Counting my Blessings
September 14, 2009
What a weekend! God showed me how real and faithful He is once again!
I have been praying since April to be able to be a part of the Basketball Hall of Fame introducing Michael Jordan. I have been in contact with the Hall of Fame since then about a possibility of performing at any of the Enshrinement events. Just a week ago I found out that they definitely did not a "fit" for me and my presentation. However, I just had this feeling that I REALLY wanted to go. I kept praying and God had me check out the schedule of the Enshrinement events online. I found out that one event on Friday, September 11 was free, open to public and was similar to Hoop City at the College basketball Final Four. I decided to suggest that would be a great fit, and asked for a recommendation from Amber who run the Final Four in Detroit last April. She did, but I still got no response from the Hall of Fame. I kept praying, and God told me to just go to the free event anyway. I was not sure it was really the thing to do, but told Matt I made my mind and asked him to watch the girls. He said "OK", but he also "it will probably be waste of your time". I said I will go and see...It was only a four hour drive.
Went to the Pep Rally (the free event) - started spinning my basketball, and had all kinds of kids and adults around me non-stop. I had them also spin, with my help, of course. They liked it a lot.
After that starts the great part... Went to the actual introduction of the inductees part at the pep Rally, sat next to a nice lady, started talking about how I felt God wanted me to come even though I did not have a ticket for the main event. The lady (Rita) listened to me, had tears in her eyes and said, "Yes, Lord did want you to come", and gave me a ticket to the Enshrinement and the afterparty. I was thanking God - I was really overwhelmed. I could not believe it just happened! Rita said she was from Phoenix, AZ and had her daughter and two kids fly in from NC. However, one of the kids was terrified of flying and did not come. So, she had an extra ticket. What is the chance of me sitting next to Rita, talking to her, and her having an extra ticket and actually giving it to me!!! Not only that, Rita invited me to meet them at the hotel and go to the event together. In the hotel lobby I met couple gentleman who offered me tickets for the next day's event -Saturday at Mohegan Sun Casino. I said no, because I thought I would meet Michael Jordan on Friday... Did I mention Rita gave me tickets to after-party as well? Met some other nice people in the lobby, and then Rita came and we went to the event in a LIMO! How cool is that?! I have never even been in a limo before.
Had great time listening to all the inductees at the ceremony - loved Michael's sense of humor. He is funny. At the after-party met some more very nice people, especially Dave Cooks. But no Michael Jordan... They said he left - so I decided to track down the gentleman who offered me tickets to Saturday night's event. Being so close to meeting Michael, I had to give it another try:) And that I did... Got the tickets went to a hotel. Next morning drove to Mohegan Sun In CT, and went looking for a perfect dress. Went to several stores - nothing. Decided to go right to Casino. They only 2 dress stores there - nothing good. Then checked this tiny little boutique store and found a bright red dress that fit just perfect! Awesome, thank you God once again!!! Went to do my hair as well - had the same hair dresser that Michael Jordan's girlfriend had the night before. And with my heals on, I looked good!
Went to the Saturday nights event in a red dress, high heals and a black basketball. Started spinning it, and had all kinds of people come up to me - the Hall of Fame stuff had to move me several times for crowd control - they were not too happy with me. I did not do that on purpose. Then one of the Trustees from the hall of Fame came up to me and told me how happy they were that I was there! All of a sudden, the stuff let me bring my basketball in, and sat me at a very close by table to all the action. That was cool. However, I did not spend ANY time at my table, not even sure at all what food was served. I was constantly spinning basketball - people were asking and taking pictures. Got to meet more very nice people. The night went great. However, my hopes of meeting Michael Jordan did not come true after-all. Came close, but the couple guys who promised me to introduce me to him did not come through...Oh, well. I had a great time, really had fun and met nice people. I am so thankful to God for His faithfulness and blessing.
By the way, if I were to buy the tickets for all these events, it would be over $1,000...
