attending is counting on us having another person to help out. Please pray that we find the right person to be our road manager.

Alone Time

Brock is in North Carolina performing at a Livin It. I don't really enjoy going to the Livin It shows...too much testosterone. However, it's fun for Brock. He gets to hang out with the guys and ride his skateboard, bycycle, and sometimes dirtbike. In the process, I get some alone time which I treasure since I rarely get it.

I've got my cd changer loaded with Toby Mac, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Inhabited (if you don't have that cd yet, you must get it! It's great especially the song "One More Night.") My plan today is to bake cookies, finish cleaning, go to the gym and work out and lay by the pool, and go to my friends' house for a party. (That's why I must bake cookies...for the party) Then, sometime tonight, my family will be coming in. It'll be fun!

Domestic Abilities

My sister, brother-in-law, and his parents are coming to stay at our house this weekend. Therefore, I am scrambling to get everything cleaned up. This takes me alot longer than most people. I'm not exactly domestic.

Most women have a knack at getting out that stain from your favorite shirt or cleaning the floors so well that you could eat off of them...not me! I'm taking my shirts to my friends and saying, "How do I wash this?" You might say that it's because I am never home, but I have always been this way. That domestic gene just skipped right past me.

I've learned alot since we've been married. For example, I can cook if I follow the recipe to the letter. My mother-in-law saved us by giving me a cookbook with some of her and some of my mom's favorite recipes. However, they often get calls from me asking how much exactly is a dash of salt or 6 scoops of sugar. Even then, Brock usually does most of the cooking. He is a great cook. He never uses recipes. He just goes to the spice rack and starts dumping on the spice!

Is there any hope for me or do I need to hire a cleaning service? I'm the queen of straightening. Everything will be picked up, but don't look too hard in the corners. Plus, when I come off of the road for two months, the last thing I want to do is start cleaning. However, no matter how clean you leave your house, it's dusty and may even have alot of spider webs after you're gone for a long time.

Francine Rivers

Normally, I read two books at once. One is fiction and the other is a nonfiction Christian book that teaches me more about the Lord. However, when I read my favorite author, Francine Rivers, it serves two purposes. Although she is a fiction writer, her books teach me more about the Lord. She has written a series about the woman in the lineage of Christ. She adds alot of fiction, but keeps the facts involved as well. It really brings the people in the Bible to life. I still continue reading a nonfiction book to help me during my personal Bible study.

Right now, I'm reading a book from the Mark of the Lion by Francine Rivers series. These books are the most amazing books that I have ever read. Although they are fiction, they are teaching me more about what it was like during the time that Jesus walked the earth. This series takes place about 40 years after Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead. The apostle John is in the story, but every other character is fiction. However, you can tell that she knows her history. She has a whole glossary in the back of words she uses to describe something from that time that is now obsolete. Sometimes, I get so involved with the characters that I start praying for them. I have to remind myself that these characters came from this lady's imagination!

Day Off

Today, Brock and I are going to have a Happy Fun Day. We had a very long weekend and need some relaxation. We're planning on riding our bike up the Natchez Trace Parkway to Franklin. Then, we will maybe work out and see a movie. Tonight, we plan on eating at the Mirror restaurant. They have this awesome dessert called white chocolate soup. It sounds strange, but it's excellent!

This is the kind of day that is difficult to take off. Others don't know that we are electing to take today off. Most people get the weekends off. This is when we are usually working. I told some people that are work related not to call us today unless it's an emergency. However, that term "emergency" is relative. Everyone seems to need to know something right now! I'm going to heed the words that Margaret Becker said a couple of years ago. "You're not doing brain surgery here. Nobody is going to die if you don't return their call today."

The middle of the week is my favorite time to take the day off. I look around and see how others are working and I'm not. You see, on weekends, I see alot of people off and I'm working my tail off! It's just the way it goes.

It is difficult for me or Brock to take any time off because there is so much that needs to be done. However, it is my understanding that if you don't take some time to relax and unwind, you will explode at every one around you (I tend to do this lately) or implode by burning out and not caring anymore (which is even worse than exploding). We have to be sharp and healthy as a person in order to do well at our job.

"...And He Didn't Have Any Pants On!"

Yesterday, we went over to some friends house to celebrate someone's birthday. One person was talking about how awkward it is when you are trying to tell a funny story and nobody is laughing. You keep adding comments to make it more humorous and you just dig yourself deeper and deeper. Some people say, "You had to be there." Some say, "I'm an idiot!" My best friend in college would always add, "...and he didn't have any pants on!" That seemed to work everytime. Adding these few words to any story makes it funny. I told the whole party about the pants comment and we had a fun time using it all day. So, next time you are telling a funny story and your audience is giving you blank stares, just add, "...and he didn't have any pants on!"

Internal Clock

Last night, I set the alarm for 7:45am. After I was settled in bed, I realized that I actually needed to get up at 7:30. This morning, I woke up with a start and looked at the time. It was 7:28am. I do that everytime.

I always woke up about 5 minutes before my mom woke me in the mornings. I used to think that it was because I woke up at the same time every morning. However, I have no routine now, and I still wake up in time. I usually turn off the alarm right before it goes off. Once, I woke up one hour early and wondered why. Then, I realized it was daylight's savings time. My internal clock is more accurate than I am.

Everybody has an internal clock. I just trained myself early. It started when I was little and a group of us went camping so that we could see Haley's Comet. You were supposed to be able to see it at 4 or 5 in the morning. When I asked how we could wake up to see it in time, a lady named Mrs. Snyder taught me how to wake up when I wanted. She said just to think about what time I wanted to wake up in the morning just before I go to sleep and it would happen. Ever since, I rarely wake up to the sound of an alarm clock. You should try it. See if it can work for you as well.

Road Trouble

We are on our way to San Antonio, TX---a long drive! We picked up our truck from the repair shop yesterday only to find out that they had backed it into something and put a hole in the side of it. We put it in the shop in order for the air conditioner to be fixed. However, at about 3pm yesterday afternoon, we were sweating in our seats again.

Then, after dinner, we came out and noticed that the framing that holds the propane tank was hanging down almost touching the ground. When I went to the back of the trailer to get a strap, the shelf holding the trusses up near the ceiling of the trailer had broken and the trusses had fallen. Luckily, a guy, Jay, was with us and helped Brock tie up the propane tank and secure the trusses temporarily. We don't have any time to stop and get anything repaired because we have to do a show in San Antonio tonight. Now, I'm holding my breath everytime we hit a bump because I'm just scared that the propane tank will hit the ground! This is not the greatest trip so far.

Prayer Requests

I have a few prayer requests to share with you. Brock and I have both noticed that whenever we place any prayer request on this blog, it gets done! These prayers are for other people:

1. Our friends who were just recently divorced.

2. A worship leader, Michael Farron, is trying to decide what to do career-wise. He's making some critical decisions and just wants to do whatever the Lord wants him to do.

3. Brock's mom is having trouble with her arm. The problem is in her neck and she has already undergone 2 surgeries to correct this problem. She is in a lot of pain. Plus, she had to quit her job---doctor's orders. Therefore, they are in a financial bind.

4. A friend whom I sense is not very happy right now. She is a young mom.

5. A couple who wants to move to a different location. Pray that the Lord will open doors elsewhere.

6. My friend, Biz, who had a miscarriage and then a molar pregnancy. This is where the baby never forms. Now, because of the molar pregnancy, she has a chance of getting cancer. She also cannot try to get pregnant for another year. Pray for comfort for her and her husband.

Stats from the Summer

This is funny. Brock is putting this in our newsletter. These are our statistics from the summer:

62 days on the road and performed in front of 50,000 people.

10,138 miles driven which is the distance between NY and LA 3 and a half times.

52 hotel rooms our favorite being the Hilton in Daytona Beach.

