Getting Fingerprinted or De-Cannucked (Part 1)

I heard your broadcast on a radio station almost a year ago and immediately checked out your website. Since then, you are the first voice I hear in the mornings. God has used you in a mighty way in my life. He seems to speak directly to me with whatever is going on in my life at the time. I thank God for your ministry. I wish there were more that were not afraid to speak the Truth.
God bless you and your family.

Way to go ehhh!
Seriously, you asked the Lord that you could pastor one church so many years ago and it he has been really faithful. I think it is great for you to show the community which you serve and love that you love the country in which you live and that you want to be a citizen with a voice. If God wants you to come and go from your homeland (USA or North of the 49th)he can help with the beady eyed border dude :)
Jeff - Harvest London

That is awesome James. I'm excited for you and for your family. You'll always be a Canadian at heart but it is an honorable moment when someone looks at you and says, "Welcome home."

This is just a temporary stay anyways. No strip searches in Heaven (well, none that I know of...) One day, God will look down at us and say, "Welcome home!" We will become citizens of a place so undeserving but paid for at a great price. My God, He is so wonderful!

omgosh, I'm still hung up on the "cavity seach" comment LOL.

You sure are funny at 6:16 a.m. ;-) Glad to hear you & Kathy are going to be Americans--just don't ever lose your Canadian accents, eh? You know, Pastor James, I've always wanted to tell you how I feel about your being in Chicago--ever since I watched the opening dvd segment of "Gripped By the Greatness of God," where you're walking downtown Chicago, talking about how you ended up here. You told the story of how your dad "assigned" each of you boys a hockey team to cheer for, based on which team won the Stanley Cup the year you were born. You were born in 1960 and the Black Hawks won that year. That made you aware of Chicago, where you eventually went to seminary. After that, when you were looking for where God wanted you to minister, He said "you're already here." Well, my heart was so touched by that story. My husband and I have been at Harvest (Elgin) for about a year; we joined last fall. It's hard to even express all that it's meant so far. God's Word has been saturating our souls. Each weekend is exciting and during the week we are feeding on the Word ourselves and through Walk in the Word. We are building a WITW library, catching up on all we missed by not being at Harvest from the beginning, and sharing it with everyone we can. So, back to the Black Hawks. You weren't given the Hawks because they won the Stanley Cup in 1960. No, no . . . the Black Hawks won the Stanley Cup in 1960 because that's the year James MacDonald was born (I hope they appreciate that). God was at work. He had Harvest in mind. He had ME in mind. He had this past year in mind. I was saved on May 15, 1960, at age 15, so that year has always been important to me. No one can tell me God is not at work in the details. He is always working everything together for our good and His glory. Thank you for being born :) and thank you for surrendering to His plan for your life. Thank you for your humble spirit. I thank God for placing in you the uncompromising passion for His Word. My own passion is growth and change and God has certainly kicked that into high gear this past year! We are grateful!

hey Pastor James,

I know what you mean about those nasty Americans. It wasn't that long ago, maybe a couple of years now, when my beloved Boston Bruins were facing-off against the Monteal Canadiens in Montreal that the Canadien crowd heartily booed the American national anthem. To reciprocate, when the Canadiens came to play the Bruins the American crowd gave the Canadien national anthem a standing O. So I know what you mean about Americans.

I love WITW, keep bringing the good news!

Scott

Man, those border guys. I was dating this girl (a long time ago) - erm - let's call her "Anonymous" and we decided to cross back over the border to Canada after a romantic evening of supper and me playing guitar by a river cross-border. Well, no one was at the little border kiosk and Anonymous said "ah.. I guess they're closed" So I was like "Let's go through". :) I'd only crossed a few times before as an adult. So we drove through the border. They caught our attention with lights and (I think) sirens from the border vehicle behind us. :) We were accused of various things, one of which was heroin possession - which I was like "if my date can get me out of this she's a heroine for sure" - but they didn't mean that kind. No, I was accused of being involved with not-so-legal substances. I think once when I was a kid I almost smoked a cigarette. But didn't. Never have I touched an illegal substance. We were let go eventually. Pastor James - ALWAYS wait for the border guards whatever side you cross over to. They get mad otherwise. Anonymous and I are still friends, and to this day she probably remembers the fun we had at the border. :)

Since when aren't Canadians, also Americans? I believe everyone living in North, Central, and South America are Americans. Don't you think so? Anyway, welcome to the USA Kathy and James. I guess it's hard to put an ans after USA people.
By the way, what does URL up above stand for? What am I supposed to put on that line?- remember, there is no such thing as a dumb (or stupid) question.