September 28, 2009
Have had a very difficult time again communicating with my Dad. He is not saved, neither is my mom or brothers back in Latvia. I have been sharing the Gospel and talking about Jesus, God and the Bible to them every chance I got for the last 5 years (since I got saved). However, my dad seems to get more and more hard hearted towards everything spiritual. Today was the last straw I could take for a while. After denying that God even exist, and that Jesus is the Son of God, he told me that I should only share my experiences when I get 30 years older, learn anything about life, and achieve anything of any significance in life... How about that from your own father? It's hard. I am asking God to help me forgive once again, but I will step aside and not communicate for a while with my family. Please pray for me, and most importantly, please pray that my dad, mom and 2 brothers come to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Even through all this, I know God is control and will work it all out for His Glory. I love Him.
September 28, 2009
Wow... I am doing great. Just had about 1 hr exchange on Skype email with my brother's girlfriend in Latvia. My brother and Laura have a 4 year old boy. She is very "curious" about God, but keeps inventing god in her own head. She got quite disturbed when I implied that she does not believe the Bible is God's Word. I said, OK, i guess you do... But then we came to the point in the conversation where she just could not agree with me that Jesus in the ONLY way to God, and that Christians should go to church. I said, it is not my OPINION - "thus says the Bible". "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 I told Laura - if you do not believe that Jesus is the only way, means you do not believe that Bible is God's Word and Truth. No response. The only saving grace is, I remember I was the same way before the grace of God saved me... So, please pray for Laura as well. Of course, my whole family in Latvia needs to be saved...
God is faithful. He is giving me more opportunities to witness to my family.
September 30, 2009
I am thinking of putting together an instructional/motivational/inspirational video. Looking for your feedback. Thinking of something that would have basic drills on it for use in Upward Basketball practices, as well as the motivational and trick parts of my presentation, plus advanced tricks section (3-6 basketballs) for older kids, teenagers and possibly adults.
I put first 10 min DEMO of some dribbling drills on youtube
So, I am thinking of a video something like this:
Play for God:
Right Attitude; Basketball Basics and Advanced tricks
Part 1. 20 min Motivational Show – show highlights:
Tricks one song
Talk about putting God first
Talk about work hard
Tricks to another song
Talk about having fun, enjoying life
Tricks and volunteer eating pudding while a ball spins on a spoon
Talk about never give up
Volunteer spinning 5 basketballs
Talk about a balanced life – Loving God, Loving people
Part 2. 45 min Basketball dribbling basics
footwor for offense and defense
how to dribble a basketball –stance
1 ball drills
2 ball drills
dribbling with 1 and 2 basketballs in movement
basic chest passes
shooting position
games to play (follow the leader; knock-out; duck, duck, goose, passing game, etc.)
Part 3. Advanced tricks
dribbling 3, 4, 5 and 6 basketballs
spinning one basketball
spinning tricks with one and two basketballs
juggling 3-4 basketballs
balance board and tricks
October 3, 2009
Got some new AWESOME songs on itunes "Let The Waters Rise" by Mikeschair and "He is" Mark Schultz. They join my number 1-2 songs right now: "Born Again" Third Day and "Alive again" Matt Maher. I LOVE K-Love. I love to just put on the songs, dance and worship in the livingroom. Our girls have gotten used to it :)
Decided to go on America Got Talent - pray for audition to go great November 1 in NYC. Use it all for the Glory of God in Jesus name. Looking forward to church tomorrow and performing at youth rally at North Syracuse Christian Church. Praying for Harvey and his grandmother.
October 4, 2009
Just came home from visiting, performing and sharing with a youth group at North Syracuse Christian Church. It was very intimate, just 20-30 people, great. Saw Jelena and her parents who adopted her from Latvia couple years ago. That's another God story... When we first got to Syracuse in 2003, I started practicing the basketball tricks every day after having 2 baby girls. To be able to keep practicing without pain, I started going to a chiropractor Carrie Goettsch, DC, who kept me going ( and still does - she is the BEST, and her father is in Basketball Hall of Fame). Couple weeks ago one of Carrie's office managers said I looked like I was from Eastern Europe because I looked like Jelena, a girl who went with her on a mission trip to Ukraine. I thought to myself for a second: there cannot be that many Jelenas around, and I knew "my" Jelena had been thinking about going on a mission trip to Ukraine last Spring. I put it all together and said - I know Jelena, I kind of helped her parents to get her adopted to US! So, the office manager whoes name is Thea told me her husband is a pastor at North Syracuse Christian Church. That's how I got to go to their youth group kick-off event! God works in miraculous ways and somehow gets it all done just right :)
We could not event these stories if we wanted to - it's all God! Thank you, Jesus.
