Africa Day 1 on the ground

Greetings from Botswana Africa via Gaborone,

We arrived safely in Botswana with no problems. We had a short 10 minute drive from the airport and enjoyed a stay with the missionaries here. I honestly felt like I was at my grandparents house. The missionaries are so hospitable and accomodating. Accomodations will not be anything like this for the next week however. We are leaving this morning to travel to Masonjone Afria. We will stay there for several days preaching and teaching the gospel. One of the big challenges here for the pastors is doctrinal issues. Most add to the gospel in their pastorate and I am looking forward to the challenge of preaching the doctrines of Christ. Pray for safety and for great advances in the kingdom. Praise the Lord!

We probably wont have a chance to have internet access. If you dont read an update I am keeping a blog on my laptop that I can upload to the computer

God Bless

David

Africa Day 1 and 2

Hello Everyone!

We officially arrived in South Africa at 10:30 am cst. We are 6 hours ahead of central time so right now we are in the dark. We spent around 18 hours in the air with South African Airways. I thought I was lucky when I found myself sitting next to a bunch of MBA's from (Master Business Admin) from U. Arizona. Unfortunately that was not the case because they serve alcohol at every meal. The lady next to me and her Prof became obnoxious not allowing anyone to sleep around them. Finally after we landed at the tip of Africa to refuel they went to sleep. I also was able to sleep for about 7 hours and feel great! 

I can tell satan is already trying to disrupt this trip but greater is he that is in me that is in the world! We are really looking forward to preaching the gospel! I have an amazing team of evangelist here with me and of course Ken G. is always on fire! Tonight we travel to Gaborone to stay the night and then drive 5 hours to Masonjone Africa. Please pray for safe travel and for us to touch whomever we come in contact with. Thank you all for your prayers. I may or may not be able to blog depending on where we are. Thanks! God bless!

David Howard

Is Traveling to Africa Tomorrow Morning

Hey gang,

I will be gone October 1st - October 11th to Botswana Africa. I am traveling to Africa with an organization named Call to Africa. Please pray for our team as we preach salvation in Christ alone and pour into the pastors that are already on the ground. I really feel like where I can be most affective is exhorting the leaders that are already in place but needing encouragement. Pray for salvations, safety, boldness and a revolution to continue in Africa. 

I am extremely excited but at the same time nervous about leaving my family for 11 days. I love my little girls and my sweet little boy Andrew, and of course leaving Carrie is probably the hardest. Please pray for their safety and that they would be blessed for allowing me to go and make an impact on people across the globe. I am praying that this trip will be a life changing experience for our team and would ignite a flame even greater in my heart for the gospel. 

Crossfire, you guys are in good hands while I am gone. My good friend Justin Hill will be here next week to speak to you at CrossfireHD. I love you all and cant wait to share with you what God has done. Covenant with me now to pray for this effort and for our hearts to be broken for the KINGDOM!

In His Grip,

David

Podcast

http://crosspointefamilychurch.org/crossfire/colossians1_14-19.mp3

Time Bandits

Galatians 6:7-10

"Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked, A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life Let us become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Time Bandits was one of the messages that was shared at Bigstuf camp this summer. I couldn't help but follow up to this message with a synopsis of what we learned followed by some thoughts of my own. In life we all have the same amount of time. No one has any more time than anyone else or any more than anyone else. Time is a unique thing in that there is only so much of it in any one given day. What we do with our time while we are hear on earth says in many respects where we are going in eternity. If we are thinking about heaven and the reality that people will die and go to an eternal punishment apart from God it will motivate us to be proactive in sharing our faith with the time we have.

I never really listened to the 'older people' in my life as a teenager that said you only have so much time and that I had better enjoy my teenage years because it will be here and gone in an instant. Wow, were they right, and now looking back on my time in high school I realize how much time I wasted. One of those things that helps us waste our time are "Time Bandits." Things that steal our time away and take our story of who we are in a direction we really don't want to go. A specific time bandit are foolish decisions. Teenagers often make these and even as adults we continue with some of the ignorant decisions we made as youth. Some of those foolish decisions include, sex before marriage, drugs, alcohol, etc. One of those bandits specifically is the time bandit in dating.

