Fourth of July

On a hot, steamy, 101-degree Texas fourth of July, we decided to take a stroll around the Texas State Capitol. The Austin Tea Party, the push to be free from tax oppression, was taking place. As we sat on the grass of the beautiful Capitol lawn, being shaded by a big oak tree, I began to think of the many people throughout the history of our state who have passed by this way. How many came to this very place by horse and buggy, or on their wagons, or even on foot to let their voice be heard? Who prayed fervently on these grounds? Who poured out blood, sweat, and tears without being noticed? What sacrifices seemed to go unseen? I don't know the answer to these questions, but as I thought about it, I could faintly hear the sounds of the past. What have these trees heard? What sounds have been burrowed deep within them? Sounds that reveal history....they are the sounds of freedom's ring. As much as our country may be lacking, we still hold so much treasure. May we never lose sight of it...and may we be good stewards of it. Because of those echoing cries and declarations, greater things are yet to come.

An Evening With....

Thanks to Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and President of THSC, Tim Lambert, for all of their hard work. Texas is blessed.

To My P.W. Buddies

It has been way too long since I have blogged! It seems that life is full and I am currently working on two book projects as well as taking time to reorganize my homeschooling. Soon, we will be living out of suitcases temporarily while our home is being built, so everything is wild!

I wanted to say "thank you" to everyone who has sent me encouraging emails and letters regarding my book, Walking With A Shepherd. I have to tell you that I wrote it during a very raw, painful time in my life and now there is so much more I could add to it. I am grateful that the book has ministered to people, but I know there is much more life that I could share in that project now, since the Lord has brought me to a place of freedom. He is faithful to heal every wound. There were so many details that I could not share because of the sensitive nature. Some things, I can only share with leadership. Other things will remain hidden. I am thankful that the Lord had me write during that really low point because there are many pastors' wives that have found themselves in that place, therefore, they can identify with the book.

If you are currently in that painful place, please believe me when I tell you that God IS faithful and He is about to do something spectacular in your life. If you can remain open to Him and do not let bitterness take root in your heart, you will be amazed by the treasure that lies ahead. Keep going. Keep believing. Keep hoping. You will not be disappointed.

Totally Set Up!

God always amazes me by the way He so cleverly sets us up. This morning, I awoke with a strong urge to make a visit to the Cracker Barrel. Visions of beautiful, old-fashioned gifts and the anticipation of their tasteful, sweet tea hitting my tongue lured me strongly. My husband "just happened" to have the day off, so he agreed that a trip to the ole Barrel was in order. I sat down, guzzled down some sweet tea and then ordered a plate to share with my daughter. I told my husband I wanted to browse through the gift shop and look for birthday gifts. As I approached the clearance section, I heard a woman on her telephone saying, "I need to go. I can't breathe." When she hung up, I said to her, "I couldn't help but overhear. You're having a hard time breathing? I have been praying for my mom's asthma for years." She then told me her story of suffering with severe asthma all her life. Another woman heard us talking and she approached us saying, "I have bad asthma, too." I thought, "Okay, God. I know what You're saying and this is a perfect set up!" I shared with them the story of my friend, Cricket, who was instantly healed from asthma supernaturally! I asked, "Would you mind if I prayed for you both?" The sweet ladies were very happy to have prayer, so the first woman invited her sister to join us. There we stood, the four of us, praying together and asking God to intervene. I felt strong tingling in my hands and the presence of the Holy Spirit was so sweet. We continued visiting with each other and exchanged information so that we can follow up. What an awesome, refreshing encounter! So, now I am convinced that God enjoys going to the Cracker Barrel, too. He has really good taste.

Tired of Dreaming, Only to Fail?

Are you tired of trying to fulfill your dreams, only to fail over and over again? Has God given you a desire that you know is from Him, but nothing seems to be working out? Are people around you telling you how foolish you are to keep trying...and 'why don't you do something different?' If so, then please take the time to read this email from Tyler Perry. You will be glad you did.

Hi there,

I've been reading the message board and you've made it perfectly clear that you wanted me to share with you, so here's a long one...(smile). Now you know we need to keep our jobs so if this is too long, then read it when you get time and send it to some friends. Okay, here goes.

Every time I have a movie come out I do a press conference, and with MADEA GOES TO JAIL it was no different. I'm always asked a lot of questions. They're usually the same questions, but this time I was asked something a little different. I was asked how did I get to be homeless. I told the story but this part got left out of the article. When I talk about God people don't like to print that for some reason. Anyway, I ended up homeless following what I believe to be the voice of God. I know that may sound crazy, but hear me out. Here's what happened.

