In 1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower was presisdent and in general prices were lower and the life i knew growing up was simpler in many ways. On 28 December i turned 50!! i am blessed to have had this time from God and i am excited about the next 70 years.
This time of year is historically a reflective time for me, with the birth of Our Lord to celebrate as well as my own, and a new year looming large ahead. I take time of prayer and reflection and hope for the future. On various occassions i have spent this time in monastarys. As i grow in my life with the Lord it becomes more important to me to be with Him as much as i can. In my daily prayer time, my daily life with family and friends i want so much for Him to be present each moment.
i want to thank all of my RAVEN family, my family and friends and my Hope Chapel family for a year of great service and growth in Him. i am grateful for each of you and that The Lord put us together. Thank you Pastor Troy for you obedience to Him and your guidance to me. You have been a catalyst to greater growth for me. i am going to join with the RAVEN family in the 7 day fast. Sometimes i go away for this time of year, but i am going to stay here and fast the seven days. i have only done up to 5 in the past and i pray strength from God. Thank you for this opportunity to fast together. May it be fruitful for all. May we each know God's inner most thoughts for us and go deeper than ever before. Amen.
With Christmas over and the pace of life going back to a somewhat normal flow, i hope to see you all more regularly. i miss you all and i am praying for each of you daily. You are always in my heart. God bess you . Deb
Sunday, December 31, 2006
1956
Saturday, December 30, 2006
I am praying for YOU
Pastor TroyI
Dec 29, 2006
My Friends,
James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
I want you to know that during this season of prayer and fasting, we will be lifting you and your needs up to the Lord Jesus. I have already been getting many prayer requests emailed that are of a very serious nature and needing nothing short of the hand of God to intervene in the miraculous.
I know that we serve a precious and merciful Jesus who desires to touch, heal, minister, restore and save. I am reminded of the 120 people that went into the ‘Upper Room’ following Christ’s ascension into heaven. It says that they “were in one place and in one accord.”
Most of you know the result of this time of consecration, obedience and prayer—because you and I are the product of the ministry that would pour out from that place following those incredible 10 days in Jerusalem.
Next week, January 1-8 is our annual “Upper Room” experience and we are believing that the same Holy Spirit who met and moved within them then is the same Holy Spirit that dwells in the life of the believer today!
We have received prayer requests from friends like:
Sondra who ministers to the hungry and needy in South Africa (she has also been with us on the streets of New Orleans) who needs a miracle financial breakthrough for the ministry there---soon.
Christina whose fiancé, Doug, is facing 2-10 years in prison because of a reporting error in a crime that he committed as a 12 year old (and he served 10 years of his childhood in prison already!) He is a radical believer in Jesus now for the past 4 years!
Penny is praying for the salvation of her adult son, Eddie.
Tami wants a miracle in the life of her daughter, Brianna.
La Verna needs a miracle for her daughter with learning disabilities.
Grace could go blind without a miracle and Rafael in Guatemala has two six year old boys who have a rare disease called “Canavan Disease” that causes deterioration in the brain---they have got to have a miracle for the Lord Jesus!
Many of you are facing things that seem too difficult---but I belive that we serve a God who is MORE THAN ABLE!!
Let me know your specific needs and we will be praying and EXPECTING a testimony of how the Holy Spirit moved in the miraculous as believer from around the world stood in faith together!
Blessings,
Pastor Troy
raven@BigGrace.com
***also let me know if you want to join our prayer team for this Seven Days of Prayer & Fasting and I will email you daily prayer lists during the fast.
HOW MUCH IS A SOUL WORTH?
Dot Chance
Dec 29, 2006
HOW MUCH IS A SOUL WORTH?
Bobby preached a message a few years ago entitled "How Much Is A Soul Worth?" Please take a moment to reflect on that thought. How much IS a soul worth?
Well…we know it was worth our Lord and Savior being bruised and beaten and hung upon a cross so that we could spend eternity in heaven. But, have you ever thought about how much a soul is worth to you? Wow! That is a very humbling thought. I've done a lot of soul-searching on this one.
Bobby won't mind me sharing a little story with you. Not long after he had preached this powerful message we were in a Christian Bookstore buying some supplies. When we go to a restaurant we like to leave a generous tip and some type of a tract to witness to our server or to continue witnessing to our server if we have had the opportunity to share Jesus with him or her.
Well, I found these perfect little tracts, they were cards with a print of a painting on one side. They just really captured my attention. I told Bobby that we ought to buy them and use them in restaurants as a witnessing tool. Bobby did the math in his head and said that per tract they were sure expensive to use. We both had to laugh when I said, "How much IS a soul worth?" (Yes, we bought the cards)
The end of the year is often a time of reflection on the events of the year that is coming to an end. What a year it has been! I'm sure that is true for many of you. We stopped counting the number of friends and loved ones that we "lost" this year (fortunately, we will see them again when we go to be with the Lord).
As far as ministry is concerned, WHAT A YEAR! God has allowed us to lead more and more people to Him; He has allowed us to feed and clothe the poor. Our annual Streetwise Ministry Happy Birthday Jesus Party in Tijuana was absolutely phenomenal! We had over 100 volunteers (we like to think of them as foot soldiers) for the event. We ministered to over 500 children at the church and then the team went to the garbage dump and ministered to 500 more children and adults!
We had two little girls (Maddie and Cece Gonzales whose parents are our dear friends Rudy and Lori Gonzales of RAVEN West Coast) gather over 3,000 toys for Tijuana; Tate, a six year old boy from Christian Faith Center in San Angelo, Texas also gathered toys and money for the outreach! Wow! These kids get it – I think they know how much a soul is worth!
We have fed literally thousands of meals on Skid Row in Los Angeles this year. We are so thankful for the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus! When I look at these devastated lives on Skid Row I know that Jesus died for them just as He died for me. I am humbled when I think the Lord would allow me to do my little part to serve those He loves and died (and rose again) for!
This year has also been difficult financially for the ministry. NOPE – we are NOT going out of business for God! Quite the opposite! We are more determined than ever to reach lost souls. We know that no matter what we are going to serve Him. We just want to be obedient to Him.
Our ministry is not the only one that is hurting financially. I cannot count the number of emails from other ministries asking for help before the end of the year; the number of appeal letters saying that ministries are "in the hole." Most or all of these ministries just continue to do what God has told them to do, after all – how much IS a soul worth?
When there is a budgetary crisis things begin to get "cut." Unfortunately, we didn't get to do as many Skid Row feedings as we wanted to because of the finances. We just did what we could do.
One of the other things that we have had to cut back on is paying ourselves! If there is no money for payroll – there just isn't a way for us to get paid. If we were working for a secular organization we would have been laid off because they could not pay us. But, we continue to go for Jesus. After all, how much IS a soul worth?
So…we are humbly coming to you today to ask you to pray for the needed finances to come in to the ministry. The Bible tells us that a workman is worthy of his hire so we know that it is only right that the ministry be able to pay the workman!