Today we have guys and girls relationships that are so pressure filled that they are much like 'mini marriages,' and then consequentially their are mini divorces when they break up. Allow me to elaborate. The classic couple found in every youth group tends to be two people that are really involved and then at a summer camp or a trip to six flags they all the sudden find love. It starts out innocent and full of flirting and what seems to be innocent puppy love.... I hate that phrase but I will use it anyway. On the way back home from camp they decide to date and make it official. Pretty soon they are talking on the phone till the wee hours of the morning and are constantly with each other. They find themselves so into each other that their friends don't even know who they are anymore because they are shutting them out of their life. In fact things get so serious they take things to far physically and then have not only shut out their friends, family and youth group they have built their relationship on a foundation that will crumble.

Their are six areas of relationships... Emotional, Physical, Social, Intellectual, Spiritual, and Commitment. Most relationships at any age today are started with the Emotional and Physical aspect. I cant tell you how many times I have watched guys and girls put their entire heart and soul and energy into a boy or girl for their high school days, only to look back at the time they wasted and not only the friendships they burned but the precious things they can never get back. The scripture says that a man will reap what he sows. If you spend your time sowing into things that waste your time, you will reap what you have sown. However if you spend your time seeking to please the Spirit you will 'reap eternal life.' What are you giving your time to? Is it money, materialism, your ipod, your boyfriend or girlfriend, worry, gossip, etc? You can never ever get back today.

I encourage you to take the time that God has given you today and spend it wisely. Be proactive in doing things that glorify God and don't waste your life away on things that will burn. Jesus said it himself to not store up treasures on earth but in heaven. Everything here will eventually go to the dump or will sit somewhere and rust. Everything we own and will own will be someone else's one day anyways. You cant take your ipod to the grave. There is no Myspace and facebook in eternity. Besides, the rest of your TIME in eternity if your in heaven will be worshiping God.... so get an early start and devote your time that you have left here on earth to the one who made you.

Dave

The Night the Howard's Went to the Circus

Dear Friend,

*******Warning******** don't ever ever ever ever ever try what I am about to tell you, it may be hazardous to your health.

So I am having a great day today. Not too hard, awesome Men's Prayer Breakfast, workout, head to the office to get some work done. About lunch time I had this wild idea that I would fulfill a promise I had made to Hannah (my daughter) a few weeks back. I had promised her that I would take her to see the Circus when it came to town. What I didn't realize and understand was that I would be bringing my own Circus to the Von Braun Center on February 25 2009.

I got the tickets today and the lady screwed up my order and instead of it being close to the action, she gave me the worst possible seats in the house, that's right, you guessed it....nose bleeds! So I said, "Well lets give it a shot, it cant really be that bad right?" The last time I was at the Circus I don't remember the lights ever really going out for extended periods of time or loud music blaring. I figured we would see a few cats in a cage and maybe an elephant or two walk around and the typical flying trapeze and the motorcycle guy in the cage. Apparently the Circus got its act together and is now officially "The Greatest Show on Earth" especially if you just came from a Grateful Dead concert or you are doing drugs. My wife and I are both a.d.d. and you can only imagine how screwed up I was when the place turned into a night club with animals.

We got dinner and as Super Dad wished, he had everyone there on time and in their seats before the show started. I was immediately taken back at how awesome of a set up Ringling Brothers had in relation to its visual graphics and audio etc. Let me go back and say that the trip from the car to the Von Braun Center was tough as well. I am hauling a camera, 2 bags, a 30 pound toddler after doing burn outs on biceps today in the gym. Needless to say I was in pain by the time we got to the door. Carrie had the baby strapped to her chest and had Hannah by the hand. Oh and don't let me forget that Andrew crapped in his britches (yes I said britches) just before we left the car. Unfortunately it was a terrible mess, explosion if you will. Thank goodness Carrie cleaned him because I would have hurled in the road right where are car was.

