Psalm 93 in Living Color!

The day we were to leave to visit the Japanese coastline was the day I was reading Psalm 93 early in the morning. It read, "The mighty oceans have roared, O LORD. The mighty oceans roar like thunder; the mighty oceans roar as they pound the shore. But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore-- the LORD above is mightier than these!" It was stunning to read how poignantly those verses fit the promise of what God was wanting t do in Japan.
"What an encouragement to meet with pastors from all parts of Japan the last few days who are giving their lives and resources to help heal the victims' lives in the tsunami-affected areas. One pastor, Sato had a church in the Fukushima Daichi area only 2 kilometers away from the reactor. His entire congregation of 250 people had to evacuate the city. Their homes were washed away. His church building is entirely gone. Over 50 members of his church are missing. He stated that for three days there was nothing to eat. But he emphatically said that the church is alive and that every day the church gathers for prayer now and many people have recently gotten saved. “The Lord is really shaking things up,” Pastor Sato told us and even though the congregation is meting without an official building. Though displaced he stated emphatically, “we have joy! Several of he leaders we met had been not only visiting the areas but sending teams there to bring healing in the name of Christ.
On Saturday we visited the coast destroyed by the tsunami, the town of Ishnomagi. Boats and cars atop tall buildings revealed the wave was over 80 feet high! 5000 people are still missing and presumed dead. We were able to give a brand new truck filled with supplies to Pastor Masao Kanaya. I prayed as we laid hands on him and thanked him for his valiance for the cause of Christ. All he could do was weep as he received the keys. He is distributing hygiene kits, water, food, clothing, bicycles and emergency supplies through his church. I am so encouraged by what I saw. What do you guys think?

Pray for Japan

Its not new news that the people of Japan are suffering in the wake of two natural disasters and one man-made nuclear potential disaster. The 9.0 earthquake that rocked the island-nation by it's tectonic author eventuated in a devastating tsunami that claimed the lives of 28,000 people and rendered 250,000 more longing for homes and loved ones while consigned to one of 2000 evacuation centers. The estimated cost to that country is already over $300 BILLION dollars.
I am currently en route to Japan to meet with the leaders of churches and government to assess the needs and strategize ongoing support. Our church has responded financially but I wanted to go personally and encourage those who have been tirelessly working on the field to hand out hygiene kits, food and water to the affected ones. Tomorrow a small team I am a part of including Franklin Graham will touch down and met with Samaritan's Purse field coordinators to get the latest update. I will be tweeting updates (wifi permitting) through the next couple of days. Please pray for the people and pray for God's hand to be seen through the local churches and field personnel. Pray also that the Fukushima reactor will be stabilized soon.

A Tribute to a Dear Friend

Mark MacAllister was the very first staff member I put on staff back in 1982. Born in California, and relocating to Denver, Mark joined me when we first began our Bible Study at "The Lakes" Apartments in Albuquerque. As the little group of people emerged into a worship community and later into fellowship known as Calvary of Albuquerque, Mark was there at my side. Like Jonathan was to David in the Old Testament, Mark became the closest of friends and co-laborers. One of the fondest memories I cherish is that He and I had our own unique way of joking and seeing life in a humorous light that helped to mitigate the harder aspects of ministry and church planting. But Mark also struggled. Pain in his back and a subsequent surgery made daily life a sheer torment for him. Mark also struggled with depression and because of that he became the most sensitive and caring shepherd for God's sheep who struggled with deep issues. He knew the "frequency" that sufferers and pain-bearers tuned into and he could dial right into their thoughts and provide comfort and assurance. Sadly Mark left this world on January 7th, 2011. Though safe in his Father's house and without the constraints of the physical world, I sorely will miss him and am thankful for his immense contribution to my life as friend, counselor and fellow worshiper. Please pray for Marks wife Jody, and his children Levi and Bree.

The Memorial Service for Mark MacAllister will be held at Calvary of Albuquerque on Monday, January 31, 2011 at 2:00 pm in the main sanctuary. For those of you that cannot make it, the service will stream live online at http://www.calvaryabq.tv/live/ starting at 1:45 pm.

