his name is Rudy.

We were about 12 people driving south bound from Merrit Island to Miami.

Someone, I don't know who, made an executive decision to get off at West Palm Beach and stop for food.

When we arrived at Chillis everyone else went in. But I sat outside on a bench talking on my phone. As soon as my conversation ended, I looked up and a very petite man was standing before me.

"Excuse, do you speak Spanish?" he asked in a very broken English.
"Si Señor." I replied.
"Pordone la molestia. Necesito tomar el auto bus y no tengo un $1.50. Seria posible que me regalara esa cantidad?" (Translation: Sorry to bother you. I need to ride the bus but don't have a $1.50. Would it be possible that you could give me that amount?) He asked me. His eyes looked weary.

A beautiful dialogue continued on in Spanish.

His name is Rudy.
He isn't married.
Has no children.
He works the field.
Probably lives in a space to small to call a walk in closet.
He was in the shopping center that day soliciting work in the parking lot, willing to do odd jobs to make ends meet.

Among the things we talked about, Rudy shared with me that due to the cold front that South Florida has been experiencing, He has lost his job as a field worker. The crops have gone to waste, and with this loss, the peace and hope of many migrant workers. He shared with me the struggles that most of His friends, who do have a wife and family, are going through. He looked away from me, and said that He was most likely going to lose the place He slept at.

For those of you who don't know me, If I see the slightest crack to speak to someone about my God, I will drive a freight train through that door. I called for my friend Ramon who was sitting inside Chillis. And so the glorious Gospel went out. It was beautiful as we talked with Him. I sat back and prayed for the Holy Spirit to speak through Ramon. He sure did. Rudy prayed with us and asked Jesus into His life.

While Ramon was talking, Rudy listening and I sat on the bench praying, God prompted my heart to collect money. I sent a text to my friends and they put money together. Not just that, one of the guys had a brown paper bag carrying a sandwich, an apple, a bag of chips and a bottle of water. How we had that bag of food is another great story. I will never forget how his eyes watered up as I handed him the paper bag. "Lo que hay aqui no viene de nosotros, es un regalo de Dios." (What's inside this bag does is not from us, but it is a gift from God.) I told him.

Rudy thought his need was only for a $1.50 and He found more than that.
He is now a brother in the Lord.
He now knows His Savior.
He now knows that He is not forgotten.
He now knows that God is his provider.
He now knows that God is intimately acquainted with all his ways, all his needs and worries

Please keep Rudy in prayer.
Unfortunately, He didn't have a phone or cell phone to follow up with Him.
He was also too embarrassed to give us the address to mail Him a Bible.
But Ramon did give Rudy his number. I pray He calls Ramon soon.

the chronicles: sunrise, stale chips and running

I have so much to blog about that I don't even know where to start...
This past weekend was filled with God moments. The details of my life are of little worth if God is not involved one way or another.

This Saturday the college group met at South Beach very early, 6am. Once there a group of 30+ gathered to worship Father, Son & Spirit. Scriptures were shared and an awesome word of encouragment was sent forth by one of the best friends God could have placed in my life. I am excited beyond words to witness my generation call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart. Sunrises are one of my favorite life experiences. Hosea reminds us that He will respond to us as surely as the rising of the sun (Hosea 6:3). In Lamentations we read that His promises are made new every morning (3:22). So yea, I love sunrises especially when seasoned with live worship and great friends.

On our way home I experienced God's hand of protection and His sovereign power as I was involved in a car accident. It was bad, when I say bad I mean it, bad. The hit was hard and the injuries could have been fatal but God placed a hedge of protection around the passengers of both vehicles. I believe it was a divine appointment (and I say divine when I look at it through a "godly" perspective) because we were able to invite the other driver to church. It somehow made everything ok. The pain and soreness kind of disappeared when the thought of this kid coming to life came to mind.

Sunday morning I had breakfast with one of the youth girls. I treasure those moments so much. It was a sweet time. We did our morning devo together at Starbucks. We had some good laughs reading my King James Version, like this verse:  The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words (Proverbs 23:8) oh and this one: Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh (Proverbs 23:20). I don't know why we thought it was so funny, I guess the winebibbers word is funny.

I also got to spend some quality time with my cousin and her son at my Aunt's house as the men watched a movie. It is so nice to catch up with her. Seeing how God is working in her was a special time.

Now, to blog about the highlight of my weekend!!! A big chunk of the college group got together as a last minute to fellowship at a local shopping center for coffee and food. I am still in awe of how many divine appointments God had set up for us there. It was one after the other. He even used a bag of stale chips to open a door of opportunity to invite a retaurant manager to church. I later got to share the Gospel with him and another employee. I am so humbled to serve alongside young men and woman who are about the Lord's business. This is my generation, a generation of stale chips. It's awesome to know that God will use anyone, even a stale chip like me to do His marvelous work.

I press on toward the goal, running my race with joy. I am so blessed to have amazing people running the with me. I look to the right I find I am not running alone. I turn to the left and I find more stale chips running with me. LOL

Thank You Jesus!

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. Proverbs 23:26