Hilton Head Omni Room #432

Shepherd’s Inn Cove Asheville Room#319

Beach and mountains within six days of each other. What could be better? Living in the Carolinas is incredible. God has worked a miracle with Cecilia in that she is able to travel with me. We began a ten day road trip Saturday and that is piggy backing on a previous ten day trip. We were honored to do comedy to begin the SC Assemblies of God Minister’s retreat at Hilton Head, SC. What a fun time. Did a fifty-three minute set with the “turn” (the “turn” is the spin at the end of the bits; sometimes it is for fund-raising and sometimes it is for soul-winning). This time the turn was about joy. We drilled down on joy. I asked ministers who found themselves in a “malaise” to stand. So many did. We believed God to pour true joy into their tanks. My great friend (when I say “great friend” it is not hyperbole) Bob Sandler, invited us to stay and enjoy the sessions. I truly did enjoy them. Paul and Carol Alexander from Trinity Bible College and Graduate School in North Dakota ministered and they were wonderful.

We take a SDIT – Service Dog in Training – with us. We are training a Goldendoodle that someone blessed us with to be a diabetic service dog. Beauregard has been a joy on the road. I believe that one day this dog might save Cecilia’s life when I’m on a road trip and her sugar goes low. Beau had a blast on the beach.

Three days after romping the sand he was trapsing through the snow at the Cove – the Billy Graham Training Center. We had the thrill of doing comedy for another great organization. Church Alive, from Fuquay Varina, is led by the phenomenal Lees – Glenn and Laura. The church has an annual marriage retreat. They ended the retreat with a comedy show. This is one of the greatest rooms I ever work. They were so much fun in 2018, 2019 and so much fun this year. I did a big turn on this set. I asked people who needed joy to come the front. A huge percentage of the crowd did that. Right now I am drilling for “Joy” and for “Forgiving Others” and plan to keep drilling until these wells run dry.

Sunday morning we woke up and drove fifteen minutes to another absolutely favorite place – Crossroads Church in Asheville. Dr. Michael Brown and Debbie, his bride, are some of the realest and most wonderful people I know. I ministered a message about “Turn Around”. Four people wanted to turn their lives around and walk with Jesus. I spoke too long  but they were gracious. I gave the service back at 12:33 and following dismissal I prayed with people until 1 pm. I love that so much. God has been giving me pictures and Scriptures when I pray for folks and it is always such a blessing when the images and words resonate with total strangers. 

My Aunt Lois and her husband Dan came to hear me preach. She and I were the only Christians that I knew in the family in the early 80’s. She was a great inspiration to me when I was growing up. She means the world to me and this is the first time that she has been able to hear me actually preach. Michael and Debbie graciously invited them to join us for lunch and it wasn’t just any lunch. We went to Grove Park Inn and Resort. The meal was one of the greatest I have had in as far back as I can remember. What a day! What a weekend!

We capped the day by meeting with Josh Singleton in Morganton at Longhorn. Full disclosure: I was too full to eat anything but a sweet potato. Josh is a very talented fabricator. He is making something for a presentation that I am going to market in the late winter. It will be a powerful and illustrated message about the power of forgiveness sandwiched around my own testimony. It will change lives. Cecilia and I have had an amazing road-trip so far!