Southern Life
As our tour down South continues we wanted to highlight our recent time in Louisiana. To say the least, we got an authentic Southern experience and the Lord surprised us many times through the people we encountered.
Our trip started in Baton Rouge . We stayed with a friend who gave us a true taste of Louisiana living. We went “mud buggin,’” Minnesotans would call it crayfish trapping. Elizabeth didn’t know people ate crayfish, as she had one as a pet growing up, but apparently it is a delicacy down here! The whole experience was so great and we were able to end the evening enjoying a Crawfish Boil with great people -even though our mouths were on fire by the end of the meal (we are used to our salt and pepper casseroles).
I had the honor to perform at The Crossroads Christian Music Festival. This festival was at a beautiful retreat center. This campus is also where “Camp Spehar” is located. Camp Spehar is held throughout the year and is a camp for young men who are interested in Naval Special Warfare. The camp was named after my brother, Nicholas, and was created in honor of him and all of the men who lost their lives in the tragedy of Extortion 17 in 2011.
We were able to get a true Southern gospel experience at the close of the music festival by participating in a three hour worship service. Elizabeth had a special experience during the service. A woman, named Ellen, came over to Elizabeth and started praying for her. Ellen did not realize that Elizabeth was my wife. She and her husband, Mike, had been prompted to attend the service that day not knowing that I was performing. After the service we were able to talk with this couple and it turns out that Ellen, had been praying for me since the last time that I was in Louisiana. She and Mike were also involved in a sports ministry called FCA and it was the same organization Elizabeth had been a part of last year. Mike and Ellen offered a place for us to stay and we were grateful for the time we were able to spend with them and that we had a safe spot as a tornado came through while we were there!
FCA at Southeastern
It probably goes without saying that “Miss Elizabeth” and “Mr. Luke” as we are referred to in the South, have been very encouraged by our stay here so far. Elizabeth is still hoping to see an alligator-she may still have a chance as more of the South awaits us. We will keep you updated.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support. We feel God’s grace and guidance as we continue on our journey.