104 restuarants---Some of the best were: Barbara Jean's on St. Simons Island, GA, Marina Cafe in Destin, FL, Canopies in Panama City, FL, Uno's in Daytona, Fish Out of Water in Watercolor, FL, Steamboat Bill's in Lake Charles, LA, Pappasitos in Houston, TX, and Gill's Crawfish Kitchen in DeRidder, LA.

549 bottles of water consumed---If you stacked all of these bottles end on end, they would be the length of 1 and a half football fields!

325 dumb magic jokes our favorite being "Can you make this gut disappear?" To which Brock responded, "Call Jenny Craig."

2 trips to the laundry mat---However, we did have to go purchase new underware toward the end of the summer!

Our Fall Schedule

I was just updating our wall calandar with our fall schedule, and it is crazy! In August, we get a slight breather, but September through Thanksgiving is booked solid. However, I'm excited about spending alot of time on the road. I sense that next year at this time, things will be different. I don't think that we will be travelling as hard or in the same way in which we are currently. Therefore, I'm going to take advantage of the road now.

Randy Elrod wrote in his blog a couple of days ago about "Moments and Minutes" (randyelrod.typepad.com). He talked about how minutes get you by whereas moments change you. I can be very task oriented. Sometimes, I don't take the time to savor the moments in life. This year, I intend to do so while on the road. I actually began this thought process at the beginning of the summer. As a result, the summer was more fun and I was less stressed. I didn't know quite what this particular thought process was until I read Randy's blog the other day. You should take the time to read it.

Take time to savor a moment this week. Maybe it is some precious time spent with your children. Maybe it is listening to your favorite CD and really drinking in the lyrics. You could have an extra special worship time with the Lord. You could go to a quiet place out in nature and breathe in the fresh air. Whatever it is, do it. Enjoy just being alive even in an average week of your life.

We're Home!

We're home now. So many things have changed. Some of our close friends moved into a new house. Another couple found out that they are going to have a baby while a different couple got divorced. When I went to the grocery store, I forgot where everything was and what we like to eat at home. Also, I didn't know any of the songs on the radio. I began unpacking and I did not know where I usually put certain things. It's crazy how many things change and how much you forget in a couple of months.

However, it's good to be home. We had some people from our class over for burgers last night. We just wanted to thank them for taking care of our house and lawn while we were away. It was fun! Then, we had so much food left over that we are having some of the Chaos on Wheels guys eat lunch with us. They are in town for a few days.

Video Gospel Tract II

Our intention for making the DVD was to use it as a video gospel tract. The DVD is called "Hidden Agenda," so the message is slightly hidden. However, if you were searching in any way, you would find it. Plus, I trust the Holy Spirit to lead people to it. Apparently, He is already working through this DVD. An 18 year old girl purchased a DVD at the first show this summer that we had the new DVD available. Read the e-mail she sent to Brock:

I saw your show at Student Life a few weeks ago in Daytona, GREAT best describes. I bought one of your DVD's and tonight I was bored and thought I might watch it. I watched a bunch of the extra features and I came to the Puppet Master, it's the first time I have seen it. I was amazed at how much of my life I have wasted on sin. So, at 2:58am, I got on my knees and prayed along with you on the DVD. It was a great message and I thank you so much for showing me the way. For when you were talking about those weird feelings, it felt like my chest was about to explode and I've never felt that during a preacher's sermon. In my past and at camp, I thought I was saved. I've been baptized but never have I felt so alive and ready for Jesus to work in my life. Again, thank you so much for showing me the error of my ways.

Video Gospel Tract I

There are people that we meet on the road that the Lord points out as one that we need to minister to in some way or another. Most of the time, it is a waitress at a restuarant or a security guard at a venue or someone like that. Usually, I give them big smiles and just let them know that I see them and appreciate them as a person. Brock often times speaks with them about just anything! He can talk with the local garbage man or a US senator with the same ease. However, we don't always get to share the gospel with them in so many words, so we give them one of our DVD's which contains a gospel presentation given by Brock.

We have performed at the same place in Panama City nine times this summer. There was one hotel janitor that really caught my eye. On the next to last show there, I stepped out the back door and saw him watching Brock from a screen out in the hallway. He was totally engrossed by Brock. So, I knew that he would like a DVD. I decided that since we were midshow, getting him a DVD at that time was not a wise idea, so I waited until our last show.

The day of our last show came about. I did not see the guy before nor did I see him walking the halls as he normally did after the show. I went up to one of the girls on staff at the camp and asked if she knew who the guy was, but I didn't know his name. Why didn't I just give him the DVD the week before?

After we were all packed up and we had said our goodbyes, I went out to give a DVD to another guy who had rented us chairs on the beach. He responded in a normal fashion. First, he was a little confused. Then, confusion turned to gratification.

As I walked out to our truck, I decided to walk through the lobby one more time to see if this guy was present. I began praying that if the Lord wanted me to give him a DVD, that he would be there. As I reached the door to exit, I glanced back over the lobby. Just then, he came out of a side door and entered the hallway. My heart leapt for joy as I knew that the Lord wanted this guy to hear His message. DVD in hand, I ran to the janitor and handed it to him. He did not give the normal response at all. He acted as if he were expecting it. I may never know what comes of this one little video gospel tract, but I can see that the Lord is working in this man's life!

Top 5 Bad Weather Conditions

These are the top five bad weather conditions that we were in this summer:

5. The smoldering 99 degrees heat with about 99% humidity of Dallas, TX. We spent that long, exhaustive day out there for the Celebrate Freedom Fest. We were there from 6:30am to 9pm.

4. The hail storm in New Mexico. There were a couple of fires near our hotel where lightening had struck a building and a field. It came down hard just as we were about to drive to the outdoor venue to get things ready for the show that night. However, it only lasted about 30 minutes and then it dried up nicely for the show.

3. The tornado in Oklahoma. We had to leave our outdoor auditorioum in the middle of the service because a tornado touched down near the camp.

2. Tropical Storm Arlene. This was amazing simply because we were able to go right through the eye of the storm. The wind gusts were incredible! It felt as if we were hit by another vehicle at times.

1. Hurricane Dennis. Need I say more. We were several miles from where it hit land in Tallahassee and Brock still almost couldn't drive due to the wind. Also, one of our Panama City shows was postponed. They actually showed our hotel in Panama City on the weather channel before Dennis hit!

Top 5 Ministry Moments

Here are the top five ministry moments of the summer:

5. Brock giving the gospel to a crowd of 20,000 at the Texas YEC.

4. The family of five who all became followers of Christ after seeing Brock perform in the plaza in Mexico.

3. The four teenagers ranging from ages 12 to 16 who were all drug addicts giving their lives to Christ that same night in Mexico.

2. Crissy at the camp in Oklahoma praying, "God, I hated you, but now, I love you."

1. After Brock had already given the invitation, I was praying in the back for Arora. I knew that she needed to hear that God loved her. Just as I was praying that, Brock spoke it from the stage. Then, Arora left her seat weeping and giving into the Lord.

Top 5 Craziest Moments

Here are the top 5 craziest moments of the summer:

5. Brock bit into an oyster and found a pearl!

4. Brock and I were riding on the motorcycle trying to get home before the rain hit. It began to sprinkle as we approached our hotel room. Then, it poured and stormed for hours. Had it began just two minutes earlier, we would have been stuck out in that!

3. One of the camps had fireworks and a guy was hit by one. Luckily, it only grazed his head leaving him with a small gash. I've always wondered if that would ever happen. It did!

