The Summer Gauntlet

OK...enough already! Actually it has been a fabulous summer I won't complain a bit. A day and night in Manhattan, 10 days in France and then 2 weeks of Indiana Youth Camps. One of the most enjoyable summers of my life but needless to say I am just a little bit wiped out.

The amazing thing about it is that God has hand his hand in all of it. This summer we have really not experienced any type of summer slump. The spirit of the Lord has been moving mightily in at New Life. People are being delivered, set free, changed and drawing closer to God. Just shows you that God is in control of it all and not we ourselves.

I will say in my own biased opinion that Indiana Youth Camps are the best anywhere. Two weeks over 600 campers and the power of the Lord moved upon them and lives were eternally changed.

In our Jr. High Camp (ages 12-14) we were honored to have Myron Powell from Caribou, ME as our day speaker and he spoke on the Trampoline of Truth and then James Maroney from Campbellsburg, Kentucky was our evening speaker WOW they both challenged our Jr. High Students stressing the importance of knowing and living TRUTH.

This past week was our Sr. High Camp (ages 15-18) Carl McLaughlin & his entire family joined us from Euless, TX and what a joy it was to have them. I have had the pleasure to meet and spend a little time with Bro. McLaughlin in the past but met his wife Veta and his kids, Johnmichael, Blake and Jenna for the first time and it was a pleasure to have all of them with us. I am so glad they made the journey north. Although, I must say I think it wasn't too much of a burden leaving 100+ temps and traveling to maybe the greatest week of weather I have ever experienced in July since I have lived in Indiana. Natalie, Caleb & Reagan and all the kids went to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis last Wednesday and they got to see the King Tut exhibit and I am extremely jealous. I have got to make it up there to see it before it is gone. They had a great time. It seemed like we have known the McLaughlins forever it is hard to believe we met them just last week. Johnmichael immediately became near and dear to me as he is a huge Cardinals fan, gotta love that!

Our evening speaker was Joel Urshan and it was great to have Joel, Heidi, Annah and Sophia back home again in Indiana. I know it was an honor for him to be back and did he evermore deliver some anointed preaching. Honestly, every day service and night service were just incredible. It is so awesome to see young people have there lives changed, see other filled with the Holy Ghost for the first time and then this year we had over 80 campers who professed a call to ministry! How exciting is that in a time when so many organizations are struggling to fill their pulpits! I am glad to be apart of the United Pentecostal Church.

NOW...this week is going to be a blast we have VBS at New Life and it is always a blast to see the church filled up with kids every night. I love the positive energy it brings. If you are anywhere close to Bloomington/Bedford bring your children to VBS.

Normandy

What else can you say besides it was one of the most moving experiences of my life. I can say emphatically that I am proud to be an American.

To walk the hallow grounds where blood was shed to walk along Omaha Beach and picture in your mind what transpired just over 65 years ago. To see a movie clip in the Visitor's Cente

r about Gene Sellers from Jonesboro, Arkansas about 15 miles from where I grew up who left the University of Arkansas where he was there to play football and enlist in the military and then die on D-Day is truly humbling. We don't know the meaning of the word sacrifice. God Bless America. The people in the Normandy area have not forgotten. As we drove through the village going to Omaha Beach the streets were lined with houses displaying the U.S. Flag. Let us not forget. I truly believe that Normandy is a place that every American should visit. Words can't describe.

Back in Paris area now. I will catch up hopefully tomorrow night. Looking forward to 2 great services tomorrow.

AYC France-Day 5 & 6

Continue to be blessed in this beautiful country.

Today we traveled from Arras to Caen, Normandy and tomorrow we will be at the landing beaches and taking in the experience that is Normandy.

On our travels to Caen from Arras today we stopped to visit what is stated to be the tallest Gothic church in the world. It is Notre Dame Cathedral in Amiens (we will visiting Notre Dame in Paris on Saturday) And absolute work of art and the building itself really appealed to the senses. They claim to have the beheaded head of John the Baptist and we saw it on display today. Also, the pipe organ was not only marvelous to look at but it was being played today. The sound was indescribable.

Had a great service in Arras last night (Wednesday) the church was a worshipping church and we also had some gypsy visitors (some who have been filled with the Holy Ghost) and God blessed them in a marvelous way. I am very proud of all of our AYCers on this trip and tonight was no exception. John Jones from Anderson, Indiana preached and did a wonderful job. It is so rewarding to see these young adults that I have been privileged to grow up in the Indiana District at camps & youth conventions. As you hear all the stories of churches that are shrinking in number isn't it great to be apart of the United Pentecostal Church and be apart of a God's church.

