A Restful Weekend and Monday...

       Today I didn't go into the prisons due to scheduling. Tomorrow I will be leaving bright and early to go to my next prison and present the Anger Resolution Seminar (probably before MANY of you even think about opening your eyes...lol). Lord willing, I will be doing that and then finishing with this seminar Thursday. It was a privilege to spend the weekend with my Grandparents visiting and enjoying the warm weather! Sunday was my last day with them, so I decided to go out and shoot some pictures at a near by pond before leaving my Grandparents to head back to the northern part of FL where I am now. I was able to see a small gator and a couple different kinds of birds, along with all the beauty of southern land!
       God has been good to me and as I stop and reflect on all that has happened since I have left my home, I guess I am HUMBLED!!! Just to know God is real, He loves me, He doesn't change and I can come before His feet at anytime and He stoops down and patiently listens to me is beyond a miracle! I am trusting Him for His power to go before me in this next prison that I will be working in this week. But you know what? As I reflect on last week and KNOW that soooo many precious brothers and sisters were praying for me, by God's grace I can RUN straight ahead as I yield myself to Him, assured that nothing will stop me from accomplishing God's best in the prison! God bless you all and thank you for your prayers because I don't know what I could possibly do without them...you all are a life saver and all that has been accomplished so far for God's Kingdom is greatly do to you and your prayers....THANK YOU BUNCHES!!!!

Here are a couple pictures I took before leaving my Grandparents house this Sunday...

A Blue Bird

TONS of Moss!!!!

A Fish Hawk

A Fish Hawk WITH a small fish!

WARNING: DEADLY FIRE ANT HILL!!!!!

MILLIONS OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Small Gator

This is Gator Land!!!

Tangerine Tree

Don't ever doubt it...God is GOOD!!!

  "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."Genesis 1:31

Trusting, Resting, Secure!!!

Psalm 37: 3-5

"Peace, be still........"

     Have you ever had a time in your life where you go through an AMAZING week or period of victories and then as soon as you have finished them, all of the sudden you are so overwhelmed with "real life", decisions and realities you have to face? Well I guess when this happens to me, a verse of scripture boldly ringings in my ears "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2Corinthians 12:9
      I traveled to see my Grandparents over the weekend and I am now staying with them until tomorrow afternoon. Today was a restful day and that is something I needed after this last week. :) I had an opportunity to go to the gulf, see the beach and enjoy the peaceful and quiet atmosphere of the ocean lapping upon the shore. As I made tracts in the sand, waded in the salty water and looked for sea shells while shooting pictures, there was just a peace that was there. As weird as this may sound...God knew I need this quite opportunity to enjoy His creation. This weekend was very difficult because I had to make a very important decision, one that I knew would impact me for the years to come. But God is giving me His peace and confirming that the direction I am taking is His perfect will for my life!
     So in short, again I have to say that even through the more difficult times....my Daddy is FAITHFUL!!! I can trust in Him no matter what I am faced with and He will ALWAYS lead me to making the perfect decision! So thank you all again for praying for me...yes, there are times of victories in life but there are also those battles we must face in order to achieve those victories. Your prayers have only strengthened me to press on in my relationship with the Lord. You all are a HUGE blessing and I can't thank each one of you enough for your prayers...but just know that YOU are sooooooo appreciated!!! I am relying on God for my strength and am GREATLY looking forward to what AMAZING things He WILL do this next week!!!!!!!! It has truly been a privilege to be with my Grandparents for the weekend and most of all, to have Grandparents who love me and desire God's best for my life! I thank the Lord for going before me and providing this opportunity! .... JOY!!! :D I AM looking up!
Ps... Thanks to my AMAZING brother Chad, I have an incredibly NEW header for my blog!!! Chad, your the best bro!!! ;D

Here are some fun pictures I took while I was at the beach...

My Grandpa

Oyster Shell

A Fishermen's Net

My Little Treasures ;)

A Crabs Claw

A Beautiful Evening

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Mark 4:39-40 

Another Beautiful Day...

Well, I think this post might just be a "quick one". Today I was able to share some more with these men and it seemed as though they are REALLY grasping the truth. Honestly I can say this with ALL of my heart "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." (3 John 1:4) This has been one of the greatest blessings of all the trip so far; that is to see these inmates grasping the truth! Tomorrow will be my last day at the Gulf Correctional Institution and I am NOT looking forward to leaving behind the new relationships I have built with these inmates. But I know more work needs to be done in other places so I must go...and I know that God has gone before me at the other prison so I am excited!

Well.......before I end this post I wanted to share with all you who are praying for me a testimony that just happened yesterday at my prison. I believe you will be encouraged to know that my Daddy DOES and IS looking out for me. This is what happened..............