2. Brock wearing his straight jacket at an airport.

1. When we pulled off the biggest stunt of our life!

Top 5 Beautiful Places

These are the five top most beautiful places we've visited this summer:

5. The Ecofina Creek in Florida. We canoed down 7 miles of it.

4. Pensacola Beach before Hurricane Dennis. (I haven't visited it since.)

3. New Mexico mountains and the Carlsbad Caverns.

2. A gorge in Tuxtla in Mexico. We took a boatride through it.

1. Under the water of the beautiful Emerald Springs in the panhandle of Florida. We snorkelled it.

Top 5 Funniest Moments

For the next 5 days, I've decided to give you a top 5 of the summer. I know that the summer is not quite over, but our summer shows are complete. So, enjoy the Summer's Top 5 lists. Here are the top 5 funniest moments:

5. Brock speaking in a Minnesota accent all over Oklahoma because our rental car had Minnesota plates. The license plate said "10,000 lakes." When we went to a local lake in Oklahoma, Brock said in his northern accent, "We found 10,000 and we're looking for one more!"

4. Two t-shirts: One was worn by a heavy-set young girl and said "I beat anorexia!" The other was worn by a teenager in Mexico as he played the flute for a music special at the church service. It said, "One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, FLOOR."

3. Whenever we had somebody picked up from the airport, we would have them hold up funny signs. For example, whenever Brock's parents were picked up, Kristin held up a sign that read, "L. Gill and her baby's daddy!" When we had Kristin picked up, a sign was held that read, "CRACKHEAD" because that is what Brock calls her.

2. Visiting the alien museum in Roswell, NM. Brock yelled out the van window, "The aliens are coming! Please, run for your lives."

1. Brock's Spanish in Mexico. One time, while he was in the straight jacket, he looked at the crowd and said something in Spanish. The Mexicans began snickering. I found out from the translator that he looked at the crowd and said, "I like fish."

My Style

I purchased a lot of clothes this summer. Since I grew up in Daytona, I've never quite shaken the beach style. I still have "sand in my shoes" as my mom says. My favorite stores are Maui Nix, Salty Dog, and Ron Jon Surf Shop. The brand names that I sport the most are Billabong, Lost, and O'Neil. However, you can only get this stuff in beach towns. So, I save up and do most of my shopping in the summertime.

For some reason, I always dressed like a surfer. I never was a surfer, because my mom would not let me. I did body surf (that is where you catch a wave and let it bring you in all the way to the shore without a board). Brock dresses like a skater. He actually skates (except not recently because his skateboard was stolen at the Celebrate Freedom Festival in Dallas).

I tried different styles in college and when I lived in Texas. However, surfer clothes just are more me. I'm confortable in them and I know the name brands well. Maybe the reason Brock and I are often asked if we are from California is because of the way we dress.

H2O

Back in February, a fitness trainer told us how important water is to drink daily. He said that 64 ounces a day is just an estimate. Every person is unique and needs a different amount of water intake per day. He looked at me and said that I need 80 oz. per day and Brock needs 120 oz. So, we began drinking that much water a day and we have seen a huge improvement. I've thinned out slightly in the midriff area, and Brock has thinned out immensely. Also, I feel so much better and have alot more energy!

At home, I have a water bottle that holds 24 oz. that I refill throughout the day. On the road, I've been using bottled water. Needless to say, Brock and I have been through hundreds of bottles of water this summer.

Try drinking alot of water daily for yourself. You'll spend much of your time in the bathroom at first, but it really helps your mood and overall wellbeing.

To Say Hello or Not to Say Hello

I saw someone the other day in a store. I knew that I knew him from somewhere. He looked too familiar. Where did I know him from? Was it from a show? He did look as if he could be a youth pastor. Was it through my parents? I was in the area in which my parents live. Did I know him from when Brock and I lived in this area a few years ago? My worlds were colliding as I racked my brain to try and figure out how I knew this guy. We passed each other in the aisle and not knowing what to do, I gave him an enthusiastic "Hi!" He mumbled a hello as it was obvious that he did not recognize me. Then, I noticed his wife was on the other side of him. I was so intent on figuring out how I knew him that I totally overlooked his wife. That explains why he looked so embarrassed with my "Hi." I can just picture that discussion between them after I left!

I never know what to do in a situation like that. There are many times when people don't know who I am if I'm not accompanied by Brock. He is so memorable. We have waitresses that remember waiting on Brock two years previously! However, I'm not quite as easy to remember. So, do I go ahead and say hello making them feel awkward because they don't remember who I am, or do I not say anything at the risk of looking like a snob? Help me out here. This happens to me often.

Phillipians 4:4-7

"Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and you minds in Christ Jesus."

People are People

Have you ever heard that saying, "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes and it will change. Here in ___________, it's always changing." They say that everywhere. They say it in Texas and in Illinios. They even said it in Australia. It's funny that people feel that the weather changes quickly only where they live.

We enjoy asking people how far it is to a certain city from their city. They always double or triple the amount of time it actually takes to drive to the city in question. For example, we may know that a city is a 2 hour drive from where we stop to eat. So, we ask the waiter how long it will take to drive to that city. He'll usually tell us that it takes about 5 hours to get there.

Next time you go on a road trip ask about the weather and how far the next town is. You will find that weather is weather no matter where you are. Also, people are people no matter where you are.

A Disciple Now and a Summer 10 Years Ago

I led a group of girls in a Disciple Now almost ten years ago in my home town. The following summer, I worked as a summer missionary in this little town. We put on Backyard Bible Clubs. I had a lot of these same girls help me lead the clubs for children. I still pray for these girls, and it is amazing to see how the Lord keeps putting them in my life.

One of the girls, Brittany, died in a car accident a few years ago. I was able to attend the funeral. Brittany's best friend, Tiffany, is such a prayer warrior. She e-mails me or comments on my blog about her prayer life. The Lord is really working in her life. We just found out that one of the girls from that same group, Jessica, had some blood clots in her lungs. It was totally God that they discovered the clots because the doctor said that you usually find this kind of physical illness upon death! It is not very detectable. Plus, the next week, she was planning to fly to Saudi Arabia. It would be a 17 hour flight. The doctor said that because of those blood clots, that flight would have killed her. However, because they caught it in time, they were able to get rid of the clots. The same week I found out about Jessica, one of the other girls, Alisha, called me crying because her parents were getting divorced. She just wanted me to pray for her family.

It's neat to see how the Lord is placing His hand in their lives. Even though they have been through some crazy life situations, He has been there for them. I am so glad that He has allowed me to be part of their lives. I will continue to pray for these girls forever. They are so dear to me.

Lingo

Brock has been around such a variety of people that I hear him using lots of different lingo. For example, after being around the skater and bmx guys, he uses the words "sick" and "rough" often. Only one of those words is negative. Can you guess which one it is? The answer is "rough." "Sick" means so much better than cool...it's awesome.

Of course after going to Mexico and listening to Beck, Brock uses many Spanish terms. We walked into a Chinese restuarant the other day and Brock walked up to the hostess and said, "Hola!" The Asian lady just smiled. Then, Brock continued, "Dos, no fumar." The smile then became a chuckle.

Many of the film crew were from England, so their accents and words were amusing. We happened to see some dolphins jumping out in the ocean while we were filming and Anna, one of the directors, said, "Crikey!" They also use the word "brilliant" alot when complimenting person. I've actually caught Brock saying "rubbish."

Vacation

We have been onstage, driving, flying, or filming everyday except two since June 2nd. However, we are performing today, the 22nd, and the 27th in Panama City. In between these dates, we are going on vacation! We are taking our street bike out of the trailer and using it to drive to our vacation spots. Our first break, we are meeting my parents in Destin where we have rented a condo. That will be fun! We'll watch out for sharks. The next break, we are going to explore these springs. One of Florida's best kept secrets are their natural springs. They have them all over the state. They consist of crystal clear water springing up from the ground. It's a great place to snorkel. Most of the springs that we are going to visit you can only reach by boat, so we intend to rent a canoe. If you want to see some of the springs we plan to visit, go to www.tfn.net/springs/CentralFloridaPanhandleChapter.html. Emerald Spring is the one that I'm looking forward to the most!