October 26, 2009
I have been practicing very hard for the last month to get ready for the America Got Talent audition (see audition I am preparing here) that I will go on November 1, 2009 in NYC. They gave me an appointment time of 2:45pm, but I am not sure how close to that time I will actually get to audition. I have been reading some other performer experiences at the auditions, and almost all of them said that they were VERY late in getting to audition - one person had appointment at 2:00pm but got to audition at 10:15pm! I have a 5 hour drive to get home after the audition, so I am praying that i won't have to wait longer than couple hours. Decided not to bring girls with me because of the long drive and uncertaint wait times. I will bring a DVD with them performing with me. I really hope to make it on the show, so pray for me, please. I have put all other projects and marketing efforts on hold for now to see what God has in plan with AMG.
November 2, 2010
Went to America Got Talent audition yesterday, November 1 in NYC. It went great. The car ride only took 4 hours, so I arrived before my appointment time. They took me in right away, avoiding all the lines and wait time. The first audition went great and they sent me to audition with the executive producers. That audition went good as well. Hopefully i will get a call back, however, won't find out until January. Saw a LOT of singers and dancers there - may be they will give us a chance just because we are so different :) I did not bring the girls with me but brought a video tape of them - the producers really liked the girls dribbling 2-3 basketballs. If I make it to the next round, I will bring the girls with me. I already told them last night that they will have to practice at least 2-3 time a week until January to be ready. They are excited!
I am also very excited that I might get a chance to travel with SU women's basketball team to Cancun, Mexico end of November and perform for their tournament there. It would be a great break from the Syracuse weather and from the little Boobin (our19 months old baby) who is very "screemy" lately because of her molars coming in. Life if great because God is great and faithful! Thank you Jesus.
November 13, 2009
Getting ready for a show tonight in Trumbull, CT. A last minute booking. Our baby kept us up AGAIN last night, so it will be very challenging today - I have to drive 5 hours to the show, present at 7pm, and then drive 5 hours back. Pray for us. Marika is coming with me (7yr. old), and we will have the presentation porfessionally video-taped to include in the video I am trying to put together. Never knew how EXPENSIVE it is to produce a professional video. Want to put something together that Upward basketball coaches and any other beginner basketball player coaches could use, as well as include clips from our shows and advanced trick section for older kids. I got an estimate of $5,000 to produce that... I do not have even one thousand. As a matter of fact, we are in big financial trouble as probably a lot of you are. If God leads you and you are interested to invest in this video project, let me know. I figure we could make up the investment in couple Springs when I perform for the Upward basketball (www.upward.org). Email me if you want to hear more about this video project and want to be part of it.
November 14, 2009
God showed His faithfulness once again. Drove 5 hours to Trumbull, CT yesterday. On the way there, saw a BAD accident where a van went off the road into the opposite side of the road, into the ditch and knocked down a telephone poll. I pray that nobody got killed or seriously injured. About 10 min after we passed the accident scene, we heard an announcement on the radio about it and that the road was now closed. We must have passed just minutes after it happened. We could have been in the lane as the van crossed over and drove into the telephone poll. God kept us safe and got us to the show on time. Had a lot of kids remembering me from last year's show, and had a great response to the Gospel Invitation. Children have such open hearts that are not yet hardened by the world. Jesus said "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them. For it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs." Matthew 19:14
God also got us home on a fast drive, I did not have to stop once even though we started the 5 hr drive home at 9pm and the night before I did not get much sleep at all because of the baby. Marika came with me, and did a GREAT job dribbling 2-3 basketballs and helping out. We also had the show video-taped by a local professional who I contacted just a day before. He came to the show right after his father-in-law's funeral... Which I just found out yesterday. I pray that he and his family open their hearts to Jesus in this hard time, so that God can help them heal and show His purpose even through pain.
We never know who God is going to bring into our lives, and what is going to happen the next day. But God is in control and He is faithful and good, always.
December 4, 2009
Have been working hard on the Christian Basketball Instructiona Video. "Play for God - Right Attitude, Basketball Basics and Advanced Tricks". Have been going to the gym with the girls and their friends to video tape and come up with what we want to put on it. I also put together highlights from our last professionally video-taped Christian presentation, and would include 20 min of that in the video. I think a lot of youth coaches and players could benefit from this video.
