WOW... Never in my wildest dreams would I believe I was going to be living in Las Vegas!
I don't gamble...
I don't drink...
I don't party...
In fact, though I love the lights and sounds and people watching in Vegas it was not even in my top 10 paces to visit list...

The Las Vegas I thought I knew,  just didn't fit ME! Little did I know that the Las Vegas God had in store for me would fit better than I could ever imagine.

I really believe most people perceive Las Vegas as just being "The Strip" they don't look to the city that surrounds it. I know I really didn't till recently... I am so thankful that God used Pastor Jim back on November 29th of 2007 to show me a glimpse of the other side of Vegas! After that chance encounter, HE went to work showing me sign after sign after sign that I was being called to this city. A city that some call "Sin City" yet one author calls "Grace City" (I like that much better). What happened in Las Vegas CHANGED MY LIFE and I know through that change God is going to transform the lives of those I come in contact with, ALL Glory to God through that because I am just a willing servant!

So Friday February 15th (my son's 14th Birthday) I become a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada and my new journey of transformation begins. Already the blessings I have received through meeting amazing God centered people is indescribable. From finding a great place to live with an awesome man of God, who is already inspiring me and motivating me to become a better Christian and get deeper in my walk, to amazing friendships that have so many fingerprints of God on them you can't even try to deny it. I am just completely and utterly blown away.

I all this I have to say that I have some amazing friends in Bakersfield who are loving, trusting, Godly people and I will never be able to repay them for some of the love and support they gave me. My friends Tom and Andrea Gustaff (who invited me in to their home when I got laid off and have allowed me to live and fellowship with them for the last few months) my friend Mike Serapiglia (who invited me to stay with him for a couple days back in November while he was at a conference in Las Vegas)... Please say a prayer of thanks for them, because they are following God, listening to God and doing what HE asks of them every day. I love them and pray that God just blesses them beyond anything they can imagine for being so loyal to Him!

Thanks and glory to our beautiful, merciful, amazing Lord and Savior for bringing me to my knees and showing me that in order to truly serve Him and Him alone I needed do what Casting Crowns sings about and "Step out of my comfort zone, into the realm of the unknown, where Jesus is". I need to pick up my Cross daily and just serve Him in everything I do, speak and who I am...

I LOVE YOU FATHER and I praise you for blessing my life and showing me "Grace City". Showing me that things are not always what we believe them to be and that we can not and should not ever discount anything on it's outward appearance... Because through Your LOVE and GRACE alone, faces can change, appearances can be transformed and that blink of an eye we call a life here on earth can be spent serving YOU even in the most unconventional places!!!

You know, out of all the signs I received... I think this sign says it best...

God Bless all my friends and church family in Bakersfield, and to my new friends and church family, I'LL SEE YOU IN VEGAS!!!

~J~ aka "Starsky" ;o)
Love ALLLLL you guys!

 PS: Check out this book!!




"Stripped: Uncensored Grace on the Streets of Vegas"
by: Jud Wilhite (Author), Bill Taaffe (Contributor)