Tonight we are staying in Caen and as we have seen our young adults be blessed and minister in churches throughout France, we had a time of refreshing among all of us tonight. We were going to take the trolley into the city market area after dinner but a severe thunderstorm came and we were forced to hang out at the hotel after the meal. We played a game and had some fun together and then we began to sing a chorus and share some testimonies and then God showed up. The Holy Ghost fell in this hotel meeting room and we were spoken too by the Lord. We had a long time of worship and ministering one to another then our host missionary Bro. Broshu shared with us the fact that the closest church was 3.5 hours away. We need laborers in the field. We have been in service with some incredible "on fire for God" teens & young adults in the nation of France. I believe that God is going to place a burden upon them to start churches throughout this nation.

Keep our missionaries here in France in your prayers. They are doing a great work! The spirits that have kept Europe bound for so long are being broken! That being said, let us pray in America that we do not let that spirit that is weighing heavy on our country is battled by the church through prayer & dedicating ourself to Him.

AYC France-Day 3 & 4

Sorry about yesterday we were totally wiped out!

So now a full report from the last two days in France.

Monday morning we left the Paris area and traveled to first the Vaux le Vicomte which if you have seen the movie "The man in the Iron Mask" about Louis XIV with Leonardo Dicaprio it was filmed there. Also San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker & Desperate Housewives Star Eva Longoria were married there in 2007. It was a beautiful place.

We also visited the Blandy les Tours a castle from the Feudal time period. Following that we visited a Medieval fortified city by the name of Provins and if you ever get an opportunity to visit France drive away from Paris at least for a day and visit this city.

That evening we traveled to the city of Troyes and was with the church there. We had a great service there and God is blessing the people of Troyes. The church is filled to capacity and they will be in there new building in September. The house was full on a Monday night and one received the Holy Ghost! Was proud of Nathan Cottrill from our church in Harrodsburg he did a good job preaching on Monday night.

Today (Tuesday) we started the day with a prayer walk through the city of Troyes and we felt a great move of God during it as strong holds are being broken in this city. The new building is going to be filled up with people who are new believers in Christ.

After the prayer walk we discovered that Troyes is just a perfect place to hang out and enjoy. We had lunch at a local bakery and ate outside enjoying the beautiful day. Then shopping was on the agenda and we found some great stuff. Then we boarded the bus and traveled to Northwestern France though some of the areas that had some of the heaviest fighting during WWI. This section of France is Lorraine and specifically we were in the city of Longwy. We visited a Home Missions church there and what a wonderful group of people and they have a wonderful pastor who is doing a great work in Longwy. God strengthened the people there and as always when in a Home Missions setting we were blessed.

Trying to get pictures posted on Facebook but the connection is very slow. If all else fails I will have a lot of pictures to post when I get back.

Until tomorrow...

AYC France-Day 2

What an exciting day! We were in service with Bro. & Sis. Nowacki and the church in Melun. And everything you have heard about the church here is absolutely untrue. It is even better than you heard! God poured out His spirit in a mighty way and I was very proud of our Aycers who just jumped in worshipped God and worked in the altars. We had a total of 4 baptized today in Jesus Name and 2 received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Our French brothers & sisters really know how to have church.

Elicia Rolling from our church in Harrodsburg testified today and shared with shared with the congregation about how God healed her mother of cancer. Heidi Odle from Noblesville, IN blessed the church tonight with a testimony about a God who will take you to places that you have never dreamed.

Got to see our youth and the youth of the local church here in France really gel tonight. They spent a lot of time after church hanging out and then we all went out to eat pizza after church (Just like in the US) :-)

AYC France-Day 1

It is 10:27p.m. Paris time and I haven't slept except for about 2 hours in the flight over here from JFK last night. So tonight's entry shall be brief.

Today was a full day we were met at the airport by missionary Paul Brochu who we found out used to work with Bro. Stovall when he pastored in Ft. Wayne during the 80's. There is always an Indiana connection :-)

Then after meeting Bro. & Sis. Nowacki and some folks from their church (and being treated to some wonderful pastries around lunch time we checked into the hotel freshened up and went to the Eiffel Tower.

Well that was just as awesome as you think it would be and it is WAY up there. 990 feet to be exact. We had a great time there and then afterward we did what every American has to do when they travel abroad and that is find a McDonald's.

Please keep us in your prayers as we are expecting a great day at Bro. Nowakci's church. Bro. Nathan Cottrill a young man from our church will be traveling with Missionary Brochu and preaching at his church. Our General Youth President will be speaking in the headquarters church tomorrow morning while I will be ministering in the evening service.

AYC France

Natalie and I along with several of young adults will be traveling along with our friends and General Youth President for the United Pentecostal Church Shay and Bridgette Mann to the country of France this Friday, June 19.

It will be an exciting trip no doubt as we spend 10 days assisting Missionary John Nowacki and the United Pentecostal Church of France. God is doing marvelous things in the largest country in Europe and we look forward to being a blessing and being blessed.

My favorite part of leading a mission trip is seeing the transformation that takes place the lives of those attending.

Starting Friday I will do my best to update daily AYC-France. Please be in prayer for the entire AYC-Global team that is traveling to France.