Hotels

During the months of June and July, we will have spent 47 nights in a hotel room somewhere. Some of them are good, others are not. It always seems that the time that we are extremely tired and just want to get into our room is the time when we have the most problems. For example, we've been checking in and out of this hotel here in Panama City several weeks now without a problem. The other night when we didn't arrive until 2am with a show to do the following morning, they did not have our reservations. This is how it goes! One late night, after spending an hour trying to park in their designated "truck parking," we went in only to try the keys in the hotel room four times unsuccessfuly. That is four times of walking back down to the desk, getting them rekeyed, and walking back up the flight of stairs and down the hall. Finally, a man opens the door with sleepy eyes and in an irratated voice said, "Wrong room." The front desk tried to give us an occupied room!

My favorite hotel that we have stayed at this summer was the Hilton in Daytona. It used to be the Marriot when I lived there, and I always dreamed of staying there. It was the nicest hotel in Daytona Beach. My dreams came true last week. We had a really great room right on the beach. Our balcony overlooked the boardwalk and the ocean. We left the curtains open so that the morning sunlight poored into the room. It was fabulous!

No More Outdoor Shows

I am very glad to be finished with our outdoor events. We did 10 straight shows outside. Ugh! It started with the big stunt. Then, we performed three nights in New Mexico. All of these venues were on a black, hot parking lot. It was hot. Then, we went to Dallas for the big festival where we performed numerous shows out in the hot, blazing, Texas heat. It was sticky. In Mexico, we did two formal shows outside under a pavillion and many informal shows out in the plaza. I got bit by some funky, Mexican bug. He got me all over my legs and arms. I'm still itching from those bites! Luckily, our remaining shows for the summer are in nice, air conditioned buildings.

CD's, DVD's, and Books

We purchased the new Inhabited CD yesterday. It is sooo great! Everyone should go to your local Christian bookstore and get a copy. The guy at the counter said that they have only been on the shelf for two days and are selling like hotcakes. Inhabited rocks!

Our new DVD's came in! They look so cool. I am actually excited about this DVD. For our first DVD, Brock performed close-up magic, because we thought that people would like to take home a DVD containing material that they did not see on stage. WRONG! People want to buy exactly what they saw on the stage that night. So, this DVD is more like what we do in our shows and on the road. It shows alot of Brock's humor as well. I think that it is entertaining. We recieved one order two shows ago and we are almost out! If you would like to order a copy, go to our website www.brockgill.com.

Also, Brock is working on writing a book on the miracles of Jesus. It will be his take on what he learned in Isreal and through research. Comment or e-mail me at aunygill@yahoo.com if you have any questions that you would like answered concerning the miracles of Jesus. He has not begun writing it yet, so we do not know exactly what direction to take with it. Let us know if you have any suggestions.

Road Troubles

We had another flat tire yesterday. It's become so commonplace for us that I just crawled into the back of the truck and read my book until Brock took care of the problem. A truck driver stopped and helped Brock remove the tire. The beauty of having three axles is that you can ride on just two for a short while. So, that is what we did. We took it into the shop today here in Lynchburg, VA. We happen to have some friends that live here, so we are hanging out with them until the trailer tire is replaced.

I used to freak out when we had road troubles like this. However, after coming up on several fatal accidents, it puts things into perspective. We've seen so many dead bodies on the side of the road. It definately increases your prayer life. We're so blessed that in all the miles that we've driven, we've never experienced a serious accident. A flat tire every now and then is nothing in comparison.

Drive Day

Today is a drive day. I love drive days! Drive days are days in which we only drive to a city or home. We do not have a show on that day. Therefore, I throw my hair up and wear no make-up. Brock puts on a trucker hat and we just drive anonymously throughout the country. Usually, we drive 10 hours at the most on a drive day. All day, we sit in our rig, driving, reading, watching a dvd, listening to music, or talking on the phone. Then, we stop in random towns to eat and fuel up. There are many times when Brock says we've stopped at this restuarant or truck stop many times before.

When we are in the south, we try little home cooking places on the side of the road. In the midwest, Cracker Barrel is our restuarant of choice. The decor is not very appealing, but the food is great. Also, you can eat there often and not get tired of it because of its large selection of food. Have you ever noticed the stars on the waitresses' aprons at Cracker Barrel? They can have up to 4 stars. They aquire these stars by passing different "Cracker Barrel" tests. The other day, we had a waitress that didn't have any stars yet. I knew more about the menu than she did. I wonder if I could pass those tests? I bet that I could get at least 2 stars!

Daytona Beach

The show last night in Daytona went extremely well. The youth were very intrigued the entire show. However, it was tough for us. Yesterday's drive from Tallahassee to Daytona was rough. Then, when we finally arrived, lots of things were missing or broken. Our trailer was full of water. Our door to the truck is broken and had some water damage. I left one of the props in Texas and we were unable to do a certain illusion. Our bike would not start even though we had taken it in to be fixed. After Brock took the whole thing apart, he realized that the shop did not fix it at all. Therefore, we could not do the motorcycle trick.

We're just a little tired. I'm not tired of the travelling, just working. I'm ready to play. We're going to these wonderful vacation spots yet we are not on vacation. I find myself watching people in their swimsuit attire walking along the sidewalk and wishing that I could be them at that time. Don't feel too sorry for me. We are taking some vacation time in between our shows in Panama City next week.

I walked along the beach this morning. Daytona is the best walking beach that I have found. There are miles and miles of flat, hard packed sand. Also, I grew up in Daytona, so I had a bit of nostalgia as I walked along the ocean. I remember walking that same path as a teenager and dreaming about what my future would be like. I always wanted an adventurous life. I think that I got it! You never dream about the bad that will come in the course of life. I've got the adventure that I wanted but what I did not realize is that adventure means extremes. We don't really have an average time. It's either really good or really bad. My life is not mediocre. I guess that is what I wanted, and I need to take the good with the bad in order to really enjoy my adventure!

Running from Dennis

We had to drive from Houston to Daytona Beach, FL yesterday. However, due to all of the evacuations, I-10 was only allowing drivers to go westbound. Therefore, we had to go north to I-20 and go across in that direction. This added about 7 hours to our drive. Ugh!

Nothing seemed unusual yesterday. We only had a little rain in some areas. The traffic was not heavy or light. At one of the truck stops in Mississippi, Brock got on the CB and teased that he had been asleep for 10 hours. One driver replied that he probably needed the sleep. Brock came back with, "That's okay. I don't need to be in Pensacola until tomorrow." Then, lots of drivers began to comment. They all told him not to go to Pensacola. When Brock pretended to be ignorant and asked why, a driver said that Brock had not been asleep but in a coma! One driver said that he drove through Pensacola during Hurricane Ivan last year. He said in 47 years of driving he had never seen anything like that. He said that just after he passed over the bridge, it washed out. The driver behind him was not as lucky.

Right now, we are staying at a truck stop in Tallahassee. In the wee hours of the morning when we arrived, Brock said that it was earrie. There were no cars on the road and hardly any trucks at the truck stop. They also informed him that this was the last place to have anymore gas. Everywhere else on I-10 had run out! When I woke up this morning, it was raining and very windy. The truck is shaking profusely as I type right now. I better get driving out of here to try and outrun Dennis the Menace!