No later than they turn the lights off do the kids start trying to stand up in their seats to see what was happening. The club lights began going and music blaring loud. Baby began to cry and before long had pooped on himself again after being scared by the Elephants or something. Let me paint another picture for you. We are as I said before at the very top of the Center and its probably 110 degrees with three babies in a jam tight space. Before long, Abigail starts to wiggle and squirm and starts throwing a tantrum. Try playing zone defense in a seat up in the nose bleeds for 2 hours straight, its not fun! Hannah wants popcorn every time she sees the stupid circus vendor and of course he has to come right up to the top row with the toys that are flashing "Buy me for 1,000,000.00 and watch me light up!" Pretty soon they are bringing cotton candy, drinks, toys, popcorn and they are all 12 dollars a piece!

Somehow I convince Hannah that the popcorn price is highway robbery and divert her attention to her wonderful cotton candy. 5 seconds later she has to go potty. At this moment in time, Carrie has changed 3 diapers, I have wrestled Abigail continuously and people have stood right in front of us during the show. I am slowly losing my cool but some how kept it. Carrie was about to convince Hannah to go potty in a diaper but the women next to us offered to take her to the potty. "Crap" I said.... now somebody has to take her and Carrie is feeding Andrew and taming Abby... who cares if a Circus is going on, we have our own going on up in the nose bleeds! We get to the Men's Bathroom which is always disgusting and I am of course irritated that there are no family bathrooms, so I just did my best and drug her into the men's bathroom. Of course the stalls were filthy and I didn't let her touch a thing. I looked around and of course people destroyed each stall accept for one. Somehow there was one that was untouched or at least appeared that way.

Finally we got done, I am sweating and tired and missing the show. I bought Hannah a little crown for her to remember this night by. Besides, she was having a blast! Finally we get back up to the nose bleeds and sit down, only to be comforted that Andrew was crying and Abigail was freaking out. 30 more minutes pass of insanity and finally.... the show is over! We thought we had experienced it all and apparently the circus folk beat us to East Limestone County where I passed by a person taking a poop in on the side of the road! What the heck? I mean seriously! What a night! Nobody died, or bled, and it was all worth seeing the happiness in their eyes and the circus was an amazing thing to watch. I highly recommend it for a date but not with 2 toddlers, and an infant. Lesson learned and wont ever be forgotten!

Dave

The Real Life Christmas Vacation

So Its Christmas season right? Yeah, well I was all bahhh humbug up until last week when I finally had a little time to spend with the family. I had promised my daughter Hannah that I would put up the Christmas tree and help do the lights and even thought I would surprise her by putting up Christmas lights outside. So I did.... but not without feeling like Clark Griswold from the movie 'Christmas Vacation.'

I got this great idea that I would save money this year by using a Christmas tree that is no longer needed by someone. I was given permission and by the looks on the box it looked great. You know, perfectly combed and of course pre-lit to make it look snazzy. Then I noticed on the box the cost was printed on the box. $18.99. So I said "Why Not?" "Surely this tree will turn out the same as the box." Wishful thinking I might add. So with all excitement and happiness and sappy Christmas music playing in the background I proceeded to open the box. Carrie and I both looked in the box and then looked at each other and said .... Oh no and began to laugh. The tree was basically in two pieces and had been folded up for no telling how long. There was a stand but it falls apart every time you touch the tree and in frustration and disappointment with myself I declared, "We are going out to find a Christmas tree!"

Wal-mart usually has everything we need to get through life, so we decided we would venture there to find a fake tree for a decent price and maybe find some lights for the outside. A typical trip to wal-mart for most people is a fairly easy process unless you are like the Howard bunch and have two toddlers. We ran around chasing Hannah and Abby for what seemed an eternity shoving shoes on their feet and somehow squeezing that tightly fitting coat on my one year old's body. By the time we get Abby in the car she looks like the little boy from "Christmas Story" Randy rolling around in the snow, unable to move anything. Might i add that it is absolutely freezing outside and we are dragging two toddlers, a late term pregnant wife and a tired dad to WALLY WORLD!

