Lower 48 Road Trip: Georgia, Florida & Alabama

“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” -Ephesians 5:14

Wow, what an exciting couple of weeks we’re having in the United States of America! President Trump landed a historic victory in one of the most important elections of all time! Not only did he win the Electoral College and all the key swing states, but he won the popular vote as well in a landslide. On top of that, Republicans have won back the majority in the Senate and kept their lead in the House of Representatives. I am overjoyed! This is the fulfillment of so many prophetic words from so many prophets across the Body of Christ, reminding us that God is so faithful. I know this is a bitter time of defeat for many Americans, and I have compassion on those who are hurt and confused. However, this is a time of great celebration for the church in America and around the world! Believers in other nations were in fervent prayer and fasting for this victory as well. I am so thankful for their faith, prayers and sacrifice to win this battle. President Trump has been chosen by God to lead our country and set a precedent for other nations around the world. He will bring the United States back to our roots as a nation of believers founded on Godly principles and pave the way for others to follow. We are on the edge of the greatest revival in history! Unfortunately, many have been lied to by the enemy. They believe Trump is an evil dictator who will destroy them. How sad! It’s hard to understand how anyone could believe this considering he ran the country for four years and then stepped aside for four years. How many dictators ever give up power like that? None! In time, everyone will see the truth. Please celebrate this sweet victory with us and continue to pray for our country… I know we are not out of the weeds quite yet.

I am delighted to share with you about our adventures in Georgia, Florida and Alabama! All three of these states were counted for President Trump, and Georgia was a key swing state that put him on a path to victory early on election night. Enjoy!

Georgia: I heard the Holy Spirit say, “There is rot at the center of the peach… time to clean it out!” I know Georgia is known as the “Peach State” and that some corruption has come to light in this state over the last four years, so I was only a little surprised to hear the Lord say this. It seems clear that God is ready to clean out the evil at the core of it. I encourage the church to pray about this word and ask the Lord to give more clarity on the specifics of it. We first crossed into Georgia from South Carolina and drove straight into downtown Savannah at dusk. We just wanted to get a quick peak at the city, which was bustling with traffic, before we headed to our KOA just south of Savannah for the night.

Savannah easily became one of my favorite cities on the trip, and was a close second to Charleston. We found many of the beautiful qualities we loved about Charleston, to be present in Savannah as well, such as: cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, Spanish moss hanging from the trees, real fire lanterns, palm trees, decorative iron fences, climbing vines and so on. Savannah has its own distinct flavor though. Two important themes of the city stood out to me: the Savannah River and live music. We only had time to explore the North Historic District and the Plant Riverside District that leads down to the river. An old brick city wall runs parallel to the river, giving it a distinct old-world port feel. Many of the buildings facing the river are also made of brick, which looks more rustic compared to the polished look of Charleston. Restaurants and shops line the river, giving it a fun atmosphere. Live music from street performers can be heard all over this part of the city. We heard some people singing acapella and others playing instruments, like the saxophone. Apparently, some musicians are territorial about their spots, as we witnessed one man (who was clearly demon-possessed) scream at another man, who was singing beautifully, for taking “his spot.” That was wild! We found a bluegrass band called Swamptooth playing along the waterfront, so we stopped to listen for a while. We joyfully sang aloud and worshiped with the crowd to the song “I Saw the Light.” The phrase that came to me for this city is: “Savannah is a sweet tune in the Lord’s ear.” I also heard the Lord name it “Sweet Sound Savannah.” I believe the Lord wants to bring forth a new worship movement from Savannah. How exciting!

We enjoyed exploring this downtown district for the afternoon. Little square parks with trees and benches are located every few blocks, which are like small oases nestled in the middle of the vibrant city. We had a quick lunch at a Greek restaurant called Olympia Cafe, then we shopped around. There was a farmers market along the river selling all kinds of arts, crafts and products. We even saw river dolphins as we walked along the waterfront. However, the real gem that stood out is the glorious red and white, quadruple-decker riverboat called the Georgia Queen. We didn’t really plan anything specific for our visit to Savannah, but we thought we’d at least inquire about the times and prices of the boat rides. We were so excited to find out there were still tickets available for a dinner cruise that night for a reasonable price! We bought our tickets, went back to the van to change and then boarded the beautiful boat. The dinner was a multicourse buffet with shrimp and grits, chicken, fish, bread, salad and multiple sides. It was a feast! We even got peach cobbler for dessert… yum! The views of the river and the city from the riverboat are stunning at sunset. We watched a strip of red-orange light rest on the western horizon as the boat made its way down the river and back. There was lively entertainment on the boat as well. Musicians played on our deck as well as the top deck. Several people got out on the dance floor on our level, so of course I had to join them for the dance party! When the musician took a break, they played the Cha Cha Slide… one of my favorites! It was such a blast. Savannah was such a joy to experience. I look forward to hopefully visiting again in the future. After this wonderful day, we headed back to our KOA for the night. The next morning, we packed up and made our way south on I-95 to Florida.