If you are interested to sponsor me to make this video professionally - let me know. Have a nice Christmas season!
December 13, 2009
Have been working very hard on the video. Have been also going through some older videos, and having fun watching them. Check them out below. God Bless you, and have a Merry Christmas!
LINKS :
December 28, 2009
Hope you had a Merry Christmas! We just got back from spending time with family in Vermont. What a wonderful time! Thank you, Jesus and Happy Birthday! We are snowed in here in Syracuse today, so working on cathcing up with computer stuff. We are supposed to find out if we made it on America Got Talent sometime in January. Please pray that we do, it would be great exposure and God could use us to reach more people.
December 28, 2009
Have had quite the time with all the snow and cold we just got in Syracuse. Looking forward to a show or two in "warm" states :). Let me know if you are interested. In January will come for just travel costs, especially to Florida. Here is a video from the last half-time we did right before Christmas at SU women's game (on the right). SU women are ranked in top 25 in the country but Syracuse fans have not cought up yet, so not many in the audience yet. We will perform for them again January 30 against Notre Dame, and February 24 against Connecticut.
January 15, 2010
Happy New Year! Time fies! Still working hard on the Christian Instructional video - had most of the video taped last week and will have the rest taped tomorrow. Then will send it off to edit at Breakawaytv.com. Hoping to have it ready for March shows, God willing. Check the promo I put together on the right.
Have been praying for everyone in Haiti. What a heartbreak! God is still in control, though. Makes me appreciate how good we have it...
January 30, 2010
Had a great basketball day today. Coached my girls at Upward basketball game this morning at North Syracuse Baptist Church. And then we did a half-time show for the Syracuse vs. Notre Dame women's basketball game at the Dome. It was a high-school day at the Dome, so had over 3,000 people in audience. You can check the show out on the right. Iliana did great singing and dribbling, as did Marika and their best friend Giana. Boobin came out at the end again and brought the crown down spinning the ball on the finger. Just being CUTE.
February 12, 2010
Feeling a bit dissappointed. Got a GREAT offer to go and juggle in Israel, but then it turned out that they were looking for someone over 50... Never in my life did I think being 50 was something I desired :) Have been thinking how great that would be to go to the birthplace of Jesus. Oh, well. God must have a reason. Seems like lately that's what has been happening - I get the "glimpses" for great opportunities to perform, and then they all fall through... If I did not have faith, I would be depressed... But I know that Romans 8:28 says "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." So, I am not depressed, I am HAPPY and BLESSED to spend more time with my three beautiful daughters. Looking forward to busy end of February-March with Upward celebrations!
March 2, 2010
Back from several Upward Basketball presentations in MO, TX, CT and TN. Wow... God really showed me once again how great and faithful He is. Had smooth travels everywhere, bags arrived with me everywhere as well, except TX. However, there I got to hang out with some great Christian guys who helped us pull all the equipment together before the show by making a new spinning board, new balance board and getting some basketballs. I am just so amazed how God used me again to have many kids make decision for Christ. There is NOTHING more satisfying to me. I love the Lord and am so THANFUL He uses me and still let's me play with basketballs :) Some more Upward shows coming up. I also got a chance to offer the Insturctional video I put together at home before breakawaytv.com does the professional one. If you got one of them, let me know what you think.
March 24, 2010
Upward basketball celebration season is almost over. Our girls (and me as a coach) have our celebration this Saturday (but I am not the performer). We have another presentation in Madrid, NY next Wednesday. Not as busy this year as years past, not sure why...But God knows :) Looking forward to our events at God's Vision Retreat (www.GodsVision.net) this Spring. First one April 10. Not going to Final Four this year either... Not sure what God has in plan, but don't seem to get any "breaks" lately. Oh, well. Hope to have great last show at SU women's NIT basketball game Friday. May God Bless you and keep trusting Him no matter what else is going on in your life!
March 26, 2010
Took professional family pictures last night for the first time in 5 years. Tomorrow we have AWANA games and our girls Upward Celebration. Full day giving thanks to God. Next week my last Upward presentation for this Spring in Madrid, NY. Easter is around the corner! Jesus is ALIVE and GREAT, I talked to Him today!
