They said it was a road but I didn’t believe them. I just hung on tight as the little car bounced and rocked along the tight turns of the mountain path. Then, as we came over the rise I saw it. After more than two years I was back in my mountain village high up in the Himalayas. It was here that we began our sheep project in this little village of Muslims more than 4 years ago. I had kept in touch with our “man of peace” and had consistent updates but it felt so good to have my boots back on the ground and see all of my old friends again.

That evening we sat on the floor in the home of one of the shepherds drinking chai and chatting with some of the men. I began asking them about the sheep. “Do they only recognize your voice and no one else?” They nodded yes emphatically. They began to tell me how many herds of sheep will gather in the mountain meadows but when it is time to go the sheep will separate and only follow the voice of their personal shepherd. “In fact,” they said, “we can recognize every one of our sheep by face. We personally know every sheep.”

“If the sheep are in danger will you fight to defend them?” I asked. They all began to laugh and look at one of the shepherds. He raised his hand full of scars. He had actually fought a snow leopard who had tried to take one of his sheep. Armed only with a knife the man fought the leopard and rescued the sheep. That night we had the most wonderful time as I used their stories to tell of Jesus who is our Good Shepherd. How His sheep know His voice. How He knows each one personally and how He actually did lay His life down for his sheep.

Continue reading for what happened next…

Congratulations to our first graduating class of ISOM in North India (many more to come)! I had the distinct honor to be there and speak at the graduation and hand out the diplomas for our first group of graduates.

In one house church network we already have more than 1800 students who have completed the 2^nd trimester and hundreds more being added almost daily. The Word of God is going forward and people are being trained to be church planters and move in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank God for using this tool to change a nation!

It was March, 2020, when I stepped on a plane and left my beloved India.  Now, 2 years and 3 months later God has opened the door for me to return for nearly a month, departing June 16^th. Much has happened since I have been gone and I am anxious to get back and reconnect with ministry partners and continue our prayer journeys.

Phase one of the trip I will be traveling with some dear friends from Delhi and praying through the deepest roots of Hinduism in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.  We will be traveling along the Ganges River and visiting many ancient holy sites to pray and release the Kingdom of God.

The second phase of the trip I will be with our good friend, Ashish, who is the director of the International School of Ministry, (ISOM) in North India. While I am with him there will be a graduation for 40 students that have finished all 5 levels of the program and will receive their Bible College Diplomas. This is our very first graduating class and it will be a great honor to be there for this historic occasion!

We will also be travelling to different regions of the state praying, ministering and seeing the work the ISOM students have been doing in their own villages.

The third phase of the trip I will be traveling to Kashmir to visit our village and our shepherds.  This is a very special time as they will be celebrating the Muslim holiday of Eid.  This is their remembrance of when Abraham was going to sacrifice his son on the mountain when God stopped him and provided the ram in the bush as a sacrifice. We will be in the village celebrating this day with all of our shepherds. Please pray I will have grace and wisdom to tell of how God provided a sacrifice through Christ.

The last phase of the trip I will be back in Delhi where Josh is bringing in all of his top leaders to go through the 4^th level of training for ISOM.  I will be able to meet them and encourage them as ISOM continues to grow and multiply in India.

This is going to be an amazing journey!

As many of you know, I have the great joy working with BridgeBuilders International Leadership Network while I have been home in AZ. This past January they hosted a major conference in Tucson called Start The Year Off Right. This is a conference  they have hosted for many years, although last year it was cancelled due to covid. We were able to partner with Zion City Church who did an amazing job hosting the conference.

Nearly 1600 people filled the auditorium for 3 days of meetings. The theme of the conference was “Hearing God in Chaotic Times.” Dutch Sheets, Cindy Jacobs, Lance Walnau, Chuck Pierce and Will Ford were the primary speakers. Each one ministered under a heavy anointing.  The people who attended were so full of faith and anticipation.  When we worshipped it was like heaven was touching earth. This was a very significant event for the state of Arizona as we believe it moved us one step closer to seeing the Great Awakening we have been crying out for.

I had the honor of leading the prayer team in preparation for and during the conference.  It was such a joy to partner with the intercessors from Zion City Church and build new relationships with some wonderful people. Thank you BridgeBuilders for creating the platform for such an historic spiritual event to take place in Arizona!

Recently, I felt like God was laying Yuma on my heart.  It is a strategic border city in the southwest corner of Arizona.  The problem was I had no contacts there to connect with.  I decided to call the team together and plan the trip, trusting God would connect us with key individuals along the way. The next night I saw 2 national news reports about the immigration crisis and how it was affecting Yuma. To me that was a confirmation to go.  One day later God led me to meet a woman here in Phoenix that is from Yuma.  Her father in law is on the city council of Yuma, her mother is part of an intercessory prayer group there and she was able to put us in contact with a great church there. It is amazing what God will do if we are willing to step out in faith and just go!

So, in February a team of eight went there to pray for two days. We had the most wonderful time praying at the border wall in a small town called San Luis and connecting with the local believers.  Relationships are being forged so that we can continue to go there and pray until we see spiritual breakthrough with souls being saved, the churches growing and the border being fully secured.

Please continue to pray for us as we lead teams throughout the state of Arizona contending for the next Great Awakening. Our next prayer journey is the last weekend of March, and another planned for mid-May.

“I come from a low level caste” said Ashish.  “My people are the ones who sweep the streets, remove garbage and clean the toilets.  Now, because of Jesus, I am leading ISOM (International School of Ministry) all over North India and people look at me with honor and great respect.  I am so grateful to God that He has chosen what was considered worthless and is making me valuable for His Kingdom.”

Tears filled my eyes as we spoke over a zoom call.  I have traveled thousands of miles with Ashish and have helped mentor him for almost 10 years.  I love him deeply and am so proud of how he has developed into a very powerful man of God who walks in humility and authority at the same time. To see how he has humbled himself before God and how God has exalted him is such a great joy.

Today, because of his leadership, there are nearly 1,500 leaders enrolled in ISOM and are being prepared to be church planters.  Every few months that number multiplies as each of them begin teaching another group of leaders. Recently, Ashish just finished Trimester 3 training with our friend Josh’s top leaders from his 15,000 house church network. These leaders have again gone back to their villages to implement T3 teaching to their leaders.

We have also been able to get the ISOM notes translated into the Oriya language so we now have this Bible college curriculum being taught in two languages.  The Word of God is going out all over North India and beyond!