Watkiss & Tell

A little get-a-way to the beach

Ashley and Luke looking for some seashells at Ft. Lauderdale Beach.  We are excited about getting away for a few days and spend sometime together as a family.  I've loaded a few pictures in the photo album to the right if you would like to check out the most recent shots.  We are planning on going to the world's largest boat show here in town while we're here...Boat Show.  If you are on facebook, here is my facebook page which I update often with pictures and status up-dates.  

Get&Go

I'm excited about the many doors God is opening and providing for next year's missions projects and trips.  We have 15 + trips that are on the schedule and it looks like we will be doing a number of customized trips on top of those already scheduled.  It is awesome to see people, districts, churches, and youth ministries not giving up on the "Great Commission" due to the financial collapse around the globe, all the more why God honors His world when we Go To The Nations!  I want to challenge you to GET&GO on a short-term missions trip in 2009.  Partnership International has a lot of options and projects to pray about and participate in this coming year.  Trip Applications are on the PI website!  GET an Application and GO on a missions trip in 2009!

**This past Sunday I spoke at Family of God Christian Center in Weirton, WV.  Pastor Craig & Kim are God choice servants to reach a hurting area for Jesus!  God is doing a great work at their church and He has blessed them with an incredible building for great kingdom work.  Thanks Pastor Craig for a great weekend and we look forward to partnering together.

My weekend in New Orleans

This past weekend I spoke at Living Cornerstone International Church in St. Bernard Perish.

Three years after Katrina hit this city and the major surrounding areas, the images still remain throughout the region.

I had the opportunity to go through neighborhoods where some people had fixed their homes and others that were still living in horrible conditions.

This summer and fall we will be joining the long term recovery plan of those families that decided to return to their neighborhoods and homes.

God has used Living Cornerstone Church and Pastor Rustin & Jeannie Treadaway to impact many families that have come back to St. Bernard Perish to live.  70,000 people lived in St. Bernard Perish pre-Katrina and only 30,000 of them returned.  Those 30,000 people need to be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ and to receive an extended hand of love to help rebuild their homes and lives.  The long term plan to rebuild homes goes much deeper than just fixing up a house, it restores families to their original destiny to have relationship with the Lord!  

**Pray with us and even join us this coming year as we take teams of people into a hurting community that needs a helping hand extended.  New Orleans Trip Link

Ashley, Luke, & Anna

          

Last night we took advantage of the nice fall weather here in Western PA and went out on the boat for a few hours.  I love just getting away from everything and spending some time with my family!  I took this picture last night right around sunset on the Ohio River.  Luke is now 3 1/2 years old and Anna just turned 10 weeks old this past Thursday.  Ashley is such a great mother to both of our children and she is the greatest wife to me :)  The hardest thing going for me when I travel is saying goodbye to my family and leaving them behind...but one on the greatest thing is coming home and being embraced by them with their love!

** This afternoon I'm flying to New Orleans to speak and to do a set-up trip for next years missions schedule.  We will be taking teams into New Orleans to help rebuild homes and families!  Here is the application link for one of the weeks this coming summer. 

Tucson AZ Youth Workers Conference

This weekend was great to connect with friends and many youth pastors/leaders in the AZ district.  We had a number have main sessions and break-out sessions for leadership training.  AZ District Youth Ministries is partnering with us again this year for their AIM missions trips in 2009.  We are offering 9 summer trips through PI and 4 of the 9 are being promoted in the District.  2 state-side and 2 foreign experiences...Peru, UK, New York and New Orleans.  I'm sitting at the Tucson Airport early this morning to fly into Denver for the day (Sunday, Oct. 5th), I scheduled a 10 hour layover in Denver to spend some time with by brother and his family.  I looking forward to going to my nephew's hockey game this afternoon and see him score some goals on the travel league.  I will get home on Monday!

**Thanks for praying with us and joining us on the journey...I will be sending out a number of emails next week with trip updates and the link to the newly updated website.