Fun Bag

I have a lot of time on the road just driving. We spend hours in our big rig. So, I created a fun bag. This is a backpack that has everything I need to keep busy while sitting in one spot without access to internet or television. Right now, my fun bag contains:
A gameboy
Two journals
My Bible
The book Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper
The devotional from Women of Faith called A Life of Worship
A handheld game of Solitaire
A handheld game of Yatzee
Two issues of "Real Simple" magazine
One "Home Companion" magazine
Lots of highlighters, pens, and pencils in a plastic pouch
Lotion (coconut scented because it makes me think of the beach)
Kleenex
Chocolate (it's kinda melted, but if i get desperate, it's there)
Cards that I received for my birthday
Some encouraging notes that students have written me
A notebook
A sketchpad and charcoal pencils
chapstick
gum

Ministry in Mexico

The plan for ministry consisted of starting out with some clowns and Brock performing street magic out in the plaza. This is an outside area in Tuxtla where people hang out in the evenings. Then, we would have everyone come to the show which was held at our hotel. However, we lost a lot of people between the plaza and the hotel. Also, the new church did not really know how to do an outreach. Instead of the pastor coming up and leading an invitation after Brock performed and gave a message, he preached a 30 minute sermon. Needless to say, it was not very effective.

However, when Brock was speaking the first night, he used the word "hope" a lot. One of the guys on our team on the mission trip asked if Brock had heard them talking about hope earlier and if that is why he used the term. He said that they were praying that they would know the hope of Jesus. Brock said that he usually doesn't use that word, but he felt compelled to say it that night. I love it when you know that it is God who is orchestrating things.

After the service, we went back out to the plaza with some of our group. Brock performed and gave the gospel out there. He got all tied up in a straight jacket and gave his message using the straight jacket as an illustration of the bondage of sin. He said that the only way to be set free is to give your life to Jesus Christ. Then, he escaped and invited whoever wanted to become a follower of Christ to go over and speak with our leaders. The response was incredible. Several were saved including one entire family and 4 teenagers who were drug addicts. These teens wanted to meet with the local pastor. So, they were introduced. Pray for these new Christians. Also, pray for this new church in Tuxtla.

Mexico

Brock and I have been to various areas of Mexico about half a dozen times. I've enjoyed myself everytime. The people are truly easy going. They do not care much about time. In fact, I rarely see any kind of clock. In America, we have clocks in every room. We didn't eat lunch today until 3pm! There are certain situations where time does matter.

They have much less personal space than we do in the U.S. For example, on the plane, they crowd right behind each other and even touch. The Mexicans pile 5o people into a van. That's not an exaggeration by the way. Their showers are tiny. Part of the reason may be due to their physical size. They are rather small in stature. Brock looks like a giant to them. Once, when we were getting our flippers for a snorkeling tour in Mexico, the locals began laughing at Brock. They were pointing to his feet and saying, "Grande!" I guess they are not accustomed to size 14 feet!

Their sense of humor is great here. Brock keeps the Mexicans laughing. He knows just enough Spanish to mess with people. His favorite phrase other than "Que pasa" (What's up?) is "yo seguridado mi pantalones" (which means "I security my pants" or something like that). Everyone either laughs or looks rather confused because they don't even have the slightest idea of what he is trying to say. He also randomly yells out "Andelay hot dog, your popsickle's melting," which is a line from our favorite song, "Que Onda" from the new Beck CD.

Show in Mexico

We are flying out today to the city of Tuxtla in Mexico. We will be performing there and giving the gospel. I don't really know what to expect. One of the pastors that work with the people of the area tried to explain the difference between doing a show here and performing there. He said that the attention span is much greater in Mexico. He told me this story to help me understand:

A couple of years ago, he flew down there a month before the crew came in order to set things in place. He told the people that they would be bringing a clown. The leaders of the local church did not know what a clown was. After they found out, word got around town that a clown was coming. A 5 year old little boy climbed on his donkey and road down a steep hill. He sat at the bottom of the hill for two days. Finally, someone asked why he was sitting there. He said that he was waiting to see the clown. They explained that the clown would be coming in 30 more days, so he packed up his things and went back up the hill.

Pray that the show goes well. This will be our first experience with a translator. Also, pray for clarity. We want just the right amount of salvations. We will be helping a church get started in this city. Please pray that people that come to our show will be compelled to come to the new church.

4th of July

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. It's a time to be with friends and enjoy good food and sun! Today, we are at my parents' house in a small town outside of Houston. However, my parents are out of town. A few friends came over to spend the day with us. The friends consist of a guy and girl that grew up with Brock in Saline, LA.

The girl, Michawn, brought her husband, sister-in-law, and her two children. In fact, her little four month old child is sitting in my lap as I type this. They are in the process of moving from Phoenix, AZ to Longview, TX. They will be unloading their U-Haul tomorrow.

The guy, Brian, brought his wife, Stephanie, who went to college with all of us. She is pregnant with a boy. The due date is August 26th, and they still do not know what to name him. If you have any suggestions, please comment or e-mail me aunygill@yahoo.com.

Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God."

Celebrate Freedom Festival

Today, we perform at the Celebrate Freedom Fest in Dallas, TX. There will be lots of Christian artists perform on stages set up on a big field. It is going to be hot and crowded. The forecast says 99 degrees with a lot of humidity, and they anticipate 250,000 people! We've never done a festival of this size. I think that it will be fun. To see a list of the performers, go to www.klty.com/celebratefreedom05/index.htm.

New Mexico Shows

These shows were fun. We performed three nights outdoors. The second night, it looked as if it could rain. Not only did it stay dry, but there was a rainbow! Last night, it stormed for about 30 minutes a couple of hours before showtime. However, it dried up and was a beautiful night. Many people were saved and Artesia really enjoyed all of us.

Last night was awesome! We started out with our grand entrance. I drove the truck in honking the big horn. Then, the trailer door was let down and all of the bmxers and skaters and Brock on his dirtbike bolted out! Later, the skate team set their rail on fire and set off fireworks under their ramps in honor of the Fourth of July. After the bmx team performed, all of the skaters and bmxers tried to do a new trick. It was cool! Chaos on Wheels and King of Kings pulled of some incredible stuff! Lastly, Brock escaped from the water coffin. It was an exciting night!

Sightseeing in NM

Kristin and I had some time before everyone else arrived here in New Mexico Monday night, so we visited the Carlsbad Caverns. It was really cool. We took an elevator ride 750 feet down. I was just a bit nervous on that ride, because when I glanced out of the window of the elevator, all that I could see was a stone wall passing by in quantum speed. The thought of how we would be rescued if we got stuck crossed my mind. The elevator opened up to a dark cave only lit by the lights placed in strategious spots by the park. Water had formed these massive cone-shaped sculptures. It looked as if millions of icicles lined the ceiling. I wouldn't be surprised if they had iciles down there, because it was cold!

Yesterday, the skate team, bmx team, and our crew went to Roswell, NM home of the UFO crash of 1947. They have a museum and everything. This whole town is based on UFO and alien memorabilia. It was everywhere! The people we "interviewed" in the town believed it. However, they didn't convince me. I did not see one piece of evidence. There were some vague pictures and replicas of aliens. Kristin said that the aliens at Universal Studios looked much better. As we left the town of Roswell, Brock yelled out the window of the van, "The aliens are coming! Please, run for your life!"

New Mexico

We had some free time yesterday afternoon and decided to lay out at our hotel pool. My sunblock was in the truck which was at the venue. However, I've been on the beach for a few weeks now, so my base tan is definately in place. Plus, it was rather late in the day and I was only out there an hour or so. Therefore, I thought that I would be okay. I turned red! It wasn't a bad sunburn. It was just surprising that I burned at all this late in the summer. New Mexico must have some mega sun!

The show last night was as good as it could be considering that it was outside. Outside events are so difficult to do. Not only is it hard to pull of illusions when you have wind and no backstage, but the attention span of the audience is greatly diminished. Also, I like for my audience to be comfortable during a show. Last night, it was hot. People were sitting on metal bleachers, the ground, or standing up. However, with the skateboard team, bmx team, and us, I think that we put on an action packed show.

Filming is Over

Well, I've lost a few pounds, gained a few fever blisters, and a couple of zits due to the stress, but the filming is complete on our part. Brock flew to Phoenix yesterday to finish up the rest of the filming. Keep praying for the film crew as they go on to do other things as well as edit this show.

