Riding

It’s a great time of the year. Although winter is my favorite season, I really enjoy all the events that come along with this time of year – turkey hunting, my evangelism schedule picking up, the sights and sounds of spring’s arrival and celebrating the Resurrection. I was blessed this year to be able to spend Easter at home with Missy and the children. I have spent many Easters on the road preaching, so it was great to have time together as a family eating, spending time together, attending church and hunting eggs. [As a side note, I found the most.]

God has been doing great things through Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries lately. I preached the weekend before Easter in Mount Pleasant, Texas, where we had incredible services. In the 11 a.m. service, there were between 60-70 people who responded to the Gospel invitation. There was so much brokenness among those coming forward; tears fell like rain! I normally don't counsel those making commitments but a mother of a 40–year-old man asked me to talk to her son who was facing jail time. His openness and hunger to be right with God jerked on my heart. It fans my flame that Jesus speaks to and welcomes all without condemnation or rejection.

Following our time in Mount Pleasant, we flew to Texas A&M to meet with over 30 pastors about our event on the college campus scheduled to happen in spring 2012. We were encouraged to find that there seems to be a mutual vision and unity. We have great anticipation of God transforming multitudes through this event. We have rented Reed Arena, where the Aggies play basketball, and expect thousands to attend. Planning this event will require numerous trips over the next 12 months and very arduous work. Will you pray for God to continue to put the pieces together and provide to us the finances, prayer and labor needed?

In addition, today, we had our third conference call with leaders from Belfast, Ireland, to discuss a future city-wide outreach. It seems to be progressing well and we are discussing a two-week event where we would visit three to six smaller cities and culminate in a huge outreach in a Belfast coliseum with all the participating churches. In addition, our team would be able to visit 16 high schools and universities. We are told that suicide is a prevalent epidemic among students, which ties in perfectly with my own story. My conscience assaults me as I think about the hopelessness that so many must be feeling. I pray that God will draw them to the event where their spiritual darkness can be drowned out by the light of Christ and His word!

With all that said, Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries is in need of miracles! We have stepped through doors bigger than we can open or close on our own. God has given us a vision to reach the multitudes of bleeding hearts with the Gospel. I have always believed a vision is too small if you can accomplish it on your own and these outreaches cannot take place if God doesn't slay the Goliath's in our path!

Even with all the good things going on in the last few weeks, there have also been numerous trials. Satan has attempted to bully my family, a close friend in ministry, our team and me personally. I sometimes feel overwhelmed but I’m certain I am where I should be. I memorized Revelation 19: 11-16 as a comfort and to remind me that one day I will follow Jesus on a white horse and have a front row seat to personally witness Satan’s destruction. My mind can see Jesus right now as His snow-bleached stallion neighs on its hind feet while aching to charge out against the author of evil. Jesus will have eyes of fire and blood-soaked robe, and we will follow Him onto to victory. For now, we lose some battles but the war is ours. He is asking you now, "Will you ride with me?" I say, “YES, Lord!” How about you?

I am now OFFICIALLY in a book contract with a major publisher. It has been a 9 month negotiating process and my script must be finished before Nov 30. I will be spending most of the summer focused on writing. I feel tremendous excitement about the book which will be available in bookstores in Fall 2012.

There is nothing in this world I’d rather be doing, and I pray that my last breath is sharing Christ.

P.S. For those of you who are dog lovers … God gave me a Great Pyrenees snow-white puppy we named JUDAH. Judah was the first tribe to publicly recognize David as King and a name of huge biblical significance.