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This trip included speaking at an Exodus Member Ministry, teaching an all day seminar, sharing my testimony at two church services, 18 hours in Lake Tahoe and visiting Yvette, Exodus Women’s Ministry director, and her family in Reno.
I shared my testimony quite a bit and talked quite a bit about finding “Joy in the Journey.” I talked with men, women, parents and one youngin’ who was very funny and shared my paranoia of airplane turbulence. I met an older man who was very OCD (his own description/diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) but he didn’t drive me crazy even though I didn’t get to say much 
. I had compassion for the man and he was being very honest and up front. He was also encouraging.
I also met a few artists and that was cool. My tour guide for Redding , Larry, picked me up and he was playing my favorite XM channel (Chill) and he is a great painter.
I went to go get Yvette’s daughters a couple of gifts and one was a big cream colored Teddy Bear. His head was sticking out of the bag and as I walked around the shopping area of Lake Tahoe, several women made passing comments. When they found out I was buying the bear and toys for a friend’s daughters … their face would soften and then one even got a little flirty.
heh
Carl and Margaret turned me on to to Jamaican Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic, very spicey, soda.) It was great. I learned I hate electric blue as a car color. I wept through The History Channel’s documentary remembering 9/11. I saw beautiful landscapes, panorama’s, clouds, water and people. I visited my very first casino and left 10 minutes later with a racing heart and an extra $100. I bet if the Holy Spirit would turn the Spirit-cam filter on for the replay of me at the Casino you would see angels shooing me out the door .
I also saw the joy of fellowship (Redding crew had a dinner after the conference) and the giggle of little girls (Paul and Yvette’s daughters.)
But the Lord also blessed me to speak with with people in pain on a number of different subjects, relationships, health concerns and levels. I had the blessing of spending quite a bit of time in prayer and reflection over these concerns.
There was a lot of life in this trip … real life. The words that come to mind to describe the whole trip is authentic, transparent … life-giving.
In each subject, on each level, in the good times and bad times … in the beauty of grandiose big nature scenes along with the solitary quiet moment standing at the top of a mountain listening to the cool wind blow through the trees … Jesus is present in all of it.
He’s laughing, weeping, praying, talking, listening, remembering, blessing, cherishing, interceding right along with the rest of us.
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If you click on the picture in this post it will take you to the photo albums I uploaded from the trip.
Northern California Personal Reflections http://bit.ly/gANHj
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Randy, for me, you model Jesus and how He related to people. You talk and interact with every kind of person, much as how I see Jesus doing in the Scriptures. I only hope that I can emulate some of what I have learned from you over the last two months. I'm so thankful God directed me here. And I truly believe He did. By the way, my Facebook friend, Dana, who I told you about–the one on radio–, told me tonight that your pastor, Clark used to minister at her church as did Alan. She said she thought that was no coincidence. No, that is a God thing. And she knew you attend Grace as well. Of all the churches in the Orlando area, what are the chances that would happen
We are so blessed that He chooses to work in our lives..truly amazing!
I was going to stop by thursday night to say hello but didn't make it. Glad you enjoyed our part of the country and sorry I didn't get to see you!
You know, the moon is a big floarting around rock that only gets its brilliance from reflecting the Sun. I am as dense as a rock (most of the time) and my only hope in reflecting Christ is to be in the right place at the right time.
I wish I could float though.
I do love people. I am glad God wired me that extroverted kind of way.
That's also very cool about Dana. Tell her I said to come up and introduce herself sometime.
You know, the moon is a big floating around rock that only gets its brilliance from reflecting the Sun. I am as dense as a rock (most of the time) and my only hope in reflecting Christ is to be in the right place at the right time.
I wish I could float though.
I do love people. I am glad God wired me that extroverted kind of way.
That's also very cool about Dana. Tell her I said to come up and introduce herself sometime.
Bummer! I would have loved to see you. I am sure there will be a next time. Hope all is well with you.
Hey, Randy! I just met with the executive pastor of the church I have been attending about joining his community group. I shared my story with him and how the church's link led to Exodus and your and other testimonies. After I was done, he said "what timing, Look what just came in the mail". It was a letter from Exodus from Alan. I said: I recognize that face
I'm going to look into see how possible it would be to bring you to Tucson to do an event like you did in Redding. The church itself has a couple of thousand people or more. The pastor has helped several guys with AIDS walking with them in their illness through their deaths. As God would have it, our main teaching pastor, a DTS graduate, has a brother in LA who is gay identified. I have had some great email conversations with him as well. I am convinced God brought me to this place, which is where I originally joined back in 1988 and left in the mid 90s. In a matter of less than a month, I have been introduced to these two lead pastors who know all about the gay culture and accept me as a brother while understanding that my sin is no different from that of the alcoholic or drug addicted.