Week Five of the Journey - Tucson, Arizona

We left El Paso and headed for Tucson, Arizona, by way of New Mexico.  Kathy (my traveling companion and fellow missionary) was just so, so excited about this part of the trip because she grew up in these woods and just went on and on about getting some green chili.  So of course, we stopped and had some for dinner.  (She's so cute.)

Pastor Roy (we called him King Roy)

We weren't worried about going into Tucson, but we were certainly wondering what God would do because we did not know a single soul there. We cruised on into the city on January 26th (we're a little behind in our postings, but our technical difficulties have been a bit overwhelming!)  and met up with Pastor Roy Tullgen III at the Gospel Rescue Mission (GRM).  Not only would we be working with Pastor Roy, but he would also be our host for the week.  We stayed at the Transition House at the mission, which for us was like a luxury condo.  We each had our own room with a private bath, full kitchen and even washers and dryers! What a blessing.  We were welcomed as family and settled in for a wonder-filled week.

There are so many stories to tell in Tucson that narrowing them down has been nearly impossible.  We are blessed to have a writer back home in Texas who helps us tell our stories, and she even said that knowing which stories to tell was a difficult task.  So we've narrowed them down to a few, but just know that for every story you read here, there are so many more incredible stories we didn't share.

We went to church on Sunday morning, and then that night I got to give my testimony at Chapel at the Women's Center.  I played my Gods Girlz music (this music is so amazing and different from most Gospel music.  The girls here just loved it!)  We danced and sang for 20 minutes.  I told the story of all I have been through and God's faithfulness to me through it all.  I, of course (as always), shared surrender and how to give “it” to God and let Him take over.  As always I asked this question “If you died tonight, do you know if you would go to Heaven or Hell?” Then I asked “How many of you know for sure you’d go to Heaven?”  Hands went up.  Then I asked “How many of you are not for sure?”  Some hands went up.   Three beautiful women surrendered their hearts to Christ.  

What a fun fruitful night at the Women's Center.  Thank You Jesus.

On Tuesday night, we were at the Men’s Center where I shared my testimony.  It was very powerful that night.  It became very quiet while I was speaking, as their focus shifted from their problems and on to my story.  Eight men came to the Lord that night and many more came for prayer after that.  One of the men brought me a cross and said “My mom gave this to me to give to someone special.  You are the most Godly woman I know other than my mom.  She would be proud I gave it to you.”  He is truly a light at GRM.   Another blessing is that a group of them laid hands on me and Kathy and prayed for us. Never did I ever imagine that my story would be something God would use in such a powerful way.  Sometimes it really is just so humbling the impact it has on those who have such incredibly difficult lives.

Wednesday night I was in charge of Chapel again.  My voice was gone because I've been speaking so much.  I remember saying “The devil just thinks he’s going to get me. I can whisper the Lord’s message all day long!” and I did.  I talked again about surrender and how important it is and how God loved them no matter what.  We studied Jeremiah 29:11, word by word.  I had the girls help me read it because my voice was so bad. As we went over the verse, I stressed to them the Lord has a plan for them, plans to prosper them and not to harm them.  He has plans to give them Hope and a future.  Hope has been the word that I’ve tried to share in every single place I have been allowed to speak.  I don’t care if it’s on the radio, one on one, in a class room, in church or on the streets.  HOPE is where it starts.  I had 6 girls come to Christ for the first time that night.  Oh happy day for the Lord's kingdom this week.

As I mentioned, there were just so many stories to tell, but we can't tell them all!  (Remember, it took us a week to LIVE the stories!)  But I want to tell you one more story.  It's a long one, but it was so special, so God ordained.

Michael, from Conroe, TX

I had met a young man named Jonathan at the Men's Center.  He'd asked me to come that night to hear him play the piano and sing.  We seemed to have really connected, so I really wanted to honor his request, but I also really wanted to go back to the Women's Center and say goodbye to my girls!  We got to the Men's Center in time to get a front row seat and hear him play.  It was so beautiful that everyone applauded when he finished.  When he had finished, a man walked up to me and I recognized him.  I asked, "Are you from Conroe, Texas?" and he said, "I KNEW I knew you."  It was my friend, Michael, that I had fed on the streets and ministered to for a year.  I could see that he was broken, and he smelled of alcohol.  I asked what he was doing there, and he said "I just left town (Conroe) and hitched a ride. I was just wandering down the road and ended up here.”  

His eyes watered up and he began to cry.  He said “I tried to kill myself this morning.  I put a rope around my neck.”  He started weeping.  You can’t tell me that this wasn’t a Divine Appointment from God!  He was so happy to see a familiar face.  He was really lost and needed a friend.  At that moment, I knew why I was having a conflict within about going to the Women’s Center or the Men’s Center.  God wanted me at the Men’s Center, not only to come to support Jonathan but to see Michael, to speak God’s word to him and pray with him.  

I spoke in detail to him and prayed.  He began to weep even more.  He needed more support than just me.  I went and got all the Christian men I knew there to rally around him with me.  We all laid our hands on him and began to pray.  We prayed for God to do a work in him to let him know how much he is needed and loved, not only by us, but by God.  ALL the men kept saying “Just stay; we are here for you.”  As I left for the night I knew he was in good hands.   

This is the 3^rd person now that I’ve met since I’ve been out that I knew from back home;  one man in Austin that was even at my Launch Party when we left;  then in San Antonio I heard somebody call my name, and it was a girlfriend, Liz, from my Sunday school class; then here was Michael in Tucson.  I wonder if all these were coincidences???  As we know, there is no such thing as coincidence.  God had put these people in my path again and I am thankful evermore.  It is really a small world after all.  Can’t wait to see what happens next. 

(I didn't even get to tell you about my radio interviews!  Don't know how the Lord will use those, but trust that he will!)

And one more quick story (sorry, I just have to tell you this one!)  This is me with Pastor Larry from the Sober Project Church.  He let me speak at his church and at the end of the service, they took a love offering for us IN A TRASH CAN!  Then he told me to open my purse (I was praying there was no trash in that can!) and he poured it all into my purse.  We don't have too many love offerings taken for us out here on the road, so it was pretty humbling to see my purse filled.

Please do take the time to click on these links and read about these great ministries to the homeless.  We'll be telling you more about the Gospel Rescue Mission and their amazing staff.  Watch for those posts.