Today, Brock will fly to meet us in New Mexico. We will be leading a crusade here for the next three nights. Chaos on Wheels bmx team and King of Kings skate team will be joining us for this event. It will be fun, but a lot of work! Pray for our strength and lots of lives changed at the crusade.

Biggest Escape of Our Life

About six years ago, Brock told a few of us about this escape that he had been developing in his mind for a couple of years. It involved a crane and a box and lots of chains. We loved the idea and tried to figure out how to implement it in the show. However, it was highly impractical. Who would be able to afford or contain a huge crane at any event?

Yesterday, Brock's idea from eight years ago came into fruition. He was chained up and placed into a big, wooden box. The box was then lifted about 105 feet (11 and a half stories) into the air. Brock was supposed to escape from the chains and the box from that high in the air. It didn't quite end up that way, but it worked out even better! You'll have to watch it on the "Miracles of Jesus" show to find out how the escape ended...

Texas YEC

The Texas Youth Evangelism Conference went very well. The promotors and volunteers were fabulous to work with. As I said before, there were 20,000 people in the audience. I wondered how something so visual as our ministry was going to work in an audience so large. However, due to cameras allowing everyone to see and comedy that can be heard from any seat, I think that the crowd was with us. I'm glad that it is over. The filming is still going on....I'll fill you in later.

More Filming

The last few days have been the most intense days of my life. We've had several things go well and several things go badly. Thursday, we flew to Dallas to do a recce. That is to scout out the locations for filming. The church providing us with two filming locations cancelled on us Thursday. So, here we are going to look at the filming locations and we find out that we have no locations anymore! However, he found a replacement rather quickly.

Then, the BBC were still not allowing us to do the biggest part of the show because of insurance. Brock and David, from our office, composed a "risk assessment" yesterday morning for the stunt taking place on Sunday. After weeks of debating and searching for new insurance, the BBC's insurance accepted our stunt after reading the risk assessment.

Yesterday and today, we are performing at the Texas Youth Evangelism Conference. There are approximately 20,000 students in attendance. Therefore, we are performing in front of all of these people and recording our performance for the Discovery Channel. Not to mention all of the preparations we are having to make in securing locations and trying to get insurance. I haven't had much sleep, so if this doesn't make much sense, you know why. It's been downright crazy!

Day Three of Filming

Yesterday went well. The show was smooth. However, I had to run back and forth between the sound board and the stage. Since we lost our road manager, I must control the sound in order that it is done properly. It was very stressful! Not only did I have to do a live show, but a live show being recorded by the Discovery Channel.

Therefore, it pleased me when I didn't have to be in the shoot yesterday afternoon. I had to go and pick up our dirtbike from the shop. We must have it for the show this weekend. It took about two hours after going to borrow a guy's pick-up truck, driving all the way down there, loading up the bike, and bringing it back. I'm still tired.

This morning, we have to drive an hour to the airport and fly to Dallas. Then, I don't know what is on the agenda.

Keep praying for the insurance. It's a big deal, and we might not be able to do the big escape that we've had built and prepared just for this. So, please pray, pray, pray.

Day Two of Filming

Yesterday went really well. They filmed an interview with a professor at Florida State University in the morning, and Brock was interviewed in the afternoon. Then, they discussed production for the show this morning.

Last night, we were able to get away and eat at our favorite restuarant in the whole world...Marina Cafe in Destin, FL. Brock's parents joined us for dinner. They flew here from Dallas because they will be driving our truck to Dallas as we fly there tomorrow.

This morning, we are performing at Big Stuff camp again. The film crew will be taping the show. I'm extremely nervous again. The taping so far has not been so bad because it has not been live. However, today will be a live show and will be filmed. Also, I still have that fever blister. Just what I needed...my one chance on TV and I have this big blister on my face!

Day One of Filming

The filming went extremely well yesterday. We accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. We did two illusions out on the beach and some close-up. Most of it was done in one take. Every single trick we filmed yesterday was new and they all went fabulous. Thanks for the prayers. Brock was blown away by how well it went!

The only problem I had was that I think that I got a mild case of heat exhaustion. We practiced one of the new illusions a few times before we actually taped it. The illusion consisted of an illuminum box with limited space in the hot sun. It was incredibly hot. I instently got a fever blister when I got into the box. After getting in the hot box, I was so drained that I could barely move. I also bruised my head very badly from another illusion that I had to do.

So, this morning, I have a killer headache and I'm still exhausted. If this is anything like a hangover, I don't want any part of it!

Filming TV Show

Today, we begin filming more of the show for the Discovery Channel in the U.S. They will mostly be filming Brock performing magic. He will be doing stage illusions, stunts, and close-up magic on the streets. We will be here in Panama City for a few days and then in Dallas, TX this weekend. Then, Brock and the crew will fly to Pheonix next Monday to finish up the taping.

I'm so nervous. Unlike Brock, I don't know quite what to expect. I also don't know exactly what my role is going to be. I know that I have to perform a couple of illusions. That will be easy. However, television is new to me.

Of course when the crew arrived last night, their luggage was lost including lots of camera equipment. Everytime we start filming for this television show things go really wrong. Satan does not want this show to happen!

Pray for us this week. Pray that the filming goes extremely well and that the crew will see Jesus in all of us working with them.

Linda and Larry

My first day off in about 15 days was yesterday. Poor Brock had to fly out to perform at a Livin It in Virginia, but Kristin and I stayed in Panama City.

The last thing that I wanted to do was spend my day off at the laundry mat. However, I needed to wash clothes. Usually when I don't feel like washing clothes, I just go buy us more underwear at Walmart, but I was actually out of t-shirts as well. So, I decided to drop my clothes off at a place that would wash it for me. You paid by the pound and they would wash and fold your laundry. Guess how many pounds of clothes I needed washed. We've been gone 20 days with two of us...30 POUNDS! Can you believe that I had that much to wash?

Kristin only needed 4 pounds of clothes washed, so the lady said that she wouldn't charge her. I explained that I would give her a good tip because of her kindness. The lady at the counter said that the clothes would be ready in the morning, but she would not be working then. There was a guy helping her. He said, "Well, Linda, we'll be here tonight. Let's just wash it tonight!" Linda washed, dried, and folded all 34 pounds of our clothes in less than two hours. I gave her a good tip!

For lunch, we went to the "Awful Waffle." We sat at the counter. There was lots of drama going on at the Waffle House! Kristin who has never met a stranger, struck up a conversation with the man who was washing dishes in front of us. He moved here from Minnesota in order to see his daughter. He was trying to save up some money so that he could go and visit her in Tennessee more often. In just the few minutes that we sat there, the other workers were so rude and downright hateful to him. My heart broke for Larry who is just trying to make some money so that he can simply visit his daughter. Kristin and I decided to take Linda and Larry one of our dvd's Monday.

Back in Civilization

We're finally back to civilization. We've been in the sticks of Oklahoma. It was very boring. However, the first night of camp a tornado came through. The auditorium was outdoor. During the middle of the service, all of the students began fleeing from the worship service. I asked one of the guys as he sped by me if there was a tornado. He said, "Yes, we are all gonna die!" We received a lot of rain, thunder, and lightening, yet the tornado bypassed our little campground.

We have a girl named Kristin that is travelling with us some this summer. She is just as crazy as Brock. In fact, Brock refers to her as "Crackhead." You place two crazy people in the middle of nowhere with no action going on, and things just get plain silly. Our rental car was from Minnesota and said "10,000 lakes" on the license plate. Brock used a northern accent all around the tiny town of Talihina, OK. One day, we went to a local lake. Brock told the park rangers in his best Minnesota accent that we had found 10,000 lakes and we were looking for one more.

