Hello everyone–how are you all doing today? I am doing great and writing to you from Fayetteville, North Carolina. I came out here for the birth of my grandson, Elijah. My daughter Elyana and Jason had their baby only hours after I arrived in town! He is beautiful and more importantly–healthy! I thank God for this wonderful blessing.

Some of you may remember that I traveled out here about 2 years ago and traveled by train. This time, I took the bus from Temecula and I must say it was a very relaxing trip for the most part. I got maybe a total of 15 hours of sleep over a two-day trip. The toughest part of it was not the sleep but the various pit stops to let people on and off to their destinations and the limited places to get real and healthy food to eat! I was blessed that I had brought some things with me and I managed to find a few things along the way that I felt comfortable eating and making sure I was taking care of my diabetic needs.

I really liked the bus ride because I was to able to really see the landscapes, bodies of water and the beautiful homes and open spaces along the roads. The other side of that is that I also saw several areas where there was no businesses open, no people and abandoned homes and vehicles as we traveled from town to town and state to state. It was sad to see that because some of the towns I saw seemed like they could have been absolute havens to live in with all the beautiful rolling hills, rows and rows of trees and open spaces and no big tall corporate buildings that blocked the skies!

As we crossed into North Carolina, I could see all the destruction left behind from the tornadoes that had hit during that week. There were homes barely standing with their roofs hanging by a thread and broken windows and doors laying on the grounds nearby. I thought about the people that had lived there—were they alive, did they have children, pets? I felt deep sadness imagining how the people in these homes must be feeling seeing their foundations blown away by the raging winds and rain….all their dreams washed away and little or no options except to save themselves somehow by moving into nearby shelters and underground cellars and running for their lives. I wondered about the fear that must have rampant as the tornadoes tore people lives apart. I sank deeper into my assigned bus seat and prayed silently for those people impacted. I thanked God for those whose lives were spared and I asked Him to somehow use this terrible event to show himself and give these people His comfort and hope in the midst of the chaos.

I have had some problems with my home in the last 10 years. They have not been major or unsolvable problems and nothing to the scale of what these people had experienced by any means, but nonetheless, to me, still scary and overwhelming repairs and maintenance needs. These how repairs or issues have come about at the most inconvenient times and while I am in the midst of other more pressing priorities or when my finances are not where I want them to be. I don’t have a sugar daddy, parents or a pot of gold somewhere to cover these pressing needs for me. I pray and I wait for God to provide. When I am weak—He is strong.

Sometimes beautiful and perfect looking homes with velvet trimmed lawns and picket fences house families that are broken deeply in their souls and emotional foundations. What appears to be the coveted life is only truly hiding the cracks and instability of the relationships in those walls. Sometimes there is a slow leak of pain flooding and drowning the members of a family that is not easily apparent to those looking in. Homes may look great and appealing on the outside, but inside there are souls that are not really living and could care less about their perfect homes, beautiful cars or their hefty bank accounts. They just want relief from the rat race, from the job stress, from the stress of holding to their material goods, from emotional pain, isolation and loneliness. Sometimes, life itself seems like and never ending tornado that threatens us at every turn. We are often paralyzed with fear about just plain living and hanging on. What is it all about? Is that any way to live?

The truth of the matter is that in life we are going to be hit with the unexpected. God warns us about this when He tells us in His word that we will experience trials and tribulations, but He also reminds us that He has overcome this world and that we have the victory in Him if we believe and trust Him. It sounds simple, but the truth of the matter that as we face problems and challenges, we sometimes experience doubts or fear even when we know that we have our faith. I am not one to sugar coat the Christian walk—it is tough. We are called to stand for what is right, what is true and we face rejection and ridicule for it. We sometimes lose friends or loved ones because we are unwilling to compromise our values and uphold what is pleasing to God. I know we are attacked by the enemy in many ways and we walk through deep and dark valleys and it seems at times that we have lost the battle and can’t win. I think that it’s a good thing that we don’t fit in because we are really meant to stand out and come away from the world. Sometimes it seems as if there is no way out—right? Can you relate?

I don’t have any answers but I do know that God loves us and is ever present in our lives and in the midst of the things that we are facing. He simply asks that we turn to Him and give Him our concerns. Sometimes He shows us what He wants us to do and other times He is silent and we think that He didn’t hear our prayers or the answer is “no” only to then realize that there was no real problem but simply that God allowed a circumstance into our lives so that our fears or weaknesses van be being exposed and He can help us to overcome them. God tells us not to worry or be overwhelmed but to, instead, pray and ask for His help. (Philipians 4: 6, 7) Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. When things seem to be falling apart…they may just be falling into place. I am not someone that like disarray and I definitely hate change, but I have to admit that when God goes into my life closet and starts digging and tossing things out—things that I thought defined me or validated me—he lightens my load and brings me to a place where I can see what is truly important in my life. My relationship with Jesus is what I want to be defined by…not where I Iive, what I own, what I drive or what I look like. I want to reflect the beauty and purity of Christ in me. Anything else is just plain not good enough.