April 16, 2010
Officially found out today that I did not make it on America Got talet show. Somewhat dissappointed, since I do not understand - why. I was called by 3 different people from AGT to come audition, got a set time to audition, did good, and got no callback. Why would they be so insistent on me auditioning, then see exactly what they expected to see, and not call me back?!? Does not make any sense… I guess God is showing me once again that He has another plan. Juts got to wait and see what it is, but I know it is good.
April 17, 2010
Just got an email asking if I want to be put on the standy for the America's Got Talent Show taping this coming Wednesday-Friday in NYC. Only couple people get to be on standby. I barely missed it...Pray I make it or have peace with not making it. It's been quite hard waiting since October 31 when I auditioned to find out...
Have you seen the show "Food Revolution"? I love the way the guy talks. Everything is "brilliant" or "massive"... I feel like talking like that... It was a massive dissappoinment not to make AGT... They emailed me today... Just brilliant...
April 22, 2010
Well...Did not make the show in NYC. Chicago is taping today and tomorrow. Still in denial that I did not make America Got Talent this year. I really thought I would... Something good will come out of it, though, because God said in Romans 8:28," And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Moving on.
May 5, 2010
Applied for America's Got Talent Youtube contest. They will pick 40 acts to be reviewed by the judges, and then the judges will decide to bring 11 acts to perform in front of them, and one act will be voted in by the fans. Voting will be in June.
May 6, 2010
Have been inspired lately to practice and perform to Newsboys song "Something Beautiful". Have already syncronized the tricks to it, now just need to make it "smooth". Thinking of putting a music video in the background, and having possibly Iliana sing it, and Marika and Boobin come out in the middle of the song. More dancing style. I got permission from the Newsboys manager :)
May 12, 2010
Filmed the practice this morning to the new song. Let me know what you think. Mute the video on the right for a full effect. Imagine the video on the right in my background...
May 19, 2010
Cannot stop listening to Paul Baloche new cd Glorious. It is just such a great WORSHIP CD!!! I started my love of Christian music with Paul's song "Open the Eyes of My Heart", and 6 years later Pauls' song is back to be my #1 favorite. Glorious, my eyes have seen the glory of the Lord!
May 20, 2010
Have been invited to present at Christian Women's Club at Dibbles Inn in Vernon, NY tonight. Iliana was very surprised and asked me "Why would you perform for adults?" ...I kind of agree with her... God must have a plan. I plan on sharing my testimony briefly besides dribbling and spinning. Praying for God to use us however He wants to.
Last week or so have been working on the video again. What happen was the Breakaway.tv decided that they could not help me afterall. So, I prayed and looked for another editor and God led David Scherzer who works with Big East Video productions to help me. Hoping to have the video by the time we go to the Word of Life Camp July 10-17 in Adirondacks.
June 12, 2010
Looking forward to another outreach event in Swanton, VT this coming Saturday, June 19th. We had a great day in Taylor Park, Saint Albans last Saturday. More info at www.GodsVision.net. Still working on the Instructional Video, hopefully will get it out by the time we go to the Word of Life Camp July 10-17 in Adirondacks. God is so faithful!
August 6, 2010
After almost a year of trying, I finally made it to an audition for America Got Talent show in Hollywood, CA. However, I did NOT advance to the live show. Very dissappointed, but life goes on. I wish I knew WHY I did not advance because I thought I did good on the audition (again...). I guess God has other plans. Looking forward to Godstock North, our biggest Christian outreach event of the year. More at www.GodsVision.net.
Good news - our Instructional Video is finally complete, looks great, let me know if you want a copy.
August 30, 2010
Learned how to put 2 videos together! Yeah... God's Vision pictures and basketball tricks to Newsboys song "Something Beautiful". This is the new song I am working on. Have an outreach event in Burlington this weekend.
September 12, 2010
Just did a half-time for Atlanta Dream WNBA conference finals game Tuesday. Went great. So much fun. Hopefully will get the video recording soon. Then we went to our church's parking lot yesterday and just did tricks ( including Matt juggling knifes, torches and axes on top of a big box and balance board...). Met a lot of neighborhood kids, invited them to our church and AWANA wednesday night. Will be interesting how many will come...