Our Family

Nothing is better on the human plane than gathering with family. And when all the family members love the Lord and have a common goal--even better! Today we gathered the gang (myself, Lenya, Nate, Janae and baby Seth) to take family pics for this year's Christmas Card. Fred Roybal, Brandi Heft and Khanh Dang met us with their cameras, strobes and diffusers to take the shots. These trusted and creative pros executed some fabulous photographs with some of the foliage just beginning their color-journey towards Fall. The most noticeable thing to me was the absolute contentment and bliss of all being together (family and friends) and having an after noon of work/fun. The picture here is just a shot with my iPhone. Can't wait to do the layout on the Card itself. It's authentically been a wonderful year.

Labor Day

I usually work on a project on Labor Day. I guess I just always thought the name implied that one is to work rather than rest (Crazy I know). But not today. Today I was out on the ocean, my favorite place, with Lenya and hood friends. In 1882 the first Labor Day was celebrated on New York City by the Central Labor Union. It marks the end of summer and nudges us closer to Fall. Jeremiah lamented over Israel saying, "The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved" (Jer 8:20). I hope that your summer was relaxing and rejuvenating and above all, that you missed no
spiritual opportunity--that your salvation is moving you closer to God's perfect plan for you and your family. You'll excuse me for now; I need to get back to this boat ride!

Seth's First Photo Shoot

After this very eventful day in the Heitzig Family, here's a few more pictures of Seth Nathaniel when he was only about 30 minutes old.


Nate waiting to be called in the for delivery at 1:03PM



All Wrapped Up and No Place to Go!


A Father and Son Moment


Already puckering up for lots of kisses.

Meet Seth!

This is my grandson Seth Nathaniel Heitzig on the day of his birth. This kid is picture perfect after the C-Section delivery today. He weighed in at 6 pounds and 1 ounce at right at 18 inches in length. Nate and Janae are very contented and are resting comfortably in their hospital room. I was in the recovery when Seth was brought in to be "footprinted" and weighed. Seriously, no bias about this, he is one incredibly handsome boy! This picture was taken right after his first meal while he was sleeping.

Skip begat Nathan and Nathan begat Seth

My son Nate and his wife Janae are in biblical terms, "great with child". She is due on August 30th but will probably give birth via C-section on the 26th due to a breech presentation unless the baby turns. Becoming a grandparent is lots of fun but also thought provoking in terms of TIME! I'm speaking of the perception of the increasing rapidity at which time passes. Yes, it only seemed liked yesterday that Nate was a little kid running around in his cowboy outfit. I know, I know, it's very cliche, but it's true. Now with the coming of a grandson my thoughts turn towards "the balance of a lifetime" and how to make maximum impact with time left. The process has been extremely fruitful for me and it has helped me to refocus and reevaluate--always a good thing. At any rate, I am ready to have Seth Alexander learn how great God is by providing him with a grandpa that spoils him like crazy!

The Island Sound

I spoke today in Honolulu for a radio-wide conference called, "How to Walk". I'll be here a few days with Lenya for Pastor's Conference Monday through Wednesday and a Prophecy Update on Tuesday evening. While strolling into Bob's Ukulele I was treated to the Island sound by Wai who plays and sings beautifully. Here's a sample (and yes, afterwards I bought a Ukulele from him). Aloha!

New York, New York!

We just arrived in one of our favorite cities on earth--NYC. Lenya and I will be speaking at Harvest in Manhattan this weekend. Mike Finizio and his church have been a shining beckon to this city for years and it will be an honor to address them. Nate and Janae are with us (along with in-the-oven Seth). God loves every person in this city!

