Days 16 and 17 were more times of traveling with the Lord. We continued to anoint the ground at the places where we stopped, and pray with the people God put in out path. On day 16 we made it to Texarkana. Day 17 we arrived in Mt. Vernon, IL. We had been detoured off of Interstate 57, and took 2 hours to go 10 miles through a couple small towns before getting back on the highway. All things work together for the good ? God knows, and if He chooses to He will let us know – it is for my good and that is all I need to know.
Sometimes we spend time trying to be something we already are. I am already a child of God – I am already a minister of the Gospel – I am already clean – I am already saved – I am already a kingdom dweller, and so much more. None of those things depend on me, they are from my Father through the Son, and being worked out by the Holy Spirit. My task is to love the one another. My part is to obey God, so I am not interfering with the work of the Holy Spirit. The Father spoke, Jesus is the Word, and the Holy Spirited moved in my behalf. I can no longer be stuck with someone else’s list of things they believe they have to do be what they already are. Nor can I let them speak those things over me or my house – the word of God is spoken over my house and none other. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
Day 17 was a long day due to road construction and unknown issues. We spent a couple hours detoured through a couple small towns in Illinois. We were driving north on Interstate 57 when we were routed off the highway to a small state road. At one point traffic came to a complete stop for over an hour. People turned off their cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans and stated mingling in the roads and on the shoulders. The traffic started moving again very slowly and then picked momentum. Once we were back on Interstate 57 we traveled to Mt. Vernon for the night.
Early the next morning (Day 18) we started out for Chicago after a small breakfast at Hardees. When we drove into Effingham, the Cross at the Crossroads was towering in the morning sun. Getting off the highway, we stopped at gas station, and I asked for directions to the Cross. The woman working at the station had the directions memorized. Mike came to me with a woman and two sons that wanted prayer. We gathered at the gas pumps, held hands with the woman, and prayed. The Spirit gave us messages for the woman and her two sons (both musicians on the church worship team). We picked up a case of water, a couple bags of ice, and a couple coffees and headed for the Cross.
Arriving at the Cross at the Crossroads, we met a local man who said he visited the Cross a few times a week as a place of meditation. We were about a half hour too early to get into the visitors center, but the man opened it up for us anyway. As we were entering the building, a couple volunteers arrived. We talked for a while, and then watched a video on the making of the Cross at the Crossroads. We made a couple purchases of souvenirs and headed outside to pray. We prayed at the flag poll, displaying the flag of the USA. As we headed to the van, the Lord had me give one of the souvenirs, we had purchased, to a couple that was also visiting the Cross.
We don’t always know why things happen, but if we had not been detoured and delayed we would not met the family at the gas station – the man at the Cross – the volunteers at the Cross – the couple God gave a souvenir. We do not know the impact of touching other people for God. Later in the day we ran into a group of people outside of Walmart in South Holland, IL who was also delayed at the same detour and remembered seeing us. We all praised God for the experience.
The big event for me on day 18 was meeting my wife in Illinois. We drove on from the Cross to Steger, IL and met with Sherry, Andrew, Lauren, and JP (Jeffery Pitts). It was a family reunion for sure. After about 15 minutes of hugs, we headed to Hoxie Ave and 96th Street in Chicago to pray. We met with Pastor Ester and her husband and prayed for the Love Fest and for each other. We walked the block, anointed the ground, and prayed for Chicago. Next we checked into a hotel, had dinner, and went to Walmart for chap stick. Back at the hotel we had a time of worship and retired for the night.
Day 19: After traveling almost 7,000 miles we arrived in Chicago for Love Fest 2010. It was off the chains – we started by serving physical needs; setting up a platform – getting bottled water and other drinks on ice – setting up a couple tables – etc. All the time we were praying over each other and worshipping God for the opportunity to serve Him by serving one another. There was love and unity among the laborers. All out prayer broke out – one-on-one ministry just happened as God led His people. Preaching broke out and JP shared his heart and the heart of the Father – it was nothing like anything JP has ever done before! Then he started spitting gospel rap in the mic and young men started confessing their need for God in their lives.
A young man gave himself over to Christ and asked for baptism (I am not sure who was ministering to him (what man or woman) but God was in the mix). Tim shared a little about the trip, and the Spirit spoke through him about the body of Christ reaching outside the body and ministering to the lost and hurting children of God. The message was, start small and be faithful – God will do it! The young man was baptized and came up praising God. We prayed over him to receive the Holy Spirit – God provided!
Pour out your heart to the people around you – in your own house and city or town. Don’t reach for the stars until you have walked in your own backyard. God is faithful to send you to the fields He has prepared for you, starting at your own front door. God provided the stuff (van, gas, oil, hotels, highways and byways, food, etc.) and God provided the message – the Gospel of Jesus Christ; “I died to get you over yourself, now love one another!” If you want to fear, fear Jesus coming back and catching you not loving on one another! Any other message God gives to you, make sure you can apply it to yourself and then share it as a testimony and not condemnation -for there is no condemnation in those in Christ Jesus! God has provided the Holy Spirit to grow love up in you! God has provided the way of forgiveness to put away any thoughts of condemnation towards others or yourself. God has provided – walk in the provision. Be real with God and with His people!
Day 20: I am back home in Indiana and attended Church with family and friends. Later in the day we met for praise and worship with our extended Church family. God is good.