If the Lord is speaking to you to make a one-time gift to Streetwise Ministry please do so today. No gift is too large or too small! Most of all, thank you for helping us to continue taking Jesus to the streets of America and the world!
You may make a donation NOW thru PayPal by clicking on the icon below: (PLEASE NOTE: We are experiencing difficulties with the PayPal logo, if you would like to donate thru PayPal and this icon does not work please go to PayPal.com and make a donation by using the email address for Streetwise: streetwise@ureach.com)
Going with the Gospel,
Dot Chance
Streetwise Ministry
PO Box 869
Hollywood, CA 90078-0869
1.877.570.2745
www.StreetwiseMinistry.com
Friday, December 29, 2006
Expecting a miracle?
Pastor Troy D. Bohn
Dec 28, 2006
"Preparing for a time of Visitation" Part 1
Beginning January 1st we will enter a season consisting of (7) days of fasting and prayer. I will be sending out periodic messages regarding this time of consecration. IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC PRAYER REQUESTS--please email them to me personally at PastorTroy@BigGrace.com so that we can take these before the Lord Jesus as well.
We are believing for MIRACLES to occur. Let us know where you need the Holy Spirit to move!
Isaiah 58:6 “This is the type of fasting that I am after: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?”
Many times we ask the question in regards to a season of fasting as prayer: What is it that I expect to happen as a result of this time of consecration unto the Lord?
The real question should be: What does the LORD expect to happen as a result of my time of consecration unto Him?
The answer to the later question begins with the first verse of the test that will be central to this time that we have set apart to seek Him, and His ways for our lives, families, and ministries in the year 2007.
If you have heard me say it once, then you have probably heard me say it one thousand times, “Expectancy is the birthplace for the miraculous.”
I can only speak for myself, but I need a miracle for 2007---no, let me correct myself---I need MANY miracles in 2007! There are things that I desire to occur in this coming year that will not and cannot happen short of a miracle. Having said that, I want to position myself for the miraculous in this coming year in ways that I failed to in 2006! This begins with “expectancy.”
Expectancy = confident belief and anticipation concerning the probability of a future event.
Can we as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ walk in that type of expectancy on a daily basis? Can we walk in a confidence and an anticipation that transcends the seen and instead relies upon the unseen? Do we really trust in the Lord to the degree that it produces in us a heightened probability in regards to the things that He has placed upon our hearts and lives?
I believe that the Word of God provides us with the answers to all of these questions. We are shown the manner in which we can position ourselves in the pathway of miracles!
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
Because of the ministry that the Lord Jesus has so graciously called me to do for His Kingdom, I am constantly inundated with messages, emails, comments, etc regarding what other people think about me, Raven Ministries, or how/what we should be doing.
The thing about it is—at the end of the day—I am only concerned about the “Thoughts (He) thinks towards (me).” Those are the thoughts that really matter. Those are the thoughts that bring with them the expected end of Jeremiah 29:11! Those are the thoughts that lives, ministries and even nations are changed and transformed by! Those are the thoughts that we need to be focused upon in 2007.
If Melanie and I had headed the “expectancy” of others concerning our lives and ministry to the Lord Jesus Christ we would have been in trouble! They said:
“Your marriage will never last more than a year.” It has lasted more than 20!
“You will never be in the ministry.” They obviously missed on that one!
“You can’t feed hundreds of people.” We’ve fed tens of thousands!
“You can’t start RAVEN in New Orleans.” We have them across the Nation.
“No ONE will listen to you on the streets” Thousands have come to Christ.
This “expected end” or expectancy is the manifested product of “seeking Him (praying) with all one’s heart.” Your anticipation concerning the things of God will be equivalent to your dedication to seeking the face of God!
Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
When we seek Him diligently through dedicated times of prayer and fasting it transitions us from a place of im-possibilitiesto a place of Him-possibilities! THAT is the place that I want to dwell in!
The English prefix “im” means not or without. For example; Something immovable is a thing that is without the ability to move. Something immoral is something without morals. To be impetuous is to do something without thinking. If I am forced to improvise I must advance without a plan.
Because I live in the realm of HIM-possibilities instead of impossibilities I should always be able to MOVE (“in Him we live and move…”) and walk in a righteous MORALITY (“be ye Holy for I am Holy”). My mind should always THINK His thoughts (“as a man thinks in his heart”) and His PLAN should always be before me (“the steps or plan of a good man are directed by the Lord”).
Expectation should be our motto through this season of fasting and prayer!
Next time: What should I then expect- loosing, undoing, setting free, breaking yokes!
Blessings until next time,
Pastor Troy D. Bohn
Raven Ministries International
P.O. Box 1897
Daytona Beach, Florida 32115
www.BigGrace.com
Thursday, December 28, 2006
friday night SF RAVEN outreach (tomorrow)
Meet at the Rohnert Park Expressway Panda Express/Target Shopping Center between 6pm-6:30pm.
Dress warm.
Bring what you'd like to hand out on the streets of the Tenderloin!
Wear RAVEN black.
Bring a backpack.
Items for pack: waterbottles,bibles, something warm to give away to someone who's cold.
Be prayerful about what you give~ and be available to pray!
Maddie has the flu so I'll be home.
Pastor Rudy will be going.
Be prepared to drive and/or carpool.
Praise GOD!
Pastor Rudy's cell: 707.206.2748
Prepare for a long night!
Alleluia!
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
this week
hi all.
my family is in town from newport beach and sacramento.
praise GOD all the cousins are together!
we will be hosting all the meals at my house through saturday~
which means i'm super busy!
pastor rudy's got a full week at work~
the rest of the gonzos and my entire family will be heading to marin catholic everyday through saturday for anthony's basketball tournament~
i didn't realize that the games are throughout the day all different times (today's is at 12:30)
please pray for traveling mercies~ it's blustery out and we've got a lot of little ones to look out for as well as my brothers, sisters, parents and the bball team.
anthony's got 7 games in the next 10 days!
woot woot!
so, keep going4god if you don't hear from me~
and i will do the same~ remember, it ain't nothing but reasonable service to the one who died for each of us!
last night's food outreach went great~ no outreach this thursday~
the next outreach is in san francisco this friday night to the homeless in the tenderloin! dress in layers, wear raven black, buy some blankets, tarps, snacks and pack a backpack.
Pastor Rudy will be going~ meeting place tba~ not here~ and time is usually around 6pm.
we'll blog it by Friday!
and if you run into deb this week tell her happy birthday!!!!
love you all~
Lori
obedience
Lord.
Standing in front of Costco, wet, it was good that I was at the wrong one.
I had come to help only out of obedience, that my heart was not in it, that I hadn't repented or prayed.
I was feeling a little guilty, thought at least maybe I could grab a turkey for New Year party if nothing else.
Been feeling uneasy today, Christmas over, needed to find new ways to approach people, asking You how can I tell some one here about your Son.
Checked on old man Glen at the Rat Trap.
Fulfilled my need to at least please you, not waste this trip into town.
After dinner I got the phone call, that I now rejoice in.
