Learning In Each Moment.

There are things in life that we are unable to always predict. There are times that just seem to pass us by, and then there are times that we jump to make decisions that are based upon what is right, but possibly not in Gods timing.
Leaning and knowing Gods timing is not something that is always easy. It can be very difficult at times, because He shows us what is right, and lets us know what will be, but in that moment, we loose focus of His timing.

Everything we do in life, is based upon timing. Eating, sleeping and breathing are all based upon  timing. So is our relationship with God. I was once told, "The right thing may be the wrong thing, if at the wrong time." That statement is so very true. It is all part of the growing process, we sometimes learn as we go, yes others may have to learn faster and more often because of one word, "patience" something that many of us struggle with.
Many things in life are unsure but one things we are able to hold to is this, if God has spoken it, if He has confirmed it, and if He has opened the door, then there is nothing or no one that can keep the will of God from  happening if in fact His people continue to walk in His way.

Life is full of these learning process, but learning to dance in the rain is something that we must all learn. Making the best out of everything situation and making it a learning time, is something that you will never achieve anywhere else. Learning in the very moment, is the greatest thing that a person can do.
So learn to dance in the rain, take the journey one step at a time, only in time will you realize what God intended us to learn.

My Dream Came True.

Well where do begin? August was such a wonderful month. But please let me take you back to where it all begins. Almost three and a half years ago, I moved to Louisiana to intern for the summer. Upon arrival I was told of this wonderful girl named Halley, who was beautiful and who loved missions. Being the person that I am, I wanted to know more of her, I wanted to meet her but after trying, nothing came about of it.

I moved back to St. Louis to finish my last year at Gateway but during that year, I began emailing Halley on the old “Everyonesconneced” wow now that was a funny website. We emailed a few times back and forth, but it seemed that nothing was going to ever come of it.

So at that time I didn’t put any more work into things and I just let things be for that time. May came around and I was invited to move back to Louisiana and made it my home. I was excited to move back because of all the wonderful people who I had come to know and fall in love with.

During that year, Halley and me would see each other, but it never seemed to connect, until last June. Myself, Halley and her room mate Maurisha were able to get together for coffee, at that moment I became so nervous, not sure why but all I could think about was that beautiful girl who was sitting across the table from me. There was something that was radiating out of her. More that just the noticeable, but it was something that I really cant explain, at that moment I felt as if there were a strength that was pouring out of her.

During the next few months before leaving Louisiana in September for Austria, we would see each other and we would often get together. I can remember my last night in Louisiana, and Pastor Jenkins had asked me to preach and I had asked Halley to come and hear me. During service I can remember looking back, waiting for her. Not until getting up to preach did I see her and all of a sudden that strength that I had felt came pouring back to me. 

Time passed and I arrived in Austria. Something began to happen that I really couldn’t explain. Our communication began to grow. We would Skype a few times a month, we would email back and forth, we would txt here and there and our friendship began to grow and mature. Time passed and I reached a point that I was no longer satisfied just being friends with her, but I realized I cared for her way too much and I wanted things to go to a different level.

I can remember emailing her Pastors Wife, trying to figure out where she stood, and after hearing I decide to send Halley a card, just saying I was thinking about her and a box of Swiss Chocolates. During that time I realized that I needed to put some focus prayer and fasting into this, and I began to pray and ask the Lord that if it be his will, that he would give me the right time to tell her about my true feelings.

May 4^th and I received an email from Sis Robinette saying she had emailed Halley, basically telling her that I was in love with her. All of a sudden I got sick because all I could think about was that things had just been messed up!

A little later I received a message from Halley saying we needed to talk and so she called me and we chatted and she began talking about the email and right at that exact moment, clearer than ever before I heard the voice of God say, now is the time to tell her.

I began to express my true feelings to her and at that moment she said, I am glad you finely said something I feel the same way. What a relief knowing she felt the same way. Such joy and excitement came flooding in.

I remember getting off the phone with her and all of a sudden I realized that I loved her and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.

