The next President?

Jessica & I had the pleasure of having dinner with Gov Romney. Was a small group so got to see a little bit of "the man". Honestly, he exceeded my expectations.

We also plan to try to have dinner with President Obama this year to keep it fair & balanced :-)

Romney is a good man and many I talked to that had visited with him before & known him many years talked about his integrity.

Jessica and I have been drawn to him as our pick for Prez. We don't completely disagree with Obama, but we are concerned that Obama's vision for America is similar to that of Europe's past. We don't want Europes last 25 years to be our next 25.

We love to vacation in Europe and have many friends there. The last 30 years of a culture of entitlements has seemed like a nice benefit.

However, we look at the crushing debt and failure arising is Europe from years of entitlement spending and are afraid for what that would do to our children & grandchildren.

This global economy is going to be tough on all developed nations as the American middle class is going to have to compete against the middle class in China & India. That's tough. In the past, before the true global world we live in today, the US middle class could measure themselves vs the US upper class. That won't be possible as jobs flow across borders & oceans.

Our global economy is leading to global wealth classes.

But honestly I take peace in two thoughts...

1. Money doesn't make people happy. Maybe some of the joy from 70 % of the world that lives on $1 per day will leak back to our often depressed country that lives on avg $90 per day per person.

2. God is sovereign. He did not come to save America. Just as he did not come to save Rome or Great Britain, dominating countries of the past.

Long after China & India dominate and control the world economy, we will all still be loved and guided by a Creator that is full of unconditional love for YOU & ME :-)

Bocci David. Biker Chics

More pics

Time Alone

As much traveling as we do, we could not remember the last time we had been away for multiple days as just the five of us. Honestly, I think it was last year in Hawaii & Japan.

Well, we had a special weekend together in Rosemary Beach, Florida. A great place with nothing to do! Just be together, read, beach, play board games & Bocci ball, AND RIDE BIKES!

We loved riding into town or just late night rides in the dark. Reminded us of getting around Takamatsu, Japan.

Make sure you get away with your immediate family just to enjoy each other, while you still remember how :-)

Celebrating First Communion in Chicago

Great visit to See Matthew Gibson, son of our good friends Dave and Kristyn, make his first communion. Matt is our son David's "little brother".

Generous Giving Conference in Colorado Springs

What a great conference! If you ever hear of this Generous Giving group, CHECK IT OUT!

Generous Giving (GG) Has a simple mission TO ENCOURAGE GENEROSITY. They show testimonies & share videos of radical generosity & the joy it gives the GIVERS!

The world tells us we need MORE, we deserve better and that when we get more we will be happy. New shoes, nicer car, bigger house... He big lie is that All these things will give us happiness.

We all know these material THINGS won't make us happy. But the lies of the world are very seductive! They seem never ending.

So GG travels the country inspiring generosity. Counter-acting the world. Showing the truth as told in the book of Acts, "It is better to give than to receive."

We heard stories of Doctors that have decided to give away 75 % of their income and live on nurse wages.

Business owners that have given all their profits to charity & live on small salaries.

Young couples using their savings to bless another family that was trying to adopt. Other young people that make modest salaries but find ways to give away over half of it!

Plus fun stories of spontaneous generosity such as big tips for servers in need or even buying cars for needy widows!

It was just such joy & FUN to hear the heart stories of these givers. These radical stories stretched our comfort zones & inspired us to be a JOYFUL giver, as we are commanded in the Bible.

What is also sooooo cooool about GG is that they do NOT ask for any money! There is no way to give them money, even if you try. They are funded by an endowment that was set up years ago and provides all the funds needed to run the organization. So they encourage us to be generous to someone, but not them :)

I pray for each of you to know a greater joy of generosity. When we encounter Evil may we respond to it with generosity!! Generosity is the beginning of our surrender :-)

We also had a chance as a family to take a train to the top of Pikes Peak while we were in town 14,000 feet! Breathtaking in view and in lungs :-)

Pics below. I've been accused of taking Unabomber pictures. Jackie Ray is in training as my Juni - Bomber :)

Beauty abounds in the prayer room!

Did you know that IHOP is an Amazin\' Place!!!

Well this week our journey takes us to a place of SPIRITUAL CLARITY! What a joy!!!!

Our new friends Mark & Karen Anderson invited us to Kansas City to visit the largest prayer room on the world! The International House of Prayer, or IHOP as it is called.

They don't have pancakes but soooo much more. For the past 13 years there has been NON-STOP, LIVE worship taking place at this amazing prayer room.

It is so cool to watch how one band ends its set and another one takes the set, never stopping. Usually the lead singer steps off as his or her band continues to jam. Then the new singer sets up and works into a solo as the old band and new band change places one by one. Then the new singers solo explodes into a new orchestra as the new band kicks it in. THE MUSIC NEVER STOPS!!!! sweet as!!!

Yesterday we learned that we are called to be CONTINUALLY IN God's PRESENCE. not just on Sunday. And not just for one hour each morning. Continually!! To do this we must be grounded in worship though out our day.

We know when we r in sync and when we r not. We r called to do this as individuals and as groups! Family, business, school, etc. The closer we get to this ideal the more we see God working in our lives. The further the more frustrated!

I highly suggest coming to IHOP in KC sometime. It's like a slice of heaven. The also have IHOPU which is a university in prayer and intercession. Really cool. Much like the University of the Nations we attended in Kona.

Ywam and IHOP r close friends as u can imagine!!

I've heard it described that heaven will be a place of constant worship. Didn't make much sense until last night when I was rocking in the prayer room just like I was at my favorite concert! But this concert never ends!!!

Imagine just jamming away to your favorite band, never getting tired or hungry, with God & all your family & friends! Now that's a party I want to be invited to!!!

YWAM Conference in So Cal, USA

An "Only In YWAM" event of a bunch of cool people worshipping, praying & LISTENING for God's Voice for YWAM and each of our lives. We met at the amazing Montage Hotel in Laguna Beach, CA.

Great time of prayer & discipleship and worship. So fun to see people growing in their love & joy in the Lord. Spending time with Jesus!

A good old fashion YWAM revival :)

Below

We were able to meet our new friend Jordan aka Baby DY! We went to Japan with Jordan who was in mother Tina's belly the whole time :)

Jess pictured with Tina Kim, one of our Japan outreach friends who lives in L.A.

The Copper Cop is a new product & business line of my friend to which he credits his Homes of Hope connection & growing relationship with missions & the Lord. MAKES A GREAT re-GIFT as well.

Our friends Sam n Tym Kemp who lead the Ensenada Base. Amazing ppl that cld do anything and have chosen the best option... To live daily in Gods will.

Praying over the nations, especially our friends in Japan! We wrote prayers and verses on post it's and covered the giant map!

Of course the kids (and Mom n Dad) got some pool time in too.

Ernie Johnson. NBA studio host on TNT

Shared his personal faith testimony & about his walk raising a child with MS. I hadn't teared up in 5 years! He moved me as he talked about how God has a purpose for all our lives.