Shalom!

I leave for Israel in three days. It has been a dream of mine to go to Israel for quite some time now. I am thrilled about the opportunity that the Lord has presented for me. I have mixed emotions because my wife and two kids will be staying behind. I am the biggest home body...I love being with my wife and kids and whenever I have to leave them it is always tough.

I am so grateful for a wife who is so supportive of the ministry that God has called me to. I really don't know what I would do without my wife, Pam. She is truly an amazing woman and gift from God. I pray that my kids do not drive her too crazy while I'm gone. I keep having weird dreams that after I return from this eight day trip that my wife is going to be ready to hang me from the roof or something. My last extended trip both of my kids and wife got sick...not a pretty sight. Boy and I praying for something different this time around...

I am really asking God to use this trip in my life to expose my heart to more of His Truth and plans that He has for me. I am traveling with twenty four other pastors who are all much older than me, and all but one I do not know from Adam. But even in that I am asking the Lord that I would remain humble and willing to learn from these men. Usually before long trips like this I feel much more prepared practically, emotionally and spiritually, but for some reason that has not been the case with this trip. I feel I have so much up in the air and at times I literally feel like a chicken with his head cut off, but it doesn't matter because the reality is that in three days I leave. So all I can hope for is that God would settle my heart and help me to get the things in order that I need to get done.

So with that I bid you "Shalom"...or if you be from the park that would be "peace out homey!"