30 Year Anniversary : Carman's Historic Texas Stadium Event | Raising the Standard Tour

In 2021, Carman Domenic Licciardello, received his eternal reward and met his Lord and Savior: the One that brought about his radically saved lifestyle. A beautiful tribute show to celebrate his life was produced by Stephen Yake featuring some anointed performances by some of Carman's friends. It was an honor to be a part of it. We are celebrating the 30 year anniversary of the historic event at the legendary Texas Stadium which took place on October 22, 1994. We hope the stories and digital images from this momentous tour, will honor Carman and the impact that he had "Raising the Standard" all over the world. We are so grateful his legacy continues through his music.

The Beginning of The Stadium Dream (My Personal Memory)

Without a doubt, my most memorable journey from dream to destiny came in the fall of 1994 while I was producing the Raising the Standard tour with Carman. This was an incredible tour, featuring songs like “Who’s in the House?” “Great God,” and “America Again.” During this tour, we collected more than 1 million signatures on a petition to bring prayer back into the United States public school system. It was a year when everything held great meaning and purpose for me. Life was good, and I felt God more than ever in everything that I did. 

As we prepared for the tour, I sensed that Carman was feeling something in his heart. After spending nearly twenty years in ministry with him, I knew that without hearing him say it. But I didn’t yet know what God was preparing him for. 

In all our tour’s past, we’d held our concerts in just about every arena and auditorium you could mention. Those concerts were great, but Carman wanted more—and I did too. 

We’d signed a record deal with Liberty Records and met one of the most influential icons in the business, Jimmy Bowen, who became a tremendous friend of the ministry. It’s easy to respect someone who does a great job, and Bowen was great at what he did. He knew the business. He knew how to get results and sell records—and we knew how to produce live events. Without a doubt, this would be an incredible partnership. It was the biggest record deal Carman had ever signed, and it would be the catalyst for his biggest concert event. 

About the time Carman was feeling restless about venues and shows, we received an invitation to a concert of another Liberty recording artist—country western singer Garth Brooks—at Texas Stadium. Little did we know it, but God was preparing to show us something exciting about faith. Carman and I headed to Dallas to see just what a stadium concert with the world’s top country western artist looked like. It was quite a production. Lights were everywhere, and the crowd was very much into all the showmanship. Everything was flying: beer, peanuts—even Garth! 

As we sat in what felt like a 70,000-seat honky-tonk, hearing the crowd sing about their friends in low places, the Lord began planting a dream in our hearts. I remember Carman getting up from his seat and saying he would be back in a moment. While he was gone, I continued to study all of the elements of this huge production—everything from the stage to the costumes and lights. I was looking at what it would take to do something like this. After what seemed nearly an hour, Carman came back. Later I found out that he’d been walking around the stadium, like Joshua around the city of Jericho, ready to take it for God. (See Joshua 5-6.) He looked at me as if to say, “Brace yourself: I’ve just seen God, and here is what He said!” 

Somehow, I knew what he was going to say. He’d said it so many times before about seemingly impossible things: “I think we need to do this for the Lord,” he said with a smile. I smiled, and my mind immediately started the categorical exercise of planning a stadium concert.

 

After Carman and I flew back to Nashville, I found myself consumed by the idea of producing a stadium event. Texas Stadium was an incredible facility, and we would be the first contemporary Christian solo act to try something this huge. That gave me the push I needed. I liked pioneering new highways. I set up an appointment to fly to Dallas and meet the stadium’s general manager to see just what it would take to do an event like this. 

It was an interesting first meeting. The general manager showed me the autographed guitar on his wall that Garth had presented to him as a thank-you for his events there. I felt like he thought this was a bit too much for us. Part of me was nervous, and part was in awe of the potential of this dream. I imagine it was like being at the edge of an incredible waterfall: seeing its beauty, hearing its roar, and knowing that you are going over the edge any second! I was filled with a faith I had never felt before. I felt like David in King Saul’s presence, saying, “Let me at the Philistine giant, for I can surely take him.” (See 1 Samuel 17.) I really believed in the possibility of this dream, and I wanted very much to do this. 

I showed the general manager videos of events we had done in a large stadium in South Africa, to which even Nelson Mandela had come. I showed him the altar calls and young and old alike accepting Christ into their hearts as Carman preached and sang. As the general manager witnessed the awesome power of Christ at work in these events, our conversation changed. The feeling we had about the possibility for a Christ-centered concert of this magnitude changed, too. Over the next few months, many meetings would take place to review facility layouts, procedures, logistics, and expenses. We were going to do this concert on a “love offering” basis. 

