In Poland:  We were with Josiah and Brandi (and Tommy and Lindsay Hood).  We were able to love on our kids, see their new home, Krakow.  Then I and Lindsay imparted Playing Around with PrayGround to KDM (their church) children’s leaders.

In Belgium:  I spoke at a Family Conference held on the North Sea to young families from various churches.  Maitlyn and Taryn gave testimonies.

What did you do in location: Worked with church planters and met with Partners in Bratislava, Slovakia.

What did you do in each location?

Romania- We had 4 PI schools each in a different location. The topic for the schools was Power Ministry Today. We also had 10 healing services in 9 different cities.

Budapest, Hungary- We had healing prayer training. Tuesday and Wednesday we had healing services.

Poltava, Ukraine-We had a Prepare School on Power Ministry Today. Sunday we had a healing service.

Because we have young children, rarely do Lindsay and I get a chance to travel together. So in September, I had the privilege of traveling to Central Europe with my wife. Our first weekend in Gdansk, Poland, a beautiful city along the Baltic Sea, was filled with hungry leaders intentionally advancing the Kingdom of God in a nation with under 2% Evangelical Christians.  

My daughter Aspyn and I went to Kenya August 18th – September 1st. I can honestly say it was amazing in many ways. First, it was our first trip to Kenya. Next, it was great to spend time with Aspyn in Africa. Then there were the people, the students in the Prepare International classes, the families, and the culture. We stayed in two main areas while we were in Kenya, Mombasa (southern Coast) and Nairobi (the Capital).  Discussion at both cities buzzed around the themes of church organization and leadership and the importance of raising up leaders to share in the ministry of the church. I was amazed at the hunger for God’s principles and their interest in discipleship/mentorship.  

I can’t remember the last time one of my teaching trips wasn’t amazing.  This trip to Costa Rica and Peru was no exception.  We launched our second school in Peru in the coastal city of Huacho.  It’s hard to describe the excitement of teaching a room full of students who are hungry for the training we provide!  It’s almost as if they are pulling it from me even before I have a chance to speak it out loud. Pastor Esteban shared that this training is what they’ve been desperately needing.  Thank you, Esteban, for your hard work preparing for the school.  It was a great launch!  – Drew Brown

Never thought I’d quote a line from the 1939 Gene Autry song, but “I’m back in the saddle again!” After much of the summer spent in sabbatical rest, it feels great to be back at the helm of Prepare International!

The New Testament tells us that Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God.  However, what nobody taught us is that the gospel of the Kingdom isn’t just about salvation! It’s not just about going to heaven!  It’s about the rule and reign of Jesus replacing, correcting and healing everything the devil did to mess everything up! 

In Isaiah 54 God instructs us to spread out our tent, to lengthen our cords and strengthen our tent stakes.  As school begins, I see multiple Facebook posts from parents having to lengthen the cords as their children grow and enter Kindergarten, start to drive or leave for college.  Parents look forward to the empty nest time only to be much surprised by the myriad of emotions they experience.

When Randy and I were first married, we cried out to God that He would use our family as a battle ax in His hand to aggressively advance His Kingdom. Like many others, fell on our face before God asking how to be good parents.  Throughout the years I have reminded myself that God loves my kids more than I do, even when that seems impossible to comprehend.  He not only loves them, but He perfectly loves them. It was during one of those prayers; I realized Randy, and I don’t own our kids, we are stewards of THE Father.

You know there are many things I love about PI, but I think each trip I take I cherish the stories of how God is using PI students to reach the forgotten places of the world. Let me paint a picture for you of Sarah’s* journey.

Political unrest and severe drought have combined to create a dire situation for millions needing work in Africa. Currently, there is a mass exodus of people heading to Vredendal, South Africa, with the hope of finding work so they can send financial support back to their starving families. Sarah is a young, 18-year-old girl desperate to feed her 1-year-old son. She makes the painful decision to leave her baby with family in Zimbabwe to travel roughly 1,200 miles to find employment.

There are those people who cross your path and leave you changed forever. They can pass for a moment or for a season, but the impact is the same. Last year, I met a young girl who left an impression. Someone who would leave a God-print on my heart. And with great anticipation, I looked forward to reuniting with her as our PI team traveled to the Czech Republic to assist several of PI’s partners by leading a creative camp for youth.

I know you’ve heard this before but I stand amazed at what the Lord Jesus Christ is doing with this tiny group of individuals known as Prepare International around His world.  What a Jesus! What grace to take broken, immature people and do wonderful things!  What power to use the weak to reveal great strength!

We’ve never been in such a powerful position as we are now:

The team is at an all-time high with great new additions this year

Our office area has recently been upgraded tremendously

Our teaching team around the world has grown rapidly and are being so fruitful

Our footprint in 24 nations is growing and the doors are open like never before

It was much fun and an honor to write Playing Around with PrayGround. I wrote for both parents and children’s ministers. In Matthew, Jesus gets very upset with His disciples for setting up obstacles that the children could not readily come to Him. He instructed them (us) to not only make the way clear but to strongly encourage the children to come to Him. The scripture says that He rebuked the disciples and called the children to Himself and ‘laid’ His hands on them to ‘bless’ them.

Belgium: What a wonderful experience getting to know Ministry Partners Conely and Madaline Annandale’s hearts for Belgium as well as their dedication to Christ! Their great relationships with the people created an eagerness and hunger for the PI training on Faith. While in the region I had the opportunity to preach in a church for another couple in Belgium.

It’s great to be rejoining the PI team as part of the challenge God has placed in front of us.  Over the past 4+ years, I have had the privilege of serving as the missions pastor at Beltway Park Church in Abilene.  During this season, we saw immense personal growth in both of us, and we feel the time is now to jump into the mission field.

You guys are incredible! The overwhelming response to this year’s Prepare International Pistol & Clays Competition and Banquet was literally out-of-this-world!  We had more sponsorships and teams than last year which made a huge impact to our fundraising efforts.

There are so many other stones that I have collected for the Alter of Remembrance.  A friend told me that she saw the makings of a book in the gathering of my stones.  So I will, I will write a book on transitioning and the gathering of stones, after my two books on children/families are published.  But as of right now I’m gathering a diamond, the final stone I will write about before I stand on the altar.  God impressed in my heart that PI Family Camp, these next two weeks, will be my altar.  I will be on the mountain top like Abraham and Isaac.  I am excited to see what God will do in and through me during this time.  I believe my trust in Him will be challenged. I will let you know how the process of standing on the altar of remembrance and offering myself afresh as a living sacrifice goes!

But for now let’s talk about the DIAMOND!  This is a rock of remembrance for my marriage, my husband and how God loves me through Randy.  It is an incredible blessing to me.  

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping . . . (a line in an old song).  During transition time is critical and time seems to always be slipping, slipping away.  Matter of fact, it is quite humorous that this blog is on time and I am two full days late at getting it up. 🙂  The next stone that I am taking to the Altar to stand on is time.