"I am wet, my blankets are wet, I have a guy here wet, with me who has had a stroke not to long ago, will you help us?"
Thank you Lord for using me, thank you all, who have provided me with food and dry clothes, thank you and bless you for the motorhome, thank you for my wife and family that loves you and understands, thank you for my job, thank you for this piece of property that you lent to me.
Thank you Lord for overlooking it when it is only obedience.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
RAVEN NEWS BY PASTOR TROY BOHN
New Year's Prayer and Fasting for Vision & Miracles Next Week
Pastor Troy D. Bohn
Dec 26, 2006
There will not be a LIVE Raven Broadcast tonight because some of our teams will be conducting after-Christmas food outreaches, while others are either out or town or on the road traveling during the Holiday. The LIVE broadcast will resume next Tuesday January 2nd with a special prayer and ministry emphasis. Details below:
For the past (16) years of ministry, we have opened each calendar year with a special time of prayer, fasting, and consecration before the Lord. This time that we set apart has ranged from 3 to 40 days of fasting and prayer and we have seen the hand of God move powerfully during this time of seeking Him
The results of this season of intense prayer and consecration have truly been the catalyst for the heart and vision that God has entrusted us to over the years. Initially being strictly a “Church” thing when we pastored in Texas, it has since spread to include our teams and friends around the nation who have joined with us for vision, victory and revival.
This year, we are calling a (7) day fast, beginning at 12:00 AM on January 1st (that would be midnight on the 31st) and culminating at 12:00 AM on January 8th (that would be midnight in the 7th).
I will be posting information regarding this period of fasting and prayer throughout the week on our blog (www.ravenoutreach.blogspot.com) for you to read. I will include directives, Biblical truths concerning fasting, and the opportunity for you to send in your prayer requests for us to all stand together for.
Next Tuesday’s LIVE Raven-Cast will be one hour of LIVE Intercessory prayer from our home-studio here in Daytona Beach. We will take your prayer requests and stand with you in faith during that time.
If you desire to join with us during his time of fasting and prayer, please email me to include you on the prayer-warriors list for the duration of the seven day season. They type of fasting that you do is between you and the Holy Spirit. (I will deal with various fasts this week on the blog).
Personally, I typically do a no-solid food, liquid-only fast. I avoid milk products (whole food) and concentrated fruit juices as well. That is how I fast, how you decided to participate should be based upon your personal health and spiritual convictions.
This passage of scripture will serve as the basis for this special time of ministry and consecration before the Lord.
Isaiah 58:6-12 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.”
I will deal with each of these challenges and promises in the blog as the week progresses! God has some AWESOME things in store for His Body in 2007! Let’s start it off with a time of HEARER and HEEDING!
Let me know that you are standing with us during this time of prayer and fasting!
Blessings,
Pastor Troy D. Bohn – PastorTroy@BigGrace.com
“Guiding more towards HEAVEN in 2007”
Raven Ministries International, Inc.
P.O. Box 1987
Daytona Beach, Florida 32115
(386)682-4141
“Your GIVING keeps us GOING”
TUESDAY NIGHT RAVEN OUTREACH TO SANTA ROSA
THANK YOU COSTCO!
Over 70 turkeys, hundreds of dinner rolls and dozens of pies delivered in the pouring rain to Roseland and West Ninth tonight!
WOOT WOOT!
Thank you to the Donaghy family aka RAVEN team willing to GO4GOD tonight w/ Pastor Rudy!
This was especially a blessing as many of the families that were ministered too tonight have children home for the next 2 weeks as there is no school~
which means no school lunches~ which means we all need to do our part in being the hands and feet of JESUS and feed the hungry!
If you are able to contribute monetarily please send checks to RAVEN and mail to Gonzalez Family 815 Pacific Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95404~ or click on the donate button on this web page~
If you are able to grocery store shop please consider shopping for "buy one get one free" deals in Safeway or Albertsons and donate both items or donate the "free" ones~
While shopping, think anything for breakfast, dinner or lunch and/or snacks (!) and drop off at the Mullins home in Windsor (call Mariah for directions 838.0898) or the Gonzalez home in Santa Rosa (815 Pacific Ave) and the RAVEN team will take it to families with children who are hungry!
If you are able to grocery shop at Costco between now and next Thursday, please consider purchasing bulk rice and bulk beans~ bananas, body soap, toilet paper, tortillas, canned food, water bottles and drop off!
If you received a lot of new clothes, please go through your closets and drop off items that are gently used: cold weather items for babies, kids, teens, adults including blankets and sleeping bags, household items~ children's books~ children's toys as long as they are clean and not broken and really fun to play with!
Also, if you can go through your toiletries from hotels/motels we are constantly collecting those too!
If you'd like to be a shopper for these outreaches, please email me (Lori):
gonzofamily5@aol.com
voicemail (707.478.7061)
Please continue to pray that the Costco will continue to GO4GOD!
How good it is that we are able to network with so many~ hearts are opening~ THANK YOU JESUS!
There will not be another SR outreach this week~
Next RAVEN opportunity will be for San Francisco~
This Friday night!
WOOT WOOT!
Who's in?
Monday, December 25, 2006
THANK YOU EVERYONE!
For Saturday's outreach there was a lot of preparation!
Teri, Karen, Hez, Josiah, Mariah, Rich, Rudy,Deb, Maddie & Cece THANK YOU for countless hours~ prayers, shopping, bundling, organizing, loading the truck in super cold weather after midnight~ praise JESUS for the willingness from Robin at Wal Mart helping Rudy and I load up the last of our shopping and team RAVEN who didn't let a 10pm call out for help stop them~ nope, we worked until 1am and laughed and bundled up over 1,000 to toys! Also, thank you, THANK YOU to:
Julanne Watry, Stephanie Calstrom, Gloria, Gloria, Deb, Myles, Nangle Family, Mariah, Katie, Dalton, Ashley, Trevor, Jonathan, Anthony, Robert, Jon, R. Ramirez, Laney, Robin, Kristine, Zach, Jordon, Tim, Dayna, Tonie, Dolan, Nick, Shayne, Korie, Anthony, Maddie, Cece, my dad Reg, Teri, Jamie, Rich, Karen, Hez, Josiah and so many others who didn't sign in or met us out on the street~ PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR SERVANT'S HEART~~
May you be blessed and drawn closer to the LORD for what HE showed you while on the street~
I will be posting pictures soon~
Next year we hope to see you again~
RAVEN SR CHRISTMAS~ it MUST be an annual event! R U READY?
Please know that there are other opportunities daily/weekly~ keep checking the blog and take a look at the calendar that gets updated frequently on the right.
DRY CREEK BAND of POMO INDIANS~ THANK YOU so much for your generous donation of toys that were given away on Saturday into the hands of countless families across Santa Rosa~
KAREN DONAGHY~ thank you for all the phone time, planning, ideas and prayers~ I think it went well (!)~ your help was tremendous!
MARIAH MULLINS thank you for spear heading this outreach that blessed so many and making sure you could rearrange your busy life just when I really needed you too while in Mexico, you GO GIRL!