When going to the ANY prison I carry with me two of the most critical things to get into a FL prison, you might be able to guess them....my drivers license and my Florida Correctional Pin number (this is basically my identity to the officers in FL who manage the Correctional facilities and it holds all my prison volunteer status on it). Well, I was going about my normal activities yesterday in the chapel and I ended up in the chaplains office just sitting and talking as the inmates left the chapel. All of the sudden one of the Orderlies (these are inmates who have earned special privileges do to good conduct and character) came into the office and laid on the desk something that TOTALLY shocked me + gave me a good scare! It was my Indiana drivers license!!!!!! Evidently as all the inmates where leaving the chapel I had bent over and my drivers license had fallen out onto the ground from my front pocket. Now the question comes to mind...what are the chances of an inmate returning someones drivers license and what are the chances that this only fell out of my pocket when the Orderlies were around? As I think about it, I know God was watching out for me and continues to! So thank you for your prayers and Lord willing tomorrow the inmates will be graduating from the Advance Seminar with their certificates! Praise the Lord! God bless you all and have a wonderfully blessed night! Be encouraged in the Lord because I AM!!! :D

Ps. Here are some shots I took this morning at the place where we are staying. We are staying in a house on a spring fed river. This river is the cleanest river in the United States!

Another day has gone by...but with GOD'S Blessing...

Today went well. The inmates are still open and I believe that the Lord is still doing a visible work in the hearts of these precious men! I honestly can ONLY thank the Lord for this opportunity to stretch me past my comfort zone for His glory. It has been a challenge to be away from everyone that is very close and near to me, but when I look at it in the light that this is the calling God has given me, that I am fulfilling it and lives are being touched I can only be thankful...and you know what? I MEAN T.H.A.N.F.U.L! Even though it can be a challenge missing everyone, God is special to me and He IS my ALL in ALL!!! I realize that yes I might be far away from everything I am use to, but when an inmate comes up to you and thanks you for coming because that shows to him that there is still people who care out there...my perspective changes, worries melt away and I am strengthened to take hope. Every time I look to the Lord about these kind of things on my heart, I am quickly remind "I am with you and have gone before you". Again, with a family and brothers and sisters in Christ who are NO doubt praying...what more could I ask for? I AM BLESSED! I have seen my Daddy's hand and continue to...so therefore I am keeping my focus on Christ! Please continue to pray that the inmates would keep an open heart which only will become more and more open to the powerful truths of the Word of God, that can transform their lives. I am looking forward to what the Lord is going to do through the rest of the week and can ONLY expect great things! God bless you all!!!!

Trusting...Resting...Secure!!!

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you ALWAY, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20 

Opening Hearts And Lives...

Today has been the best day yet! Why? Because God has begun to open the hearts of these inmates to the point where they are willing to talk, share and confirm the truths that they are hearing. I was able to share a couple testimonies with them from my own life. After I did this, it was like I was speaking on there level and in a way in which they could relate! I was sooooo encouraged especially after I gave them a testimony on the area of what God's standard of music is, using a life experience of my own and what the Lord had taught me through it. After sharing this, quite a few inmates raised their hand and wanted to comment on what I said and I believe ALL of them that commented agreed with me; and some of them verbally stated there appreciation for the testimony in front of the whole group!!! I know this was not do to me...but instead a working of my Father! Please continue to pray, because as of right now I know the Enemy is TOTALLY bond and helpless to stop God's work in the prison! PTL!!! Well...I should hit the hay but I just wanted to give you all that are praying a quick but important update! You all are like brothers and sisters and I thank the Lord for you TONS!!!! God bless you all tonight! :) Ps. Thanks for all your encouragement...You ALL ARE THE BEST!!! :D

Standing in Awe At This Amazing Opportunity... I Am Totally BLESSED!!!

 I just got back from presenting about 4 sessions in the Advance Seminar to about 46 inmates. This prison is a 5 out of 7 ( 7 being Super Max) prison with varying chargers and serving times for each inmate. Some of these inmates will spend anywhere from a day there or all the way to spending there life... these are better known as "lifers". Needless to say I am TOTALLY privileged to be with many Brothers in Christ who I see as no different than myself; having changed their ways of life and are seeking a more intimate walk with their Saviour!!! God really did bless today with a VERY smooth time and with NO interruptions!!! ( which is totally a plus if you are in a prison) I love the site of all these inmates, because I see it as a TOTALLY open and HUGE harvest just waiting to be picked!!!! This totally gives me an amazing thrill and deeper passion to see these lives touched! I am humbled that God desires ME to help in this task, but His grace I KNOW is sufficient beyond any doubt. Tomorrow Lord willing, I will be doing the same thing at the same prison. You all again are such a blessing for praying...you know, if it weren't for you and God's grace I wouldn't be here! God bless and I will try to keep you posted as we go throughout the week! You ALL are a blessing!!!

Here is an encouraging verse the Lord gave me today...

"Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul." Psalm 54:4 

                                                                                   

                                                   ... God bless you BUNCHES for praying!!!

Arrived Safely!!!

Having traveled over 700 miles today God's mercy saw us through...I can only thank the Lord because I know He is faithful! :) Tomorrow morning I head out to begin the Advanced Seminar in one of prisons here in FL.. Please keep me in prayer because I found out that I AM going to be doing the seminars on my own again. But my Father is faithful and I can't wait to see His footprints that have ALREADY gone before me! I have a peace and I know He has gone before me! PTL! :)