A Day At The Beach With God

Welcome to the shores of Florence, Oregon

I love the ocean, it has always captured my emotions. I spent many days playing and body surfing in it when I lived in southern California as a teenager. When we moved to Washington State I would traveled to the ocean in my car and take many photographs of the crashing waves, beautiful sunsets and awesome rocky coastlines of the Northwest.

Then I started to paint ocean scenes, some as I saw it and others as I imagined. In a matter of twenty plus years, I painted close to a thousand paintings of the ocean, hundreds of landscapes and other subjects with the talent God gave me. I even made a living doing it, but it never satisfied the longing of my soul. I spent hundreds of hours studying and taking pictures of this fascinating aspect of God's creation, but never knew Him as I do today.

The coastline of Florence, Oregon

The ocean is so vast and beautiful. It's simply mesmerizing, powerful and yet at times can be very soothing to the soul. It reminds me of God. Now I don't have any more brushes or canvas to exploit what He so freely gave to mankind. I even gave up the talent as well, just so I could enjoy this day with Him. However, this morning I took an unexpected walk on the beach, and as I was walking I was preparing my heart and asking God, why am I here? Then I felt lead to speak over the ocean.

So I faced the ocean, stretched out my arms and prayed, not caring who was there watching. I prayed out loud regarding the coastline of United States, and reminding God of His promised bloodline He placed around America. That He would protect America from foreign, terrorist attacks and I also added the protection from all the junk and debris coming from the earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan almost two years ago. I also prayed for the Gulf Coast regarding hurricane Isaac, just hours away from shore. I don't believe that name was an accident, and in the long run this hurricane, named Isaac, would not be as powerful as predicted, but feared just the same bringing water to a dry and thirsty land just like the son of Abraham did for his people.

I also declared the blessing on America, that God promised would be the Bread Basket to the world not only in providing food, but sending forth sons of God to bring the Bread of Life to other counties and set people free. There other things I also spoke from the heart of God and it was amazing. Then I realized why I was there, it was to establish His Kingdom. Our prayers are meant to be big and according to His will; that's what God expects from His sons and daughters. It was a beautiful day for a walk on the beach with my heavenly Father, and I hope there will be many more.

On the Road Again

Photo taken in front of Sheldon's home  

When I was in my early 20's I traveled around the United States in a 25' motor home, with two German Shepard's, doing art shows. Even though I had "a gift" from God, my motives were mostly carnal. Back then, painting, making money, dating, and satisfying my flesh seem to be the only things that mattered to me. When I was 29 years old I got married, but did pretty much the same things, even after we sold the motor home.

Then God stepped into my life again just before I turned 40, that's when my life began to change and then I met Sheldon David, and things really changed. But, I've shared most of that with you on my Blog. However, that is all now in the past, and I am what I am today by the grace of God. Now, its time to move on from glory to glory and to more revelations of the heavenly Father heart. I love my wife, friends and family, plus all of God's people I've met over the years, and I will miss them, plus my special friend Sheldon David. But now I'm looking forward to meeting and making new friends, even though many of them will be very brief as I move from city to city and town to town in other countries.

Today is a new day, and the beginning of a new adventure. However, my motives and means are quite different. This time, I'm traveling in a Chevy Astro van as a son of God, not a man of the flesh. I'm led by His Spirit and I'm totally free to do whatever He desires or I want. My means may seem very limited, but I have more than enough. I also have access to God's unlimited resources to fulfill the mission I've been called to fulfill. I am very excited and nerves at the same time—this is all new for me and I feel totally unprepared, but I'm not really. Because, I know who I am and I'm trusting God completely. I'm also grateful for my wife, family and friends like you who are supporting me with your prayers.

I have a peace and joy that I want to share with others who are hurting and hungry to know the Truth I have to share. But before I do that I have a date with my heavenly Father that I'm anxiously waiting for. After that everything will change. So I'm on the road again, but this time I'm headed for the greatest adventure of my life.

Note: I'll keep you posted with updates whenever I have Internet access.

My New Home

I thought you might just like to know and see my new home. It's a standard size 2003 Chevy Astro van. It has a little over 131,000 miles on it, of which I've only put on about 25.000 miles after we purchased it back in 2005. However, I will be putting on a lot more miles from now on. Inside, I made a raised bed, with slide out storage bins underneath. There's a clothes rack across the back of the van to hang my shirts, flannel's and two coats. I've got some pants, shoes, underclothes and socks, a port-a-potty and an ice chest. I also have an extra battery inside the van with a solar charger and a 12 volt converter for charging my lap top computer, camera, electric shaver and a cell phone. My bedding consist of a foam pad and a 3" thick folding mat that's 32" wide and 72" long, plus a sleeping bag, two sheets, a blanket and a quilt for whatever temperatures I may face.

I've got an old Coleman two burner gas camping stove, a 5 gallon fresh water container and a few kitchen utensils and bathroom stuff. I also have my Bible, some books, about sixty Cd's in a zip-up case, a dozen DVDs, and a few tools and other miscellaneous things I might need. The tires are good for another 60,000 miles, and just had the oil changed, and some other minor things repaired. And of course there's still some food, drinks and snacks. So as you can see, I have all that I really need and more.

I'm also taking some small framed paintings to sell, trade or give away on the way to Mexico, and my two-hand sword. I'm not sure what God wants me do with it yet. It's going to be a little cramped at first until I dispose of some things along the way and learn what I really need and don't. But the most important thing I have with me is Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit guiding me and angelic forces helping to fulfill this awesome vision and adventure.

My wardrobe and a few other things

Wildfire - Beauty Out of Ashes

View out our back window

Just about six hours after the fire started two miles away from our house.