All of Carman Ministries’ events were done this way. We would always rely on God to bring it all together and cover the costs. All our planning for this event was running so smoothly, and it truly appeared that this dream would become reality—until, one day, desperation hit. 

After many meetings, the general manager informed me that the Dallas Cowboys would get the first shot at dates. They had to finalize their schedule before we could be guaranteed a date, and that would not happen until July. Here we were in the first quarter of the year, gearing up for this event, putting things in place, and talking it up with everyone. I couldn’t wait till July to promote an October event of this size!  That just wouldn’t be enough time! 

What was I going to do? How could all this enthusiasm be snuffed out at this point? It all looked so good! This was Carman’s dream—and mine too! 

Just as Jairus fell on his knees before Jesus on the shore that day and pleaded for the life of his little girl, I was pleading with God for the life of this dream. I implored Him to point me to the right date. But I wasn’t on a lakeshore. I was 30,000 feet in the air, heading back to Tulsa to tell the staff the unfortunate news. As I reviewed the possible dates on the schedule, my frustration kept rising. I was trying to route many cities in the fall; Dallas was only one of them. The Texas Stadium concert had to be on a Saturday, and we had to have setup time. None of the open dates fit into our tour schedule—except one.

 

When I got back to Tulsa, I called the stadium’s general manager to see what we could do. The only day that made sense at every angle was October 22. He informed me that October 22 was set for a Cowboys home game and until everything was final, he could not release the date. Again, I was uneasy. Time didn’t permit me to wait. 

I don’t know what it was, but that was the date that felt right in my heart. It felt as if God had scheduled that date for us and the Dallas Cowboys’ schedule was the obstacle. At this point of delay, I entered the waiting room of God, trusting Him, praying, and asking Him to make a way where there seemed to be no way. It was time for the tour to begin, and I had to move ahead with our plans. At this point, you might say I called those things that were not as though they were (Romans 4:17) and penciled the Texas Stadium in on all the tour calendars for October 22! We even sent out some information to the local area in Dallas to get the promotion going! 

Yes, it was risky. Maybe even crazy. I can’t tell you I wasn’t nervous, but a few facts relieved my doubts. First, I knew that God had placed this dream in Carman’s heart. Second, I knew that He’d confirmed it in my heart. Third, I knew that where two or more come together in Jesus’ name, He is right there with them. (Matthew 18:20.) 

On July 3, I flew back to Tulsa through the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. This was the day the schedules for the National Football League would come out, and I was really sweating it! I felt just like Jairus: Jesus was walking by my side, but we weren’t to the house yet! Delay feels awkward, even when Jesus is with you.

 

I walked over to the Dallas Morning News counter to get the paper, opened the sports section, and looked for the newly released Dallas Cowboys football schedule. I needed to see an opening for our concert on October 22, but I knew it would take a miracle for it to happen. It took my eyes forever to scroll through all the dates: August pre-season . . . September . . . 

October 1 . . . 8 . . . 15 . . . 22. My eyes blurred, then focused. 

The Cowboys were playing on the 22. But they were in Arizona against the Cardinals!

I know I screamed right there in the airport. I’m sure I looked like a lottery winner! I smiled and grabbed my cell phone to call the stadium’s general manager to wrap things up. That day I knew all about divine assurance and divine intervention. Our dream wouldn’t die. We were on our way home with Jesus by our side! 

It’s hard to beat the feeling I had that day as I finished my flight to Tulsa, knowing everything was sealed shut and ready to go. All that was left was a complete mail-out to our partner list and some radio time. After that, God would have to take care of bringing the people. 

August and September seemed to last forever. Waiting for that concert was worse than waiting for ketchup to come out of the bottle. We could feel the anticipation, but we’d just have to wait for that divine date. 

The budget for the stadium event kept growing. More and more unforeseen expenses arose, and the final tally was more than $372,000! In the past, I’d agreed in faith with Carman for many things, but we’d never needed to believe for this much money. 

I remember Carman calling in August and asking if we were about to make the biggest mistake of our lives. We were both nervous. 

It was risky. 

It was beyond what we could do. 

But that’s what God desired! You see, it wasn’t about us; it was about Him! 

