The World – Pursue and deploy, July 31, 2025

   On a Monday night at 7:03pm in 1995, an encounter with Jesus gave Linda and I a new set of eyes and stamped eternity on our hearts. A ship is safe in the harbor, but that is not what it was created for. The Holy Spirit launched us into seeing the broken hearted and crushed in spirit having been given the need to intercede with the hope that can only be found through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that reconciles us back to our Father in heaven.     

  We have been over-whelmed with blessings of all kinds since the Holy Spirit prompted us (Linda, our granddaughter, Kylee, and myself) to go back to Mexico after our first mission trip with Bethel Assembly of God in Sedro Woolley in August 2000. When we first shared this with other believers, many were excited and encouraged us, while others reminded us that we weren’t ‘missionaries’ or ‘pastors’, I was working full time, we had no training and we did not know Spanish. We were fully committed to the work that the Lord had called us to in our own ‘Jerusalem’ and were humbled by the fruit of our labors, but we were all given inspiration from the Holy Spirit and were truly looking forward to this new journey of faith. Jesus said, “What I whisper in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.” (Matthew 10:27) And we had in common that - although He did not speak to us ‘in person’ – we all knew who the ‘Whisperer was”.

   We were blessed to be with 60 individuals and teams that were on mission to Mexico the first five years and were the part of the preparation to our being called to central Africa in 2005. We are grateful to all those that added their prayers, gifts and resources as witnesses to the building of God’s kingdom in their own “Jerusalems, and to Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth”. Then Jesus promised to all that ‘deny themselves daily and pick up their cross and follow Him’: “And surely I AM with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20; Acts 1:8).

   We moved from our home in Sedro Woolley 3 years ago and the Lord has prompted us to prepare for the vision that will unfold in this next year. Simply, “Pursue and Deploy!” with those that have been prepared and will join with us as Jesus begins to make “house calls”. That will be 3 ½ years and the fufillment of what Jesus described it will be like when He returns. It will be like the days of Noah.

    “Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all fighting men and women draw near and attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, ‘I am strong!’ Come quickly all you nations from every side and assemble there. Bring down Your warriors, O Lord! Multitudes, multitudes are in the valley of decision. For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision”. (Joel 3:9-11, 14)