The fire continued to grow through the night

Hello again. It has been a while, but I’m back in Vancouver again, staying at David’s house. However, getting here has been quit the challenge. I worked hard for six week fixing our home, taking stuff to the dump, getting Roberta settled in and helping others. Then went over some final things that my wife would need to know and do while I was gone. Earlier that week, I had told her that I would also be staying a day longer than I had originally planned and it turned out to be a really good thing, but not for the reasons that I had expected. During this time I also lost fifteen pound from all the hard work I did even though I ate and drank a lot of food and water.

However, the day before I was to leave, a wildfire started about two miles from our house and it was very windy. I prayed for the winds to calm down, keep the fire away from our home and for the protection of the firefighters and for God to give them wisdom on how to fight it. But the fire, wind and hot weather and dry conditions proved to be far more than they could handle. Later that evening we could see a red glow in the sky from our windows, so we took a drive just to see how bad it really was. What we saw was heart breaking. The hills were on fire for miles and smoke covered the whole valley and made it hard to breath so we turn around and went back home to get our cameras again and then drove the other directions to where the fire had originally started and took some more pictures. It was now after midnight, so we went back home and tried to get some sleep before my last day.

Our power to the house had gone out temporally, during the night, and at five in the morning we got a knock on our door. It turn out to be an evacuation notice for our area. However, because of God’s promises, I knew we would be safe, but Roberta still wanted to be prepared any way, just in case. She suggested I load the van with the things I would be taking on my trip and she would load her car with what she thought was important, plus had me get the cat carrier. After that I went a took a visual of the situation and again later behind our property, but saw nothing threatening and went back to work on a few more things around the house.

Our daughter called later and informed us that the fire had jumped the river in two places that separated us from the fire. By afternoon helicopters came and started taking water from the small lake in our backyard, so I went and took another visual and saw black smoke coming from neighbors houses on fire about a mile away, but they were all still downwind from us. I felt sorry for those people, but knew God was changing their lives that day, just as He always does in these kinds of situations, and hopefully someday they might see the good in it all. These disasters should help us to learn and focus on what's really more important—Jesus. But for now, it would still be a painful experience for them. I pray they will find true comfort and peace in God's shelter and the help from friends and neighbors.

I did a few more things for Roberta inside the house, and then it came time for me to leave. It had been a stressful day, and now we needed to say our goodbye. It was just a little after six and I still had a four hour drive to Sheldon's house, where I had a 9 AM appointment the next day for an auto detailing on my van, that my wife had made two month earlier. We embrace and then we prayed for each other. I told her that I loved her, always have and always will. And she said she loved me too.

I believe, this was not the way either of us wanted or expected for our last day together to end, but that’s the way some things happen. As I drove away I was numb and speechless from it all. I had just left my wife not knowing when I would see her again, and the valley I once called home. Now it was on fire and covered with a thick dark smoke and ashes as far as the eye could see. And yet I know it was all a prophecy, and someday they would eventually know and see God’s loving care in it all. God has awesome plans for the people in this valley and county, because of the seeds I have sown there. I have walked the length and breathe of that county and interceded, fasted and prophesied over it many times. And God is faithful and He answer our prayers. In time they will see the true love and power of the heavenly Father. Beauty will come forth from these ashes and it will be better than it ever was before, because that’s how Abba Father works.

P.S. The fire has already destroyed over 80 house and over 50 barns (ten of the houses were near our house) and over 30,000 acres were burned in just three days and it was only 33% contained.

A note of special thanks: I am very grateful for all the help my loving wife did in preparing me for this journey. It would have been very difficult for me if I had not had her support, thoughtfulness and prayers. 

A Sacrifice of Time

I have been very busy this last month as you have noticed by my lack of weekly articles. I got my wife all settled in and I'm working on getting our house finished and some repairs done, before I leave. Plus, helping get our new renter get settle into our mobile home that's next to our house that also needed some repairs. Plus a number of other issues that always seem to come up unexpectedly. Everyone want me for something or other, but it all adds up to more of my time, even though I'm glad to help.  I will be leaving in just ten days for my trip so we went to see my parent for just one day. It was probably the last time I saw my dad. So I told him before I left that I loved him and that I would see him again on the other side. God has also helped me everyday with strength, remembering things that need to be done and where I put things I have misplaced. Sometimes I just want to leave it all right now, my body is tired and often aches, but God encourages me to stay the course and that He is with me all the way, even when I'm tired and feel alone.

With all the work and other things that needed to be done, it has been hard to fine time for God. But God had a way of dealing with that. He just wakes me up early in the morning even if I only had five or six hours of sleep so we can spend time together and I'm enjoying it too. During the day I take a break and thank Him and sometimes even get a short nap. I also started to read a daily devotional book that was given to my wife. I usually don't read them, because they become a crutch that many consider as sufficient time spent with God. Like reading a Promise Card for each day.  However, this book is the best devotional I have ever read. It's called, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young. She has a power short message, spoken from the heart of Jesus, our heavenly Father, for each day of the year. Here is a sample for today, August 2, that I thought was appropriate.

"Bring Me the sacrifice of your time: a most precious commodity. In this action-addicted world, few of My children take time to sit quietly in My presence. But for those who do, blessings flow like streams of living water. I, the One from whom all blessings flow, am also blessed by our time together. This is a deep mystery; do not try to fathom it. Instead, glorify Me by delighting in Me. Enjoy Me now and forever!" And then she gives several scripture references that go with each topic: Today's is Psalm 21:6; John 7:38; Psalm 103:11

I have enjoyed the little book so much that I was going to get one, but my wife said she would give me her's and just order another one for herself. I would recommend this devotional for everyone, to help build that relationship we all need with our heavenly Father.