Carman and I were a good support system for each other. I tried to be encouraging to Carman, and when I was down Carman had the right words for me. I guess that’s why Jesus sent the disciples out in twos—so they could spur each other on, especially when things got tough. (Mark 6:7.) We supported each other continually, but the traumas weren’t over yet. 

Early in the week of our performance, we pulled into Dallas with a huge budget, a large crew of helpers, and unsettled spirits. Several of my peers called that week to unload their dockets of doubt. One record executive, expecting about 25,000 people to show up, asked me how I could set Carman up for embarrassment like this. He had a point. When you’re working with a $372,000 budget and a 70,000-seat venue, his estimated crowd of 25,000 would look a bit ridiculous. 

Then the week of the concert arrived, and we began setting up. Now, keep in mind that Texas Stadium has a big hole—almost the size of Texas—in the top of it. Monday the rains began. Well, rains are an understatement. Water in Noah’s Ark-like proportions fell from the sky. As you’d imagine, it wasn’t easy to set up that week! But if it were easy to do, everyone would be doing it. 

It’s only impossible until somebody does it!

 

In the middle of the rainstorm, we had to start rigging—hanging our sound and lights from the ceiling of the stadium. With my rigging crew hanging on the beam crossing the roof of the stadium, the lightning started. It was unbelievable! Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday looked the same, and we were falling behind schedule. Then the stadium engineers showed up to tell us our speakers weighed too much to hang on the beams. Our concert was done in the round, with the stage in the center and chairs all around it. No one had ever done this at Texas Stadium before, and the stadium engineers decided our plan and the hanging weight would all have to change. I ran from the production office to the field where the engineers, tour production manager, and rigging crew were, and we started to look at the blueprints. I was already exhausted. There were so many things to deal with here that had never needed to be addressed in our events before. Things like twenty-five different areas on three different stadium levels to sell T-shirts and CDs. Tarps that came in from Houston to cover the field. Plywood sheets to lay on top of the turf to protect it from damage. Generators for power because we couldn’t use the power available at the stadium. I answered, or at least tried to answer, more questions that week than I had in my entire lifetime up till that point. I realized something that week: Everything is big in Texas! Even the work! 

Thursday night in a TV appearance, Carman announced that 65,000 people would be at Texas Stadium on Saturday evening. Talk about pressure! I was feeling every bit of it! 

Friday morning started with breakfast in preparation for two in-store appearances in the Dallas area. Carman could meet people, sign some CDs, and promote this event. It was becoming more ominous now as the moment approached, and sometimes I had to sit and say nothing because my nerves were shell-shocked. 

The first store was in Plano. On the way, I got my chance to ask Carman what had possessed him to say that 65,000 would be at the concert. He smiled. That’s all he did! I guess it was faith that rose up in him. Sometimes faith makes you say things you would never say on your own. 

Now I really felt the pressure! My buddies were expecting 25,000 people, and Carman was looking for 65,000! And then there was that looming $372,000 needed to pay the bills! Once again, I found myself going back to what God had said and done to bring us to this point in the journey. Sometimes that’s all you can do. 

I remembered Jairus waiting for Jesus to heal the woman with the issue of blood, only to see the mourners running from his house to tell him to forget about trying anymore; his little girl was dead. “Why bother Jesus?” they’d shouted. 

My “mourners” would shout through the car radio minutes later: “The storms have caused some tornadoes to start, and the winds have torn paneling off of homes a mile away from Texas Stadium.” This was too much! God, didn’t You say you wouldn’t give us more than we could bear?  I prayed silently, remembering 1Corinthians 10:13. 

Despite the weather, the store appearances were great. The people were so kind, but no one knew what was happening behind the scenes.

 

Friday night arrived, and Carman and I went for a jog. We liked to do that—or at least he did because he could outrun me. While we were running, Carman received a phone call from the guy who’d started all of this—the one who’d seen something in Carman that no one else had, the one who’d believed when no one else had. It was Jimmy Bowen. During that conversation, I could see Carman begin to relax. 

Mr. Bowen had no idea that God was using him as oxygen to inflate the soul of the man who would stand on the stage Saturday night to tell people about Jesus Christ. When that call was over, Carman looked different. His countenance had changed. He ran, and he ran, and he ran. He became Forrest Gump! 

Friday night I don’t think I slept at all. The rain was still coming down, and it easily could have ruined everything. (Remember: There’s a huge hole in the top of Texas Stadium!) Tired and irritated, I wondered, why couldn’t we have chosen a stadium totally shielded from the elements?  This week had been an emotional roller coaster, but it was almost over. I’d only made it this far by going back to what God had said and done in this journey from a dream to destiny. Sometimes that’s all you can do. 

