May 21-22, Grace Covenant Church, Roanoke, VA
Saturday: Good morning I’ve been enjoying the time of year—which for me means yard work. What a great season! This morning I am flying to Roanoke, to be with my friend Jeff Ell at his church in Roanoke. This will be my fourth visit to this church, but it’s been almost six years since I was last there, so I expect to make some new friends. Tonight will be a “time of soaking” worship gathering, at which I will bring two 15-minute devotionals. Then I’ll do the two Sunday morning services. And then I’m staying over to do a Monday morning pastors gathering. I’m looking forward to this time with my friends.
Saturday night: Tonight’s 2-hour worship service was very heartfelt, very easy to give our hearts to the Lord. I brought a couple devotionals and the Lord helped. A great night together.
Sunday: This morning’s two services were excellent. They have a fabulous crop of young people leading the worship ministry here now, and they’re doing a tremendous job. The Lord blessed the ministry of the worship, and there was a meaningful response after both services. After the second service I joined Jeff and his kids for lunch. Then we took a nice afternoon hike through the woods. Now it’s evening, and I’m preparing for the pastors gathering in the morning.
Monday: Good afternoon from the Roanoke airport. We had a tiny group of pastors this morning, I think there were maybe 14 or 15 people all told, so the fellowship was sweet. After a time of intimate worship, I shared on the life of Jacob. The Lord graced the message in a strong way. Everyone seemed edified and glad they came. Including me. So I’m coming home with a grateful, happy heart.
May 15, Christian Fellowship Church, Harlingen, TX
Saturday morning: This morning I’ll be making my way to Harlingen, TX, which is in the Rio Grande valley, just across from Mexico. One of the hottest-temperature places in the USA. So while Kansas City is in a cool spell this weekend, I’ll be doing a range of temperatures from 74 to 91.
This will be my first time to Christian Fellowship Church. This evening I’ll be speaking to the worship team at 6 p.m. Then I’ll stay over for the Sunday morning service.
I am asking the Lord for His presence and grace to be with us strongly, and for lives to be strengthened with an eternal deposit.
Sunday 3:00 p.m.: Hello from the Harlingen TX airport, where I’m waiting for United to check me in. We’ve had some torrential rains here this afternoon, and there’s weather in the Houston area as well, so my trip home is looking rather uncertain right now. I’m hoping I get home tonight.
Last night’s meeting with the worship team and this morning’s service at Christian Fellowship Church were graced of the Lord. I was aware of the Lord’s help, and my own heart was strengthened also as I engaged with the word. The fellowship has been sweet as I’ve made a bunch of new friends. My family suddenly got larger. I love the family of God!
May 8, 10:30, River of Life, Abilene, TX
Sunday 3:00 p.m.: Greetings from the Abilene airport, where I’m checked in to my flight for Dallas. This event was a pilot attempt, and the response was tiny. I’m blessed that they gave it a valiant effort! The presence of the Lord was sweet, even though only a few of us gathered. Then this morning I spoke at the host church. The Lord graced the ministry, and some folks were saying it was exactly what the church needed right now. Thank the Lord for His faithfulness!
May 7, Karitos Arts Conference, River of Life Church, Abilene, TX
Saturday 6 a.m.: This morning I will be flying to Abilene TX via Dallas (American Airlines). This will be my second time to be at River of Life Church. I was there many years ago, and am returning to participate in a Karitos conference the church is hosting today. Then I am staying over for Sunday morning with them.
May 3, OneThing Internship, IHOP-KC
Tuesday 8 p.m.: This evening’s session with the kids in the onething internship at IHOP went very well. I was sore tonight, so they prayed for me at the beginning. And the Lord helped me. At the close, I invited any who wanted me to anoint them with oil and pray for them, as they consecrate themselves to the Lord, to come forward. I think most everyone in the group came forward. So we closed in a sweet time of giving our hearts in fresh consecration to the Lord. A great crop of kids! The hope of this generation.
April 30-May 1, Church of the Savior, Nicholasville, KY
Saturday noon: Greetings from the Atlanta airport, where I’m en route to Lexington, KY. I’m doing the weekend services at Church of the Savior in Nicholasville, KY. It will be my first time to meet my hosts and to be at this church. The pastor contacted me because of his connection with my books, I think especially Secrets. They have four services: today at 5:00 pm, then Sunday at 8:30, 10:15, and 11:55. 40 minutes is available each service for the message. I have prepared my heart to speak on how God writes a story with our lives. I’m looking forward to it.
Unfortunately, there is a delay in my Atlanta-Lexington flight. It’s showing a 90-minute delay right now, and hopefully the delay will not grow any longer because of the 5:00 p.m. meeting today.
On another note, my assistant Marie has asked for prayer regarding our ongoing attempts to procure a visa to Russia. If we get the visa we’re applying for, it would give me access to Russia for 3 years, which would be just awesome. But the roadblocks to getting this 3-year visa, or any visa for that matter, or considerable. Russia requires that I get a specific kind of religious visa, since I’m speaking in churches, and that kind of visa is troublesome in its processes. One Russian agent Marie called abruptly said, “We don’t process that visa” and hung up on her. So we need the Lord’s help. Thanks for putting some prayer muscle into that one.
On another note, I’m pleased to say that we finally received our sample copies of our three books that have been printed in Polish: SECRETS, FIRE OF DELAYED ANSWERS, and BETWEEN THE LINES. Please bless these translations in prayer. Pray a special blessing on the publisher, because they are laboring to spread the Gospel in a small market that is economically challenged. Let’s ask the Lord to bless their ministry mightily!
Sunday 5:30 p.m.: Greetings from the Lexington airport, where our incoming craft was delayed. But it’s looking like I will get to Atlanta in time to make my connecting flight to Kansas City.
I had a marvelous weekend at Church of the Savior. Just excellent saints. So easy to minister to. They pulled it out of me. And showed so much affection and appreciation for the ministry. I hope it’s not my last time with them.
April 24, Zion Christian Church, Troy, MI
Tuesday night: At 6 pm I spoke to the Onething Internship at IHOP for an hour. This is a group that is mostly around 18-21 years old. I spoke on how God is writing a story with our lives, and then closed with the baseball film. Afterwards, the kids lined up to greet me with a big hug, it was a sweet time of imparting and connecting with them.
Saturday morning: This morning I have a direct flight to Detroit, preparing for tomorrow morning’s ministry at Zion Christian Church in Troy (greater Detroit area). I’ve been to Zion enough times that Zion feels like a family to me. The last time I was there, the pastor was in transition, preparing to leave. Since then, the brother who was the youth pastor has been installed as senior pastor, and this will be my first visit with Jared as the pastor. Jared was raised in the church, so he’s one of their own. A great young man. I look forward to this weekend of connecting with Jared and the Zion family.
Sunday 2:45 pm: Greetings from the Detroit airport. The Lord’s grace was real evident this morning. Strong grace on the ministry of the word, and strong response of the people. At the close, I asked the prayer teams to get anointing oil in their hands, and anoint the eyes of those who desire to come forward for that kind of ministry. We were asking the Lord to open the eyes of our understanding, to see what He sees in our circumstances. It seemed to me that the vast majority of folks came forward in both services to receive the anointing of oil. The Lord’s presence was strong and sweet.