At the airport, Brock put on his straight jacket. He just stood there all strapped up. One lady was trying not to look, but she couldn't help herself. The crazy thing was that some people actually asked Brock about flights and stuff. How can Brock still be so approachable while wearing a straight jacket? On the way to Oklahoma, a guy had offered Brock some of his prescription drugs at the airport. Anyway, this topic of Brock being approached by all sorts is another blog.

Eminem

I pray for Eminem almost daily. Besides the fact that he is so passionate and honest in his music and if his passion turned to focus on the Lord it would be so effective, one of his t-shirts is hanging in my prayer closet. Therefore, it's there reminding me to pray.

Why do I have an Eminem t-shirt in my prayer closet? I'll tell you the story...We were doing a show in some small town Georgia. The venue was the gym of the church. A variety of ages of people attended. There were families, youth, and several grey hairs. Usually, Brock invites anyone who wants to pray to begin following Christ. Then, he has anyone who made this decision to walk to the back and talk with some loving church people who want to answer questions and pray for them. This night was no exception. However, one guy hit the aisle and instead of going to the back, he headed to the front. As he moved toward Brock, he took off his shirt. He handed Brock the shirt and fell to his knees right there in front of the stage. It was rather funny because this dude was in a church with no shirt. However, this was how he expressed his changed life. He was ready to leave this life behind and follow Christ in a new life.

The shirt he handed Brock had Eminem holding a bloody chainsaw on it. This shirt went to my prayer closet so that I could remember the guy in Georgia who made a very visual commitment to the Lord. Not only do I pray for this young guy, I pray for Eminem as well. He needs the hope of Jesus too.

Ephesians 4:20-21

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever!"

Prayer Request

It seems that every opportunity we have to film for the Discovery Channel's show "Miracles of Jesus" is met with complications and setbacks. The dates they originally wanted to film would not work with Brock's schedule; when we did set the dates, he lost his passport and was sick. Now, as they are planning to meet us in Dallas to film some of Brock's illusions and shadow us during the Texas YEC, a new story unfolds. The insurance company for the BBC wants Brock to be covered for $10 million before they begin filming. A representative from our office has attempted to do this but he has found that the most many insurance companies will cover is $2 million dollars. In fact, some have laughed at the idea that he would even think of asking for $10 million. It seems impossible to get this coverage. Our lives prove that God chooses to work through impossible circumstances. Please pray that this situation will work out so that we can continue filming.

What Would You Learn About Me in 24 Hours?

I saw this commercial where ladies kept saying what you would learn about them if you spent 24 hours with them. I think that it is a lotion commercial or something. It got me thinking, what would someone learn about me if they were with me for 24 hours?

I think that you would learn that I am clumsy. No, not just clumsy...like the clumsiest girl I know. You are thinking that is because you are with yourself all of the time, but it's not just me. Other people close to me think that I'm the clumsiest girl they know too.

Everytime we do a show, Brock says he can hear a big commotion backstage. I fall over illusions and drop props all the time. Every show I add new bruises to my legs, feet, whatever.

One time when we were on the Winter Jam tour with Reliant K, Audio Adrenaline, Newsong, and Todd Agnew, I managed to bring down two keyboards. As I was bringing out a rather large illusion, the backside of the prop caught the corner of the keyboard stand. The whole stand and keyboards came crashing to the ground. It was loud and very noticible to the crowd of 8,000 people. Luckily, the illusion had a huge curtain around it, so I just ducked behind the curtain as stage hands came to the stage and frantically put the keyboards back together. I handed them a couple of pieces of the keyboard stand. Brock cracked jokes the whole time. Then, we just proceeded with our portion of the show. We sold more merchandise and Brock signed more autographs that night than any other time. I don't know if it's because the audience got to hear more of Brock's sense of humor or if they just like to see the artist mess up.

Have I convinced you about my clumsiness yet? Spend a day with me. You'll come to the conclusion that I am the clumsiest girl you know. What would someone learn about you if they were to spend a full 24 hours with you?

Another Camp in Oklahoma

Today, we start another camp out in the sticks of Oklahoma. We flew from Panama City to Oklahoma City and will be driving about 3 hours out to this camp this afternoon. This time, Brock will not be the speaker. He will perform some illusions and give a short message using one of the illusions as an illustration during the morning and night services.

I hope that it will be good. I also hope that we will not be bored out of our minds. We will have a rental car, so we could go to the nearest town if we so choose. However, we will not have our truck. Whenever we go into unknown situations, I like having our truck. It's comforting to me, because it feels like home. We'll see how this week goes!

Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Earthquakes

Yesterday, we drove from Mississippi to Panama City, FL. We ended up driving right through Tropical Storm Arlene. Brock was able to do something that he has always wanted to do. He experienced the eye of the storm. Driving on I-10, wind was heavy coming from the north. Then, it was calm for about 20-30 miles. The storm picked up again only the winds were coming from the south this time. It was cool!

We've seen our fare share of storms. The day that Allison came through Houston a few years ago was the same day that my sister was getting married in Houston. That was interesting!

Right before we got married, I was in Houston and Brock was in Marshall, TX. Seven tornadoes came through the Marshall area three days before we were getting married. I thought, "This is it! Brock's going to die and I'm never going to get married."

We've been in two earthquakes. One in Wyoming and one in Nevada. I woke up abruptly because of the quakes, but Brock slept through both of them!

Camp Food

I enjoyed camp, but there is one thing that I'm glad to be absent of...CAMP FOOD. You've got to love camp food. It's so...what's the word?...PROCESSED. They will have these little patties of chicken. What part of the chicken forms this patty? The burgers are perfectly shaped so that it's obvious a machine created these circles of meat or soy or whatever it is.

It reminds me of my college days. I was required to have a meal plan and eat several of my meals in the cafeteria. I was also on the student council. We suggested that they post the fat grams and nutritional value of all of the food up in a visisble place. The administrators adhered to our request and the cafeteria workers were ordered to post the nutritional value of the food they were serving. After a while, we asked them to stop showing us the nutritional value. There was no "nutritional value" to anything they served. The fat grams were so atrotious that we stopped eating the food. We decided that we would rather not know what we were putting into our bodies. Can you believe this processed junk is what we are feeding our kids?

Camp Wrap Up

The last night of camp went well. A dozen or so more people gave their lives to Christ for the first time. Brock ended with riding his motorcycle blindfolded through the crowd. The students loved it!

There was some heavy stuff going on during the service. One of the leaders felt a heavy burden for a certain teenager. Last night, he pulled the guy aside and began to talk with him. Come to find out, his dad has been beating him farely regularly. They brought his sister into the room to ask her about it. At first, it seemed that she was getting defensive about her father, but then she broke down. She said, "I thought that I was the only one." Who knows the lives some of these children lead?

I will always remember Camp Wow in Oklahoma. It was a special experience where God did a great work. Also, I will continue to pray that these students grow in Christ and that they are trully changed forever. I will especially remember Arora and Crissy in my prayers.

God is on the Move at Camp Wow

The second night of camp, Brock gave an invitation. The invitation was really difficult. Brock told them that becoming a Christian doesn't just take all of your problems away. Also, he explained that it doesn't make you more popular. In fact, it probably does the opposite. However, when he had the people who wanted to follow Jesus stand up boldly in front of everyone else, at least 50 stood up to become a Christian! As Brock had all of the people making a decision for Christ go to the back, the rest of the students stood up and faced the back giving the new Christians a standing ovation. It was soooo moving.

I watched as Arora sat in her seat while people left to receive Christ. I began to pray that somehow she would realize that the Lord loved her. Just then, Brock began to speak again and say something that he normally doesn't say after the invitation...He said that the Lord loves each one of you. He explained that some people in the crowd had never experienced true love, but the Lord wants to give you unconditional love. At that point, Arora left and she became a true follower of Jesus that night.

