Oklahoma

Oklahoma City was one of the saddest places for me to talk to people. When the Tour was in the City we went to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. We were asking people the question, “What is Evil?” As we were walking around the Memorial I found it hard and a little awkward for myself to walk up to people and ask them what evil is. Here we were, in a setting where great evil had been committed. In the center of the memorial there is a reflection pool marking the spot where a bomb was set off, killing men, women and sadly children. On the sides of the reflection pool there are chairs set up representing every life that was lost. Before we entered the Memorial we were split into small teams of two-three. Austin, Kristina and I were on the same team and as we were walking we approached a husband and wife. When we asked the husband what he believes evil is, he told us to be prepared for a lengthy answer because he's a college professor. He asked us, “What is cold?” I said the absence of heat. He asked, “What is darkness?” The absence of light. “What is evil?” The absence of good. I asked him what is good, he said that only God is good. Evil is the absence of God.
-Kristen Judson-

Where Are All The People?

The second day of ministry was a very interesting one. We had planned on going to a park and talking to people and asking what is our purpose. However, when we got to the park, there were no people. So we left the park and as we were driving, we still could not find a place with enough people to interview. Finally, as noon was approaching, we ended up going to a Wal-Mart parking lot looking for people. Austin and I were given the camera and then sent off to try and interview people as they were either coming or going. We talked to about six or seven people. One of the answers that stuck out to me was a lady, when asked what is our purpose, her answer was to just survive. If surviving were our only purpose, then why would God have created us? Why would He have shown us grace and mercy by sending His son to die for us? After interviewing this lady, Austin and I talked to another man whom I believe had the correct answer. He told us that our purpose is to fulfill the Great Commission by studying God's word and teaching others what we have learned; to raise our children in a Godly manner teaching them to study the Gospel and share it with others. This guys answer amazed me! He not only knows that man is not here on Earth by some accident, but he knows what our purpose is.
-Kristen Judson-

Re-cap of New Orleans Johnny Balloon

So we were in New Orleans and what touched me the most about New Orleans was all the homeless living there. I was not expecting such a large population of homeless living in New Orleans and quite frankly I was mad, Mad that there was nothing being done about the homeless situation by the church or anyone else for that matter.

We met only one man that was trying to make a difference there and his name was Johnny Balloon. Johnny balloon was quite the amazing man, He could quote scripture off the top of his head. He had such an amazing memory that he said was a gift from God. He was sixty-four and challenged me to a arm wrestling matched. I happily agreed and happily lost. Johnny Balloon is not the every day man, He's not rich he's just a ordinary man that brings food to the homeless, Stops and prays with them, Talks with them, Does what he can to help them and make their lives better. I will always consider it a honor to have met such a man as Johnny balloon. I hope some day our paths will cross again and that his story will inspire others as he has inspired me. Maybe even challenge him to re-match at arm wrestling.

What Happened!?!

When I’m asked about our Tour and everything that happened I must admit, I don’t exactly know where to begin…

We learned so much about the heritage of our country and the foundation of our nation.

We had opportunities to talk to hundreds of people about their beliefs and worldviews.

We found out that an incredible amount of people don’t really know what they believe.

We shared the message of the cross with anyone who would listen.

We talked to Muslims, An insane amount of foreign people (tourists), Homosexuals, Christians, Agnostics, Atheists, and just about everything in between.

We acknowledged that there is no such thing as mere mortals.

We realized that it is our JOB as Christians to tell the rest of the world about the God who created them, the relationship He wants with them and that without accepting Him they WILL spend eternity without Him, in Hell.

We prayed for mercy and grace for those continually mock, reject, and simply do not surrender to the One who died for their souls.

We woke up to the fact that although we are scared and insecure about talking to total strangers about spiritual things, it is not us who speaks but He who is in us. The word of God is POWERFULL, and His strength is made perfect through our weakness.

And because we have been washed by the power of His blood, because of the love that He has shown toward us, because we offered ourselves as living sacrifices to Him.....

HE DID INCREDIBLE THINGS!!!!!

-Alexzandra

Whew!

Wow, what a trip. One camera, three vehicles, 17 people, 26 states (New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhoad Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas) 7100 miles, and well over a thousand conversations and meetings.

We visited the Cadillac Ranch, Oklahoma City bombing Memorial, Wall Builders headquarters, the Fort Worth Stockyards, Jackson Square in New Orleans, The Chickamauga Civil War Battlefield in Chattanooga, The Charleston Market, Jamestown Living Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, the Gettysburg Wax Museum, Christian Commission Museum, National Cemetery, Plymouth Rock, the Jenney Grist Mill, The Old North Church, Quincy Market, Paul Revere’s home, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Christ Church, Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, Times Square NYC, Statue of Liberty, Family Resource Council headquarters, U.S. Capitol, Monuments in Washington (Washington, Lincoln, FDR, Korean, WWII, and Jefferson) the Smithsonian, Creation Museum, St Louis Arch, and Main street Branson.

We road on the New Orleans Trolley, Staten Island Ferry, Philadelphia T, and the NY, Boston, and DC subways. We ate gumbo in Louisiana, pizza in New York, Steak and Cheese in Philly, chowder in Boston, shrimp on Roanoke island, chili in Cincinnati, and pork steaks in St. Louis. We sat in George Washington’s pew, held a revolutionary rifle, boarded a colonial ship, meet with the Chaplin of the Senate in his chambers, saw Chinese acrobats, watched many street performers, saw Paul Baloche and Big Daddy Weave in concert, and members of the team got to pet a Zorse, get bucked off a mechanical bull, ride a longhorn, and swim in the Atlantic Ocean.

We were interviewed by KLOVE radio, Bridge FM, CBN, and CC Magazine. We met with Mormons, Muslims, Jehovah Witnesses, Buddhists, Jews, Atheists, Agnostics, Psychics, Tarot card readers, Professors, Debate teams, homeless people, intoxicated people, Christians of every flavor, and people from Denmark, Trinidad, Spain, England, Russia, Ireland, Germany, Australia, France, and a few Americans.

We slept at a bazillion campgrounds, four churches, and one parking-lot on Staten Island. We spent uncountable hours cheek to cheek in vehicles, studying our Bibles, and reading great books. But more important than all of this, I believe we heard from God. I have heard from the team that they have been touched and challenged to live their destiny. We are not here by accident so we must live on purpose. I truly believe the trip has just begun!

WHERE DO WE COME FROM?

Well this is the last video from
the road, but not the last video!

We have more planned. We had
a lot of miles to cover in a little
time so this video was made
across three states. We asked,
"Where do we come from?"
and got some interesting answers.
Check it out and please comment.

The Faiths of Our Fathers

Hey guys! We were in Washington DC the past few days and it was incredibly amazing and incredibly sad. It was amazing to see the monuments and the memorials and there direct references to God. It was sad because even though the direct references to God were so plainly seen people still refer to our founding fathers as “deists”. Thomas Jefferson was the most liberal and unorthodox of all the Founding Fathers, besides Benjamin Franklin, and at the Jefferson Memorial the Jefferson quote reads;
"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master and slave is despotism. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Establish a law for educating the common people. This it is the business of the state and on a general plan."
That’s a Christian and there’s no doubt about it.
-Frank