Pictured Above: Rogelio the Real (left) and Daniel the Faithful (right). In the distance in the maroon hoodie is Pastor Joe/Jose of Spirit Filled Church (Indio, CA).
Grateful for the Visalia area of California? Central Valley? Why? Crazy Cali?! Isn't it Godless there? Several years ago, 2021 to be exact, my Aunt Susie pleaded with me. "Please don't move to California. It is Godless!" I know she's not alone with her thinking in Minnesota and just about every other state. I replied, "Aunt Susie, it's not Godless. If it is as dark as it may seem, well then they definitely need some more Jesus lovers."
Smash cut, 2024, I have been amazed by the number of Jesus Lovers that call California home. Let us not forget that the Jesus Revolution started here in the 70's. Side note, great movie if you haven't seen it yet. One of the best selling books ever, Purpose Driven Life, came out of California written by Pastor Rick Warren (moved from TX to Orange County, CA strictly on Faith and calling). Francis Chan is out of CA. Need I go on? This isn't about making celebrities. This is absolutely about God loving to use the least likely people and locations to shine His Light, Matt 5:16. Nazareth? Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Check John 1:46
So I move to California (you can check that dirt and what led to it here). God gives me a neighbor named Laguna Dave that gets me out in the streets. How many of you have neighbors that faithfully serve the homeless weekly? Serving on those streets leads me to a church called Spirit Filled (Indio, CA). It was a homeless man wearing an Isaiah 6:8 shirt near the liquor store that pointed me to that church. I meet Pastor Joe (Jose) and his crew/family. Spirit Filled becomes the first service location for Overflowshowers.org. Lori and I met Gary and Jackie via a program called Rooted via Southwest Church (Indian Wells, CA). Gary and Jackie co-found Overflowshowers.org after Gary finds an abandoned shower trailer in our church parking lot. How many of you have abandoned shower trailers in your church parking lots? Shout out to Tim Breon and his legacy (you can learn more about him at Overflowshowers.org).
Aren't you supposed to writing about Visalia and why you are grateful? Right. Hocus Pocus Time to Focus. Yet please note all that stuff leads to this moment (please keep that in perspective as God gives you curves in your plans and you scratch your heads, be obedient and see where God leads you). Spirit Filled family talks about this amazing men's camp near the top of the mountains near Big Bear, CA (Pali retreat to be exact). Weirdo me brings my microphone thinking I'm going to interview Spirit Filled dudes. I pray before I go, Lord, will you please deliver to me those that you want me to broadcast their stories of Hope? In order God delivered, Powerful Paul, Rogelio the Real, Daniel the Faithful and Richard the Resilient ...all from the Central Valley of California...not as planned via the Coachella Valley area (where Spirit Filled church is located). Go figure. Yet giving thanks for amazing testimonies from there too, such as Gilbert, Kenny, Misty/Donna, Roberto, Z, John from Mecca and Brother James from Compton and Sweet Cathy.
Back to the Central Valley, as promised, here are some pictures to help connect names with faces. Each one of them were ready to share 1 Peter 3:15. How about you? Are you ready to give the reason for why you have Hope?
Pictured Above: Richard the Resilient, about 20 years ago, on death's door and in need of a miracle.
Picture Above: Richard the Resilient, thanks be to our Jesus Christ, 20+ years later is healed and drug and alcohol free. Richard is now studying to be a drug and alcohol counselor.
Pictured Above: My dear Spirit Filled Brother Andy rocking his 'Pray for your Homies" shirt. Various Dudes getting prayer and healing. I couldn't believe my eyes. Many former gang bangers and addicts cleaned and living amazing lives of Purpose. So skeptics, you know I like to go to you. Easy to debate God. Very, very hard to argue His Results. The men are stronger. These men are not wreaking havoc on our streets or homeless or costing you your tax dollars in the prisons. California is stronger with these men. Our country and world is stronger with these redeemed men. God's design and plan. Share what works.
So yes, thank you Lord! Thank you these good and faithful servants of the Visalia/California area. Thank you that California is not Godless. That you are very much there and elsewhere. Thank you for your plan as head scratching as it was and why I needed to sell my dream MN lake house. Thank you for giving me Laguna Dave as a neighbor. Thank you for putting Lori and me in a Rooted group with Gary and Jackie. Thank you for leading us to Southwest Church. Thank you for leading me to Spirit Filled church. Thank you for your Spirit Filled sons that organized that camp (shout out to Matthew, Mike C and Pastor Joe). Thank you that they kept the door open for other churches such as Life Church in Visalia. Thank you Lord for answering my prayer and teeing up Paul the Powerful, Rogelio the Real, Daniel the Faithful and Richard the Resilient! And thank you for these listeners and readers that love to listen and share Hope. Phil 4: 6-8
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