TERI BENNETT~ thank you for the hours spent packaging all the cookies and tying bows and showing up to hand them out with hugs and prayers to so many~
USMC~ thank you for your willingness to lend a hand to so many children this weekend on your "time off." We will continue to stand in faith that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU WILL PROSPER~
RAVEN TEAM~ it's bigger than we think! LOVE YOU! THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!
and thank you to the hundreds of children, mothers, fathers, grandparents of Santa Rosa's toughest neighborhoods~ for welcoming us into your lives and praising JESUS along side us all this Christmas Season~ it was a beautiful day!
ALL GOOD THINGS,
PASTOR RUDY & LORI GONZALEZ
TOMORROW, TUESDAY 5PM RAVEN FOOD OUTREACH SANTA ROSA
OPPORTUNITY!
While in Clearlake Costco called Pastor Rudy and said bring the box truck!
So, please meet us at Costco (not our house!!!) in Rohnert Park at 5pm~
Wait in the parking lot~ help load~ and GO4GOD!
We are expectant of lots of bakery goods and perhaps turkeys(!)
We are also hosting Lori's family from out of town for dinner this same evening (!)
Praise JESUS we have an opportunity to give even more quality food away this week!
Yes, this will be our outreach for this week~ not on Thursday!
So the more hands the better tomorrow night!
Email Lori gonzofamily5@aol.com for questions~
Or please call Pastor Rudy at 707.206.248 if you have questions~
Wear RAVEN black~ no red or blue!
FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!
Merry Christmas!
...and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She
wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger,
because there wass no room for them in the inn.
...and there were shepherds living out in the fields
nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An
angel of the LORD appeared to them, and the glory of
the LORD shone around them, and they were terrified.
...But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I
bring you good news of great joy that will be for all
the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has
been born to you; he is Christ the LORD. This will
be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in
cloths lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavnely host
appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor
rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the LORD has told us about."
Luke 2:7-15
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Silly girl
This morning I wake up early~
I think about the 1,000+ toys in the garage~
I think about holiday things I should be doing~
I think about the food and how it is going to come today~
I think about getting Cece her meds, Maddie off to school~
And is Anthony's uniform clean for tonight's bball game?
Is the house clean? Do I even want to get out of bed?
So much to do today~ and did I even sleep last night?
Wait, what's today?
JESUS.
The song on the ipod on our wake up playlist is by Jeremy Camp:
In the morning, when I rise~ give me JESUS.
Alleluia.
The morning goes quickly.
Cece is still catchin' her healing~
Maddie thinks about staying home again~
Anthony's off and Rudy of course has a million things on his mind for work~
We get to the front door and oops~ it's pouring down rain!
Pouring.
It's Thursday~
My mind starts to think about how will we be able to get the food and toys all worked on? There is so much to do~
As I'm driving all I could hear back from the Lord was, silly girl. I've got it.
Hmm...
AMEN.
I started chuckling.
It was as if the Lord was reminding me that I am so not in control of anything.
I mean, really~ why do I even go there? I'm usually the one telling everyone God's in the details~ I really believe it~ it's just things have been going so well and easy and it really doesn't make sense when I think too hard or write it all down~
Silly girl.
I finally realized~ if GOD was able to bring $5,000 worth of toys and $10,000 worth of food obviously it was HE who gave it and HE would be all I needed to get through today!
Thank you JESUS for reminding me how silly it is to waste even a moment let alone 2~ to fear or anxiety or worry about silly rain~ GOD is in control.
When I got back from taking the girls to school there were about 30 people who came over to help~
30!
And the ribbons and bows all got done and an entire truck of food got loaded onto our box truck in only two hours with at least 15 children under the age of 13 this morning~
This evening the house was full again~ so many came with a servant's heart!
Enough vehicles came and testimonies were shared~ healing occurred and children helped feed other children~ and men, women and boys and girls came together and prayed~ and the LORD stopped the rain outside just long enough for so many to hear the word and receive the blessings~ it's harvest time.
REIGN down your mercy, JESUS.
Forgive me that I wasted a moment~
I love you.
Alleluia.
Alleluia!
THANK YOU MARIAH MULLINS for helping today get the word out to so many newcomers~ RAVEN Team~ it's bigger than we think~ AMEN
Thank you to all who came here today willing to be used by the LORD on this day and so many more who didn't sign in:
Maddie, Allie, Michael, Diane & Bill Severi; Sierra Vota, Dayna Murphy; Stephanie Carlstrom; Bennett Family; Nick Paff; Donaghy Family; Katie Schu: Mullins Family; Gloria; Molly Peoples & Lee Ann; Paige Clapper; Liz Cleaver and Co; Gretchen Curry; Kim Streeter and Co;Tina, Elissa, Hannah; Steve, Tanner, Dante Carlozzi; Cathy my best friend; Jeanne Gergis; Cody Morton; Travis Carlozzi; Jose Nava; Pastor Rudy, Maddie & Cece~ and so many more~ there were some tiny hands today, so fresh from GOD used in a mighty way~
All glory to JESUS!
I ask that you Lord would pour out your blessings upon so many~ Stacy who brought cookies, Pastor Mike and Pam Gandy who's family brought cookies last night~ Nick Clifford who brought cookies (thanks Ter and Ash) and there are just so many cookies and I can't remember who they're from (!); Pastor Dennis who got toys for Windsor~ my dad who has arranged for so much of these blessings~ Henry and Santos for delivering the food today in the pouring rain with a smile on their faces! I know there were others~ I am just so overjoyed~ Krystel(sp?) for GOING for GOD and Shayne I know you were praying for us~ for the 364 children's names on the sheets expectant of your mercy Father in Papago Ct, Roseland, Apple Valley and West Ninth~ for the mommies and aunties and grandmas and fathers and grandparents~ hundreds who we have come to know on Thursdays~ so many of your children father~ we lift our hearts to you~
I LOVE YOU LORD~ HOW GOOD IT IS TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE.
Alleluia, in the name of JESUS, AMEN.
Come and see what the LORD hath done~ rejoice!
Next opportunity with RAVEN:
Satuday 8am~
815 Pacific Ave
Wear RAVEN black~ Santa hats~ JESUS!
Taking the gospel, toys, cookies, candy canes (yes, we still are accepting cookies)~ to hundreds of families in Santa Rosa for Christmas!
C'mon!
WOE to me~ I am ruined!
Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined!" Lord, I watch people now, listening for you, talking to them, even out of season, about you and your son. Time with your broken royalty, how now I have favor to be with them, even after dark, when the enemy prowls and their addictions screams, light into their darkness. Lord of the harvest, send more workers into the fields to make them all family. Land of the free, most of them think Im a kook, telling them that this is about a birthday party, and reconciliation, at Food4less, could only sow seed,praise God. Did I fulfill your purpose for me today?, will I waste tomorrow by not testifying, to at least one?, will tomorrows sin hurt both You and me, as much as yesterdays? You will pick me up for I am so not all of this. What is this spirit that lives in my heart that fights my mind,my flesh, my world, shows me another place, what mercy is. You honor me, even though Im unhonorable. I love you."
