Oklahoma where the wind comes.....

From where the last blog left off, it seems a lot has happened. I went from thinking I was going to get a job caring for a young quadriplegic woman who loves music and the arts to having no job over one week's time. Jeff was beginning to come out of his depression and gaining a different mind-set than we have had over the past year. Living in society requires a much different mind-set than walking and living out of a backpack. We are just starting to switch back over to the mind-set of paying bills every month and being organized. Not that you don't have to be organized to live out of a backpack, it's just a more simple organization. It so much easier living the simple life where you don't need much.

Jeff and I had been praying for a month or so for direction on whether we should move back to Oklahoma. We felt we were being led to do so, we just were not sure of God's timing yet. Meanwhile, we had been having fellowship and bible studies with Charles, the son, from the previous blog, (read blog to understand) and his wife and family. It turns out that they needed help organizing some papers for their business, and Jeff had actually been researching for the last two weeks almost the exact thing they needed. So they asked if Jeff could help them with the business in exchange for a little pay. We were thrilled because Jeff had been looking for a job for a while, since we arrived in CA actually. He even shaved off his big beard to try and get a one.

While we were spending many hours at their house we got to know them well and had many deep conversations. We were beginning to see that God sent us here for this family as well. God was really transforming them and he needed us to stand in the gaps for them and pray against the schemes of the enemy. There was a lot of warfare going on in the family, but God wanted to redeem them and set them free. It took Jeff about 2 weeks to do the paper work for them and we shared many good moments of prayer and bible study with them. We had many heart to heart talks with them, some were a little harder to get through than others, but we trusted that God was doing the work to bring this family into the Unity he desires them to be in. He sent us there to plant the seeds that needed to be planted and he was going to take care of the rest.

It seemed that all the doors were shutting for us to remain in CA and our hearts were longing to be back in OK. So we prayed one evening that whatever direction God wanted us to go, he would have our hearts lean toward that direction by the time our rent was due so we could put in our 30 day notice. The very next morning both of us said our hearts were leaning toward OK. So in our minds it was time to go and we were ready to go right then. However, we had to wait on the Lord. The Lord's timing IS PERFECT! So when rent was due I called our land lady and told her we would be putting in our 30 day notice and may even have some tenants to replace us. I then called one of the pastors from church to ask if he knew anyone who needed an apartment. He called back later that day because it turned out that he did. A mother and daughter who had just lost their husband and father were staying with one of the youth pastors and they were looking for a place and needed it ASAP! So I called the land lady and told her and she said if everything checked out then they could move in after we moved out. This was a blessing for all three parties because we needed to move out but also needed the rent money to get home, the mother and daughter were desperate for a place to live, and the land lady was going to get more money to pay for her own bills! Seems that all of us must really Love God, because he totally worked all of that out for our good! (Romans 8:28)

So Jeff and I were moving again! We decided we didn’t want to start completely over when we got back to OK and so we were going to take all the wonderful stuff people gave us to OK. The awesome bed was the main thing we wanted to take. A woman gave us a brand new European Sleep Works bed. It is amazing! So we needed to get a trailer hitch for our vehicle and rent a small trailer. Before leaving the Bay area we wanted to see a few of the sights we never go to see while there. So we went camping at the Marin Headlands and went to Point Reyes National Seashore, which is the place the trail we were walking on ends or begins, depending on what direction you are walking. It was spectacular! We never found the trail head though. Oh well...perhaps we will bike to it someday! Definitely not walking again. Ugh....

The last few days we were in Redwood City, a generous family from Peninsula Covenant Church (PCC) let us stay in their guest bedroom. It was a real treat and we made yet another friend from God’s family. Thank you Guy and Dianne! We love you! So after playing in the praise band for the last time at PCC and saying our goodbye’s it was time to head east. We decided to stop and see the giant trees of the Sequoia National Forest on the way. We are so glad we did. They are spectacular!

When we first got to the Bay area we were under so much spiritual attack and wanted to run away so many times. I am so glad we stuck it through though. Before we went there I was asking the Lord to refine me and when we got there the flames felt so hot! However, looking back I cannot think of a more perfect place for God to send us to be refined and to learn the things we learned while living there. While there it seemed like we were in the flames forever, but now that we are back home it seems like we haven’t even left. I can’t wait to see what this next season will bring. May the Lord bless you all! Thank you for those who are praying for us. The Lord is answering you! May His Love abide in your heart forever!

