Watkiss & Tell

New York Set-Up Trip

This past week I flew into New York City for some meetings and some set-up trip planing with local NYC ministries.  I have always loved what New York City offers when it comes to experiencing the nations of the world in one US city, over 100 languages are represented and it offers a great feel of the entire world.  The two teams that we have going to NYC this summer are in for an awesome week of ministry that will change many lives including their own. 

I had the great opportunity while in NYC to spend sometime with a great man of prayer and a pastor who has brought a powerful ministry to Brooklyn, NY.  Pastor Jim Cymbala hosted a pastors' prayer/lunch in his office on Thursday of last week, and I was so blessed to be a part of that meeting with 25 others from around the city.  He has been a great example to many of us who are in full-time ministry.  I have always highly respected the type of ministry Jim and his wife Carol have produced over the years and the way they have stayed down to earth towards others in the ministry.  I would strongly encourage you to visit Brooklyn Tabernacle if you are visiting NYC in the future!

** May the Lord bless all of those who have served this great country this Memorial Day Weekend! 

Celebrating 8 Years Today

Ashley and I are celebrating our 8th year of marriage today!  It has gone really fast and it seems like we have always been together.  God truly blessed me with a special woman who reflects and fulfills the following scriptures:

Proverbs 18:22 "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD"

James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..."

Marriage is a great experience and awesome life when you share it with someone you love more and more everyday!

Summer Trips Coming Up Soon

We are looking forward to a powerful summer filled with seized moments, impacted destinies, and changed lives.  There are many churches, districts, and individuals fulfilling the Great Commission this coming summer by stepping out of their normal routines and going with PI on a missions trip.  Please join us in prayer for the following teams that are going out into the world this 2008 summer!

We have a team of 80+ going to the Bay Islands of Honduras, this team is compiled from the following states-- (Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Virgina).  We have a team of 30+ going to the Manchester, United Kingdom, this team is compiled from the following states--(Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee).  We have a team of 100+ going to the inner places of New York City, this team is compiled from the following states--(Arizona, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee).   We have another team also going to New York City made up of 65+ people the week following the first team listed, this team is compiled from the following states--(Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee).

This summer alone we will be leading and taking over 300 people on short-term missions trips to make long-term differences in our world.  We have a huge responsibility to make sure that each one of these individuals going on these trips this summer experience all God wants for their lives...keep these missionaries in your daily prayers!

**It's heartbreaking to hear about the suffering in Myanmar due to the cyclone and in China because of the earthquake.  I've had a number of people ask me how they could make a difference and I've recommended to them to make donations to Convoy of Hope.  (a great partner of PI)

Happy Mothers Day

Hey Mom...I thought I would be a guess contributor to Dad's blog today and share with the world why I have the GREATEST MOM!  You love me and take care of me all the time, you read me my books everyday, you give me hugs and kisses, you let me drive your car in the driveway (I really like that Mom), you watch my shows/DVD's with me, you set my clothes out every morning for Daddy to dress me (thanks Mom for doing that since Daddy is color blind), you let me help you in the kitchen when your cooking, you're always there for me when I need you...(Happy Mothers Day Mom!!)

I Love you so much!!

Luke

Fall Building Trip

This November we will be taking a construction team to Honduras to build a church building.  If you or you know someone who is willing to serve in this area of missions, here is a link with addition information and forms -- Honduras Info.

November 15-22, 2008
Partnership International together with Project Honduras 100  is building the Kingdom of God! Honduras100 is an ambitious project to build 100 steel tabernacles over the next few years. The General Council of the Honduran Assemblies of God planted over 100 churches  throughout the countryside of Honduras in the
year 2004. These new church plants currently have no facilities in which to worship. These new congregations often have services outside under trees, many times with-out protection from bad weather, or inside small dwellings with insufficient space. Project Honduras100 is designed to change these circumstances by providing a simple, relatively inexpensive, easily built structural steel frame that would allow a congregation to have a building to call their own.

A tabernacle is a standard size steel structure, 36' wide and 48' long. Concrete footings, structural steel frame, 26 gauge galvanized sheet metal roof, and concrete block walls are donated and constructed by a visiting team.  The local church is then responsible for additional features that they can add as their financial circumstances allow.

**This month I'm working on a lot of details for PI trips for 2009.  It is awesome to see the favor of God opening doors of opportunities for many trip goers next year to experience the heartbeat of God up-close and personal.