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Last week pics
THANK YOU DRY CREEK BAND OF POMO INDIANS FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATION!
THANK YOU BENNETT FAMILY FOR THE RAVEN BOX TRUCK!
THANK YOU KAREN, MADDIE AND CECE FOR SHOPPING ALL DAY!
THANK YOU PASTOR RUDY FOR LOADING THE TRUCK UP!
THANK YOU DAD FOR GOING4GOD!
TOYS 4 SATURDAY'S RAVEN OUTREACH IN SANTA ROSA AND THURSDAY'S WINDSOR OUTREACH ON THE MILKY WAY W/ PASTOR DENNIS AND THE SCHUS!
WOW!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
RAVEN CHRISTMAS OUTREACH
another one for JESUS!
Last night on the way home from his management meeting Rudy was driving down Mendocino Avenue.
For those of you on the East~ that's the street infront of our Junior College that runs north and south across the downtown area.
As he was driving infront of Jaliscos he noticed people stopping and laughing and pointing downwards towards the street.
He flipped a uturn.
Rudy was tired last night~
it crossed his mind...
I am less than a minute from home...
Haven't had much sleep for 5 days...
Really tired...
I can't just drive by...
As he approached the situation not really knowing what exactly was there he began to pray.
It was Robert.
He had fell into the street.
Cars were whizzing by.
It was freezing out about 29 degrees.
People were pointing and laughing at him.
Rudy picked him up and put him in the car.
HEY, Robert says in a big gruffy voice.
Whatcha doin?
I saw you in the street brother, mind if I give you a ride somewhere?
SURE. Why are you doing this?
Because JESUS loves you and I love you and you're going to get killed lying in the street.
Hmmm.
Mind if we stop at my house on the way to get you some things?
NOPE. What else am I gonna do?
They proceed down Mendo to our home.
Rudy runs inside~ I had just given the last new coat and rain jacket away yesterday afternoon.
I had no idea Robert was in the jeep outside.
Rudy just asked where a jacket was.
Maddie and Cece get Robert Rudy's subzero sleeping bag, beanie, gloves, snacks and socks and a hygiene kit and Cece runs outside and then back in and says, "HE"S IN THE CAR!"
Rudy looks at me.
He's in the car right now? Who is in the car?
Rudy tells me Robert is and he doesn't have much of a jacket.
Give him your new one.
I was hoping you'd say that.
Rudy runs back to the jeep.
Robert says, HEY, I know this place, some nice lady gave me a bag of groceries from here one time while I was walking down the street.
HEY, why are you doing this?
I'm a pastor and I love a JESUS.
Well, you're a pastor? You look way too young to be a pastor.
I'm 37.
37? HA! I was in the war about 37 years ago.
Robert was a Ranger.
Rudy reminds him that Marines are always bailing out Rangers.
They get a good laugh.
Rudy tells him that he wouldn't leave him on the battlefield why would he leave him on the streets of Santa Rosa?
HMM. Robert says. He gets quiet.
Rudy said you know brother you need to get right with the Lord.
He says, I did what I what I had to do in the war.
Rudy says, He's already forgiven you for that.
HMM says Robert.
All you have to say is Forgive me Lord. And I believe in YOU. And come into my heart. And you're going to heaven some day.
Robert says, I'd like that.
Rudy grabs his hands.
Robert accepts JESUS.
He takes him back to his encampment.
Robert says I've never been much for church or religion.
Rudy said, me either.
Rudy put a beanie on his head.
They gave each other the biggest bear hug ever.
Heaven stopped and the angels rejoiced!
Monday, December 18, 2006
RAVEN BUS FOR TEXAS!
Pastor Troy D. Bohn
Dec 19, 2006
| $500.00 | From pledge already made to purchase a bus |
| $500.00 | Raised by Raven Amarillo |
| $500.00 | Raised by Raven Post |
| $500.00 | Raised by other Raven Teams |
| $500.00 | Raised by ME and YOU! |
| $2500.00 | Total needed to purchase the bus |
TOYS 4 SATURDAY~ LAST WEEK'S BLESSINGS
SO MANY TOYS! THANK YOU DRY CREEK BAND OF POMO INDIANS FOR CARING ABOUT SONOMA COUNTY CHILDREN IN NEED AT CHRISTMAS!
CECE HAD TO MISS SCHOOL WITH MADDIE JUST SO I COULD GET SOMEONE TO HELP ME SHOP ALL DAY! THANK YOU GIRLS! THANK YOU KAREN DONAGHY FOR ALL THE FUN!
PLEASE COME AND JOIN MARIAH MULLINS AND I AS WE GET ALL THE BOWS AND TAGS ONTO THE TOYS! 9AM 'TIL 12 NOON ON THIS THURSDAY, 12/21~ RSVP TO MARIAH AT: MIKEMULLINS@SBCGLOBAL.NET OR AT VOICEMAIL 838.0898
THANK YOU MULLINS FAMILY AND SELVERI FAMILY AND DONAGHY FAMILY FOR COMING TODAY TO HELP UNLOAD THE BOX TRUCK AND PACK UP THE GARAGE!
PRAISE THE LORD~ KEEP SENDING DOWN YOUR BLESSINGS AND KEEP SENDING THE LABORERS JESUS~ AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO KEEP GOING!
EVERYONE PLEASE PRAY~ WITH THE GENEROUS DONATIONS OF FOOD AND TOYS RAVEN HAS THE POTENTIAL OF REACHING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THIS WEEK WITH THE LOVE OF JESUS~
PASTOR DENNIS THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO GO4GOD WEEK AFTER WEEK TO THE MILKY WAY~ WE ARE HAPPY TO SUPPORT YOUR OUTREACH IN WINDSOR WITH TOYS!
RAVEN MIDWEST HOMELESS OUTREACH
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Chicago Homeless Outreach 12-16-06
Jimmy Hickman hands out blankets to the homeless while Nichole and Michael minister.
Brother Harold (from Chicago) ministers to a homeless man on Lower Wacker Dr.
Part of the team on Lower Wacker Dr.
Rob Staley with Mike who is homeless in the old Maxwell Street area. Rob had just hooked Mike up with a new coat.
Ed Kiefer found out that Mike needed boots and also found out that they wore the same size so this was awesome as they exchanged boots. This is absolutely showing the love of Jesus to the less fortunate.
Pastor Lance sits down to minster to Mike as he also puts on his new socks. This brother had no socks prior and the old boots which Ed wore home. I ran into him hours later after returning to that area and it was like he was walking on a cloud. He said that his feet felt so good!!
Eileen and Rob Staley with Gino. We have known Gino for a couple years and he was excited to do his Christmas shopping in the items that people had donated. 
R.A.V.E.N. Midwest/Regional Directors
EMPTY HANDS HELD HIGH TO THE LORD IN THE TJ DUMP
These pictures and scripture describe my experience the best. Lord I thank you for your Grace. I thank you for my wife and her heart. I thank you for my daughters and their love for you. I thank you for my friends and their support.