Malachi 4:6

When we first knew we were supposed to come to CA we thought we were coming to help a young woman to be set free from demonic strongholds but I think God was partly using that to get us here. Once we got to the SF Bay area God planted us at this church who feed and preach to the homeless. We were immediately plugged into this ministry called "Street Church". If I am not mistaken, it was the very first night we went to street church that we met Charlie, a homeless vietnam veteran. I really felt a strong leading from the Holy Spirit to befriend this person. God was really putting him on our hearts. We began to develop a relationship with him and were going to see him a lot on our free time. We began helping him to his appointments and really encouraging him to get help for his alcoholism. He wanted to but had a lot of excuses. We brought him to church at Peninsula Covenant Church (PCC) on Sunday morning a few times. He really loved the church and the people seemed to really love him.

After about two months of knowing Charlie he checked himself into detox. Praise God!!! While he was there we really began to see some changes in his behavior. He wasn't as angry all the time, and seemed to have a more positive attitude. One day Jeff was looking at PCC's facebook and saw a comment by a Charles H. and he thought that was strange because that is Charlie's name. He clicked on his picture and it looked just like a young version of Charlie. It was Charlie's son! Jeff and I told Charlie about it and he thought it was "cool". A few weeks went by, Charlie got a room at a shelter, and we decided to befriend Charlie's son on facebook. Jeff sent him a message but he got no reply.

On Father's Day, we spotted Charles H. III (the son), and after church I went and introduced myself and told him I knew his Dad. He looked puzzled and said, "I haven't seen my Dad since I was 2 or 3 years old." I had not idea and was in awe of what was happening. He had a wife and 4 children. He said God had been preparing him to meet his Dad for a couple of years now. We told him that we had been helping his Dad and that he was in a shelter. He was speechless! We exchanged numbers and they said they would give us a call later that day. By evening time he had called us and invited us to dinner. We really enjoyed meeting them and feel that God wants to use us in their lives. They are really seeking to grow in the Lord.

The next day we told Charlie that we had met his son and spent the evening with him and his family. He thought that was really neat. Two days later we went to see Charlie and asked him if he wanted to go for a ride. He said yes so as we whisked him away he asked, "where are we going? Jeff told him we were taking him to meet his boy. He immediately said, "what, but I need a haircut, and I look horrible." We assured him that none of that mattered. I prayed for him as we pulled up to the church. Charles III wasn't there yet so we sat at a picnic area and waited. When Charles pulled up my heart just started racing with excitement! I cannot imagine what Charlie was thinking. They were both pretty much speechless for about 10 minutes. The first thing I remember Charlie saying is, "Now I have a purpose", and "when we goin' fishin'?" Jeff and I wanted to give them some time so we went for a walk and saw one of the pastors, Todd, and he came to witness the miracle and pray for Charles and Charlie.

Father and Son are now on their way to developing the relationship they never got a chance to do growing up. They have already been fishing together and Charles took his dad to the thrift store to buy his dad some clothes. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever witnessed. I wish I could put it in a bottle and pull it out any time I feel down. This is definitely a miracle from God!! Thank you Jesus for "turning the hearts of the fathers to their children and the heart of the children to their fathers" Malachi 4:6.

So now Jeff and I have seen one of the reasons why God brought us here. It is great to see too, because we were really starting to wonder if maybe we didn't hear God correctly. I know now that we did, and I can't wait to see what else God has in store for us while we are here in the SF Bay area!!

........Until next time... Grace, Peace, and Love from the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, be with you!

Kristin

What are we here for?

We have been in our apartment now for five weeks. We are both not getting many hours at work and are wondering why we are here. We both feel that music is missing from our lives. We are not sure how God wants to use our musical gifts yet but we are growing a little weary. I guess The Lord just wants us to learn to trust him more and more. We ask for prayer for strength to get through this part of our journey. We need stable jobs. We need to know why we are here in California. We just want to serve the Lord with gladness in our hearts. Please pray that we do not lose hope.