I'd Rather Be Home Than in Rome

Got back late last night from our extension trip to Rome. We had just a few extra days after Israel to see some of the historical and archaeological sights in "Imperial City" and I spent one "extra" night there due to an airlines scheduling conflict. That afforded me some time to photograph some of the bridges and historical sights at night. To top it off, it rained throughout the evening and the night which always makes nights shots much more appealing. At one time, though, I was stranded underneath one of the Tiber River bridges because of a downpour. Boy is Rome beautiful in the rain! I stayed out until 11pm getting pictures. Some are features here in this post.
Our last Bible Study together as a group was after touring the Colosseum and the Forum. At the end of the Forum lies the Mammertine Prison where Paul spent his final days before being executed in 67AD. Across form that prison is an ancient church with about 30 steps. We were able to sit there and consider Paul's journey to Rome after appealing to Caesar in Caesarea by the Sea near Tel Aviv, Israel. As we sat there, and sang and shared the word, we ended our wonderful trip to Israel and Rome. It was a great time, but the BEST was getting off the plane in Albuquerque and then walking in the front door of my house. Whats better than trip to Rome? The people that make your life HOME!

Israel and Rome

Overlooking the sight of the ancient Temple Mount in Jerusalem as the the day gives way to night.



The last two weeks marked my 32nd visit to Israel. Though I've been to these biblical sites since 1978 and seen the development of this nation over the past thirty years, I love seeing the transformation that happens to people who go on a tour with me to Israel. The land is beautiful and diverse; the people are a combination of sweet and tough; the biblical places are magnificent. But the best part of all is that one walks away with a deeper conviction in the veracity and power of the Bible and the Scriptures "come to life" well after the tour has ended. What one sees while being in the Land of the Bible helps correct and "focus" what one reads thereafter. We traveled from Joppa to Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee to the valley of Armageddon to Jerusalem. After our tour with 150 people, about 40 of us went to Rome for a few days and were able to have our closing Bible Study on the steps of a church that face the Mammertine Prison in Rome where Paul spent his final days before being sentenced at the Basilica Julia and then beheaded on the Apian Way outside the walls of Rome in 67AD. I only wish that Lenya, Nate and Janae could have ben my traveling companions. They stayed behind due to the circumstances of Nate's broken leg that still needs quite a bit of care. Here are some visual highlights:

The "Banias" river--the headwaters of the Jordan River that feeds all the land of Israel from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.



This is an entrance to a building in Old Joppa (where Jonah tried to run from God). Taken on a tripod with a long exposure to blur the people in the doorway and give them a ghostlike appearance.



A lone figure ascends the stairs of an ancient walkway in Old Jerusalem near the sight of where Jesus was condemned by Pilate.



Remains of the Roman City of Beth Shean where Kings Saul's bopdy was desecrated (New Testament Scythopolis of the New Testament, the capital of the Decapolis)



Inside one of the many ancient churches in Rome.

My Grandson!

How cool is this? I'm standing in the ultrasound room right now on my
iPhone with my family. It's a boy! Janae is due at the end of August.
This is super awesome!

Jesus is Coming

"Jesus is coming!", announced my friend Greg Laurie as he kicked off the opening session at the "Preach the Word Prophecy Conference" at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside this past Saturday. Similar in scope to the "Epicenter" Conference that Joel Rosenberg and I did in Jerusalem a couple of years ago and the "Alert '08 Prophecy Conference" at Calvary of Albuquerque two years ago, we again had an "all star" cast. Dr. Tim LaHaye, Lt. Gnrl Jerry Boykin, Joel Rosenberg, Greg and I spent the day setting the biblical scenario and giving current updates on movements in the Middle East and Washington. One of the real highlights was the interview of Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of one of the founders of Hamas. Known as the "Green Prince", Mosab was slated to succeed his father and become the leader of this formidable terrorist organization. But seeing the true face of of own extremist religion, Mosab was led to Christ by a Cab driver in London. His book is incredible (I downloaded it on my iPad).

All in all, the conference was a "home run" and the feedback we received was in wholehearted agreement. I enjoyed spending time with these men once again. They are both friends and giants. I admire their courage, scholarship and commitment to Christ. I also had the privilege of speaking at Harvest the following day for their Sunday services as well as Greg's Thursday Study in Orange County. It's always a joy to be there and reconnect with people I've known and loved for many years.

Nice Hate!