I cry to God to help me.
From his palace he hears my call;
my cry brings me right into his presence—
a private audience!
Psalm 18:6
Semper Fi in Christ
Pastor Rudy
Sunday, December 17, 2006
CRISTO SALVA
AMEN!
All glory and honor and praise to the KING of KINGS! JESUS!
We made it back across the border last night~ around 11pm.
THANK YOU JESUS!
There is so much to tell you!
It is early and I just couldn't sleep.
I was thinking about Mariah and Michelle and Jen and Kelly and so many of you back home and wanted to THANK YOU for your prayers because it is truly what has given us strength! How good it is to know that you have friends praying and petitioning GOD for you and after so many days of preparation HE CARRIES YOU through!
One of my main concerns of coming down here was whether or not I could leave.
Praise JESUS as Karen reminded me on the way down~ the LORD has provided a box truck full of toys and another full of food for NORTH COAST (!) and so we have to get back and get busy for JESUS!
Yesterday was beautiful.
There were scores of people making decisions for CHRIST.
There were were men leading children and men and women to CHRIST in the dump.
There were enough toys!
There were enough team members!
There was beautiful worship!
There were men sharing testimonies!
There were children being the hands and feet of JESUS!
There were smiles!
There were tears!
There was applause!
There was surrender to the will of GOD!
There was WORSHIP!
There were angels literally that helped us through the border!
There were answered prayers!
There were provisions that came from so many that worked beautifully!
There were divine appointments!
There was the gospel preached to hundreds in Mexico!
MIRACLES! Como se dice miracles?
Friends, family members, RAVENS, be still today and remember GOD and tell someone as I say to you now:
JESUS te amo y yo tambien.
JESUS loves you and I do too.
Please check later for pictures and scroll down for UGO4GOD schedule with RAVEN this week~ reasonable service to JESUS! Come and see what the LORD hath done!
Bobby and Dot, PRAISE the LORD after 25 years of ministry the fruit of your labor and multitudes of people who were drawn closer to GOD yesterday was seen and heard. May God continue to bless you and keep you warm, safe, ON FIRE for JESUS! We love you so much! Thank you for constantly encouraging my husband and family by your reasonable service unto HIM!
La Iglesia Bethel Bautista, Muchas gracias por ayudarmos nuestramos familias ayer. Nick, sorry, mi espanol no es bueno. THANK YOU for helping our families in Mexico yesterday! Thank you for your hospitality! Thank you for being a light in your community! Thank you for loving JESUS and serving HIM with all your might and all your strength and all your soul!
RAVEN Westcoast, what can I say? How good it is to know that the LORD is working on all of our hearts~ that as Pastor Troy and Pastor Alex have said, HE has created us for a time such as this~ that HE isn't looking for people with great ability but people with AVAILABILITY to preach the good news! Thank you for being avaiable for JESUS 24/7! We lift you up and thank you for the sacrifice you made to bring joy and preach the word in Mexico to children and families! May you return home to many questions and may the LORD use your mouths to glorify what HE has done and testify to the miracles of Mexico! (And may you get some rest and restoration because this upcoming week is jammed with JESUS! :)
Pastor Rudy, Maddie & Cece~ thank you for loving others and for taking me to Mexico! I'm moved by how big you have made JESUS in your lives. Let's go to Kenya!
RAVEN International~ how good it is to know that while we were in Mexico all of you were across the country ministering simultaneously~ praise the Lord! Can't wait to finish this blog so I can read up!
TEAM JESUS aka the above mentioned plus 100+ more servants of our Lord and Savior~ may God continue to bless you~ how incredible it was yesterday to wake up and see SO MANY of you who have come from so far! We THANK YOU and ask that you will continue to take what you have seen and heard and be reminded that with the LORD all things are possible~ you must be tired~ but the JOY of the LORD is our strength! GO and make disciples and fishers of men! Alleluia!
Saturday, December 16, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS
Praise God and praise His glorious name. Praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the evening, praise Him each moment of our lives. What a glorious God and what a pricelesss gift is His son. We were graced with countless blessings today. From our gathering of over one hundred servants that headed into Mexico this morning, to the gathering of the close to 500 men, women, and children, young and old who were served at the church and close to 300 at the dump today. Where do i start? We had an awesome team of all ages who gave their hearts to the needy today. We were blesssed with Gods perfect timing each step of the way today. The children of the neighborhood of the church and at the dump received food and toys. Our team received hearts full of love and poured it out to these beautiful children of God. There was laughter, song, tears of joy and sadness, and big smiles all around.
,
God blessed this day and demonstrated His perfect timing many times. Not to us, but to him be the glory. We had some challenges getting back into America, but God met them all in His way in His time. God is good at that!! We thank you for your prayers, donations, financial support and love. We have been blessed to be here. The pictures are of the morning team gathering, the Happy Birthday Jesus party and the dump. Each child got a toy and eveyone was fed. The dump was gut wrenching. It is surrounded on one side by a cemetary, and sits by the ocean. It is very cold there and as we arrived, the children began to run in. People live on the hills of the dump but Pastor Martha says they can only stay temporarily.
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God bless each person who was with us today, each team member and each person who was served. God let your grace rain down on them all. In Jesus name, amen. Praise God
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Friday, December 15, 2006
MEXICO
We went into Tijuana tonight, we saw the blessing of God in the little church. A little church full of toys. There will be great joy tomorrow for many little children of God. God has blessed us with "green lights" in our journey so far and we have yet to get the food over tomorrow. Today was full of His blessings and tomorrow will be too. Most of the team is here and are now settling into sleep for a 7am departure tomorrow. God is so good. We praise Him for His goodness to us, His love for us and His great mercy. We thank Him for using us to bring His love to so many children. Thank you Lord. We love you.
PRAY PRAY PRAY
In about an hour, 1:30pm pst, Brian will make a border crossing. Please be praying for him for the next hour or two. Isaiah 60:11 is a verse you can read. PRAY UNCEASINGLY. Thanks. God bless you
JESUS IS LORD
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Hello from your team on the road for Jesus. We are a thankful lot, we are blessed to be used by Him. We have made it to the designated motel in San Ysidro, 4 miles form the Mexico border. We had great weather all the way.
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The outreach in Amarillo was a great success, we ministered to about 20 families and their chldren and saw the body of Christ in that church be Jesus hands and feet. Pastor Don, Robin and Madison were such a joy to be with and a blessing to us. We were sorry we had to leave.
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The familiy pictured is a grandmother and her grandchildren. The little girl on the right is Alexia. We connected and she was my partner for the night. She told me the story of Jesus from birthto death and really wants a bible, she was fascinated with mine and read me parts of it. She was a blessing to me and it was hard to say good bye.
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We are now waiting for the rest of the Tijuana team to arrive from all over. Amen and praise the Lord for His mercy and grace to us. We love you Lord and all we ask is to serve you aal our days in this life. Amen. Met Joy this morning, a homeless woman with pneumonia. We gave her food and water and prayer. Please pray for her. Thank you Jesus.