Three months passed and she arrived in Austria to help with our youth camp. Being the planner that I am, I had it all planned out that I was going to ask her to marry me during that time. I had it all set up; I had purchased tickets to a symphony at the Hofburg Palace.

On Wednesday the 11^th we set out for our evening. We first started at Café Central, which is considered to be Vienna’s oldest café. We had such a wonderful dinner together. Live music, a romantic candle light dinner, everything was just perfect. After dinner we walked down the road to where our Symphony was. I must say, being my first symphony, we had such a wonderful time.

After we walked through the gardens of the palace and through the imperial gate, across the road to two museums, which are two of the oldest in Vienna. They are twins actually, and in the middle there is a large courtyard. We started walking around, we stopped in front of one and I pulled out a card and at the end it said, you have one last surprise and you have to close your eyes. At this time she knew something was up and at that moment I get down on one knee and I ask the girl of my dreams to be my wife! After I talked to her and told her some words from my heart, with tears in her eyes she said YES!!!

I can say this from my heart! She is the girl of my dreams not because of any talent or what she could bring to a marriage. But more than anything I love her for who she is. If I never had a position, if anyone even or I never a title knew me, as long as I had her I would be content. She showed me what love truly was and I know that I cant live without her in my life.  She brings out that little boy in me, something that had been missing since I was a little boy. She completes me, me in every way possible, she brings out everything good thing in me, and gives a strength that I still cant explain, except that she is my angel that God sent to me. 

The Times of Silence

No matter who we are, or what or occupation is in life, we all walk through times of silence. Merriam Webster’s definition of the word silence is: absence of sound or noise, stillness in the silence of the night.

I can remember during my younger years, my mother would tell me to be quiet because of something that I had done. The old game, “who can be quiet the longest“ was one that many of us probably played on our siblings one time or another. During certain times of life, many of us must have times of quietness from the rest of the world.  If you are anything like myself, than you understand the importance of the quiet time. Some of us go out to nature in order to have our silence. Some of us scuba dive for that place of silence, that place that enables us to close off all the noise of the world.

During those quiet times, we are able to refocus our minds and our thoughts. The world that we live in is so fast paced, we are constantly moving at rapid speeds, our minds are constantly filled with noise from the world that at times causes us to loose focus.

As yes we have times of personal silence that we give ourselves, there is another type of silence that each and every person goes through. 

In the book of Job, we read that Job went through a period of silence. He went through a time where he received nothing, where he heard nothing and even where he felt nothing. [Job 23:8-12, 8.Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: 9.On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:] (KJV)

We read the story of Job a man who has everything and one minute later he goes from having everything to having nothing. At that very moment Job is faced with the dilemma to either keep serving God or to curse Him and die.  

Many of us end up with similar cases. Some of us loose loved ones. Some of us begin fighting diseases that take every ounce of life out of us. Some of us face financial set backs, but no matter what type of problem it is, we all face some situation that takes us through the time of silence.

See that time of silence is when everything is going perfect, God is speaking to us, we hear His voice clearly, we feel His presence and we can even see His hand working in our lives. And all of a sudden everything goes completely still. No longer do we hear His voice, no longer do we feel His presence, no longer can we see His hand working in our lives. And all of sudden we turn and panic because in our minds we think that He has left us. We can’t imagine our God leaving us to where we can’t even feel him.

There is one thing we must remember though, Hebrews 13:5 says this…He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

See the times of silence are not given to destroy us, but rather to strengthen us. I once had a professor explain it like this. Many times we are always looking for that mountain top experience. Yes there is nothing wrong with the mountaintop. The mountaintop allows us to see to the next mountain. If you ever look at a mountain, you will notice that there is a timberline.  Nothing past this line grows for reason of a lack of oxygen. We can’t live that long on the mountaintop because there are not enough resources on top to keep us alive. When you begin to look in the Valley you will find beauty, you will find lush vegetation, and beautiful streams flowing. In the valley you always find life because everything can grow in the valley.