 

Saturday Morning, 6 A.M., October 22, 1994

Maybe I dozed off for an hour that night, but bright and early I was up and running to the window to pull back the curtains. I was nervous, curious—and excited. As I threw open the curtain, the sun was already shining as if God was saying, “Here it is! I saved it for today, so go and do what I prepared you to do!” 

Now the butterflies started to flutter as we made the final preparations. At this point, there wasn’t very much we could do to change the outcome. We were at that place where, having done all we could do, we just had to stand and trust God. (Ephesians 6:13.) It must have been how Jairus felt standing at the edge of his daughter’s bed as the Master approached, ready to heal her. 

All Jairus could do was stand there. That was all I could do, too. It was out of my hands. 

The rest of the day was a blur. The phone and two-way radios were buzzing all day, my family and friends were in town, and everyone was in awe of the magnitude of this day. It was finally here. We were in Texas Stadium. Oh yes, and we’d already spent $372,000. That monetary detail alone would have been enough to cause those butterflies to multiply. But amazingly, while I planned the details of this outreach, I never even thought about the budget. I was so busy doing my part that the detours were not even an issue. There were no distractions now. I was “in the zone,” totally focused for such a time as this. (See Esther 4:14.) As the afternoon progressed, the excitement increased. It was almost time to open the doors. Little did I know it, but another challenge lay ahead. 

 

5:30 P.M., October 22: D-Day! 

It was D-Day, Destiny Day, and the moment had arrived to open the doors to the public. Nothing else could be changed. Now we would just have to fix trouble as it arrived—and it would continue arriving all night. As the doors opened, I monitored everything that I could, circling the stadium in a golf cart. Texas Stadium was more like the Texas Motor Speedway for me that night as I bounced from end to end putting out the small fires, answering questions, and keeping Carman informed of the crowd control.

 

One of the greatest churches in Texas was helping us under the leadership of a wonderful friend of mine, John Jonas. He’d been instrumental in gathering over 4,000 people who offered themselves as a living sacrifice unto God and helped us to be as hospitable as possible to the crowd. (See Romans 12:1.) They greeted, offered directions, sold t-shirts, passed out information and demonstrated Jesus to everyone who entered the gates. 

People came in for over an hour. It was amazing. They settled into all the areas of the facility. Some went to the top, maybe for a bird’s-eye view, while others went to the field level. The police were keeping me informed of the traffic coming in on all five arteries of highway leading to the stadium. The stadium was swelling, and people were buzzing with excitement. In all the anticipation and attention to detail, I was about to get the shock of my life. It was just after 7 P.M. when I received the latest update from the police. Every report up till this time had been that the roads were full of cars and people were steadily coming in—but this report was different. 

The highways were clear. The gates were no longer packed with people. I went back into the stadium and looked at the people. There seemed to be about 40,000. 

My heart sank. I felt like I would be sick. I stalled radioing Carman to let him know what the police had told me. 

All the people are in, I thought. This is it. Are all my peers right? Is it over?  

You’d think that with 40,000 people screaming and looking for an experience with Christ, I would have been elated. But this wasn’t the picture of my dream. This wasn’t what Carman had seen, and this wasn’t what I wanted. 

When I finally radioed Carman, I could feel his disappointment too. It’s hard to look at your dream if the picture isn’t what you were seeing in your heart. No one tells you what to do with those kinds of feelings. There’s no seminar on dealing with hope deferred, and it does just what the Bible says it does: it makes your heart hurt. (Proverbs 13:12.) My next job would be to go to the stage to tell the people that everyone was there. I’d have to tell everyone in the upper deck to come down to another level so the volunteers at the top could be released from service. This would make the event more manageable for our crew and keep our costs down. 

I was angry. I didn’t want to go to the stage and give this announcement. I felt like I was giving in, and this was not what I’d signed up for. I felt stupid. I felt like I had failed. 

I’m almost positive this was how Isaac felt as he prepared to kill his son as a sacrifice to God. (See Genesis 22.) This couldn’t be God. How could I kill my dream? 

