Headed East

With amazing memories of the West Coast still fresh we are heading east, eating up big chunks of the nation every night on the overnight drive. All the stops out west were really cool...different in their own way, but marked by His presence.

Tucson--great start, even though I was only there by video!
San Diego--jammed and hopeful.
Santa Barbara--stunning, a first, humbling.
Fresno--a downtown surprise for me and us all, powerful.
Sacramento--loud, very loud, amazing night.

But then we turned right and started to cover some major ground. Stop one brought us to Salt Lake City. Yep, Utah! We were right downtown across from Temple Square in an opera house/symphony hall type place that I'm not sure has ever seen the likes of Sing, Sing, Sing before. But we went for it and lifted up the only hope we know. The cross was big and we knew we were in the right place with the right Story.

Another long night, and another mountain range beneath us, and we arrived in Denver to the joy of two nights off! If you don't think that sounds pretty stinking brilliant, have a kidney stone and then get on a bus and speak your guts out five nights in a row!! The break came just at the right time and fortunately the down time was spent way up in the Rockies. A little side trip to paradise brought much needed refueling, and when we came down from the mountains we were ready for Denver and Denver was definitely ready to go for it. I finally felt 100% for the first time since leaving Hoag Memorial and am so grateful for every single person who prayed for me. Last night in Denver the place was packed and pumping from the start. But more than just a lot of people and massive volume, we could feel God blowing through.

Once again, God put a beautiful face on the night as our friend Chris (Urban Peek friend who came to the tour in Colorado Springs last spring with some other UP kids), who has been through many challenges and seen the faithfulness of God literally saving he and his wife Gabby over the past months, was there with Gabby and his parents, Joan (our Passion friend who loves these kids when they are in really desperate places) and a new friend from Urban Peak we just met. It's powerful to share a whole night about God's power to hold us together with people who have been through hell and have a story to tell because of God's potent rescue.

Another night of driving brought us onto the great plains and deposited us in Council Bluffs, Iowa, right on the Nebraska border across the river from Omaha. I couldn't tell for certain which state was most represented tonight (I think maybe Nebraska), but it was cool to be in an arena with 3500 Midwesterners, who though reserved at heart were worshiping with so much intensity.

When we wake up tomorrow Arkansas will be outside, and then Indiana and North Carolina. Last up, the How Great Is Our God Tour will take a turn back west to the East Tennessee town of Johnson City where all things good must finally end (you guys better be ready to bring it!).

If it sounds like a lot, there's a reason for that. And all the while Shelley is in the Northeast with the Remedy Tour as Crowder hits Philly, Boston, NYC and DC. Add to that Charlie and Matt being used all over the place and our little family feels stretched, happy, humbled, dependent and grateful. Praying it's true that "goodness and mercy will follow us tonight, and all the days of our lives."

LG