I wrote my first play at 22. After I wrote it I prayed and asked God to bless it and lead me in the right direction. No sooner than I said that, I was in Atlanta visiting for Freaknick...(LOL). On this visit I realized that there was a small theater called the 14th Street Playhouse that I could afford to rent and perform my play in. So feeling led, I moved to Atlanta, got a job and went to work on saving money to do my show. I just knew this would work. Anyway, there were 200 seats. I thought I would do 6 shows and 1,200 people would come and I would be set. There was one problem. I needed time off from my job to do it. I asked my boss and he said no. I went to my desk and prayed. I said, "God, if this is for me to do then lead me." I clearly heard the voice say, "Quit, it will be all right." So I did. I did the play and instead of 1,200 people showing up only 30 came over the entire weekend. I said, "Okay God, where are You?" I couldn't hear a word. Now mind you, I could always hear from God. You remember my parakeet story?

Anyway, of course I was broken-hearted, but I picked myself up and went and got another job. I got a phone call a few months later. Someone who had seen the show wanted to invest in another show. So I was faced with the same decision again. I had just gotten a job and they wouldn't give me the time off, so I had to quit to go and do the play. Same thing. I went to my desk and prayed and heard that same voice saying quit. So I did.

Now from 1992 until 1997 this happened over and over again. I was only doing one show a year, and every time the show failed. So, I would go get another job. But there was always someone new who wanted to invest. I got another opportunity to do a show, but I knew I would have to quit my "GOOD JOB" as my mother would say. I was making $350 a week. Anyway, I went to the boss and asked for time off so I could do the play. He said no. So I went back to my desk and prayed. I said, "God, what should I do?" I clearly heard the voice say quit. So I did.

I went out and did that show. I think it was in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Anyway, I rehearsed, loaded the U-Haul truck and drove down there. There was a little rain as I was going there. When I got there I found out that a hurricane was coming through. Nobody showed up. I was devastated! As I was driving the truck home through the rain, I was going as fast as I could. I was so hurt and angry. I prayed and prayed and said, "God, You told me to do this. Where are You?" I didn't hear a word. It's scary when you can't hear from God. Anyway, I got home and there was the eviction notice. I went out looking for a job and found one, but by the time I got my first check it was too late. I came home from work to find all of my things out in front of the apartment building. I didn't care about the stuff. Let me take that back. My stereo, that I had bought from one of those rent-to-own companies (where you pay five times more than it's worth), was ruined. I was mad about that...(LOL). Anyway, the thing that hurt me the most was that I had so many scripts and songs and things that were ruined from the rain. I sat there getting what I could together. I put them in my car (that was up for repossession) and drove around all night. Finally, I slept in the car. When I got my next check I started staying at this pay-by-the-week hotel. There were drug addicts, prostitutes, and any criminal element you could imagine there. During this time, I was still praying and I still hadn't heard from God.

I called home for a family member to send me some money and I was told that I should give up this dream and that I was never going to make it. I was told to stop doing this play bull$#@t. I think that was one of my lowest days. I cried like a baby because this was someone that I truly loved.

I was working at UPS. Now I was up to about $400 a week, but I couldn't seem to get ahead enough to get my first and last month's rent. This kind woman (who I have been looking for for years) named VIRGINIA HARDIMAN, in Atlanta, loaned me the money. She told me to hold on and that God would see me through. I didn't want to hear that. I felt like He was the reason I was in that situation.

Anyway, I got an apartment. The one I showed you the picture of. And was so happy to have a roof over my head. My thought was, "God, even though I can't hear from You, thank You! Thank You for this place!" I was grateful. Before I knew it 2 years had passed by and I was getting comfortable in my place. It had become safe. I stopped dreaming. I was taking the advice of the family member. I had settled in and didn't want to dream anymore. It hurt too much. I was 28 at the time (you have to be careful when you get comfortable in a place that's not your home).

Anyway, life was okay, but I was so unhappy. By then I had moved on to another "good job" and I walked into that place everyday miserable. I knew there was something more for me. I had gotten so depressed. All I would do was work, come home, eat and sleep. Thank God I have never done any drugs because I know I would have been strung out. You also have to be careful when you're not happy or you will find yourself in some situations that you never thought you could be in. And I did. I started drinking pretty heavily back then. Saturday night I would drink, but Sunday morning I was at church still trying to hear from God. I had given up. Some kind of way the rent got behind again. When I think about it, the rent was $425 and I was only making about $1,200 a month. I had a car and gas and food to buy, so I guess it was easy to get behind.

Around this time I got a call from someone else who wanted to invest, and she said we had an opportunity to do the show at the House of Blues in Atlanta. I said no. I SAID NO! Oh God when I think about this I get a chill. They had to beg me to do the show! It hurt too much to have that dream be revived in me and not make it. I just couldn't do it. I said no. With a lot of coaxing I finally gave in. Can you imagine if I wouldn't have?