Last night, Brock spoke about growing up and getting off of the milk (Hebrews 5). He told them that if they are a Christian, they are ministers. Then, the worship leader came up and led them in a time of praying for each other. Ministry happened! The Holy Spirit was thick in the room as middle schoolers ministered to each other.

I watched as girls surrounded Crissy and Arora and prayed for them. Arora and Crissy were very emotional. Later, I found out that Arora grabbed Crissy and told her that she needed to get saved. Crissy went outside and prayed this prayer..."God, I hated You, but now I love You."

Arora

Pray for Arora. As she passed by me this morning, I really felt the urgency to pray for her. I also felt as if I should talk to her, but I didn't. Later, the camp leader said that there were a couple of girls from a girls' home here. They were probably ordered to come to this camp. He said that when he shook her hand, she grabbed it really hard and released it agressively. He could tell that she is very hard. Then, I saw her and her friend who was from the girls' home sitting at dinner alone. I joined them for dinner. Arora and her friend, Crissy, have had a difficult life. My heart just broke for them. They don't click with anyone at this camp. When I asked Arora how she liked camp, she replied, "It's okay." Pray for these two girls. Pray that they will be saved and experience the love of Jesus. Also, pray that they will find some friends here at camp that can love on them. Pray that they will be able to accept the love...Arora and Crissy.

First Night of Camp

As soon as I came on the grounds of the camp, I didn't want to do anything productive. This is the perfect place to get away and alone with God. However, studying the word and spending hours in prayer was the last thing that I wanted to do. I wished to play and go to a movie or a restuarant. Either one of those things are miles and miles away.

In the service last night, Brock didn't really speak. Normally, a speaker wants to give his best messages at camp especially the first night. However, Brock felt like the Lord wanted him to conduct a prayer time instead. (To be really honest, I was nervous about him not really speaking, because it was the first night and he is the "speaker.") He read from Acts 1 about when the disciples were expectantly waiting for the Holy Spirit. Brock wanted us to expect God to move. He instructed us to use this time to "detox" and "deprogram" in order to get ready for camp this week.

During the prayer time, I looked around the room and realized that I was not the only one who was having this lack of interest in spiritual things. I could sense that everyone wanted to play, but they weren't ready for the Lord to work. During that time of prayer, the walls were broken down and that spirit of complacency left the building. It was incredible how the atmosphere changed and the Lord began to move across the place.

After the service, one of the guys in charge of this camp told Brock that he had been praying that exact scripture in Acts 1 for this camp. He also explained that these kids are church kids. They know how to open their Bibles and listen to a 1,2,3 sermon, but it rarely changes them once they leave the service. In other words, they need someone to come in and shake things up. Brock is just the guy to do that! He is never the norm. I'm excited to see what the Lord is going to do this week!

Camp Speaker

Today, we begin a camp where Brock is the speaker. We do not do this very often, but I enjoy it when we do. Brock is a great speaker! It also stretches him some to speak at a week long camp. He will speak morning and night. I'm excited to see what happens. The camp is in Gerty, OK. Pray that the students will be inspired to experience a deeper relationship with the Lord and those that need to become a follower of Christ wil do so. Pray that lives will be changed in Oklahoma this week.

Movies and Cops

Friday night, we went to see Star Wars. After the movie, I walked out into the parking lot feeling like I could fight anyone...feeling invincible. My courage came to a halt when we noticed someone messing with our truck. We had parked in the vacant parking lot next to the theater since there was no room for our truck in front of the cinema. Now, across the parking lot, we could see a guy in a little old sporty car circling our truck. He walked all the way up to our driver's door.

Brock immediately called the police. After all of the theft we had experienced, we suspected he was stealing our truck. Should we stand here and watch him take our truck? I knew that if he actually attempted to steal it, Brock would try and stop him. I didn't want that because what if this guy was armed?

Then, the guy drove off in a hurry. Brock stayed on the line with the police as we walked across the dark parking lot to our truck. Their was an orange sticker on the driver's side window. It said that we would be towed if we parked here too long. By this time, 6 or 7 cop cars showed up surrounding our truck. Then, I got nervous that they might give us a ticket for parking in this vacant lot. However, there were no signs about not parking there.

Brock had a long conversation with one of the cops. He was nice. They were glad we called. They did not really like the owner of the property. They called him a few choice words and said that he does this kind of thing all of the time.

It was an interesting night! My heart rate definately went up! However, it was funny how quickly my courageousness thoughts disappeared. I'll leave all of that fighting to the guys in the movies!

Beaches

Yesterday, we found this kosher deli in Panama City. Brock said that the Israeli food was not fabulous, but he sorta craves it now. So, when we found this deli, he got his pannini and falafel fix, and I got to experience some of the food that he enjoyed over there. Last night, we ate at one of our favorite seafood places called Old Bay Steamer in Ft. Walton.

Today, on our way to Oklahoma, we are going to stop by our favorite beach in the whole world...Pensacola Beach, FL. You have to take advantage of the road or else you will start to resent it. Therefore, we stop off at cool tourist attractions, restuarants, and see the sites. Being the beach bums we are, we freguent beaches all across America. This one is our favorite! However, it may not be the same because the hurricane came right through there.

We used to stay at Ft. Pickens National Seashore on Pensacola Beach, but it's not there anymore. That's a shame because it was so beautiful. This area was at the end of the island. The drive alone was incredible. Only pure white sand dunes and emerald ocean are on either side of the road. It's crazy how one storm can whipe out our favorite vacation spot!

Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God."

The Ghost Writer

I talked with the "ghost writer" that I met on the plane. I was really having doubts about my writing ability. The thought of actually writing a book was overwhelming. That's why the idea of a ghost writer was appealing!

I only spoke with the writer, Jan, for a few minutes. However, she gave me advice straight from the Lord. You know that feeling when the Lord is speaking right to you? The Lord spoke to me through Jan.

She told me that writing a book can be overwhelming. I needed to start out by writing a letter to someone. Keep a certain person in mind when I write the letter. As I'm writing, I can think about questions this receiver of the letter might have and answer them. Also, I can think about what I want to tell this person.

Jan closed the conversation by confirming that the Lord ordained our meeting and she wanted to hear from me in about six months. She said that she really felt like the Lord placed us on that plane together.

That was just the encouragement I needed to continue writing the book. She gave me direction. I hope to have something for her to read in six months!

High Stress and No Stress

This camp in Panama City is ending up being the easiest one all summer. The guy in charge didn't want a lot of big illusions. He said that he was relying on Brock's personality and wit to carry the show and not some big props. He's got Brock pegged. Those are his biggest assets. Therefore, we only have to set up one illusion.

After we loaded in and decided how to go about the show, we got back to our room at about 12:30am. Our air conditioner didn't work and the hotel was sold out! So, we didn't get to bed until 1:30am and I had to get up early this morning to go to a production meeting. Of course, my shower was COLD.

I'm still trying to learn how to handle the stress of this carreer. The problem with us is that we experience such high stress and then back down to zero stress in just a few minutes. For example, we will perform in front of thousands of people this morning who are thinking "Show me what you got!" The intensity of live show is indescribable. I will man our sound and literally push play on a song and run up on stage and perform our one illusion and then, run back to the sound board. Plus, magic is a perfect art. In other words, if you mess up, you expose a trick. So, we will go from that stress to later this afternoon sitting on the beach. There is no in between.

I guess every job has its good points and its bad points. I just need to learn how to handle the up and down stress levels.

Panama City

Today, we must drive from Louisiana to Panama City, FL. Tonight, we load in for tomorrow's show. I'm slightly nervous about the show tomorrow. We're going to be doing this particular camp several times this summer, but the first one makes me anxious. We will kick off the camp every week with a show at 11am. I usually don't enjoy morning shows because people act so differently in the morning than they do at night. However, camp is different. Everybody is excited at all times. We'll see how it goes!