As I experience problems in my life, I learn more and more that I am blessed beyond anything I deserve therefore I am grateful to the Lord that I have a home that sometimes needs TLC and repairs, cars that need maintenance, relationships that are challenging and painful at times but also provide me with opportunities to learn and grow and to love and be loved. I am so grateful to the Lord for His faithfulness and loving kindness and for His great sacrifice of giving up life for me so that I could have eternity. Jesus died for me when I didn’t even know Him or had prayed to Him to save me—He was looking our for me when I was a full blown sinner and living my life my way…so I know that He loves me and has my back. I can experience trials and tribulations as long as He has my hand in His.

Be encouraged right where you are right now. All that is needed is for you to confess that you are a sinner and that you are sorry and need His forgiveness. Ask him to come into your heart and do His will in your life. There a multitude of stories in the bible where Jesus meets people just like you and me—people with messes- and He seeks them out and shows them the way out without judging them or ridiculing them. He shows them compassion, caring and love. If you seek Him with all your heart—you will find Him and He will change your life. It may not be what you expected, you will never be the same but it will be what is best according to His will and purpose for your life. Lose the fear and follow Him.

Matthew 6: 25-34

Be Blessed–
Olivya

It got me thinking though. Someone posted a prayer quoting the verse in Romans 8:31-32 – What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

If God is for us, who can be against us? I guess the reason why this stuck out to me, is that God doesn’t need PR. God does what is right and just. His PR is the grace He gives from the trials that we face and the peace we feel knowing that He is in Heaven watching over us and guiding us. Even though he didn’t come back this weekend, He will…

Matthew 24:36 – No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

When he does, we will find out why His PR machine is so much better than what we could possible do here on Earth. Once again, we are imperfect and the Family Christian Radio ministries just proved that point again.

Please pray for the followers of this man. I can only imagine the hurt and the shame they are feeling. They do not need judgement from man, they need our love and forgiveness.

However, with that being said, what really bothers me is the ridicule that the followers of this person are going through from non-Christian and the Christian. I understand the atheists that think Christians are a bunch of fairy tale dreamers, but when I see/read it from other Christians… That to me is difficult for me to understand.

I worry about the followers of this man. What will their faith be? Will he spin it? Or just leave them hanging? Won’t they be mad at God? Will they fall away from God? To me, instead of making fun or denying that it could happen. Maybe we should be praying that it will happen soon, but also be praying for these followers. Pray for their faith. Pray that they find a church that teaches sound doctrine.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

Are you praying with ANGUISH?

I know prayer is supposed to be between you and God and I fully respect that.  My hope was not to upset anyone by doing this, however, this feels right to do.  My hope is that one of my prayers gets retweeted and maybe blesses someone else.  The purpose of GODSurfer is to bring God Online!  So this is just one way of me trying to do that.

Here are the prayers that I prayed during my time of prayer (last to first):

• Thank you for the last 30 minutes! #praise #prayer
• Thank you for your word. #Bible #prayer #praise
• Please #forgive those that sin against you. Please help me #forgive those that sin against me. #prayer
• I #pray for wisdom. I #pray for patience.
• Thank you for any new opportunities you allow me to have #praise #prayer
• Thank you for softening my heart. #praise #prayer
• Thank you for my job. #praise #prayer
• #God I pray for Japan. They are still suffering. Please comfort them. #prayer
• I #pray for the leaders of the world. Please comfort them in their time of need and guide their decisions to peace. #prayer
• I #pray for the leaders of the United States of America. Please guide them no matter which side of the aisle they sit.
• #God thank you for this world. You have made a wonderful place for us. Please show us how to take care of it. #prayer
• I #pray for all teenagers. Please guide them and comfort them and their parents. Please show them another way when they are in despair.
• #God, thank you for my family. They have been a blessing. #prayer
• #God please bless the people of this valley.
• #God thank you for this time with you. #praise
• Lord, I #pray for my children. Please comfort them. Please guide them. Please protect them. #prayer
• I #pray for all parents in the world. Please guide them to raise good citizens of the world.
• I #pray for the sick and the weak.
• Thank you for my friends, both current, past and future. #praise #prayer
• #God Thank you for #GODSurfer.com. I look forward to the doors you are opening for me with that. #praise #prayer
• #Lord thank you for the gifts you have given me! #praise #prayer
• #God I pray for Sandals Church in Murrieta CA. It is a new church in the valley. Please #bless them.
• #God I ask you to forgive me for my sins.
• #God, I #pray for the people who follow me on twitter and those that don’t.
• Lord I #pray for the United States of America. Please watch over it, guide it and protect it.
• #God I ask you to bless my job and my boss and all my co-workers. They are good people. #prayer
• I #pray for my family. Please comfort them when I do not. Please guide me to be a better Husband and father.
• I #pray for the church. Please bless and comfort my pastor as I know he is still hurting.
• Lord I ask you to help me lead and live by example. #prayer
• Lord I #pray for my neighborhood. I #pray for my neighbors. I #pray for my home.
• Please Lord be with the people who are hurting. Lay your hands on them and comfort them #prayer
• I #pray for peace in the world.
• Starting 30 minutes of #prayer now!

