Our Journey

Reflections on Our Journey

Recently, I’ve been reflecting on my exit from Awana. A week or two after I was let go, I had to help some family members walk through the process of how to handle the hurt and the change. I transitioned out of Awana pretty quickly, but I had to help my family understand what happened. I came up with these points internally and they are what I communicated to my family.

1) I’ve taught my kids that life is not fair. This was a good example.

2) The most important thing in life is becoming more like Jesus. I challenged them with this: If you knew that going through a "lions den" would make you more like Jesus, would you go? Of course you would. I have said, “Always, always, and always the end goal is Christlikeness."

3) I see clearly that this event was from the hand of God. Our good God has allowed this to happen. I/we can praise Him. He is sovereign in all of our lives.

4) I'm moving on. There is so much to do and be for His Kingdom. 

For the last few months, I have been reflecting on where I’ve been and what my passions are. My passion continues to be for fathers to lead their families spiritually, and also to reach out to the broken in our society – the inmates, the fatherless, those in bondage, etc. I desire to see the Gospel shine so brightly in those dark places! One of my life-long prayers has been, “Lord, take me to the darkest places in the world where your Gospel can shine the brightest.” I’ve seen the power of the Gospel in my own life and in the lives of inmates in Angola Prison- and I want to keep experiencing this!

In this time of reflection I came up with the following observations about where God may want my family and me.  

Situational Impressions from God

1. My mentors, Richard Owen Roberts (http://www.internationalawakening.org/?page_id=31) and Jack Crans (http://countycorrectionsgospelmission.org/about/leadership/) introduced me to Life Action Ministries almost three years ago. They said that I should get to know a ministry that has the same passion as I do.
2. Soon after, I introduced myself to Byron Paulus, Executive Director of Life Action. We found out quickly that we had the same “DNA” – Brokenness, Revival, Repentance, and Renewal. I began participating in some of their national events (Heart Cry Conference, and OneCry)
3. Due to the connection with some of the other leadership with Life Action, I brought one of their teams to Angola Prison in Dec 2010 to do a 4-day Conference. The inmates and staff/leadership of Life Action received all of this very well.  
4. Awana Lifeline became partners with Life Action. They became one of the organizations that supported Awana Lifeline. Life Action supported the work of Awana Lifeline for over two years while I was there.
5. I offered Life Action staff 4 slots at our Turn conference annually. Four staff members came to Turn (www.turnassembly.org) in 2012 and were greatly blessed.
6. August of 2011, my family and I moved closer to my in-laws because of my father-in-law’s decline in health due to cancer. We committed to caring for them in their later years. The house that we purchased is literally an 8 minute drive to Life Action Headquarters in Buchanan, MI.    
7. Since Life Action knew that I moved into the area, they gave me a cubical while I was working off site with Awana Lifeline.
8. This past summer, my oldest, Donna, joined the White Team (a Life Action Road team) to do a year long mission service with them. This is the team I brought to Angola in 2010.
9. Because I felt very committed to the men I served at Awana Lifeline, I would not have left them on my own volition. But later, when I was speaking to the Malachi Dads Leadership Team at Angola, one of the men said, "Mr. Lyndon, there was no way you would have left this responsibility and role with this ministry on your own because of your commitment to the ministry and love for us. God had to do a drastic thing." He's right. I was so sure about my calling and role there. God did this, so I'm at peace in His sovereignty. He has a different plan.
10. Soon after I parted ways with Awana, I met with Byron and other LAM leaders to discuss future possibilities!

To be part of the Life Action staff, they require staff members to develop a team of financial partners who provide the necessary finances for their outreach, including salary and business-related expenses. This means that the staff is completely faith supported. Admittedly, I have never had to do this in my career/work. Even though I raised support for Awana Lifeline, my salary was always “guaranteed.” This was a step of faith for my family and me. It hasn’t been easy, but we know that this is the best place for us to be.

Spiritual Impressions from God

Over the months of November and December, I have been seeking God’s face on this matter of being on faith support. Here are the impressions I have from Him.

1. God desires His children to live by faith. “…I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2:20. I desire a life of faith. I sense that this is God’s desire for us. I want to come to the end of my life and be able to say that I walked with God by faith. This is one of those areas. Being on faith support is certainly not the call for everyone; but when it is, we should be obedient to that step.
2. My wife, Julia, and I have always admired the lives of men of faith like George Mueller. We probably admire people like this because we are so far from this lifestyle. But now we have this opportunity to walk in faith.
3. Many of you know how important it is to me to raise my children to love God with all their heart, soul, and might. I believe that this lifestyle of being faith supported will be good for my children too. I want them to see more clearly how God provides for His people. I want them to celebrate when He provides, to trust when the funds are down, and to see how God uses His people to provide for us.
4. I also realize that joining Life Action Ministries would enhance our overall Azcuna family ministry. Life Action is very family oriented, from their women’s ministry called Revive our Hearts (http://www.reviveourhearts.com/), to their Family-Centered Camps (http://www.lifeactioncamp.com/), to their opportunities for my children to travel on road teams and be apart of Life Action conferences (http://www.lifeaction.org/conferences/). Donna is currently traveling the country playing with a worship team on Life Action’s White Team.
5. I find it fascinating that the last year and a half with Awana Lifeline I was working on developing my fundraising skills – building a donor base, creating and sending newsletters/letters, developing sponsorships, reading books, talking to experienced people, etc. (This was more organizational based.) It seems God was graciously preparing me for my current position.
6. My mentors advised me towards this life of faith. Pastor Roberts said that he could not think of a ministry where God has so clearly shown His faithfulness for over 40 years. During the recession, Life Action did not let people go, as other organizations did, and they did not skip a beat.
7. Lastly, if there was a ministry so close to my “DNA”, it is Life Action. Brokenness and repentance are key in the Kingdom of God (Matt 5:3). I sensed this early in my marriage, in the heart of men in Angola Prison, and I know what God has said in His Word, “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isa 57:15b.

Even though I sense God spiritually impressing on me that this is His will, it still has not been easy. I’m not a fearful person, but in this I am fearful. On Dec 5-9, I wrestled with God about my fear and trust. On the morning of Dec 10, at McDonalds, I surrendered and took a leap of faith. I said, “Yes Lord.” And I marked that day with a “spiritual stake” on the ground of faith.

Now my challenge for you, my friend, is that you would join my family and me in this faith walk by being a partner in our ministry. Would you support us through prayer and/or monthly financial support? We endeavor to build His Kingdom in whatever area God opens, and we count you as our right arm in this ministry.  We can’t do it without your support.  Below I’ve outlined our mission and strategic objectives.


Family Mission Statement: We desire to live our lives in such a way that reflects God’s faithfulness to a thousand generation, starting with ours.

Lyndon’s Mission Statement: I am calling fathers to spiritual leadership by building a legacy of faith in Christ for their family.


Strategic Objectives over the next 5 years

1. Establish a ministry team that will support our family as we build the Kingdom of God where He has provided.
2. Lead the OneCry Prison and Jails Initiative
3. Lead the efforts to reach the Hispanic and Asian population in the U.S.
4. Lead the efforts to reach men and/or fathers 
5. Fuel the OneCry movement
6. Expand the reach of the OneCry movement

Please prayerfully consider how you can walk along side of us in this exciting new opportunity.  I hope over the next weeks and months YOU will be encouraged as we share what is happening in the ministry.