Day #30 & 31 - "The Journey Home" (Ottawa, On)

Sunday / Monday - May 2-3

I just rolled into Ottawa safe and sound. It’s Monday night. I just arrived at the Church Office to unload a few things. There’s just happens to be a Trustees ‘ meeting. I said hello and gave them a mega quick update.

Anyways, this will indeed be my last official blog – well at least for this “journey”. I will forget “writing” the trip recap as mentioned in my last blog. Rather – I’ll be giving it “live” this coming Sunday at Sequoia. So make sure you come to our Sunday Mother’s Day Service. The message will be this: “What Kind Of Life Should I Be Living?”

After a great church service yesterday at FBC Montgomery I made the long two-day trek back to Ottawa. But I’ve got to tell you – it was either highly coincidental or Pastor Jay planned it that way. The message was unbelievable – ie with all kinds of themes that coincidentally affirmed what I was doing and how I have been living in this last month! The themes were like – trust and obey; follow the Lord with all your heart (not your mind) even if it doesn’t make sense (ie Proverbs 3:5-6); what true faith is all about (ie Hebrews 11); because we are always at different “crossroads” of life and the question will be how we make those decisions and whom do we trust in; etc. Anyways – you had to be there. And Anna did a solo during the service. Wow. That girl makes me cry every time she sings. She is sure anointed! God was speaking and affirming!

So I drove 14 hours yesterday making it all the way near Winchester Virginia. I had to stop at 0200 for a few hours of sleep. I stopped at an Hess Fuel / Trucker / RV Centre. I don’t know how anybody sleeps well at a place like that because you constantly hear semis pulling in and out. And then the major rainfall of this morning made sure I did not sleep long.

But somehow all the bad weather was kept away from the Interstates as I was driving – well except for a 10-minute torrential downpour in Wilkes-Barre (going through the mountains) this afternoon. Even the sun came out at the end of the day. So I rolled into Ottawa at about 1930.

Well as I close, “The Journey Home” was safe and sound! Thanks for praying. But there’s another “Journey Home” that I am preparing for! Near Syracuse, I stopped for a “celebration lunch / supper” all by myself! As I left, I was caught in a funeral procession. I took this picture.

It reminded me of the “dash story” in the “One Month To Live” book I read while on this trip. And the thought came to my mind of some of the things I would want written on my tombstone as the epitaph of my life:

- “He Lived with Purpose and He Loved with Passion!”

- “He truly lived by faith – always trying to please God!”

- “He was willing to totally trust God – even if it meant risking failure!”

- “At least he tried” … (still working on this one)

- And yes … “How He Loved His Wife (his Buddy)”

So really – as I close this one-month “Luke 11 ASK Road Tour” journey – what’s your journey? How are you preparing “The Journey Home”? Are you living fullout for God and after His purposes? Are you living the life that God wants you to live? What will be your legacy? What will be your Kingdom impact? Don’t let people have to make up things to say at your funeral. You live out right now what people will say of you on your final car ride towards “The Journey Home”.

I know I am sure trying to live by faith, trusting and obeying God, my Heavenly Father, waiting for Him to say – “this is my son, whom I love and in whom I am well pleased – well done my faithful Ricky”!

Day #29 - "The Last Blog" (Montgomery, Al)

Saturday May 1st

Well folks – this is it! This will probably be my last daily blog – unless I finish off with a recap of the one-month Luke 11 ASK Road Tour when I get home.

It’s Saturday night. I am in Montgomery Alabama for my final day of this road trip. I’ll go to church tomorrow and then start heading my home. I hope on pulling into Ottawa sometime Monday night if all goes well with the travelling. I hear the weather is supposed to be bad for the next few days. Pray that the Lord clears the weather and it’s not windy. Actually, it’s kind of tiring and stressful to drive the RV when it’s RV – you really get bounced around with the wind.

Anyways today was another of those awesome days. I was in meetings back-to-back x3 from 0630 to 1730. So there’s way too much to share. Great meetings and great support from some key people here in Montgomery as to how they want to help us in this crucial turning and defining point for the ECMC, and thus for our CNBC in Canada.

One of those meetings though was with a couple from Alabama (near Birmingham) who read the article that appeared in the Alabama Baptist Newspaper. They wanted to talk “church planting” and possibly how they could be involved in Canada because of a calling they had a number of years ago. We’ll see where the Lord leads with that.

Well as I close for tonight, I am anxious to get on the road back home. But I need a good night sleep because knowing me I know I will try to drive it all the way non-stop. I did do Texas to Ontario one-year non-stop. I know – that was crazy but my wife was there with me to share a little bit of the driving.

I have so many things to recap from this trip – the lessons learned; the highlights; the people; the divine appointments; the daily signs; living as if I had “one-month to live” (ref the book); God’s provision; God’s affirmation; God’s validation; prayer; radical faith; the prayer support of our Sequoia Church Family back home as well as their incredible encouragement – I mean the list does go on. That’s what I will be thinking about as I hit the sack.

So thanks. God bless you. See you next Sunday at Sequoia. Those in the USA – as Arnold would say – “I’ll be back”! Thanks for all your support and belief in what God wants to be doing and is doing in changing lives in Ottawa through Sequoia Church and now throughout Eastern Canada through the Eastern Canada Mission Centre!

For His Glory!

Because of the great Harvest!

In Jesus’ name!

Hebrews 11:1,6