New Family of the same puzzle

I don’t know if it is just me, but in the past I felt like a puzzle piece that didn’t belong to the puzzle being put together, or maybe the piece that looks like it will fit but there is that one corner that is too big or small. I’m sure most Christians feel that way in the world. I felt that way even around other Christians. It is mostly because most Christians I was around said they were on fire for the Lord, but there wasn’t even smoke. I refer to these individuals as, “jelly-fish” Christians (spineless Christians) that will talk the talk but will never take a step to walk the walk. They will try to tell you exactly what you want to hear. Mostly of the time the talk that they are talking isn’t even their own. It is something they heard on the radio, in the four walls, a commentary or some other random place. These people say they know the Lord but have never gotten into the WORD to truly know Him. So basically they know of Him or know what someone has told them, NOT truly know the Lord.

When I went to my first RAVEN Mardi gras in 06 I was blown away. There were more people just like me, more people that were on FIRE for the Lord. These people just didn’t talk the talk they dressed, acted, and lived the walk. This is exactly what I was praying for. These brothers and sisters were from all over the nation from the East Coast to the West Coast. Some drove 1000s of miles to unite to spread the Gospel others flew for hours. I met so many different people that were so full of the Lord and Spiritually fit, it was awesome. What an opportunity the Lord let me experience. To work with other brothers and sister with the same mind/goals, Preaching the Gospel and Spreading the Love of Jesus Christ. This changed my life forever. I was never the same after that experience. I didn’t want to leave that place. I wanted to stay with my newly met brothers and sisters.

When I returned to Albuquerque it was back to dealing with the “jelly-fish.” It didn’t get me down like it did in the past. I pressed on continuing to pray for more in my area that shared a common goal/mind.

May 06 there was a men’s RAVEN gathering called “Boot Camp in the Big Apple.” This was a time that I was able to fellowship with other men that I hadn’t seen since Mardi Gras and get to know some that I really hadn’t spent time with. It was such a blessing to be able to work with these men of God. During this Boot Camp I became good friends with Johnny T of RAVEN Amarillo. This brother is such a blessing he doesn’t even have to say a word to make you smile. I Thank God for Johnny T. During the balloon fiesta in Albuquerque Johnny T brought his youth group to work with me Spreading the Gospel. What an answer to Prayer! Johnny T didn’t live close enough that we could get together every weekend but close enough to minister together on occasion.

November was the first annual gathering of RAVENs. This was a great time of fellowship, where we all stayed in the same hotel so we were able to spend some quality time together. When we are out on the streets it is sometime hard to get to know the people you are working with. You know that they Love Jesus and want to share his Love, but sometimes that is the extent of it. The gathering was great time to hang out with my brothers and sisters.

This February, My wife and I attended the RAVEN Mardi gras. This trip I truly felt like I knew most of the people I was ministering with. Things were very smooth all the pieces fit. We would minister together and not skip a beat. When one would stop the other would pick up, never skipping a beat, just like a well oiled machine. It was such a blessing to have my Best Friend, My Wife on the streets with me. I think she was a little blown away at first, but she didn’t let that stop her from ministering. I saw some of the RAVEN youth explode on the streets, what an inspiration! It is very disturbing to me that a 14 or 15 year old has more passion, compassion and obedience than some Adults that have supposedly been serving the Lord for years, you better check yourself. It was hard for me to leave this Mardi gras. This ministry time was different than any other in the past. When I left this Mardi gras I wasn’t going home as I had always in the past. My company was sending me to Delaware following Mardi gras for 2 months (God sent me). I had spoken to Pastor Sam and Lucy of RAVEN east coast and they invited me to come stay at their house and join them for outreach if I could.

Where I was going to be in Delaware wasn’t that far from Pastor Sam and Lucy. When I had established my work schedule in DE, I made arrangements with Pastor Sam to come hang out for the weekend and minister with them. I had never really had the chance to sit down with them and get to know who they were. We had talked in the past but never really knew them. This first weekend was a blast; we hit the streets hard Friday night and Saturday Preaching the Gospel. What a time I had with Pastor Sam and Lucy and the East Coast team Each and every one of them were true servants of Christ. It was great to spend time with the East Coast crew. At the end of the weekend Pastor Sam said if you’re not busy next weekend we would love to have you back. The following weekend I took him up on his offer. I had an even better time serving the Lord than the week before. This trip I spent time with George driving to pick up bread. RAVEN EC drives every Saturday from Hanover PA to Harrisburg PA to pick up loaves of bread to pass out to the less fortunate. Not only do they pass out the bread but also pass out the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.