The valleys are where we grow; they are where we find our strength. The valleys are where we find what we are made out of.  When we are walking through those times of silence God begins to mold us into His masterpiece. He begins to impart the pieces of the puzzle that are needed for the increase of our ministries. I once heard one of my elders say that many times all we have to hold onto is a past word that God had given.

Many times all we have are past words that were spoken to us; many times all we have are dreams that were given or visions that were seen. The silence was never for destruction but for making stronger.  

Even though you feel as if you are all alone remember what final words of

Job 23:10.But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

We can never despise the times of silence, because those are the times that we are made stronger. Those are the times that we find our true strength in Him. Those are the times that God entrusts us with the essentials that enable us to do more for His kingdom.

If we never faced times like those, our love for Him and our desire for Him would not be increased. Because we go through those moments, if we pass the test, we are only increased with power. This power that enables us to reach our world.

The Importance of the Process

In this thing we call life, we face the ups, we face the downs, we even face the obstacles that can sometimes steal our focus.  The life that we live can be considered a process. We know that the process of life begins at birth. As that child takes that first breath of air, the process begins. Maturity soon follows and there we find a young person, still walking through the process of life. They wake up daily, they get dressed for school, and they catch the bus early in the morning, just for the process of learning.

June 23rd I will turn 25 years old. It seems as if it were only yesterday that I was facing the process of my younger years. Yes the process of life is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and enjoyed, but there is also one other process that we must never forget. 

It is called Gods process. Each and every person, desires to some degree, to walk in some fashion of ministry. Either as part time or full time, each and every person with ambition for the kingdom has some level of desire.

I have had great mentors in my life who have poured themselves into me, but the one thing they never failed to hide was the process that they had to pass. 

They never hid the times of struggle that they faced. They never hid that there were times that they had nothing to eat. They never hid that many times they just went without. They never failed to teach, that in order for great ministry to prevail, one MUST pass the process.

To many times we look at where our elders are now and we fail to see where they came from. They too passed through the process. They too faced many hardships in their lives. When living for God was not the thing to do, they lived for him with desire. Their desire to pass the process was greater than the moment of persecution.

God’s process is what builds character, Gods process is what builds a persons integrity, and Gods process strengthens you for tomorrow. Therefore Gods process can never be rushed; nevertheless it can only be taken one day at a time.

Many have the misinterpretation of passing through a process, you can pass through something and not be changed, because you rush through and miss everything that God is trying to do in your life. However, by passing the test of process, you can’t help but be changed. God’s process of ministry must never be disregarded; rather it must be looked at as his way of proving us. 

If we pass his process, we have than proven ourselves to him and he can than elevate us to the place that he "desires"

We can never fail to forget that if we allow ourselves to pass the process, we will only be elevated to a level that we would have never imagined. 

Passing Gods process always makes room for the supernatural.

Two Roads.....

One of my most favorite poems coming up through school was one by a man named Robert Frost. The poems name was "The Road Not Taken" As you read the poem you can sense the urgency in Frost writing that he is faced with the choice of which way he would go. He understood that in life there would be two roads that each and everyone would come to. He understood that we would be faced to make a choice for ourselves not based on what others were doing. Not based on what way looked suitable to walk down.

Matthew 7:13-14, Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

As you pass through life you find that yes not only was Frost right but the writer in the book of Matthew understood that same concept. I have grown up in this and at an age of only 24 years old I am saddened to say that I have seen many take that path that  was wide, it was fair and looked more appealing. 

Many have said that this Apostolic truth that we hold so dearly is no longer applicable or it does not fit this society any longer. 

Many are standing on the precipice of two roads. Looking down and the appealing view makes you ask yourself if this is the way to take. Its view looks full of life and full if excitement. 