Well first it was the trees were to expensive and then Hannah had to go to the Bathroom and then we walked outside in the freezing cold to pic a real tree. After freezing and getting ill with each other and both baby's crying I decided that it might be best for the girls to go back inside so I could stay and freeze my butt off for the perfect Christmas tree...right? I finally found one and as I expected there was nobody to help me. Once I wrapped the tree myself and finally rigged our car we were finally on our way home. We stopped at Starbucks for hot chocolate and tried to calm down. We finally get home around 10:00 pm and of course its way past the girls bed time. I was absolutely fine with leaving the tree on the car, walking in the house and going to sleep... but Carrie would have none of that.

Long story short, I get the Christmas tree in the house without killing anyone and finally sat down to relax. Monday morning we wake up and I am absolutely fired up about putting up lights. I have never put lights on my house for Christmas in the 5 years we have been married. Everything is running like clock work and I am thinking that this is going great. I am outside in the cold being a great daddy so my girls can smile when they see our beautifully lit house. 7 hours later in the pitch black freezing/wet night, I am on the ruff trying not to kill myself and then it happens. I finally get the last strand on and get down and half the lights wont work. I look up on the roof and our neighbors cat along with mine have made it to the top of the ladder and are dancing around and playing like there is no tomorrow. In a fit of rage and anger I might add I yelled at the stupid cat's to get down and to my shegrin they didnt! They ran around acting as if they were at romp a room with a bunch of toddlers. I finally located one and got him to stop. He didnt listen to me and began to chew on the lights!

I quickly climbed back on the ladder and barly pulled myself up the back side of the house and discarded of the vermen. (There were no animals 'specifically cats' harmed in this story). I climbed over to the other side sprawled out my body on the edge of the roof trying to figure out what was wrong. I tried everything and then it dawned on me that I had not checked the fuses. Ok, thats simple enough and I changed the fuses. Being the goob that I am I then proceeded to drag a 100 foot extension cord on the roof and it kept getting hung on lights and pulling them out of place. The cord continued to fall off the house every 5 minutes until I finally made a cell phone call to my beautiful wife to come out and throw it on the house to me. Well, she did and nearly took me and the lights out in the process. I finish hooking up the lights and they are finally working and get off the roof and I think to myself.... David you could have connected all the lights together in one strand and you wouldnt have had to go through all of this trouble. I climb back on the roof and do just that. I finally get down from the roof and go in the house to get the girls and of course after spending 7 + hours putting lights up on a house my girls are a. too tired to go look and b. Hannah is playing on the computer. After all that, I cant even get them to come outside and look.. Eventually Carrie convinced Hannah to come see and the look on her face was priceless.

Finally, Finally it was all over.... Oh no! 2 hours later the lights arent working! Its midnight... Im tired and I am not dealing with these "Stupid lights!" Of course like any bull headed man I did and had no luck. The next day I found out that the fuse had blown at the beginning of the lights thus shutting down the rest of the system. I had over loaded the first set of lights. All that work to get the 100 foot cord on the house was really needed. Well here we are on friday and the lights arent working. After feeling Like Clark Griswold for two days I thought it couldn't get worse. I didnt realize I would be playing the part of Cousin Eddy in a few hours. I awoke thursday morning to a great breakfast followed by finding out my cat has tape worms, followed by the dryer cord coming lose and taking 30 minutes to re-fit on my house because some bright minded builder thought, "Hey lets put the dryer in the middle of the house and run the vent through the roof!" After fighting that for a while the dishwasher starts going nuts! Its pumping water in the floor and flooding the inside of it out. I then walk back to the bathroom and Carrie announces that the toilets will not flush. I get out the plunger as every good husband would and went to work. Plunge, Crap, Plunge, Crap etc etc.... you get the point. She then comes running in and says the other toilet is backed up! "What the heck!" Then our house begins to smell of sewage and I finally just give up! After several phone calls, a trip to the vet, a flooded back yard, stopped up sewage tank, stinky house, broken dishwasher, a plumber, a dishwasher installation man, we are back to normal within 24 hours.

So whats the moral of this story? I have no idea! I do know 2 things ..... a. Believe in GOD! and b. believe in Mr. Murphy! Murphey's law that is!

Dave