Family / Health Update:
Through a wonderful scholarship provision, the Lord has allowed us to enroll our children in a Christian school down here in Florida. The kids are excelling in their classes, making great strides, and enjoying it! They have been able to be a part of two class plays and have been on many different field trips to local attractions. This coming school year, Cheri and I will be volunteering at the school around various activities including the chance to teach chapel services. We are really looking forward to seeing what God is going to do both in their school and in our kids!
Cheri’s heart is fine now after a heart monitor implant, three ablations (minor heart surgeries), a heart implant that prevents stroke, being bedridden 3 times for 8 months each time, a collapsed lung, and many TIAs (mini-strokes). She is still having problems with extreme exhaustion, where she can hardly move or think for days/weeks at a time. She thought it was caused by her heart, but her heart is all better (according to the cardiologist). We are doing more testing to see what may be the cause of the ongoing issues.
I have also had my share of medical problems to face. Over the last three years, I had been diagnosed with various intestinal issues, but just recently found out that my defective gallbladder has been the root problem the whole time. In mid-May, my gallbladder was surgically removed, and I am now feeling better than I have in years! For roughly six weeks before the surgery, I wasn't able to keep any food down. After the surgery, I started to feel better immediately – it was like a switch flipped!
Ministry Update:
The prison ministry is really moving forward. For over 10 years, I've prayed and prayed to be able to get into death row to share the Gospel. Given my past felonies, getting clearance to minister to death row required nothing short of a miracle, but my God delivered! August 2018 was my first time in Florida's death row, and I’ve been able to visit on a weekly basis ever since. Death row is a very dark place with people who have committed the worst possible atrocities. If God can break through their hearts, He can break through to anyone. I personally have been able to lead a few to Jesus (praise God!) and am currently trying to disciple them – what an amazing opportunity! Some of these men have asked me to become their spiritual advisor, which means that I would minister to them all the way up to their death, including being present at their execution. This would also allow me to minister to their families.
In between the sicknesses that my wife and I have had, I have continued to go to both Pasco County and Sumter County jails to teach Bible studies. God is really moving! In all of this, God has also led another man named Mark Hans to serve in the prison ministry. He is an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel Tampa, and has been coming with me now for a few months. While I was sick, Mark filled in for me both at the county jails and at death row. He is really excited about how God is moving inside those facilities. My pastor has also started a community group “Christian Chaplain Corps” to share the Gospel in different outreach contexts like Habitat for Humanity, pregnancy care center, community relief organizations, and many other places that are already meeting people’s physical needs.
Pasco County Jail (PCJ) is looking to revamp their faith-based unit and also create a substance abuse unit (these are specific dormitories within the jail that are only open to Christians and those looking to be free from substance abuse, respectively). Along with these changes, PCJ asked me to be a keynote speaker once a month in those units. It's a great opportunity that I am very thankful for. Along with this, it seems that the Lord is opening the door for deeper strategic involvement within PCJ that would be fueled by the Chaplain Corps. This would be hugely exciting, and has been a large component of the Full Throttle Freedom vision for a long time! I hope to share more details about this in future newsletters.
Calvary Chapel Saint Cloud
PO Box 1776
St. Cloud, MN 56302
Donations can also be made online via the giving page.