Florida: is “the convergence.” I also heard the Lord say that where there is “convergence, there is conflict.” Many people have moved to Florida over the past four years, so this word really made sense to me. When we came into Florida, we drove through Jacksonville heading south. We had recently heard that St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States, so we decided to go see it on a whim. There wasn’t much time to stop, but we did drive through the beautiful Old Town area. Most of the buildings in this part of the city had a Spanish flare, which is a reflection of its roots as a Spanish colony. We passed by Flagler College, Alcazar Hotel/ City Hall and a couple of gorgeous old cathedrals. There were little trolley buses giving people tours around Old Town. Parks and palm trees were everywhere in this section of the city. It’s a very pretty city and it would be lovely to visit again in the future when we have more time to explore. From there, we drove down to Ormond Beach. This pristine, classy beach is a perfect place to swim. Even though the weather was warm, it was not quite hot enough for me to swim. Gabe could not wait to get in the water though. I enjoyed watching him ride the waves while I let the surf wash over my feet. It was so refreshing after hours of driving. Our time here came to an end when it started to rain, so we got back in the van and drove down the coast a little farther to the famous Daytona Beach. This beach has more of a party atmosphere with a boardwalk and pier that has a Joe’s Crab Shack at the end of it. Since evening was fast approaching, we didn’t swim here. Instead, we just walked on the beach and enjoyed the views. We only stayed a short time before we got back on the road. As we were leaving the city, we just so happened to pass by the famous Daytona International Speedway where the Daytona 500 race is held. What a cool surprise!

From Daytona Beach, we drove over to Disney Springs in the Orlando area. We’ve been to Disney Springs a couple times before and love all the fun shops and restaurants. Since it was dinner time, we tried a Mexican restaurant called Frontera Cocina. It was more expensive than we expected, but the food was good quality and very tasty. After dinner, we listened to some live Irish music outside Ragland Road Irish Pub and strolled around the shops before heading to our KOA for the night. We were hoping to go to Epcot or Disney World the next day, but the prices are so outrageously expensive that we felt it wasn’t worth the money. Instead, we went back to Disney Springs (which is free to enter) to shop around. While we were in the large World of Disney store, I noticed some rainbow colored toys for children called the “Disney Pride Collection.” I was shocked to see Disney targeting children with the Pride agenda (I really shouldn’t be surprised with all that’s happened over the last several years). It wasn’t even June though… it was September! I was fuming, so I took pictures and shared it on Facebook. Disney has gone too far. They need to leave the kids alone. If they keep pushing this agenda on children, I believe Americans will start pushing back. I grew up on Disney movies and always loved them, but if Disney doesn’t turn a corner, the company is going to sink. Anyway, we left the store promptly, and went over to the Earl of Sandwich for lunch. After checking out a few more stores, we were back on the road again.

When we got out of Orlando, we decided to stop for some frozen custard (which is thicker and richer than ice cream) in Davenport. We saw a young woman sitting in the parking lot of the nearby shopping center holding a sign. Gabe heard the Lord say, “Buy one for her.” He bought her some vanilla frozen custard with strawberry topping, which he had no idea was actually her favorite kind! As he walked over to give it to her, she asked, “Did Jesus put you up to this?!” He had an encouraging chat with her and found out that she is a very strong believer. He decided to give her some money as well, and when he did, she jumped for joy and praised Jesus for his provision. She was so blessed! After this special stop, we continued driving to Bradenton, where we stayed with our friends. Gabe owns a business in Bradenton, and even though he worked on the road, he was eager to spend a few days working in the office. Our friends showed us such kind and generous hospitality. We got to sleep in a real bed, so I enjoyed a few days of rest. We also went out for a fancy dinner together at a restaurant on the water. It was a lovely time! At the end of the work week, we said goodbye to our friends and drove up to Panama City.

Several years ago, Gabe got connected with an evangelist named Hunter Morris. During a call they had once, Hunter told Gabe that he saw him in a black Sprinter van that was decked out in United Hive decals driving across the country. After we received this word, we bought our charcoal colored camper van, and before we left for our trip, we put the United Hive decals on it. Our trip was the fulfillment of the word he gave. Gabe had never met Hunter in person before, so we were excited to meet up with him and his wife Jen for dinner at a favorite local place called Enzos Pizza and Grill. We enjoyed getting to know them and hearing about what God is doing in their lives. When Gabe first sat down, he got a word from the Lord for our server. He heard God say, “I want her whole heart.” After we finished dinner, Gabe asked her where she was at with faith. He shared the word God gave him and then Hunter began to minister to her as well. The sweet woman broke down in tears as she shared about an abortion she had in the past. She said she couldn’t forgive herself. They prayed for her and she encountered Jesus’ love, which washed away her shame. Even though there were other tables of people around us, she wept for joy at what Jesus did. We all gave her hugs as we left. It was a powerful moment of redemption. After saying goodbye to our new friends, we got back in our United Hive van and drove up to Alabama.