The other is sometimes hard to see, you have to stop and pay close attention to the second road. Its over grown with thorns and briars. There is a narrow path through the middle but oh the joy as you begin to walk down. 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

"Chicken and Fries"

I can never stop being amazed by the way God directs us and guides us each day that we walk with him. The bible tells us that He orders our steps and so I take it literally. I believe that every day God directs our steps to put us in the perfect path that will bring the best result and glory to Him.

Tonight I was supposed to have dinner with the manager from Starbucks and at the last minute he had to cancel due to previous engagements. I decided that I would go get something good to eat tonight. As I began eating two guys my age sat down and began talking. At that moment I was able to realize that they were American. 

As the gentleman that I am I decided to wait for them to finish eating before I sparked the conversation. As we finished eating I ask that first question that most people ask. "So where you guys from"? They began to tell me that they were from Tennessee but they both lived in Europe now. They began asking me what I did and what I was doing here and at that moment my door had just been opened! 

I told them I was a Pastor here in Geneva working on building a church. Both of them were at shock because one of them was working here in Geneva as a youth pastor and the other was helping pastor a church in Ireland. 

I dont for one minute take lightly the favor of God. I believe very strongly that each day He gives us unbelievable and undeniable favor with all sorts of people. Just as He did tonight with the two young men that I came in contact with. Tonight the Lord gave me a connection that will grow and I believe this will be a story that we will hear more about down the road. The one young man already wants to get together for coffee! 

No one can deny the power and favor of God.

When we walk in Apostolic authority you cant help but walk in God favor!

Sundays Sunset

Well where do I start? While I am writing I am enjoying the evening by the Lake, looking off into the distance enjoying the view of the sun setting behind the snow caped mountains. 
God truly has blessed us today, this morning God filled one with the Holy Ghost and then we baptized her in the Name of Jesus. I don think today could have went any better than it has.

But as I am sitting here tonight I am having time to think and just reflect on my life. I have had a lot of time to think over the past three weeks that I have been in Geneva. It goes deeper than just the reflection of time. As I began my routine prayer walk around the Lake I decided that I would sit on a park bench and pray.
As the lord began to speak he reminded me of the scripture found in James 1:3. Now James is one of those books that you better read sitting down, if not it can most likely knock you off your feet because the depth of his words. He goes on to say "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh  patience".

I started thinking and reflecting over that portion of scripture that I had heard so many times in my life. I had either heard it preached in a message or my mother was getting onto me because I had no patience in my early years of growing up.
As preachers we constantly preach "faith" for the reason that scripture tells us "without faith it is impossible to please God" Just because we preach faith or walk in faith doesn't exempt a person from the daily test of life.

I am not a believe that every obstacle that we face is from God but I am a believer that there are certain things that God uses to direct us, teach us and give us wisdom for tomorrow.

Patience is not one of the easiest things to achieve it rather is an every day process that we must do our best to achieve. The bible says, "press towards" meaning every day I will try to do my best to achieve and pass the test at the end of the day.

Abraham had a promise that every where he walked he would possess the land. His biggest obstacle was himself. If we remove ourselves from the equation and allow God to take us, test us and try us then as the bible says, "we will come forth as pure gold"
Allowing ourselves to realize that unless we have faith  patience is unachievable. Only when we allow the test of faith, we then will achieve patience.

Thursday Thoughts

Today has been a slower day then I would have liked. I was able to accomplish so much this week and then it seems like I have not really accomplished much today.

I woke up today around 8:00 for a scheduled meeting that I had along with a hand full of other things that had to be done. Right now I am sitting at the office (AKA Starbucks) it seems to be the place that I have found myself spending a lot of my time during the day. It has been so wonderful, I have had the privilege to meet many different people, from British, French, Brazilian and Americans. 

Its something to sit in a busy place where people come and go every minute. You see many different cultures and backgrounds. You see the usuals , the tourist and then you even see those who are hoping to get a just a few cents.

Even though I spend much of the time working I can't stop but to look and watch people. I know this sounds like a cliche' but when I look at the different people I see people that are so hungry for something different than what they have. 