Reluctantly, I made my way to the stage and made the announcement. I was praying all the way and, honestly, my prayer was not full of faith but was mixed with anger. I was a child who’d not received what he felt his Father had promised, so I let Him hear it. And hear it He did. Though I was disappointed and angry, I never gave in to the idea that all the doubters were right and God was wrong. I stood by the dream He’d given us.

 

And so did He. He’d stood by Isaac and held back his hand from destroying his son, his dream. Now He stood by me and preserved the dream He’d given us. 

Within twenty minutes, the crowd control personnel called me. More people were coming! More people were on the interstate. 

Someone had opened the floodgates, and people were pouring on to the property and coming through the gates. I’d never seen anything like it! Father God had given a gift to his sons! The gates were packed, and a steady stream of people made their way into the building. There were another 10,000, then 10,000 more—and they just kept coming. We were running out of room! Now what would we do? 

The police started telling folks bottlenecked on the five highways into Irving to turn around and go home. They were amazed when the people told them, “God bless you!” and left peacefully. The police told us they’d never seen people being so nice after being told to go home. 

The people kept coming until 71,102 of them made it in and we had to close the doors. It was truly spectacular! You know that I was smiling from ear to ear now. God had smiled on us, and life was good. 

The next time I took the stage to welcome the people, my attitude was different. I even decided to tell a joke, but I was a bit scared when the only response was silence. Four seconds later, the laughter rang out. It had taken that long for the response to get back to the stage. What an amazing experience! I was feeling great now, watching a dream become destiny. 

 

8 P.M., October 22: Show Time! 

There’s no other feeling in the world like standing by a stage as excitement builds and the lights go out. On that October night in Texas, 71,102 screams filled that legendary stadium. Then, when the lights went out, the volume doubled. 

But there would be one more test. 

Normally, the lights are only off for a moment. When the music starts, the musicians take their places and the lights come back on. But on this night, the stadium was pitch black, the people were screaming, and it seemed to take forever for the music to start. 

What was going on? 

Our program had been synchronized. The lights, music, and video images all ran together in sync. When something happened to one, it happened to them all. Our system had frozen, so nothing was coming on. The lights wouldn’t operate, and everyone was screaming! One thing I learned from this test is how important it is to have people surrounding you who are called in their profession. 

Carman Ministries had experts in their field: the best lighting and sound people, the most gifted dancers and musicians; at the helm was Carman, one of the most charismatic and anointed people in the musical world. 

As Carman stood on the side of the stage waiting, we were in lockdown. This was where our crews’ gifts would shine. All our technical people jumped right in to figure out the problem. Though the situation seemed desperate, it was only a matter of seconds before they’d unlocked the system and we were rolling! 

I believe that if we hadn’t had all the previous years of preparation, the right people in the right places, and the anointing of God on us, we may never have gotten that concert going. But God knew that night would come, and He’d led us every step of the way. 

The music started, the video kicked in, and the dancers and musicians took the stage in the most incredible concert experience we’d ever been a part of. The people were still screaming, and then Carman walked out onto the stage. 

History was made. It was the largest Christian concert by a solo artist, and that night over 5,000 people received Christ for the first time. To this day, I can still feel the emotions that ran through my being during that incredible event. It was astonishing then, and is even today, to think that God would allow me to experience His awesome power and play a role in His touching lives and bringing people into a relationship with Him in such a magnificent way. I was honored to be part of His story in history. Garth may have friends in low places but I’m thankful I’ve got friends in high places! 

 

What about that $372,000 Bill? 

One other amazing miracle occurred for us as we moved toward the completion of this historic concert date in Texas. As you will recall, the budget was $372,000. Now, even with the building full of people, statistically we would either come in right on budget or be a little bit short. Approaching the concert date, we had tabulated all the monies that had come in from our partners to produce this event. Even with an offering like the ones we’d received on the rest of the tour dates, and even if we sold boxes and boxes of T-shirts, we would fall short of this budget. It was just too much money. The end of the night was here, and we were $42,000 short. 

All I could think of was how am I going to tell Carman, after this history-making event, that we just lost that much money? While I was feeling the pressure and the magnitude of this moment, I received a phone call from an incredible organization that was part of our volunteer crew for the stadium event. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) was planning a big party for Tom Landry’s seventieth birthday and wanted to have it in the stadium on Sunday. The problem was that our equipment and stage would not be out of the building in time. 

For a concert this size, it would take a couple days to get everything out. The FCA had already confirmed an incoming flight for Louise Mandrell to sing, and many VIPs were participating. 