Anyway, the night of the play I remember sitting in the dressing room getting ready for the show. I was playing old man 'Joe' at the time. I sat there complaining and talking to God saying, "You always get me out here and You leave me, and I'm 28. This is it! I'm not doing this anymore!" Can you imagine me talking to God like that? That's crazy! But I was so mad at Him then. So, I was saying what I wanted to say and in the middle of my rant I heard Him. IIIII HHEEAARRD HIIIMMM!!!!! Somebody knows what I'm talking about! He said to me, "I AM GOD. YOU DON'T TELL ME WHEN IT'S OVER. I TELL YOU WHEN IT'S OVER, AND THIS IS THE BEGINNING." I sat there crying like a baby. Then He said, "Get up and look out of the window." I got up and looked out and there was a line around the corner trying to get into the place! I still get a chill when I think about it. If I had given up on dreaming... If I had not tried one more time... I wouldn't be here in this place. I wouldn't have seen all that I'm seeing now. For that matter you wouldn't be reading this email.

So, sometimes following God will lead you into places that you don't want to go. It's uncomfortable. It's scary. It hurts. But if you can just hold on you will see there is another side to it. What you're going through is not in vain. Hold on! Keep the faith! And learn to be thankful for whatever situation you may be in. It's not over until God says it's over. And this is just your beginning. TRY AGAIN!!

There is so much more to this story, but I know you have other things to do. I'm writing all of this in my book so you'll be able to get the full story one day. I just wanted to share a little bit with you. Please share it with someone, okay?

Be strong and stay well. AND TRY AGAIN, AND THEN AGAIN, AND THEN AGAIN!

Tyler P.

Busy....with Miracles and Such

I have been too busy to sit down and blog. I miss writing down so many great thoughts and testimonies. I do not have time right now to post here at this moment, so please see my other blog to read about the latest miracles we have experienced. http://www.journalofmiracles.blogspot.com

Closing the Gap (Between Generations)

PHOTO 1: George William Robbins was my great-great grandfather; a circuit preacher in rural Central Texas in the early 1900's
PHOTO 2: Henry reading the Scriptures to his granddaughter
With each year that passes, I become more aware of the sacrifices that the generations before me have made. As I watch my children using the computer, sending text messages to their friends, and as I prepare dinner with the foods that I nonchalantly purchased from the grocery store, it suddenly hits me. I think to myself, “Who are the people that made it possible for us to go about our lives, living in freedom and having all that we need? Who are the people that have already left this earth, who paid a price without ever hearing a ‘thank you?’” As I ponder these thoughts, I hope and pray that I can teach my children to give thought to those who gave their time, resources, and even their lives so that we can live freely. I pray that my children will honor not only those who have gone before them, but those who are and will be placed around them in the years to come.

We are in a day when the older and younger generations must be brought together. I want to say to the older generation that you ARE important and this world DOES need you. There IS a purpose for you being here. Your prayers are vital and you DO make a difference in this world even if you feel that you are not serving a purpose. You ARE needed by the younger generation. You may feel that you have been left behind or even forgotten, but you have not. The Lord hears your prayers and He is with you. Your love, your prayers and your words still have the power to make an impact on the generation that is behind you. I want to encourage you to stay connected with the younger generation as much as possible, so that the gap between generations can be closed.

You see, there is revival upon the earth and the Lord is doing great things, even in the midst of the current turmoil. God is touching all generations, young and old alike. Consider Acts 2:17: “It shall be in the last days, God says, that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your YOUNG men shall see visions and your OLD men shall dream dreams.” As Kris Vallotton brilliantly puts it in the book, The Supernatural Ways of Royalty, “Take note that revival does not have a gender, a generation, or social class…the devil knew that he couldn’t stop worldwide revival by resisting it, so he has tried to curse the planet by separating the generations.” It is vital that the generations come together because that is how the Lord wants to work on the earth; through ONE generation. That ONE generation is the young and old joined together. This can be accomplished through honor.

If the older generation will honor the younger generation and the younger generation honor the older generation, I believe we will begin to experience some marvelous breakthroughs and see more miracles upon this earth. We will be more effective in advancing the Kingdom of God. Honor does not mean that we have to agree with one another, but that we value each other because we are all made in the image of God. Honor means that we recognize the gifts that each person has to offer. Closing the gap between the generations will empower the younger generation to carry the “torch” and finish the race and it will empower the older generation to finish well, making a powerful impact on those coming behind them.

I recently learned more about my great-great grandfather, George William Robbins, who served as a circuit preacher throughout rural Central Texas in the early 1900’s. I have had the opportunity to go through old photographs of him and read letters that were written to him, thanking him for his sacrifices. He lost three of his own children and suffered many hard days, yet he carried on, doing the work of God, with the encouragement from his wife who stayed behind to keep the farm going. I look at his photograph and ponder the day that I will get to meet him and he will tell me about the miracles he saw, the faithful ways that God brought his family through hard times, and how his prayers affected the generations that came after him. I cannot help but believe that the life I live now, is partly due to the prayers that he prayed for his children and their childrens’ children. God was faithful to answer his prayers. God is faithful to answer your prayers and He will bridge the generations into one. His Kingdom is an ever-advancing one and He will not stop. May the Lord bless you and keep you as you take steps to show honor to one another, bridging the gap between the generations.