During my time in Delaware the Lord made it possible for me to go to Elkhart, Indiana.

I was able to spend time ministering with a dear brother in the Lord, Pastor Terry Shuff. He is another brother from the same puzzle. We ministered at a place called Louie and Kelly’s. We encountered many that said they were Christians. Many that said they were serving the Lord. There must have been a Bible study in that bar that we weren’t invited to. Pastor Terry and I were calling all these “bootleggers” out. One guy was dressed and acted like a pimp complete with the girl at his side. This guy had conflicting stories going on, because he came out of the bar acting like a pimp with a big Cross hanging off of his neck. I jumped at this opportunity to call this guy out. His story was he was tying to coattail his way into Heaven. He told me that his dad was a minister and some others in his family worked in and for the church. I let him know that there was no getting to Heaven for those reasons. He needed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to get to Heaven. I returned to Delaware and continued to spend my weekends in Hanover PA with Pastor Sam and Lucy.

Some time in April Pastor Sam and Lucy announced that RAVEN EC would be having the first annual RAVEN EC Evangelism Boot camp. I knew I had to be there I had told the kids on Maple Street, that broke me, that I would be back. Also, I wanted to help Pastor Sam and Lucy with what ever I could. What a great time for the Lord we had. People were set free from different things that kept them in chains, many were healed of different ailments, and many Repented and Gave their Lives to the Lord. HALLELUJAH! Serving God is so much fun! Pastor Sam and Lucy took me to the airport and I must say it was harder to leave this time than before. As I waited to take off for the flight to Albuquerque my phone rang and it was my manager. He says would you mind going to Delaware for a week? I told him no if that is what I need to do then I was willing. So I flew home for a week and then back to Delaware.

This time in Delaware is exactly what I needed. My company extended my time here (they think it was them, but I know it was God keeping me here a little longer!) so I have been able to spend 3 weeks with Pastor Sam and Lucy, instead of just one. Pastor Sam and Lucy are such a blessing to me!!!!!!!!!! It is not very often that you meet people that could finish a sentence for you, give you a look to hold a conversation, or just say your name and you know exactly what they are talking about. This is what it is like for me with Pastor Sam and Lucy. Being around them I see the true definition of “Christ like.” They walk in Love each and every day they would go with out something to see that someone else is provided for. They pick up their cross daily and follow Christ. They hide nothing, what you see it what you get. They will tell you how it is, because of the Love they have. Being on Fire for The Lord is an understatement for this family. They are a smoldering inferno for The Lord. Pastor Sam is the brother that I never had. I Love being in the trenches with this brother. Lucy is always there to pick me up or pierce me with the Word. I know that when she speaks I better listen because it is from the Lord. Sometimes it isn’t what I want to hear but it is truly from God. Both Pastor Sam and Lucy speak what the Lord puts on their hearts, I Love being in the trenches with them. I Love being in the trenches with any of the EC team. Each and every one of them has been trained up in the Lord. I haven’t ministered with Josh, Pastor Sam and Lucy’s son but I know that I would Love it if he is anything like his mom or dad. Pastor Sam and Lucy have a daughter name Megan (wrong spelling I’m sure) that has a heart the size of Texas. She is one of the youth I described earlier. She has no fear, but that of the Lord. The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. This young lady is such a blessing and inspiration. I pray more youth get the fire like Meg (lil ticker). I could go on for days talking about Pastor Sam and Lucy I Love them so much. THANK YOU LORD FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME AND GET TO KNOW SUCH GREAT AND OBIDENT PEOPLE, I LOVE YOU PASTOR SAM AND LUCY AND ALL OF THE EAST COAST FAMILY. I know that we are joined in spirit, but it brings tears to my eyes to have to leave them. I am excited to get home to my Wife, Son, Unborn baby and the Lords work in Albuquerque. I pray that my days are few and not far between until I see my East Coast family again. I LOVE YOU RAVEN EAST COAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My RAVEN East Coast Family