I can tell you that this was a cool experience.  I had a lot of fun doing it, and to be honest I feel relaxed..

Happy Friday!

So, I am about to embark on a familiar journey to create the next version of GODSurfer.com.  I’ve come to realize that a lot of it will be re-written mostly because I’m changing from a web only strategy to a smart phone & web strategy.  In the last 4 months or so, my skills have improved enough to make fully functioning applications for the Windows Phone 7.  So my plan is to create a fully functional web site but also mimicking/driving the functionality on the phone side.

Let’s face facts; GODSurfer was a Digg.com clone, it was one of my favorite sites (at the time) and I had learned a lot from it.  However, for whatever reasons, Christians or at least the traffic that finds GODSurfer doesn’t add a lot of Godly based Articles, Blogs or Sites.  They also didn’t interact with the content that was on GODSurfer.  With the new functionality (i.e. prayers and the bible game) that wasn’t a rousing success either.

However, there are some praises that should be mentioned.  Since the release of the GODSurfer: Prayers app for Windows Phone 7 ,the app has been downloaded over 300 times (free) and countless prayers have been added.  The people following GODSurfer on Twitter have increased by over 150 and the Facebook group has also added people.

So whats the new plan?  Well that is still being figured out, however, here are a few of the items being thought about and worked on:

• Windows Phone 7 integration (full login support so those users can have a profile)
• Individual Points based off of interactions with the site (i.e. if you vote on a site you get a point, if you add a prayer you get a point etc.)
• Addition of Questions and Answer submissions
• Ability to add comments to the Articles, Blogs and Sites
• A Facebook application that will allow interaction with the site
• Bible Game expansion (possible Facebook application)
• New Layout
• Eventual Android application development

As you can see, this is a lot of work.  In reality GODSurfer will be mostly rewritten, however, do not look at this as a negative.  God has allowed me to create and maintain this site.  I have been truly blessed by this.  I’ve always maintained that God guided me in the creation of GODSurfer and He continues too today.  I’m excited to see what happens next.

As you may or may not know, when a prayer is added.  Both the Facebook GODSurfer page and the @GODSurfer twitter account gets updated with those prayers.  My hope is that there are people online that will pray for the people that submit prayers.  Like a prayer chain.

I released this app. on 12/30/2010 and the reporting states that in 2 days time it has been downloaded 31 times.  Considering my other apps haven’t even broken the 20 download mark yet, this is really exciting.  So if you are following GODSurfer on Facebook or Twitter and you start seeing more and more prayers come through, now you know why.

Here are some screen shots of what the app looks like:

This is a warning to us all, and quiet frankly one that I need reminding of as well.  Don’t sit on the fence for when the Lord returns we will be judged.  Our actions physically and spiritually will come into play.  Remember this prayer it is a good one!

Matthew 6:9–13:

⁹“This, then, is how you should pray:
” ‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
¹²Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

So I read my bible daily and check (and post to) my twitter account as often as I can.  Fridays are big days because of something called #FollowFridays.  So the idea is to have someone with a lot of followers tag your name in a “twit” with a #FF or #FollowFriday.  If that happens then people “follow” you.  Yeah I know it is just a game and a number is just a number.  Life isn’t about quantity but quality.  God is funny though, sometimes people start relationships in the funniest of circumstances.  I would consider Twitter just another opportunity for a relationship.

So if you are reading this and you want to follow GODSurfer and share my journey to Bring God Online then go here: http://www.twitter.com/GODSurfer

My count is…  389 (still).  I only have 11 to go!!!