We have been in California now for almost a week and this was my first visit of California. I always heard good things about California but I did not know what to expect but now I know that I love California. We flew in from Houston, Texas to Palm Springs, California where Brother Sören Samuelsson picked us up. He took us out for an immediate sightseeing of the area and it was totally different to any where else I have been, so beautiful with all the hills mountains and canyons. God created something really special here. I still guess all places are special and precious but when you get used to one place it gives you so much to see new places and when you see new places you also see God as the creator and I can not imagine how wonderful this earth would be if God would have been in charge over it. Today we know that this world is in the hands of the devil and that this world is going downhill. We see it everywhere and it is going to get worse. This is also written a long time ago and when you read Matthew chapter 24 you get a picture of what it is going to be like in the end of the time. Jesus is definitely coming back soon and it just gives me more fire to be out here and there to preach the message of salvation to all the people that God sends in my way and I want to go through all the doors that God is opening for me and my ministry. We are living very interesting times!
Last wednesday Brother Sören took us out on a bike ride and it was absolutely gorgeous. We visited a small town in the mountains called Pioner Town and it is an old wild west village. We shot two episodes for the Life in Him TV show up there, one with Brother Sören and one with Brother Teemu. Both of them have awesome testimonies. Later that same night I had the privilege to speak at Northgate Community Church in Cathedral City and it was another wonderful night in the presence of the Lord. Met some really wonderful brothers and sisters and we all had a wonderful time. They already set up a new date for next year and I can't wait to come back.
From Palm Springs and Palm Desert we headed towards Oceanside, California and on the way we stopped by Rivers Edge Ranch to hook up with some Brother. I got to meet Brother Big Al Aceves, one of the founding members of the Mongols motorcycle club. Today he is a born again Christian and his life story just blew my mind away. After telling me how he made a deal with the devil and killed people in Vietnam and the way he did it first freaked me out but when he told me how he met Jesus and what he has been doing since then I just saw Jesus all over this man. He made such an impact on me and it is in people like him we really can see that nothing is impossible for Jesus. Today he has the Rivers Edge Ranch witch is a recovery center for men. So wonderful to see the work they do for the Lord and it was a great honor to be able to give my testimony to these men and sing some of my songs. At the ranch we also met Pastor Andy, who also used to be a leader for the Mongols MC and we got both Big Al's and Pastor Andy´s testimonies documented for our Life in Him TV show. Praise God, what a wonderful time we had at the ranch.
We continued our journey towards the coast and in Oceanside Pastor Z (Fred Zariczny) met up with us and took over the show. Brother Sören left us here and since then we have been hanging out with Pastor Z who is another wonderful man of God that God Himself placed in my way in Daytona earlier this year. Pastor Z is the founder and leader of the Bikers For Christ Motorcycle Ministry and he has been doing this for the last 22 years. BFC have chapters in all the states of America and chapters world wide. BFC has an army of 4000 members preaching the Gospel to the lost. They are doing such an awesome work and that he and the rest of them accepted us with open arms is just a big proof of being humble and these people really know Jesus.
Friday night we went out riding and we got to see more of California, still so beautiful. Saturday night they held a concert at Rushing Wind Biker Church here in Oceanside that is part of Pastor Z's ministry. I got to play with the Full Throttle Band including Pastor Z on bass and some other wonderful Christian musicians. We had an awesome time and it was a long time ago I got to rock like that. Loud and heavy, actually it felt good as it was all about Jesus! I gave my testimony and sang my songs and I did not know that my story had such an impact on people. I realized again where I come from and that it is all by God's Amazing Grace I am still here. I am so thankful to be able to do this. After the night we all had a laugh and I wondered what I do wrong when I get all the Californian women to cry. Well, it has nothing to do with me, it is all about Jesus.
Sunday morning I got up too early and we had a long but wonderful day. We started off with church at Rushing Winds Biker Church in the morning and Pastor Z delivered a wonderful and powerful message about the times we are living in. He really ministered to me and I really started to think about the return of Jesus Christ. After the service we took the bikes and we had another wonderful ride down to San Diego. It was veterans day so it was a very special day over here.
Monday Pastor Z took us out for another ride to San Diego and we visited some nice places before it was time to return to Oceanside, CA and our hotel to pack our bags. Tuesday morning we got up very early as we were going to be taken to Los Angeles early in the morning. Pastor Z took us there and we got to see some parts of the big city. Personally I did not like Los Angeles at all, too busy. Los Angeles is like a jungle. The good thing was that we got to hang out more with Pastor Z and being able to hang out with him these days has really ministered to me. I feel renewed and I am now looking forward to continue Mission America 2012 and minister all over the place.
Last night we came back to Houston, Texas and Sister Teresa Sutherland and Brother Mike Sutherland picked us up at the airport and took us out for a fantastic dinner at one of the best mexican restaurants in town, called Papasitos. Tonight we have a meeting at Family Church of Houston and I am looking forward to that. This is my third time in this church and I hope there will be some new people listening to what I have to say. Tomorrow Brother Teemu is flying back home to Finland and I continue over here and I fly down to Florida.
This Friday I will be at Heaven's Way's Biker Church in Cottondale, Florida together with Heaven's Saint's and this coming Sunday I will be at Pastor Buddy Tipton's church, Central Assembly of God in Vero Beach, FL. The following week I will be ministering out of Common Ground Vineyard Church in Fort Pierce and after that it is time for Michigan and Ohio. I feel so blessed being able to do this and I love all the response I have received from the "Life in Him Video Blog". If you haven't checked that out you might want to do that, there is one new video every day and all is based on a true missionary trip to USA, Mission America 2012. You can check it out by clicking HERE!
I would like you all who feel led to say a prayer for this ministry to do so. God is opening many doors and many opportunities to share the Gospel all around the world not only by traveling but also through the Life in Him TV shows and programs. Making this costs money and funds are needed. We believe that God will provide in all our needs but we also know that God is using people who can to sow into different projects. If YOU feel led to sow into this ministry you are more than welcome to. We all knows that God loves a happy giver!
Love you all!
In Christ
Pontus