After two weeks of waiting the day for surgery has finally arrived. I
took Nate to the hospital early this morning (5:45) and he is in the
O.R. right now. He was funny--he asked one of the docs of he could
take home his external fixator hardware as a momento to hang stuff on!
That's my boy. Much thanks to all who have written and shared their
encouragement and prayers.

Easter 2010

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Wow! What another wonderful Easter. As usual, God blew our minds. At the Easter sunrise service we had 87 first time commitments to Christ and 50 re-dedications. Not to mention the dozens of others during our two other morning services. Go God!

I felt blessed to be around such wonderful men and women throughout the day, especially those who helped make each service extraordinary. A special thanks goes to Charlie Hall, Steve Stucker, Allan Wey, and our very own Calvary worship team. Their participation in each service was greatly appreciated.

Happy Easter to each of you. May the Lord bless you as you meditate on His resurrection!

Skip

PS. Enjoy this short video from some of our Easter guests.

Happy Good Friday?

Why do Christians refer to this day as Good Friday? Why would anyone call the day that someone they deeply loved who suffered and died an excruciating and shameful death good? Death is a dreadful thing! Well, we say that it’s good because of the good results that followed from that day. Jesus' death was part the Father’s plan so that man’s sinful condition could be remedied. It’s sort of like surgery. On Monday my son Nate will go into the hospital for another surgery—the reconstruction of his tibial plateau in his knee. They will cut him with a knife and he will bleed! Screws and plates will be affixed to his bones and then he will have stitches that will leave a permanent scar. And yet we are all looking forward to it! We have been for two weeks already! Why? Because without that surgery, he would never be able to walk again! But with the surgery completed, he will be able to enjoy the rest of his life with mobility! Today is the day that we celebrate the life granted to us through the death of Jesus Christ.Thank You, Lord. Happy Good Friday to all of you!

Nates Going Home

This is at least a bit happier picture than the one of the last few days. Nate is feeling somewhat better today and will be going home (to our place) for a few days until he can have the needed surgery to reconstruct his tibial plateau. The device in his leg will keep the bones in proper alignment as well as providing the required tension that the accident removed. The physical therapist has been in his room making him get out of bed, move to a chair and use his walker--all needed steps towards recovery.

A Long Recovery

Nate is in the hospital for today. I just left there. He was very tired from post-op recovery after an external fixator splint was placed in his left leg. The x-ray I posted a few days ago showed the femoral condyle pushing down on Nate's tibia. Those bones were separated and rotated today for stability and then fixed by this apparatus but the real surgery won't take place for at least another week or so. He will go home for a few days and then have to come back. At that point several screws and a plate will need to be used to reconstruct the damaged area before his long recovery can begin. Sigh!!!!

Fun Can Hurt Sometimes

OK, my son Nate & I love to have fun!!! Lots of it!!! We always have. We mountain bike, road bike, snowboard and even skateboard together. In fact my wife Lenya got us the coolest electric skateboards for Christmas. These are pretty beefy boards equipped with off-road pneumatic tires to soften rough road and bumps--they're very cool! And yes we ride with helmets and wrist guards. (I know the picture above doesn't show it but Nate had his gear on when his "accident" happened yesterday). It was late afternoon and we were having a great time around campus on our boards. Well, Nate loves to stretch his skills to a higher level in anything he does and it usually pays off. This time, it didn't pay off; it exacted a pretty hefty fine! He was going down some mild steps on our church campus by one of our buildings called, "The Hub" (a feat he had earlier mastered) when he lost his footing and stepped (actually lunged) his left foot forward with a mighty thud. The impact of his weight pushing downward and laterally was enough to crack and displace his tibial plateau (The upper articulating surface of the large bone in his lower leg). Even our friend Dr. Heckle said it was unbelievable. At any rate, this bone is now cracked in several places due to his femur pushing downward on it(as seen in the antero-posterior Xray above). He is in surgery today. Please pray for him and his wife Janae. Nate confessed last night on his bed in the E.R., "I really need to stop this kind of activity, don't I?" He's a great guy who had a bad fall. Your love and prayers are appreciated.