LOL! That's so mean, how they asked you about Kathy and Abby. As if. Jerks. I'm sorry you have to go through that, Pastor James. And I hate Star Trek too. Although, I laughed at the picture in my mind of you running someone out of a booth. And you in a space ship. BTW, I don't hate you and Kathy and Abby and Luke and Landon because your candaians, and i think its ignorant and prejudiced if pepole do. I don't hate you at all.

James - The stories of people choosing to become Americans are really inspiring. I love hearing about them!

There are many beautiful places in the world but no place like the United States. It's not a perfect place but I think it is wise of us to always remember that many people risk everything to get here.

One request: Please, please don't become one the many "hyphenated-Americans"... Just be an American. :-)

God Bless you, Kathy and our wonderful country!

BTW, just left the airport here in Chicago and I think the TSA went to border patrol training school!

Hi James,

I sent this website to an unsaved friend so he could listen to the broadcasts of walk in the word...I really, really, REALLY enjoy your preaching. You speak to my heart (not just my head) and you cause me to change the way I live.

Blessings,
Pam

You have never seen an entire Star Wars movie? My image of you has been shattered beyond repair! Every self respecting Pastor in America should quote at least one SW line in a sermon, every year. Still love you bro! Hey, come out to SO. CAL!!

My wife is Canadian. We've lived in the States since 1989, and in a few years her green card expires. Your thoughts about her becoming an American strike me, because like you and Kathy, the longer she's here, the more it is home. Funny thing, I'm the American and have grown to love Canada in a special way! We head "home" to the cottage in Ontario every summer and hike Algonquin Park faithfully. The kids attend church camp there and we occassionally make it over to MBC in Huntsville to hear you preach. Although we have never had any problems crossing the border (especially at Sarnia) I'm sure our day will come. Whether you are American or Canadian, just know that God is using you in a mighty way, James! I can't begin to express what an encouragement you have been to our entire family. From our kids strumming Downpour on the guitar and piano to us attending Downpour in Minneapolis, to getting your Weekly Word CDs, your way of speaking the truth without apology has shaped much of how our family lives for Christ. Celebrate your American Citizenship, but NEVER forget your Canadian roots. God Bless!

Hey Pastor,
I listen to your radio show on WAVA in Wash., DC. It means so much to me. I get CDs to listen in the car. I'm a 53 yr. old wife who's been married for 33 yrs., However, my husband left for another woman and is pushing for divorce. I've been grappling for a year with this but with God's help and Christian counseling, I'm doing pretty good. Your messages always inspire me. I can't get enough and am in the Bible more than I've ever been.
God's blessings on your ministry,
Debbie

Some of my good friends are Canadians and I regularly tease them about a national inferiority complex that you all seem to have. (smile)

I have to admit I'd like to hear you say that you want to be an American because you love America, not just because you (albeit jokingly) dread the border crossings...

James

As a Canadian, not far from London I am so thankful to God to see the success of Harvest.
I have listened to you at the Promisekeepers convention at Queensway cathedral , and was at the very first Downpour conference in Hamilton.
We have used I Really Want To Change at our small group mens study, of which I became the default mens leader, and have now taken the job of local rep for PK.

I download your sermons frequently and listen to them every day at work if I can.

One of our sister churches has left our denom/congregation and there has been some talk of contacting you about starting another Harvest church in Canada.

Whatever you do, just don't give up that Canadian citizenship. You never know when the time is going to come when we need a speaker like you to really put the Word of God to this country, as you know the slide we have taken in the last few years.

Believe it or not I work at the Race Track down the street from Harvest and listen to you on line. Everytime I listen to you it seems as though what you are speaking about is what I am going through at the particular time in my life.
God bless you, your loved one's and your ministry.

like the time you tried to cross the border without ID and we got tossed out of the US and were late for the wedding in Sarnia....that was fun! I thought we were gonna get probe searched and you were alot prettier then too.

j

Wow, is that what it's going to be like fingerprinted. I'm looking forward to it. (ha ha)....I know exactly what you meant about being mistreated, just think it gets worst if you're from the Caribbean-islands...like me, it is not fun.
Lulu

Hey, James!!! Great stories about crossing the border. Deb and I have had a few of those ourselves in our travels to Argentina. It is awesome to see how God is using you bro. How desparate are the Dolphins that they signed Trent Green? He is a great guy but an old quarterback.

Guess it was like being at the dentist ,the cavity search ,eh?
Anyways now Pastor, you and Kathy are Internationalists or CanAmericans.
Keep up the good work and God will always protect you and your family , I hope that you will one day open a prayer for Congress like Pastor Marshall.