God's Vision pictures to Newsboys song "Something Beautiful". I will use this video in the background as I perform basketball tricks. Looking forward to outreach at Allison Park Church, PA (Pittsburgh area) October 2-3, 2010. Then Upward Basketball Celebration in Washington, VT Nov. 7.
PS Started homeschooling Iliana (9 1/2) through Liberty University Onlune Academy. LOVE IT! So does Evangelica (nice having a sister at home...)
October 27, 2010
God is faithful! Finally, our video is in final production stages. Right before Christmas! It took much more time, energy and resources than I thought before we started (is it not a good thing God soes not shows us our future, we woud not dare to start some adventures if we knew all the difficulty on the way...)
We also had our God's Vision Ministry, Inc. officially designeted as a non-profit ministry, so now my our basketball shows will be a way to support the ministry and see what God has in plan in Vermont. Plese visit our ministry web page at www.GodsVision.net, if you have not yet. at Sovereigh Grace Baptist Church in Syracuse, NY last night. Had 22 kids come for basketball drills, message and pizza. All inner city neighborhood kids...
Our family life is doing great. Iliana is getting baptized at our church on October 31, 2010 (Halloween - she will never forget the date...).
My favorite song right now is Laura Saory "Grace" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FribXzqHVE
Thank you, Jesus.
November 9, 2010
I need to decide which song to go with for a secular event. Can you help me??? Watch the two videos and leave a comment. Or vote here. Or email me at theluneaus@earthlink.net
November 14, 2010
The video I put up on youtube with Chist August song "Starry Night" has had over 50,000 views in one month. Over 80% watching it are people in Poland and other European countries because somehow the video got put in coutry's biggest newspaper online. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HupdZtkDVj4
November 17, 2010
I decided to go with Train "Soul Sister" for the first round (secular event). Thanks for voting... Here is my "dress rehearsal". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugcq6WXgzwE
November 18, 2010
Taped the final version of Train "Soul Sister" (secular event). Cannot wait to get back to practicing to Christian songs :):):) Here is the final http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg6WwU2hjMQ
December 9, 2010
Wow... A lot has happened in the last couple weeks. ESPN decided to use my video in their "weir web stories of the week" on Sports Nation December 2. Here is a link: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5876137&categoryid=5092967
And the video I put on youtube with my tricks to Chris August song "Starry Night" hit 200,000 views yesterday! I guess I am pretty popular in Europe, they have been showing the clips on national TV in Romania, Greece and Poland, and Spain just had an article on their sports page yesterday. Wow... God is at work.
We are going to do half-time shows at MA Lowell this weekend, and just booked a half-time at Monroe College in Bronx end of January, so girls are excited to got to NYC and go to the big museum... God is so good to us... On another note, we just got about 4 feet of snow in 3 days, so everything is white and snowed in :) Have a nice CHRISTmas season. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to the earth to be our Savior and Lord..
February 16, 2011
Boy, time flies... A lot has happened since I last wrote in 2010...Had a chance to appear on ESPN Sports Nation and on Ellen Degeneres Show. Went great. Now looking forward to a busy Upward basketball Celebration season end of February through March. Praying that God will use me to reach kids and their families with the GOOD NEWS of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our girls are also playing Upward basketball and I am coaching them. They are having a GREAT time, and so am I. They are becoming quite the basketball players! And little Evangelica wants to keep up - she will be 3 March 4. Everything is great in Luneau family, we are all looking forward to Spring (it's been a cold and snowy winter here in Syracuse). May God keep blessing you, your family and ministry!
March 2, 2011
Just returned home from couple Upward Ceremonies: Bayside Baptist Church Feb. 27 and Glade Run United Presbyterian Church in Valencia PA on 28th. What blessings these Upward programs are to their communities! Met some GREAT people to hang out with! Thank you so much for letting me be a part of what God is doing through your churches! Bryan and Cindy, May God keep blessing you, your families and minsitry. And Gloria, may God keep giving you strengths and desire to keep going with Upward next year!
Looking forward to couple more ceremonies this coming weekend in Lakewood, NY and in Ledyard, CT (close to Hartford). Matt and his SU team already went to Big East tournament today (Hartford, CT). If they win games Thursday and Friday, we will meet up with them in CT as they play UCONN for Big East Championship. Pray that happens! Looking forward to how God will use me this March! It's AWESOME to see God at work. Thank you, Jesus!
