I know what you're thinking . . . what in the world is Just Behind The Corner doing on the front page? Well, this one may be the most inspirational JBTC so I thought I'd put it on the front page to make sure you read it. You'll actually have to open up this Perihelion to read all about our trip to Israel.
The amazement of seeing Daisy Whiterock walk forward that evening in Arizona caused the emotions to well up within me. It wasn't until I arrived in Arizona that I discovered I was on the same Navajo Reservation that Rich Mullins lived on at the time of his death. He had such a heart to see the Navajo Nation become Christian. I felt privileged to see that dream come a little bit closer to fruition as 5 decided to follow Jesus including Daisy. One thing special about Daisy's decision is that she is 70 years old! Another is that she hardly speaks English (and I'm pretty sure I was not speaking in tongues) but God broke through and grabbed her heart. The power of the cross breaks through language barriers!
Shortly after that, I was preaching a revival meeting and before the service Michael excitedly came up to me. He had traveled from another city with a group from his church, which I had preached at a year earlier. This junior in high school told me how he had become a Christian after hearing me. I asked him to share his testimony at the church that night. He told how his grade point average had been 1.9, but since becoming a Christian it was now 4.0!!!! We had 6 more pray to receive Christ that night!
The very day of his death he had shared with his dad that he . . . knew he was going to heaven . . .
I just got a long distance call which brought tears of sadness and tears of joy. Jesse was around 14 when I met him in Manteca in the early 90's. His uncle Phil had been praying for him and his twin brother and was hoping they would go to the revival meeting with him. Not only did they attend, they made the greatest decision of their lives to follow Jesus.
Two weeks ago Jesse was driving home when another car crossed into his lane and hit him head on. He went into the beautiful presence of the One he loved and decided to follow some 7 years ago. The very day of his death he had shared with his dad that he was prepared and knew he was going to heaven if anything happened to him. His only concern was that more of his friends could know Jesus as well.
At the time of the revival, Phil was deeply moved and told me he would be eternally grateful for the part I played in helping his nephews come to know the Lord. When I talked to him last week he told me, "Now you know why I said I would be eternally grateful."
It has been a very busy summer including 27 plane flights over one 4 month stretch. They were all on United at the peak of their ad campaign -- "We love to fly . . . but not today." I started checking my luggage to different cities to save them time since that's where it ended up anyway. Just kidding!
Kristen resigned from her job at UCSD but so far God has taken care of us financially. I joked with her and told her God was making me work overtime to make up the difference. As always, in the midst of the exhaustion and craziness of travel, God has more than made up for it and kept me going by giving me the privilege of seeing such powerful spiritual fruit! Keep up the prayers as God is definitely answering them!