Shalom,

Kristin

My God provides

So.....We have been in California for 5 weeks now. That sounds crazy. The Lord has provided us with an apartment. A spacious, cheap apartment! I could hardly believe it. The Lord is so good. I also have a part time job sitting with an elderly woman and Jeff is doing some handyman work , got a job at a hardware store, and has an audition with an event cover band next week. We have not had our own place in a year and it feels so good to have our own private space to retreat again.

So...that is it for now. All Glory, Honour, and Praise to the Father and the Lamb!!!!

OH PRAISE HIM!!! ALLELUIA!!!

He is our Yahweh- Yireh! My God provides!

Holding onto God's promises in a time of uncertainty!

O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Habbakuk 1:2

Although we do not live in a culture quite like Habakkuk did, many in the middle east can probably understand this passage in ways that we cannot. Sometimes we are stuck asking the Lord, "HOW LONG!!" How long will you allow the violence to go on? How long must we wait for your coming? How long must we wait, not knowing what is going to happen next in our own personal circumstances? Even while we wait, we have many promises we can hold onto. The bible is filled with them, and as the Church we can rely on them even when in a time of uncertainty.

Romans 8:1-2 I am free forever from condemnation.

Romans 8:28 I am assured that all things word together for good.

Romans 8:35 I cannot be separated from the Love of God.

Colossians 3:3 I am hidden with Christ in God

II Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.

I John 5:18 I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me.

These are only a few of the thousands of promises breathed by The Lord God Almighty that we can stand on in these perilous times.

Please pray for the saints all over the world who are being persecuted for the name of Christ. May the Lord bless them and keep them and make his face to shine upon them.

All glory, praise, and honor to the One who sits on the throne and at His right hand.

Come Lord Jesus Come!!

God sent us to Redwood City, CA

Since last time we wrote, we have been to the very bottom of a deep valley, and now we are heading towards the top of the mountain again. I met with the young woman who lives here again, and we got to know each other for a couple hours and then I prayed over her apartment, and her, and her spirit almost immediately changed. So as of now, the door is not wide open for us to minister to her, but we will continue to pray for her, and I know the Lord will be working on her and will open the door again.

We took our poor car to the shop, and the woman at the front desk of the auto body shop is a christian, and was so very helpful and gave us the name of a good church in the area. We were so grateful for her help. So we then found a free campsite on the North side of the Golden Gate Bridge. I was so exited when the woman on the phone said it was free, because all the other pieces of land to pop a tent in the area were outrageously expensive. It was at the Marin Headwaters. That place has some amazing views of the ocean, the bay, the mountains, and the beautiful trees. I had been under demonic attack since before we got there so being in God's beautiful creation was very refreshing. It rained all night, and let up a little in the morning, just enough to pack up the tent and make breakfast.

After breakfast we drove around looking at different areas in the Bay area. The further away we got from the Big City the better my spirit felt, and the more peace we had. We then went to check out the area of Petaluma, CA, and it was nice. Much more peaceful than San Francisco. We looked at a little "granny cottage" in the country that would be in our price range but did not feel complete peace about it. We walked around Petaluma a little and decided to drive back south towards where the auto body shop was located. We remembered the church that the woman from the body shop recommended, and decided to go check it out to see if anyone was there. We are hoping there was possibly somewhere to camp on the property.

When we arrived at the church campus there were a bunch of teenage girls there but they were renting the building for a horse shin-dig. So nobody was there who were with the church. We hung out in the parking lot for a little while. Jeff played the guitar and I just sat and wondered why we had been wandering around for 5 days, God was being silent, and we were under so much attack. By the time night fall came, we were both so weary and had been arguing about ridiculous things for the last couple of days. I called our brother Ronnie back in Oklahoma, and told him what was going on. He told us to pray one more time and we would have our answer. We thought, "Seriously!! We have been praying all day and crying out to God for the last 5 days!" So we got off the phone and began to pray and our brother Ray called and asked what was going on because he felt an urgency in his spirit to call us. We told him we were weary and had been arguing and just simply not doing well, and were beginning to question whether or not God had actually sent us here. He knew something was wrong and just encouraged us to pray and get out of the car and go for a walk. As he was talking I remembered the scriptures the holy spirit was drawing my attention to the last couple days. Ephesians 5:22-25 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." I knew that my actions were hindering us from hearing from God and I was not trusting my husband to be in the position God had put him in. So we got out of the car to walk to a picnic table and I confessed to him that I had not been trusting him, and not submitting to him as the head of the relationship. We held each other and I cried and then we prayed and the enemy left and we were back on the same page again. We then walked around the campus of the church, which was beautiful. It has lots of old tall trees all around and was very serene. We decided when the two people who were cleaning up the church were gone we would pop our tent up in the playground, which was not very lit up. We thought our tent would be well hidden there and we would just get up at 5 before anyone arrived and pack up. So that is exactly what we did! We slept the best we had slept in probably a week, just not nearly long enough. We made some breakfast the next morning and saw that some people were setting up coffee and decided to partake.