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God bless you all. Please stand with us in prayer as we go. Prayer is such a vital part of our outreach. Thank you.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
DIRECTIONS TO HOTEL FOR TRIP
BEST WESTERN AMERICANA INN
(619) 4328.5521
(619) 428.0693
8115 W SAN YSIDRO BLVD
SAN YSIDRO, CA 92173
MAKE SURE YOU TELL THEM YOU ARE WITH STREETWISE FOR A GROUP RATE DISCOUNT
YOU MUST TELL THEM
IF YOU ALREADY BOOKED THEN CALL AHEAD TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE GROUP RATE
TO GET TO MOTEL TAKE 1-5 SOUTH ALL THE WAY THROUGH SAN DIEGO
TAKE THE DAIRY MART ROAD EXIT
TURN LEFT ONTO DAIRY MART ROAD
TAKE A RIGHT AT SAN YSIDRO BLVD
THE FIRST LIGHT AS YOU CROSS OVER THE FREEWAY
TURN LEFT INTO THE COCO'S PARKING LOT
THE MOTEL IS BEHIND COCO'S.
PASTOR RUDY'S CELL: 707.206.2748
LORI'S CELL: 707.478.7061
MADDIE'S CELL: 707.849.0722
SEE YOU AT COCO'S ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16 MORNING 7 AM SHARP!
GET READY!!!!
SCROLL DOWN TO READ WHAT TO BRING AND FORWARD TO YOUR FRIENDS!
UGO4GOD Schedule CHRISTMAS next week~
I will be out of town starting today at 12:30pm (heading to Sacramento)~
Mariah Mullins is the contact person for RAVEN West Coast USA while I'm away~
Please call her at 707.838.0898 to RSVP for next week~ it's jammed pack with JESUS!
Her email is: mikemullins@sbcglobal.net and her home is available for drop offs of toys, clothes, food, hygiene items~ as well~ call her for more info!
UGO4GOD Opportunities for next week with RAVEN West Coast:
Monday 12/18: Off loading box truck full of presents for Sonoma County/Humboldt County after school with the Gonzalez girls~ 3:30-4:30 at 815 Pacific Avenue
Come see what the Lord has done and use your muscles for JESUS! Bake hundreds of cookies please!
Tuesday 12/19: Stand by to help~ give Mariah your cell phone # if we need you~ there may be another big shopping day (!)Bake hundreds of cookies please!
Wednesday 12/20: PRAY ON! Drop off cookies to Teri Bennett's home between 12-2 for Thursday's outreach to 500 families! Call her at 327.7517 for directions! She will be bagging them up with her home group on Wednesday night with ribbons and candy canes!
Thursday 12/21: Need someone willing to go to RITZ Foods with the box truck early morning (8 -9 am) and pick up $10K worth of food for tonight's Santa Rosa outreach! PRAISE THE LORD! Please let us know! They will load it on in~ then bring it back to Gonzalez house~
9am-12 noon Come over to Lori's house and put ribbons and bows on toys for Saturday's outreach to Santa Rosa! Little hands make light work!!!
4-5:30 pm Come with your truck/minivan/trunk/suv and wear RAVEN black and red santa hats as we go out to the neighborhoods with the food blessings of groceries~ 500 families! We need your help!
Friday 12/22: PRAY ON!
Saturday 12/23: Morning SURPRISE outreach to Papago Ct/ Apple Valley/ West Ninth/ Roseland and ?
Wear your Santa hats and RAVEN Black~ and be ready and willing to GO4GOD!
AGAIN, next week is FULL~ if you aren't able to join RAVEN West Coast and STREETWISE this weekend in Mexico, don't fret! Just pray! There are many opportunities next week in Sonoma County! Praise the LORD!
Mariah's phone # and email are above~ please RSVP to her and keep GOING4GOD!
Adios!
FELIZ NAVIDAD!
Lori
WHAT 2 Bring to TJ OUTREACH! Please read!
Bring water for yourself for the day! (You know how much you/your kids need)
Bring a Santa hat and wear it all day Saturday!
Bring $10 or a check made payable to STREETWISE MINISTRY for TEAM JESUS tshirt!
Bring birth certificates for the kids~ school id's if they have them!
Bring passport or photo id!
Bring radios (walkie talkie like) if you have them!
Bring first aid kit if you are a first aid type a person!
Bring money for your own meals!
Bring gas money to pitch in to your drive team!
Bring an offering for STREETWISE for food costs!
Bring your cell phone!
Be willing to share a room at the hotel and/or a floor for someone to sleep on!
Bring a servant's heart~ if you find yourself collecting garbage, handing out toys or cooking hot dogs, it's ALL 4 JESUS!
Bring most of all the GOOD NEWS of JESUS CHRIST and the message of the CROSS!
Be ready and willing to share with team members, leaders, pastors, children from USA and from MEXICO the message of the greatest gift of all~ what did HE do for YOU? It's all about souls!
Pastor Rudy Gonzalez cell phone: 707.206.2748
Lori Gonzalez 707.478.7061
Maddie Gonzalez 707.849.0722
RAVEN WEST COAST
RUN FOR THE BORDER!
Bobby Chance
Dec 14, 2006
Hey Everyone…
Yesterday, we made a run for the border.
Dakota and I loaded up a 14 ft. U-Haul truck with Jesus Dolls, footballs, Hot Wheels cars and stuffed animals and headed out to drive past San Diego to the border of Mexico.
Dot drove our car behind us to pick us up so we could drive right back home to LA… about 300 miles round trip.
We stopped at Trinity Broadcasting Network and they filmed a short interview with me about the Happy Birthday Jesus party this Saturday in Tijuana.
(We will have over 75 people fr om northern California, Los Angeles and Colorado join us for the day of mininstry... Hallelujah!)
Then a miracle of provision… TBN, Smile of a Child ministry loaded us up with 1,000 more toys. 500 Barbie dolls, 500 cars and trucks, each one with a label attached saying “Jesus Loves You” and the plan of salvation.
Thank you TBN and Jan Crouch’s “Smile of a Child, Tijuana.”
RAVEN West Coast is bringing over 3,000 more toys and 500 teddy bears to give out to the kids that live in and near the dump.
Last year, we ran out of toys at the dump and many of the kids only received 1/2 of a pbj sandwich. This year, they will be so blessed because of the gifts you all have provided.
We off loaded all the toys at a storage space about 2 miles from the border of Mexico so our ministry team in Mexico could begin driving the toys across the border carload by carload.
Pray we get all of the toys, food and clothes across the border without any trouble from the bord er guards.
By about 10:00 pm last night, we were about 30 miles from Los Angeles and I got a call that the first load had been taken across the border with no problem. Praise God.
The truck rental and gas cost about $300. We still need to buy over 1,000 hot dogs and party food for the children’s party.
If you would like to help us cover these costs, it’s not too late. We appreciate you all and your donations make it possible for us to go.