After a weekend in Alabama, we drove back down to Pensacola to meet up with our good friend, evangelist Adam Field. He is originally from Cork, Ireland, but now lives in Florida with his wife and children. We met at a delicious spot for lunch, which is all Adam had time for. However, once we got to catching up, he was able to make some extra time to show us around. He took us to see the spot where the first ever church service in Florida was held in 1559! Then we went over to Pensacola Beach to see where revival services have been held. It was a gorgeous sunny day and the sand on the beach was white! From there, Adam took us to check out a spa club he enjoys, and then we went back to the beach. Gabe and Adam had a refreshing swim in the ocean, while I opted to just put my feet in. After the beach, we followed Adam back to his house, where he took us on a golf cart ride through his neighborhood to show us his favorite spot where he likes to ride his Sea-Doo. We also got to meet his amazing wife and kids. It was a fun little adventure around Pensacola, which is heavenly. We said goodbye to our friends and headed back to Alabama. What a fun time we had in Florida!

Alabama: “is a sleeping beauty.” This phrase brought to mind Ephesians 5:14: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” We love our Sweet Home Alabama! Gabe’s dad, Paul, grew up in the small town of Elba in the southeastern part of the state. Gabe’s Aunt Brenda, Uncle Jimmy, cousin Lisa and her husband Tim still live there, so we love to visit them any chance we get. Paul was staying there part-time during our trip, pastoring a local church. Aunt Brenda and Uncle Jimmy live on the same property that his dad and aunt grew up on, which makes visiting extra special. Aunt Brenda is a gracious, loving woman who could write a book on Southern hospitality. She works hard as a professional seamstress and Uncle Jimmy works just as hard helping alongside her (he’s especially good at washing dishes too). He also maintains their large property. There are two homes on the property, but we usually stay in the old family home that Gabe’s Grandma Mamie lived in, which has been fixed up into a lovely guest house. Lisa owns her own boutique shop in a beautiful brick building in downtown Elba. She sells home décor, jewelry and all kinds of gifts and products. Every time we visit Elba, I love to go shopping in her store. If you are ever in her neck of the woods, you have to stop by LillieAnne’s! It’s delightful!

When we were planning out this road trip, we knew we’d be gone on Gabe’s birthday, which is October 2nd. He really wanted to be in Elba for his birthday, so we arranged our itinerary to make sure we were there for his whole birthday weekend. We drove up after dinner in Panama City and got into Elba really late that night. After we brought all of our bags into his Grandma’s old house, we spent time walking around while he shared special memories from his times visiting there as a boy growing up. The next morning, we were excited to see everyone! Paul, Aunt Brenda and Uncle Jimmy were there. Later, Lisa and Tim came over, as well as his cousin Chafin, who drove up from Florida. We spent good quality time with everyone over the weekend. I worked on a project with Aunt Brenda, helping her organize a box of old pictures. I had fun looking through them all with her and hearing the stories behind them. Gabe loves going to the movies, so he went to see one with his dad and Chafin. We also watched the Alabama football game together, which is one of Gabe’s favorite pastimes. On Sunday, we went to church and then enjoyed a meal together as a family. Aunt Brenda cooks the most delicious Southern food! She often makes favorites like sweet tea, fried chicken, fried okra, white peas, potato casserole and turnip greens. She always bakes desserts too, such as pound cake, pie and brownies. On Gabe’s actual birthday, he wanted to spend the day helping power wash his Grandma’s old house… how amazing is that! I worked with Aunt Brenda to make him a special birthday dinner. We had cube steak, ham, fried cornbread, mashed potatoes, green beans, pear salad and fresh tomatoes, with chocolate pound cake for dessert! Every dinner in Alabama is like a Thanksgiving feast… even in the summer! I even picked flowers from his Grandma’s garden to make an arrangement for the table, which was so pretty. How special it was to see Gabe’s birthday wishes come true! God is so good!

The next morning, we said goodbye to our family and headed back to Florida for the day. However, later that night, we drove over to Mobile to meet up with his cousin Cameron and his wife Ale for dinner. We met at their house and rode down to a nearby Greek restaurant that had great food. We enjoyed catching up and having fun conversation. After dinner, we headed along the Gulf to our KOA in Mississippi. After spending multiple days in Mississippi and Louisiana, we drove back into Alabama to meet his cousin Sarah for lunch in Tuscaloosa. Sarah was going to school at the University of Alabama for her Master’s Degree in Accounting… she’s such a smart and sweet girl! The funny thing is, Sarah’s parents met while attending Auburn University. In case you don’t know, Auburn and Alabama are rival schools, so her parents had to tease her about her choice. Gabe had been to the Alabama campus before, but I never had, so I was excited to see it. It was a busy game day, the sun was shining and all the students were out and about, decked out in their crimson red Alabama gear. We met Sarah at Glory Bound Gyro Co., which is a favorite food spot for students. We enjoyed our lunch and getting to hear all about Sarah experiences. After we gave her hugs and said goodbye, we drove by Bryant-Denny Stadium where the Crimson Tide play, and then got back on Highway 20. We drove through Birmingham and then turned north on the 65 and headed up to Tennessee.

I’m thankful for these amazing states, and for all the friends and family we were able to see during this leg of the trip. I hope you’re enjoying this journey with us. Stay tuned… there are more glorious states coming soon!