Big Days Ahead

These weeks have been exciting. First, my business has sold, I turned in my tools last week, and I am "kicking off" the new franchisee this week. God answers prayer. My prayer all along was that the person taking over our business would, first, be a blessing to my business clients, and, second, that the franchise would be a blessing to the franchisee and his family. Brandon is going to be an excellent owner. I am excited for him. Second, I am headed to Brazil next Tuesday. I will spend thirteen days visiting many of the thirty churches that my father started in the Amazon River basin. I will visit Manaus, the city of my birth, and dedicate a church in my father's name in the city of Fortaleza. Even my family physician is excited. He prescribed my necessary malaria pills today (which, by the way, has acute psychosis as a side effect - I guess no one will be able to tell the difference with me). He has been a medical missionary to Haiti, Belize, and Africa. We had a wonderful time in prayer over this trip. Get this! He has put up in his examining room a large map of the world that covers two walls. He has push pins in each of the cities where his patients are missionaries! This is at a secular hospital family practice outfit! He wants me to bring him pictures of me standing in front of Dad's church so he can display them on his HUGE corkboard picture gallery of missionaries. Right across the street from his office is one of the largest missionary organization in the world - the General Council of the Assemblies of God. Third, Nancy and I have committed ourselves to preparing for the chaplaincy in the United States Navy. There are several steps in the process before I can be commissioned. Please be in prayer over several items. One, I have lost twenty five pounds to make weight for service. However, I must lose another twenty pounds just to get in! That means, I need to weigh 182 lbs. I haven't weighed 182 since high school. When I swear in, I will have lost almost 50 lbs since January 15th. Two, I must be endorsed by the Commission on Chaplains for the Assemblies of God. Please pray for this meeting. There are several hurdles that will only be overcome by God's grace. Finally, I must meet with the Chief of Chaplains for the U.S. Navy in D.C. If it is the Lord's will, I will go active in August.
In the meantime, I am now officially a stay-at-home dad. Please pray for my sons that I don't teach them anything that I did as a kid. I'm already paying the price for teaching my son how to sword-fight (brilliant!).