Thank you in advance.
Bobby and Dot Chance
Streetwise Ministry
P.O. Box 869
Hollywood, CA 90078
www.streetwiseministry.com
WEDNESDAY
It started out frazzled.
Cece forgot her clarinet.
Anthony got off to school on a sour note.
Rudy had to work and I had the worst hair day ever (!)
Maddie's dog refused to go outside.
I couldn't sleep.
Stay focused on the CROSS.
It's pouring rain outside.
JESUS.
I check my voicemail. It's Shawna. Praying for me. Just thought I might need prayer so she leaves me one that says, "for grace, strength, restoration." Oh, that Shawna~ always knows at the moment what I need. She had even said she was praying for our new home before we even gave it a thought... I like to kid her and ask her what she's praying for me now because God always answers and she prays some really great things over my life!
Beatrice.
Tuesday night before the RAVEN Broadcast, Michelle comes over.
She writes a check to buy groceries for Beatrice.
Talk about being moved to tears.
I go to my favorite store (grocery outlet) and the LORD stretches the money like you wouldn't believe. The cart is FULL and the minivan gets packed! I go to Beatrice's home in Papago Ct and give her the rent money. I tell her not to thank me because it's from JESUS and that's what HE DID and then I tell her that I need some help getting the groceries out of the car. We go to the car and her husband says, "which bag?" Maybe he thought I was there to do our usual weekly outreach~ and each family takes 1 bag~ and I said, "all of it?!" He looks at me, "todo?" "YES! ALL OF IT!"
He's bewildered and SO GRATEFUL.
They praise JESUS together~ we pray~ and because I forgot to buy butter I give them some extra (thanks Pastor Rudy) and tell them to go buy some butter!!! You can't have pancakes without butter!!!! That's not God's plan!!!
I go to pick up the girls from school because my dad mentioned the night before the tribe may want to kick down some money for toys and if it's anything like the homeless gift I'm thinking I need to be prepared! As I'm at the school in the crosswalk my sister drives up and she says, "I've got more toys from MEXICO, I'm on the way to your house! I motion for her to flip a uturn and put them in my minivan as I'm on the cell w/ Karen. She does~ more toys given from preschool children in Windsor! PRAISE GOD!
I had done a photo shoot for the daughter of my sister's friend a couple months ago for her senior portraits~ at the time she wanted to pay me and I had told her to just buy toys for Mexico. She instead had her entire Christian preschool collect toys~ it's bigger than we think.
I get the girls in the school office and the principal comes out and says, "do you think the girls could write an article about this for January?" ARE YOU KIDDING ME? EVANGELIZE for the district newsletter that goes out to public school families? Sure, I say (!!!!!!!!!!) It's bigger than we think.
We then drive to the mall to pick up some bball things for Anthony (he's in a tournament in Sacramento today)~ and run into another mom who says, "why aren't you girls in school?" Maddie goes on to tell her about Mexico and outreach!
It's bigger than we think.
We get the things dropped off to Anthony's car and pop home for a quick 30 minute (if that) pause in our day~ My dad calls~
Lori, can you meet me at Wal Mart in Windsor right now?
Sure, I'll be right there!
Got there~
He hands me 20 gift cards.
Dad?
Yep, that's $10,000 for toys.
Gulp.
20, $500 giftcards.
Oh, and sign here.
Dad?
You are now the authorized buyer for Dry Creek Rancheria~ when you sign this card give it to the checker before she rings and you don't have to pay sales tax.
GULP.
How much do you want me to spend today?
How about $5,000.
What am I buying?
Toys~ and just make sure you get some toys to: and he names off contacts.
WOW.
Eight long hours later~
the box truck is full of over 1,000 toys for Sonoma County and
Humboldt County kids!
Praise the LORD.
That means...
RAVEN WEST COAST is going from Point Arena, California to the reservation in the north all the way to the garbage dumps of Tijuana to the south for Christmas!
JESUS.
After shopping we came home to more toys my sister bought and brought by in addition to my full car earlier~ we walk into the house and my mom's friend all the way from Alameda County left toys on my table and mom was able to witness to her through the pictures from the UGO4GOD yearbook~ I called my dad to say thanks. He said, get ready to help spend the next $5K Monday and Tuesday. GULP. Okay, dad~ as in, dad my dad and JESUS my dad!
This morning Rudy showed me how to open the box truck~ I just had to see what the LORD brought because when it got loaded last night at Wal Mart it was dark. It is FULL. Brian Bennett~ how did you know we needed the truck that bad? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BOX TRUCK!!! We'll keep filling it up as long as the LORD allows!
The box truck is full for next week~ the garage, trailer and my living room is full for Mexico. My heart~ it's so full~ LET'S GO! We need to pray for the RAVEN JET~ 'cuz we need help. As I came back from dropping off Anthony at school, Shayne drove up~ more toys. More testimony~ and it's all about Mexico. I got the girls off to school and picked up the mail that I didn't even have time for yesterday. Guess what?
There are 5 "items" at the post office from Pastor Brandon Romero of RAVEN Southwest~ so, I just took a moment to get this blogged~ I have a feeling Pastor Brandon mailed some toys for Mexico! Is that GOD? It most surely is.
Lord, I amazed by you.
I don't know how, I don't know why, I am just amazed at your will.
I feel so unworthy, unprepared... but I give you my day and I thank you for the family and friends you have surrounded me with to encourage and uplift me when I feel so inadequate!
Forgive me that I forget moment by moment just HOW BIG YOU ARE.
This week was supposed to be about TJ~
and I'm already planning on what to do next week~ last Thursday night in Apple Valley when the mommies were praying for Gloria's family with us a couple asked me if we were going to bring toys for Christmas. I said "no, we're taking toys to Mexico~ and they said, oh, that's so good because the kids there really need them." My heart broke and when they asked if they knew anyone they could call to get toys for their kids I gave them Rudy's cell #~ :)
And they laughed~ and Rudy had to hear me say over and over, "they don't have any toys!" And so we all prayed that there would be toys... and now, there are so many for Santa Rosa, I can't believe it.
It is WAY bigger than I could have ever imagined!
I would like to thank Karen Donaghy, Obadiah & Malachai Donaghy for shoppin' til we were droppin! What fun we had, I'm not sure what the final count of shopping carts we ended up with but it was dozens! I will post (try to) pics of yesterday.
I very much want to thank my daughters, Maddie and Cece.
Had it not been for you looking up at dad and I with those big brown eyes and asking us last fall why we weren't feeding hungry children here... then I probably wouldn't be available to do God's work today... yesterday... tomorrow. I want to thank you both for witnessing and leading children and adults to Christ at your public school~ in Wal Mart aisles, across the toughest neighborhoods and as far away as Mexico. I look so forward to taking your hands as you lead me out of the USA for the first time ever! You two, I love you bigger than the sky.
Pastor Rudy, what a life! Can you believe what the Lord has done?
I love you. Thank you for helping my life be way bigger than I ever thought.
TAKE ME TO MEXICO!
Here am I! Send me!