Day 21 ~ West Coast Rock Tour

~ 21st Day ~

Church...Strip...Barstow...Redlands...Family.

It wasn't last night's dream that I had been on the Las Vegas strip... and I woke up still in Vegas, though in a Walmart parking lot off away from the strip. A rock had been placed in a landscape section of the lot last night before I crawled in the back of Tumbler, and when I woke up it was still there. The person who would pick it up would come to find it in due time.

A protein shake replaced a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, but I saw some other hungry ones... a gang of stray cats. I broke up some soft multi-grain bars and left-over hummus from the night before and placed it on the curb. They liked the hummus more than the bars... for being stray, they still had picky appetites. I've eaten some classified "almost rotten" things when I was on the street, 'cause when you're hungry, you'll eat about anything. 

I made some phone calls to give closer proximities of the day I'd be rolling into friends/family's towns. It's hard giving e.t.a.'s when this whole trip was proving to be different than I'd planned. I was excited about near future cities, but I was still in Vegas at the present moment. It was Sunday morning, and since church was unintentionally missed last week, the desire to go today was high. I had heard about some churches right on the strip, so I headed straight for where I'd been last night. When I got there, people were still walking up and down it.... maybe they had been there all night or they could just be getting an early start to the shenanigans. I didn't see the "Strip Church" and since my MiFi wasn't providing internet, it couldn't be googled. Off the main street, I drove around on the perimeter roads. This was where the depth of the darkness was located.

It's interesting that the main drag is called the "Strip"...for the majority of the strip clubs and stripping was on the roads just outside the strip. There is an awesome ministry called "Hookers For Jesus" that I really wanted to link up with while here, but I never got a response from the founder. And again, the internet wasn't available to look up the address (if that info. is even available on their website). As fearless as I am, last night wasn't a time to go "hookin' others onto Jesus" on these side streets. It was simply too dangerous. But it was light now and the temptation to park and walk into these clubs in hopes to talk with some of these women, was something to be debated in my mind. Admittedly, I was a little upset with God when I felt strongly that He wasn't leading me to darken these doorways with some light and 2 pockets full of rocks. I had seen countless prostitutes walking the strip last night (some stood out more than others, but they all had that familiar look in their eyes.) This morning, I only saw a few older ladies leaning against cement walls and a couple younger ones walking. My heart went out to them. The vicious cycle they were caught in was a hard one to be escape. Many of them strip and/or sell their bodies because it's a choice and the fast money convinces them that no other job would pay that well. Others do it to support their drug habits (as I did) while others simply get high to numb out the means of getting fast money. And then there are others who are in bondage to their pimps... and they literally can't leave this trade 'cause they will be beaten or killed if they tried. The commonality with all these women and the reasons they do what they do is this: They all are human beings, have hearts and souls, and they each have a story. Too often, we judge these women (or men) without thinking of the how and why. They were children at one time. Many of them were abused when they didn't have a choice in the matter. A large percentage of them have been treated as an object to be had their whole life (taken without permission or convinced that their bodies were only good for one thing). Stripping and prostituting became a job that, in a way, they felt was the natural option. I feel so much empathy for these women... who have lost their way and lost their sense of self-worth. And I was being told to keep driving, so prayer was my action of love to them.

There were no churches that I could find on or around the strip. So I looked up some "places of worship" (as it's labeled) on my GPS. There were 3 places that I went to... one was vacant, another was turned into a company building, and the last address took me to the end of a subdivision street (and no church in sight). It was now after 11am and I was growing weary of searching. With a deep sigh, I spoke out loud, "God, I really wanted to go to church this morning... You knew that! Why didn't You lead me to some gnarly Las Vegas church?" Not in an audible voice, but more of a heart's whisper, I heard, "Katie, you can experience my Presence anywhere. A building isn't needed to continue worshiping Me." Another deep sigh, but one of a child understanding their Father, I knew "church" would be on the road that led me out of Vegas and towards California. I must say, this was a much more intimate drive, for God was really teaching, stretching and growing my faith just as much on the road by myself, as on the streets with people all around me. Still, I was in need of fellowship with other Christians... and one's who were radically following God in everyday life (not just putting on the front in a church building). It would be a while before this happened, so the constant and unwavering companionship with my True Love would sustain me.