Watkiss Golf Tip Wednesday

Last year I had the great privilege to play at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course.  The picture to the left is the famous island green at number seventeen (17).  I had the shot of a lifetime fall short into the water joining the thousands of other attempts before mine.  I didn't finish or stay with the shot, that leads me to my new Wednesday series:

"WATKISS GOLF TIP WEDNESDAY"

Stay with the shot
Most amateurs try to lift the ball in the air with longer irons because they don't look like they have enough loft to get the ball up. They do. You just have to trust it and stay with the shot. Your body should stay down and don't use your arms and shoulders to help the ball in the air, allow the golf club to do the work for you.

** The Players Championship starts tomorrow at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. 

Staying Connected

Staying in-touch with others can be difficult if we don't make it a priority.  One of the greatest tools and support we can have in ministry and in this life is to stay connected with individuals.  The Word of God speaks to us about needing each other on the journey..."Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."..."As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."  With the technology that is at our disposal today, it has provided us many resources to stay connected with greater ease.  Facebook, myspace, ichat, skype, blogging, cell phones, email, text messaging, AIM, etc. and the list could go on and on with others.  But with everything that is at our finger tips for communication to help us stay connected, we can still fail in the area of putting relationships a priority over our own schedules and work.  Do your best to utilize technology this coming week to stay connected with others! 

**Speaking of staying connected...Thursday I met with the missions committee from a fellowship of churches know as "Christian Churches of North America", they are going to partner with us in 2009 to carryout their fellowship's short term missions trips.  Kingdom work takes kingdom connections!

Brandon's Speaking Ministry

This has been a year that God has positioned my heart and ministry to receive depth in His word to develop my speaking ministry.  God has birthed a number of messages and teachings in me that will help elevate people closer to God's heartbeat for the lost.  DRM and PI are offering a number of topics through our "Life Conferences": (great for pre-trip and post-trip ministry to the local church and missions teams)

Communicator: Brandon Watkiss
The Giving Life - Investing into the Kingdom of God through your pocketbook and calendar
The Destined Life - Fulfilling the personal will of God for your life
The Creative Life - Based on God birthing and developing dreams/ideas that effect reality
The Urgent Life - The desperate awareness of the need for God
The Discipled Life - Facilitating personal depth and development through a mission trip experience

Communicator: Doug Reed
The Deeper Life - A conference about advancing past your pre-conceived limitations
The Restored Life - Based on my restorative and self-worth teachings which are the core of D.R.M.
The Pure Life - The subject matter here is on wholeness and a the spiritual implication of sex
The Outward Life - Evangelism / Missions are the themes here and my approach is about practicality
The Relational Life - Getting back to God's original intention for loving relationships of all types

**We had a great Sunday at First Assembly in Beaver Falls, PA.  It was great to be back with many friends and to see what God is doing at the church.  Thank you Pastor Poole and Sharon for  a great day!

Footage from Monterrey Mexico

The spring break trip to Monterrey, Mexico (week-2) was full of divine opportunities that ended up touching many lives.  Often just talking about what takes place on a short-term missions trip doesn't do it justice or provide the exposure it deserves to the many people that provided the means for it to even happen.  I believe that is why it is so important to have pictures and video of the most precious faces when telling them that Jesus loves them and has a hope and future for their lives.  I would like to thank Pastor Rodney  & Kate  for their leadership and the wonderful team of young people they brought to Mexico from Ignition youth ministries, they answered the call to GO and MAKE disciples!  Check out the video by clicking here.

**Later this week I will be sharing about a new area for my speaking ministry that will help connect many churches and more people to God's heartbeat for the lost.  It will provide a powerful teaching/resource for pre-trip and post-trip ministry to elevate the short-term missions experience.

A Great Weekend of Ministry

We had a great Sunday with our home church in Robinson!  Pastor Nathan and Joie are great friends and they're doing an awesome job leading people to a greater understanding of God's Word and the leading of the Spirit in ones life.  Ashley and I enjoy the opportunities we have to be a part of what God is doing at New Life and seeing the great favor upon the ministry that is taking place.  I spoke Sunday on the subject of "Hearing the voice of God", it is always a great reminder that in order to hear His voice clearer...we need to get closer!

**This coming weekend I will be speaking at Beaver Falls A/G.  I was on staff with Pastor Poole for six years as the associate pastor.  We are looking forward to spending sometime with many people who have a special place in our hearts and ministry.  Pastor & Sharon are God's choice servants and they will always have a special place in our lives.  (I'm the son Sharon never wanted) haha : )

PS Don't forget to VOTE today if you live in PA!