#16 Weekend Woundup and Weview

Friday morning starting off very windy and kind of went down hill from there. Bro. Jimmy and I were under the tent when Bro. Chuck Spencer called to tell me they had a wreck in their lead vehicle about two hours from us. There were seven people in the Excursion and most every one was OK but Bro. Chuck's daughter Kristin. Some one sent me this update Sunday morning so I will post it here.

YOUTH CHOIR TOUR 2016God has been faithful! Just a few hours before we reached our first stop in Phoenix Arizona, our SUV which was pulling the equipment trailer was involved in an accident. Chuck and Lyndsay, their two younger children and three girls (Twila, Brianna, Tiffany) were driving a couple hours ahead of the bus to begin set up at the City Reach tent crusade. Thankfully, no other vehicles were involved and the SUV and trailer came to rest off to the side of the road flipped onto the passenger side. All walked away with only bruises and minor abrasions except for Kristin, Chuck and Lyndsay's nine year old daughter. She was taken by ambulance to Phoenix Children's hospital due to cuts and gashes from her thigh down to her ankle. As I am posting, she has been released and did not require plastic surgery or skin grafts, an answer to prayer! A decision was made to continue the tour. Lyndsay and Kristin will return home with Lyndsay's parents. Both the SUV and trailer were a total loss. We are hoping the equipment, which was packed in good travel cases, will still function. A Penske truck has been rented and we are back on the road. We had to cancel the Sunday morning date in Amarillo but will make it to the evening pm service in Elk City, Oklahoma. All the prayers, texts and phone calls have been encouraging and appreciated!

We helped them get their gear on to El Mirage and the choir came on to church that night. They decided to sing on Friday night in spite of all the turmoil and God blessed them and us! It was wonderful! They blessed the whole congregation. May God bless them for their courage and commitment in the midst of distraction and uncertainty

Pastor Martinez prayed for them at the beginning of service.

You noticed in the pictures, I am sure, that we had service inside the church Friday night. The wind whipped through the tent all day and by church time it was a pretty steady 30 MPH and gusting higher. We tried to put the walls up but the dirt blew every where any way. We soon realized it was a futile effort and moved inside.

The church was full and we had a wonderful service. We appreciate the Ambassador Youth Choir for coming to be with us. It was a very difficult day for them and we all would have understood perfectly if they had went on to the motel and rested. It was super great to have them with us and God used them to help us. 

Praise God for helping them and for helping Kristen. She was released after surgery on Saturday and is back in California now. She handled all of this a whole lot better than most of the rest of us!

Friday night we also had Pastor Brent Moore and his family with us. They are passing through on their way to preach in California. We always love being in service with them.

Our bus and the Riverdale bus.

Saturday was spent preparing for a special outreach service at Paradise Valley Park in the north part of Phoenix. Bro. Trey Dickerson from Desert Cove is going to be having a Bible study in that area and Saturday was a launch of sorts for that. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed singing in the park.

Sunday morning we had church inside and Bro. Jimmie Radcliffe preached great. God used Bro. Jimmie wonderfully. He had no idea how on target he was. It is amazing how God works among his people.

Sunday night we were back under the tent for a wonderful night of City Reach. We had fewer visitors Sunday night but we had a wonderful service.

It was nice to have the newlyweds from Texas, Bro. Titus and Sis. Bethany Shuecraft with us in the service Sunday night. God bless them for coming tent revival as they were passing through. It was a treat to have them.

We will rest today and Tuesday. I think everyone needs it. I know that we do. I am going to try to do as near to nothing as I can do today and then I should be good to go. We will crank back up on Wednesday and run through Friday. Thank you for praying for us and thanks for reading.

Davy

View Out The Front Window April 17, 2016

Check out our posts from the last week at the links below.

Odie's Saturday Post

Revival In Pictures - City Reach Phoenix Area

Wow! Praise God

Ambassador Youth Choir Coming To City Reach

City Reach Pictures

Weekend Woundup and Weview

We will have a full report on Monday from our very full weekend but I have some news to share today before I show you our view from the front window. We are very excited about the news.

We did not take the tent down Friday night or Saturday morning as planned because we are going to have a few more City Reach services under the tent in El Mirage. It seems that momentum is still building and Pastor Noah Martinez and I are in full agreement that we can not stop yet!

The folks that have been coming every night are very tired so we will have church under the tent tonight at 6:00 PM and then resume Wednesday night for three more nights. That will give every one a chance to catch up on rest and their duties at home on Monday and Tuesday. There is no telling what the Lord is going to do in these remaining services!

We did not have service under the tent Saturday because of a pre-planned open air service in a Phoenix park Saturday evening. I forgot to take a picture from the window but I did get a picture of the window when we arrived.

It was good and dark by the time we arrived back at Desert Cove and here is the view out our front window Saturday night.

We are looking forward to a great day today!

Thanks for reading.

Davy

Root Beer and Listerine Strips

Hey Friends,

It is Odie reporting in again from the beautiful state of Arizona. Friday was a very hectic day that ended with a wonderful service. Some of the folks from Riverdale had an accident on the way here and we are praising God for moving in the whole situation. The choir came on to service and God touched and blessed. Dad will let you know more details later but thank God for His help.

We have had a fabulous week at City Reach in El Mirage. I can not describe in words how awesome the services have been. I wish all of you could have experienced them first hand with us. 

We love being at Desert Cove Assembly with Pastor Noah and Sis. Carla Martinez! They are a bundle of fun to be around. Bro. Noah keeps us laughing. Sis Carla is a wonderful anointed singer and a lot of fun too! I enjoy singing with her when we are here. She can hit high notes I only can dream of reaching. 

It is a blessing to have so many friends here at Desert Cove. We have been visiting here 13 years. From our first visit in October of 2002 many of these wonderful people have been like family to us. This visit it is wonderful to add new friends from the community. 

I have a funny story to tell you today.  I love Dr Pepper (It is now Diet Dr Pepper) but I absolutely loathe Root Beer.  I hate when I order Dr. Pepper at a restaurant and the waitress says, "We do not have Doctor Pepper but we do have Root Beer".  What is up with that? Dr. Pepper and Root Beer are not even remotely close in taste. 

Here is the funny part. My Dad got confused on which drink was my favorite soda. For a long time when we would go somewhere that offered Root Beer Dad would get me Root Beer. He thought he was getting me a special treat. It was so sweet and special because it was from him.  I did not have the heart to tell him I hated the treat. I would quietly get a different refill later.

Mom finally told him after several years that it is Dr. Pepper I love. Dad felt so bad to have been getting me the wrong drink all that time. Most things are better when it comes from my Daddy! We laugh about it now. 

While typing this post Dad gave me something else he always gives me. 

He carries Listerine Strips and for some strange reason I get the empty containers. I find them on my pillow, in my purse and even in my shoes. Why? I have no clue. What am I, the empty container disposal? I just have to laugh about it. 

Thank you for reading today and have a good weekend. I must go throw this Listerine Strip container away. 

Odie