San Francisco + 2.28.03

So I didn't have the Spirit with me to carry the cross so I spent an hour reading the word and decided to prayer walk the city so God would be there when i carried the cross. I didn't know where I was walking to but I felt I was supposed to walk up the hill. when I got to the top I was right in front of the Grace Chapel which was so cool. So I went inside and admired some of the beautiful depictions of Jesus. This really gave me a great feeling. I got to post a prayer request on the board for my best friend who is not saved and for the carry the cross ministry.

OK Saturday March 1st. I thought Eddie and I would be carrying the cross with Eddie all day but God had a different plan for me. Eddie decided he was going to go of on his own. We were supposed to meet up but it never happened. So I decided that Carla and I would just take some time to relax and go hang out around the city. We went over the golden gate bridge into the hills above and we took pictures of the cross with the entire city in the background. When we took it on another hill these people thought it was so cool and they wanted a family vacation picture with the cross. That will be a cool picture for their photo album.

So next we carried the cross on the golden gate bridge. We got right up to where the bridge is out over the water when two bridge patrol cars pulled over with their lights on. They said we could not carry the cross across the bridge because they had a fear they we would cause an accident or that a traffic jam would happen. As Christians we told them what we were doing but we said we respect them so we turned around and went back. The rest of the day after that was just spent relaxing and hanging out. I think that God let them come up to San Francisco this weekend so I could feel refreshed and I could take a break form my busy life, and it has been refreshing. So tonight I'm really want to carry the cross but I have no one to go with after talking to Neland on the phone I decide to go alone.

So I started out and I was getting persecuted right away Satan was trying to shut me down and discourage me before I really got to share Jesus with the city of San Fran. So I keep carrying the cross and the first person I talk to ask me why I am carrying it. I told him and he tells me that I have been swindled. Satan was trying to discourage me but I continued on. Most people wouldn't even look at me when i said hi to them. The city was definitely not welcoming to the cross. The feeling and vibe I received here was like not other. This was a dark place and I needed to be a light here.

I prayed that I would meet other brothers that night who would help me with the night. I meet this guy who just moved here 4 days ago from Germany. He wanted to discuss God and war and all this stuff and I just kept relaying to him that the bigger picture was Jesus Christ. This man was not a Christian but he listened to what I had to say. I was planting the seed. I gave him the carry the cross flyer and he said he would definitely check it out. He actually said shouldn't we keep walking and talking so that you can talk to other people. It was weird he was encouraging but yet not a Christian. God can use non-Christians to encourage us even though they don't know the lord. God uses all people. We continued to talk and walk for the next 45 minutes. I gave him my email address. We established a relationship through the cross. God has planted that seed and I will continue to keep in touch with him. We parted ways when these people excitedly flagged me down across the street. Oh yeah as we walked I stopped and prayed with his brother who as very honest with me. He said he needed pray for lust. And he wanted to get his marriage together. We prayed together and it was beautiful. He was honest with me because he knew I was for real. God is so awesome. Brothers can be real with each other through prayer because we are not looking down on each other we are uplifting.

Anyway so I go across the street and it turns out that these people are from redwood California and they have come into San Frank to do street evangelism. They were preaching and giving water and sandwiched to homeless people. This is exactly what I had prayed for earlier in the night. Wanted people to carry the cross with me and be bale to speak with all the people I meet. These people were all so encouraged by seeing this cross. In fact this one-man, Les I think was his name, wants to build his own cross and start the same ministry up. I'm so happy because I've been praying for people to start working more with this ministry in California. So we continue on together down the street. I told these brothers that I wanted to go to the strip joints to carry the cross to pray for them to be shut down. One guy looked at me and said do you know how long that has been here God will never shut it down.