I wasn’t prepared for their question: “Could we use your lights, sound, and stage? Would you leave them up another night for, say, a donation to Carman Ministries of $50,000?” 

God is so good! I can’t tell you just how big God was to me as we confirmed that deal. 

What an amazing event! What a concert! What a God! And He just kept the miracles coming. It was truly supernatural!

 

After the concert was over and the people were getting ready to leave, the press wanted pictures and quotes for their articles. I’d been blessed to be a part of history. I was privileged to partner with a man of God who’d pursued the dream in his heart because he believed that with God nothing was impossible. (Mark 10:27.) 

This night was the entrance into the next season of my life and ministry. This history-making concert had not only inspired and exhausted me; it had changed my life. The next several months of tour, I was prayerful and thoughtful about future things. I’d been so comfortable at Carman Ministries that I’d never thought of doing anything else, but my spirit was restless. I couldn’t understand how I could feel this way with everything working so smoothly, but I was feeling something from the inside out. God was ready for me to roll on. 

The comfort of a consistent paycheck, and of doing something I’d grown to know so well, kept me at Carman Ministries for five more years before I would obey God and go. Though I was seeing tremendous things happening through the ministry of Carman, I longed for a more personal ministry role. I wanted to touch people through what God was doing in me. I desired to see others find their purpose for existence and turn their dreams to destiny, too. 

Though Carman Ministries produced several stadium events on the next tour, none of them felt like Texas. To this day, the picture of Texas Stadium hangs on the wall in my home as an igniter to my spirit anytime someone tells me that a project is too big or too expensive. One glance and I’m inspired all over again to pursue excellence and win souls to Jesus. 

Jesus said: 

The thief does not come except to steal, and to 

kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have 

life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 

John 10:10

Jesus provides an abundant life: not just a Full life, a FULL-filled life as we do what we are purposed to do. I discovered that there is a difference between being full and being fulfilled. After nearly twenty years with Carman and his ministry, I said goodbye to the field of experience that had taught me how to step out on nothing and find a place to stand. I left filled with hope that I would find my own personal fulfillment in doing what Christ was calling me to do: to be a pastor, to shepherd a flock of His sheep. Everything I’d experienced at Carman Ministries had been training for this moment. I would leave a comfortable living and a nice home to pursue a passion that I’d barely even dabbled in before. 

I made an agreement with God to preach or teach wherever He wanted me to go, and I did it. No matter how big or small the group, I was ready. In my five-year battle with obeying the inner leading of God, it had been as if I were in halftime. Now halftime was over, and I was ready to play! 

I began preaching and teaching almost immediately after my departure from Carman Ministries, just as I’d told the Lord I would. My family moved back to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where my relationship with Carman had begun. There I created and produced a television series called Dreams2Destiny,  interviewing several popular people from our area, asking each of them which season they were in and how they were moving toward their destiny. I was even editing the show in the office Carman and I had built for ministry.

 

But God had even more in store for me. With the television series, God was propelling me to begin a church. Okay, God, I questioned, you want me to build and pastor a church in a city that has churches everywhere and some of the most incredible pastors too? Why? Tulsa doesn’t need another church!  

Then the Lord responded, letting me know that Tulsa not only needed another church, but it needed our church: a place where people from all faith backgrounds could come and land in an environment where they could experience Christ. A place where those who had been bruised and battered by churches, believers, and ministries could come back and be healed, strengthened, and set apart for service once again. 

For two more years, I was in a holding pattern, waiting for the right time and the right place to land. I was waiting for God to show me a bit more of the puzzle.

Then, in March of 2002, we began The Landing Community Church in Tulsa. It would be a safe place for those who found themselves in a “spiritual holding pattern” to land and be themselves while God ignited their dreams. There they could pursue their destiny with the help of others who truly cared about them, and the dream God had planted in them. 

I have found my way into another God-given dream, and the cycle of seasons continues as my ministry moves forward. 

Though I may endure seasons of desperation and delay, I have the divine assurance that God will do in me what He says He will do, and my destiny is certain to happen every time.

I have learned that as you help build great people, you help build a great church. I’ve learned to read the signs and pay attention to the seasons. All I must do is move through the seasons to turn my dreams to destiny. I’ve seen it happen before. 

I’ve watched history. I’ve even been part of it. That makes it easier for me to get through the changing seasons whenever they happen now. 

I pray that one day you will find your way to the very destiny God had in mind for you when He breathed life into your body. There is no better place to be!