The first person who saw us was one of the children's ministers, and he very genuinely welcomed us and asked us if it was our first time there. We told him we were traveling missionaries and someone told us about the church a couple days ago. He was very happy we were there. Many greeters and long time church attenders treated us in the same loving manner. We had not felt so loved and welcomed by a church in America in a long time, if ever. And if you have been following our blog for long, you know we have been to a lot of churches. After the warmest greeting ever, we heard a wonderful message that was perfect for what we were experiencing. It was out of Habakkuk. It was all about while you are in a valley of perplexity in your faith and waiting on God to guide you in the next step, what do you do? The key phrase, which Jeff and are totally living out was, "establish a presence, and serve!" We continued to meet many people in the church and they had a missionary lunch for a couple that have been living in Japan for the last few years. We were so happy to get to eat something besides tortillas and sandwich meat!!

During the lunch, the gentleman who was in charge of the lunch, John, who happens to be the missions director of the church, waved at us. I kinda wanted to talk to him, but I could tell he was busy. Later on after lunch and before the evening service, the lead pastor, Gary, saw us and asked if we needed to take a shower. I said with a breath of relief, "That would be amazing!!!!" So he took us over to the community center to take showers. Afterward I sat down to wait on Jeff, and John the missions director came over to talk to me. I briefly told him kinda why we were here and how we made it to Peninsula Covenant Church. Then he had to get to the church. After the evening service one of the pastors, Tony, invited us to come to a burrito joint with him and some of the young adults. While we were on our way there John texted Tony and told him we could stay the night at his house that night. What a Blessing!!

So.....We have been staying in the garage of John and Maureen for 8 days now. It has been great. They have 4 children and are very busy and needed a little help around the house with some handy man jobs and preparing meals and cleaning up afterward. So we kind of came at a perfect time for them. So we have just been establishing a presence and serving them the best we can, and they have been letting us sleep on a rather comfy bed in their garage.
The church does street ministry for the homeless 3 days a week and we have been serving in that ministry as well. We have made some friends that way too. We are having fellowship and bible study in our free time with 3 of the homeless people who sleep at the train station. It has been good for them. I would love to tell you more about them, but I feel this blog is getting rather long and I am ready to post it. So perhaps next time we can talk a little more about the ministry. You can look it up if you want to read more about street church. Go to http://www.peninsulacovenant.com/#/community/street-church
It is so amazing how God orders our steps. We get hit by a car in Oklahoma whose insurance was willing to let us have it fixed in California. So we get to California and go to the auto body shop and the front desk woman is a christian and she tells us of a church she has heard really great things about. So we wander around for 4 or 5 days and end up at that church and it appears that it is exactly where God wants us to be!!! God is so awesome! He is Yahweh- Jireh, "My God provides!!" There is no one above Him, no no, not one.

-Kristin

Prepare the way for us Lord!

The enemy tried to keep us from getting to San Francisco but we made in one piece, but here is what has happened so far.....

Typed Monday March 21st:

