AMAZING!
It is about 11:30 pacific time right now and I am getting ready for bed…I am not sure why, the crew and I are meeting in the lobby to leave for LAX at 3:45AM!
Today was awesome—I will try to trace it very quickly!
First of all—there is a NewSpring member in LA! His name is John and he is a retired helicopter pilot for the LAPD. He found out I was headed this way and offered to show us around and maybe get us up in a helicopter!
Well—long story short—we all got to fly around LA today in a police chopper. I am SURE this will be in a sermon in the future…so that’s all I will say about it for now.
Then he took us down “skid row.” I have never seen the sights that I took in—it literally looked like a third world country. My heart was broken and all I could think about was, “These people need Jesus.”
I came back to the hotel to rest up before speaking tonight…and the rest of the crew went to Hollywood. I had a good nap…and then—OF COURSE—had to walk to Starbucks for some coffee—actually it was a peppermint mocha!
Tonight I had the honor of spending time with Tommy and Matthew Barnett and touring the dream center. I WAS SO CHALLENGED! These two men are neck deep in ministry—they are two of the best examples I have ever seen of men who love Jesus and love people.
I was moved by the ministry the dream center does here in LA. They have so many programs and are reaching so many people. Lives are being changed—the crime rate where there church is located dropped over 70% after they moved in and started things up. These guys are serious about taking Jesus to the community—they even have mobile medical trucks and…wow…I can’t even begin to describe what I saw.
Speaking tonight was a blast! This was an incredible group of people to speak to and there were quite a few salvations.
Afterwards we went downtown Hollywood and had some dinner—THAT was awesome, especially the hot fudge cake!
However, as I sit here I am full of joy and challenged at the same time. God rocked my world with this trip. I have spoken of a church blooming where it is planted and making a difference in the community for several years—tonight I saw it firsthand…and if God can do it in LA then He can do it in Anderson. He definitely enlarged my vision.
I was also reminded of how real Jesus is…and how people are desperately lost without Him…and not only will they spend eternity in hell without Him…but are going to have to experience hell on earth as well.
It was awesome for me to be able to hang with these guys—they were all so encouraging! I came out here hoping to be a blessing—but I have received much more than I gave—I promise!
This has lit a fire in me…a fire to fall more in love with Jesus and more in love with people. God brought me out here for a reason…and tonight I discovered part of it. I am making a commitment to move forward with His plans…to go for it…charging full steam ahead…even though I don’t exactly know what that is.
I can’t wait for Sunday! Pray that we have a safe trip home…and pray that we can actually find the airport in the morning. I know it is the place that has all the planes flying into it—but LA has so many different roads!
God bless!