March 8, 2011
Visited and performed at couple other great upward programs in Lakewood NY (over 400 kids) and Gallup Hill Baptist Church in Ledyard, CT. It was so nice to see Joan and Lizzie and family! I keep praying God will heal Lizzie physically and comfort her and family through it. I also pray God gives you all the energy needed to adopt a couple of 3 1/2 yr olds!
It was amazing to hear from a grandma who came up to me and shared that her granddaughter was saved after i came and performed last year, and that she just recently got baptized!!! Thank you, Jesus.
March 21, 2011
Have had couple busy weeks with Upward Celebrations. Visited Middletown Presbyterian Church in Media, PA. As I was approaching the area, I recognazed that I have been there before... It was so nice to come back after 5 years! Last time I brought Iliana and Marika, this time it was just me and Evangelica. She did AWESOME. People could not believe she was just hanging out while I was performing and talking for 45 min... Then went to Upward's program in Saint Louis, MO on March 17. Got stuck there for a WHOLE day, 12 hrs, on March 18 because the plane de-icer had broken... That was my first even flight cancellation... Had to really lean on God to have patience and "be nice"...
Then this last weekend had a great driving trip with just Evangelica to couple Christian basketball leagues in Yorkshire, NY and Truksville, PA (Roc Rec Center). Great outreach programs in the area. Had a great time traveling and staying in hotel with just Evangelica. She is quite the character! Next weekend going to SC and taking Iliana and Marika. Pray we stay healthy and safe! Gos is so awesome and faithful.
April 5, 2011
Finished Upward basketball celebration season with a trip to Charleston, SC area. Iliana and Marika came on the trip with me, Evangelica went to spend time with family in VT. On March 26, we visited First Baptist Church in Georgetown, SC and on March 27 we visited Upward celebration with pastor Bill Reynolds at Fort Johnson Baptist Church in Charleston, SC. Got a nice message from Jay Holmes at Georgetown church:
"We thoroughly enjoyed having you and the girls here on Saturday evening @ FBC Georgetown! Everyone loved the program and our pastor was particularly pleased. Of course, people were amazed with your talent, but your messages between songs/tricks were positive, uplifting, encouraging, and, most of all, spiritually and biblically sound. Thank you for coming and for doing such a great job! We hope to have you back sometime." Praise God. Thank you Jesus and Holy Spirit!
June 15, 2011
Have been having a busy and blessed spring. Traveling to Vermont and performing at outreach events in local parks. What a wonderful opportunity to see God at work! Matt is back "in the show" with some crazy tricks. We are having a blast reaching the lost in the parks. www.GodsVision.net is our ministry web site.
June 22, 2011
Applied to be on America Got Talent youtube audition again this year. They will reveal the top 40 on June 28. Not sure if it's going to happen, but still praying, if it's God's will, let it be. Have been practicing a lot and loving every minute of it. Here is the latest practice at a new place i discovered in Syracuse. Absolutely beautiful outside theatre stage. Love it! Going to VT again this weekend for the whole week. Will do outreach in parks every day. It's amazing to see God at work drawing people to Himself! Thank you, Jesus!
July 26, 2011
We had a great trip and show at the Basketball Hall of Fame last Friday. It was great to be performing at the place where they honor all the best basketball people... But, in the long run, even that does not matter... Only what's done for Christ will count... We have been performing at parks in Vermont all summer. Made some great new friends and shared the Godpel of Jesus Christ with MANY people. God is SOOO GOOD! He always gives me what i need. Not always what i want :) Thank you, Jesus
September 19, 2011
I have been invited to be on the Jay Leno show end of September. Just to do one trick to impress William Shatner. Have been practicing quite a bit :) Girls are back in school, summer went by so fast...They are at Most Holy Rosary school... Loving it so far...
We are trying to sell our house here in Syracuse, NY and move into an apartment for now. Want to be flexible to go where ever God wants us to... Have been having a GREAT time growing in the faith and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Have had couple Upward basketball programs schedule me for this coming Spring - going to OH and KS so far... I will come for just travel expenses for me and the girls to anywhere warm :):):) Especially Orlando area... God is faithful and we are so thankful for His blessings every day.