The drive to California was beautiful. And when I entered Cali, my heart did a little dance... I was back in the state that I almost didn't make it out of. This trip back in and through my "Egypt" state, would prove to be another rehab of sorts.

My Aunt Sandy, Uncle Wally Walter) and cousins Brianne and Beau live in Redlands, California and Brianne's house was my next destination. Though there was another predestined stop where God would allow me to meet a strong woman. The town of Barstow, CA was just another town I randomly pulled off the highway to swap my bath water bottles for fresh, cold ones. I was waiting in line at this quaint gas station and there was a very rude man in front of me. He was buying gas for his four-wheeler, which might have been his main vehicle. This cocky chap was being so disrespectful to the attendant.... who acted cool and calm in response to this hot-head. When he walked past me, he let out a stream of profanities directed towards the man I was now standing in front of. I really had wanted to have a word (or 47) with the guy who was now outside filling up his ride as his mouth continued to contort with the conversation he was now having with only himself... but I chose to direct my words to the attendant I was now purchasing my cold beverages from. "That dude was totally inappropiate. Are you alright, Sir?" He said that guy comes in here often and that he is used to it. "You shouldn't have to become accustomed to verbal abuse. I hope you have a joy-full remainder of the day." He gave a half-hearted smile and rang up my water and Gatorade. I should have made him a "Stand Firm" rock, but there was another person who would receive a truthful reminder etched on stone.

A young, beautiful lady was behind me in line, and I passed her while walking out to give Tumbler some fresh liquid of his own. While filling up, a man who was filling up his car projected his voice towards me, "Were you in the competition?" I was confused at the question. "The body building event... were you in it?" He asked. I told him that I'd just left Vegas and I was on a mission. He told me my body physique made him ask and that I had a great build. "Farm life and family genetics have that effect... and dealing with a lot of rocks." I said with a smile. Then the pretty lady I'd seen in line came out to the car the man was now closing the gas cap on. He told her about his observations and inquiries of me being in the national body building contest. The lady had competed in the event and we started talking about health and wellness and I asked her questions about the contest, her training and diet. If my memory is correct, she placed 15th in her weight division. She was tiny, but a beast of beautiful strength.

They got in their car and I quickly opened the back of my truck to reach in my backpack. Running over to them before they put the car in drive, I tapped on her passenger side window. Handing her the "Live as if today could be your last" rock, I gave them the gist of the "West Coast Rock Tour." Encouraging Debra and David to in-joy every gift of another day, and to live this day for others more than ourselves. She had bought a huge piece of chocolate cake cause she deserved the treat after months of training and dieting. I hope to stay connected with this woman of strength and will pray for her heart to grow closer to the God of unsurpassable and infinite strength.

How cool was that!?!? I love how random refreshment stops can refresh the awareness that God is constantly orchestrating opportunities to encourage and build up the body of the human race. It's not a competition, but witnessing is made more effective when we train and diet... first spiritually, as well as in other areas.

I arrived in Redlands, CA an hour later. It was a wonderful sight and feeling to see my cousin Brianne and Aunt Sandy. They are always coming out to Illinois for yearly visits, so it was sweet vising them in their home state/city. Bri has an adorable apartment that is decorated with style, looking like she's lived there much longer than the week she has. My Aunt has been recovering from a recent surgery and we all have been praying for her as this last year has been full of surgeries and hospital stays. At one point, we didn't know if she was going to make it through... so to see her now was joy-full on many levels.

I took a much needed shower and was ready to relax that evening. My cousin Beau, his wife Laura, and their 3 gorgeous, little daughters were coming over for dinner and I was stoked to see family I hadn't seen in years. We ordered burritos from a great Mexican restaurant down the road and I could only eat half of it before my stomach said "enough." The eight of us talked over burritos and a movie... though more talking was done than watching. It was good to be with family. I would sleep well tonight, knowing that Tumbler and I were in a safe place to park for a few days.

Directions to "places of worship" can be plugged into our GPS systems.
But we can stay plugged into worshiping God's constant Presence.
It's good to go to church and fellowship corporately with others.
But each of us are the "church" wherever our feet are.
If you can't go to church, bring church to others.
Don't wait to be filled up on Sunday morning.
Stay filled and stay in constant worship.
God can be found everywhere.
Even in gas stations.

~Unshakable Peace, Worship and Purpose~
cling to the Rock 
Psalm 18:1-2