Geneva is one place in the world where many wealthy people live. Even though they have all the wealth that they could even want, I see people who are crying out for help.I have never been anywhere in the world where I see people so hungry as I do here. 

I love this city because God is going to grow such a mighty church. 

Thank you for all the prayers!

It's All In The Vision!

Praise Be To God For All He Has Done!

What a day we have had in Geneva today! I had prepared my message for the last two day, to preach the Vision that God had given, of Evangelizing, Developing, Training, and Planting Churches.

When I arrived at church we began to pray and the power of God feel upon the house and such a sweet spirit of intercession fell upon the church. The Lord spoke a word that whatever the church would ask, He would do it right then!

As we began worship service there was such a great spirit of unity and joy. During the worship Service the Holy Ghost began to heal the wounds of the people. As the service transitioned into preaching I began convening the vision that God had for Geneva.

After the message we began to worship the Lord for everything He had began to do and all that He was going to do within the church. As we began to wrap things up, I felt it would be a shame if I didn’t ask if there were any that needed prayer.

As one then two came forward we began to pray for them and after we prayed for them I asked one final time. We had a first time guest that was there and she came forward and conveyed that she was in need of God doing a work in her home situation.

As the Holy Ghost began to speak  into her life, she began to tear up and began to weep under the power of the Holy Ghost. We began to pray for her the Holy Ghost hit her and she began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance!

To God be the Glory! With the goal of 25 being filled with the Holy Ghost by December 31st we now have had two filled with the Holy Ghost in a matter of two services! God is for us and we are going to reach the nation of Switzerland!!!

Thanks be to God for resurrecting this great church!

Mentors

Throughout life you have many different people who come and go. You have those who you don't want to remember but then you have those who you often remember. And then there is the mentor who is in your life. That person that speaks into your life, who can call you into accountability, that person who you can just talk to about situations or problems you may be facing. 

God gives us people like that to help us on our way, to lead and guide us through the path of life for reason that life can be harsh at times. Not every individual is privileged to have great people in their life or to have great men of God  who can be that voice.

Elisha had that type of person. His name was Elijah; a mighty man of God. Elisha realized that it was important to have that type of person in his life because he desired more out of life then what could be seen. He realized when Elijah passed by him and threw the mantle that if he would follow him and seek to be like him that there would be something powerful that would be imparted and given by God.

As young men it is very important for use to have an Elijah in our life. Someone who can impart the principles and show us what it means to be Apostolic. Face it, there are to many people in this world who try to throw "junk" in our lives as well as the perverseness of society. My understanding for the importance of and Elijah is to help us to see more clearly and be ready when those things come our way. 

Every young minister needs an Elijah who he can just call to talk and listen to, to hear the words, 'that they made it and that if God did it for them, then He will do it for you.'

My mentor who I dearly love, I try and hold so close, as well as I can with being so far. He is always there, ready when needed to rebuke but always ready to speak the words that are needed. If you do your best to hold your Elijah close, you will grow to areas of your life that you did not realize existed. 

Geneva here we come!

This weekend I was privileged to be with the great people of the of the Geneva work. This was my first visit before I move here in April and what a wonderful city. A city that is ripe for revival!


I left Vienna on Saturday morning and dont ask me why I chose the 6:55am flight! 
I arrived and as normal I collected my bag from baggage and went outside to catch a taxi to my hotel. 
To my surprise my taxi driver spoke very good english, I told him my hotel and we were off. 


Now I have drive with Boston taxi drives and they will scare you but this guy did something that was just crazy. As we were driving down the Autobahn or Highway we came upon a traffic jam so instead of just waiting this guys throws the car and reverse and starts driving backwards down the highway dodging and missing oncoming traffic! 


So we finely pull up to what I thought was my hotel, the guy charges me 60 swiss francs and takes off before realizing he took me to the wrong hotel!
First time ever, I was suckered by a taxi driver. I go inside and have the hotel call me another taxi to take me to the right hotel. My taxi fare ended up costing me for the first hour of being there almost 100 Francs! 