Minutes after packing the car to leave Owasso, OK. for Norman OK. to pick up our dog Boomer, we got slammed into by another car. It crushed the whole passenger side of the car. Thankfully everyone is alright, but we will see if the insurance company tries to total out our car when we reach California. We made it to Norman and spent a few days with Kristin's family. Our dog was not feeling well so we took him to the vet and got him some shots and pills, and hopped on the road bound for the pacific. We were planning on stopping by the Grand canyon and made it to Flagstaff by nightfall. We got a hotel and crashed for the night. Boomer was still not eating and having minimal BM's. I woke up around 5:00am and took him outside to potty. He had a bad dizzy spell so I went to the store and got him some yummy canned food which he did eat. He was growing weaker. Around 11:00 we took him to Pets Mart to get some healthier canned food and some treats to stimulate his appetite. He ate like a Marine and regained some energy and perkiness. Afterward we headed up the mountain for the Grand Canyon. We checked in on our reservation and found our tent site, then we went to see "the BIG HOLE in the ground" (as Miller calls it). Let me tell you! Words cannot describe. Even Boomer was in awe!! It seemed like the walking and numerous stranger pettings did Boomer some good too. He was SOOO happy to be there. We spent several hours taking in many vistas of the canyon. Before nightfall we went back to our tent site and set up camp. We learned that a bad winter storm was due sometime during the night and the temp dropped quickly!! Being very cold, we opted to leave Boomer in the car and woke up several times during the night to warm the car for him. Around 7:30am we woke up to several inches of snow on the ground, explosive dog doo all over our car, and one very sick 11 year old puppy. We ran down to the general store to clean up the front seat as much as we could and then headed back down the 90 miles to Flagstaff. By now there as at least 5" of snow on the road and the driving was nerve racking. So we got to the vet, and didn't get the best of news. We tearfully made the decision to put him to sleep. We are very heavy hearted right now and really need to be lifted up to the Father. It seems like everything in this world has been thrown at us to keep us from doing the Lord's work in California. A lot of other things have come up that I have not time to mention, but no matter what, we will serve the Most High. Please pray for us!!

Jeff

So....it is now Thursday March 24th. We got to San Francisco yesterday around 3 p.m. We met with the young woman the Lord sent us here to help. She took us on a long walk through Downtown SF area to the bay. It started raining on the way back to her apartment so we took the bus back. We prayed for her and headed down the road to sit in the parking lot of Safeway where we cried out to the Lord God Almighty to direct us on where to stay. We still have not felt strongly led to be in any particular place yet, so we are sitting at the Travelodge Hotel. We had our car looked at by an auto collision center and the woman at the front desk is a christian and gave us the name of a good church in the area and her older brother said he would make a couple phone calls to see if he could find a room we could possibly rent. So now we are waiting on the Lord to show us his plan.

The drive from Flagstaff to San Fran was incredible. I had never seen mountains and dessert at the same time like that. It was like God came down and played in the dirt and left piles behind!! So that was awesome to see. The adversary was really attacking us, me especially, that day and night, but with much resistance, prayer, and crying out to God, he had to flee. I feel better now, but all of the prayers of the saints are appreciated. Please do not forget the saints in other parts of the world as well. The Bridegroom is refining his Bride. He is at the door. Be vigilant brothers and sisters. Pray in the spirit at all times. Do not fall asleep at such a crucial hour. May the Lord bless his Church and prepare us all for the time we are living in and what lies ahead for us. He is warning the Nations. Read your bible and pray everyday, so that you will not be deceived by the evil one. He is still lurking, but Praise God he as already lost, and Christ reigns victoriously!!!!!

May the Peace, Love, and Joy of the Y'shua ha Mashiach/ Jesus the Christ be with your souls.

Kristin

A prophet is not welcome in his own hometown.

When Jeff and I first got back to Oklahoma the Lord put on our hearts two scriptures. Matthew 13:57: "And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house." This one was on Jeff's heart. The one that was on my heart was, Matthew 10:34-35: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law." We have been in Tulsa for about 3 months now and it has been made very clear to us why those scriptures were burning on our minds.

The lord has put another mission on our hearts and we will be headed to California in a couple weeks from now. San Francisco of all places. We don't really know what to expect. We have heard it is a very dark place. There is a soul who lives there who the Lord is sending us to minister to. Our prayers are that we will get completely out of God's way so he can work through us. Please be in prayer with us on this matter.

~Kristin

God is in Control

I have been thinking a lot about the Sovereignty of God. When we just look at the things going on around us we can sometimes get overwhelmed. However, if we stop and look at the big picture, the overall plan, it can be comforting, if we look at it in the scheme of God's greater plan. If God is in control of everything and nothing happens that he does not allow to happen then we begin to look at things in a little different way. Yes, bad things happen in this world. The Lord Yeshua/Jesus never told us he came to make the world perfect. He came to show us that if we truly want to follow him and be his disciple then we are to become part of his kingdom, which is completely separate from this world.

~Kristin