Later that day I decided to walk around the city awhile and wow what a beautiful city! Mountains all around and Lake Geneve' starts right in the middle of the city, just breath taking!


That night I met up with Sis Constance and a few of the saints of the church. We ended up having dinner at a  wonderful place called " Chez ma cousine" chicken and fries. Probably the best I had tasted in a while. 


We began to talk  talk about all the wonderful things that God is going to do here in the city and beyond! 
This is a church that is ready for revival and ready for a move of the Holy Ghost! God is going to pour out a revival like Switzerland has never seen before. 


Sunday we all gathered at Sis Constances house for church where a total of about eight children and 12 adults came together to have church. Each and every person came ready to have church, ready to worship and ready to pray and what a move of the Holy Ghost we had.


After preaching God filled one lady with the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues! To God be the glory.

Now is the time, the fire is still falling and the people are ready. Jesus said, "In the last days I will pour out of my spirit" He is doing that and we MUST be ready to facilitate the revival! We must possess our lands as one! The harvest is large and the laborers are to small! 

We must not wait for everything to happen just right, for all the finances to fall into place for the perfect door to open or God to say" here is the door"
I have learned that the will of God is not some "magical thing" but rather the will of God is where there is a need!

If you only present yourself to God as a living sacrifice, the doors will begin to open and you will begin to see things you have never seen before.
Now is the Time, Today we must Start the Journey!

Knowing Him

There is a question that many of us ask ourselves and that is, how do I reach the position in which God is calling me.

Over the last few weeks God has been dealing with me about reaching certain positions in Him.

The scripture says MANY are called but FEW are chosen. Not because we are don’t have what it takes but that we don’t allow God to take us through the process of forming.

Philippians 3:10 says “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death”

 This scripture has really been stuck in my mind over the past week and I have been pondering the question. “To know him” have I really taken the time? Do we really take the time to know him? Or do we allow ourselves to focus so much on “stuff” that we loose sight of really knowing him? 

There are times we get so caught up in arriving, that we forget the process. In order to get anywhere, there must always be a process. 

I don’t think that any single person can explain how they arrived at the position that they are in their walk with God except; they have taken the time to know Jesus. And in order for US to step into the position and realm in which He is calling, then we MUST first know Him. 

Bro Tenny once said "Keep your knees down, and your head up" 

I want to know Him and I must do whatever it takes to know Him.

The Beginning of the Rest of my Life!

Welcome Friends. I hope that you will enjoy this blog. I have designed it with the intentions to keep those of you who desire to follow what is happening in Europe! 


To give you a little piece of back ground please let me tell you about how my calling first began. 
Sitting in French class trying to learn the language there would be times where my mind would wonder and I would drift off into space. One day while we were learning about different parts of France the Lord spoke to me in a very direct way, and told me that I would be a missionary. Little did I know that eight short years later that I would be on the field. As to everything there is a process and my process took some time. 


After graduation from High School upon the request of my parents I decided to attend Bible College. Now in the beginning my desire was to attend a public university and work my way to medical school. But being an obedient person and obeying my parents I visited a preview weekend at Gateway College of Evangelism and after a chapel service God spoke and said I was to attend Bible School. So I filled out my application and that fall I moved to St Louis Missouri and  began my Bible School experience.  


Through four years of classes and many test and exams I finely finished and it was time to or so I thought it was time to hit the mission field but God had other plans. Though I thought that doors were opened, God made it known that it was not his time and so I stayed in Covington Louisiana and served my pastor. After serving him and allowing God to have control of my calling, the Lord began to speak and open doors. 


One day while driving home from work I received and email from Missionary Charles Robinette and in it were these words, "We would be deeply honored to have you on our team that is reaching the nation of Austria." The door was opened and God was doing what he had promised. Within four months of receiving that email I arrived here in Vienna.


This is not just a trip to see the world but rather this is a calling and it is the beginning of the rest of my life!