Ray Howell

A few years ago, Ray and Allyson Howell of Blountstown came to see me at a crisis time in their lives. The outcome of our meeting resulted in our being joined by Holy Spirit. To this day, they, with their children, Thomas and Caroline, have attended and participated in almost every meeting of this congregation. Ray is a business professional and Allyson teaches at Blountstown High School. Ray has always been an avid sportsman, so it was not a surprise when he became a participant in triathlon events. In time he became a successful participant in what is known as Ironman events.
None of us were taken aback by any of those transitional events, but probably none of us were ready for his next pronouncement– he was going to become a mountain climber.
Now, the flatlands of Blountstown and all of West Florida are not a breeding ground for mountain climbers–a fact which causes this entire story to take on a strong prophetic significance.
There are five mountains in the world that comprise the list of "what’s what" for mountain climbers. The first is Mount Ranier in Washington state, that one Ray climbed last year. The second is Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, a country of East Africa. The third is Mt. Elbrus, in Russia.

There are times, and this is one, where I am thankful for almost continuous communication. Here are Ray's e-mails from the climbing ventures.

The message, for those who have "ears to hear," is prophetic in every sense. Thank you for covering Ray and his family during this time.
.

--Apostle Ball

Friday, August 24
I finally made it here. I arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport last night and had no problem getting my visa. I was met by a driver from the expedition who drove me to the town of Arusha where I will be until tomorrow morning, when I will start up the mountain. On the drive from the airport with the full moon, I could see the snow-capped peaks in the distance– Mount Kilimanjaro in all her glory, "the roof of Africa" as they call it.
Everyone I have met here has been very nice. I have been befriended by a young man who follows me everywhere, by the name of Justin. He is 25 and used to work on expeditions up the mountain until it was too hard for him.
In my spirit I feel excited and heavy at the same time. My heart goes out to these people. They appear to have no direction, no hope of what tomorrow brings. They don’t have any sort of government in their lives. Holy Spirit will only be able to do so much for these people unless they have apostolic government to lead them. All the money in the world would not make a difference in this country. I could come back here in 30 years and it would still be the same. I feel like it’s not the people that don’t want change, but those in authority. They have to change from the top down, like lining up under the father in a family, so the blessing will flow down to the wife and children. They need those in authority over here to line up and pass the blessing on down to the people.
I’m excited for the chance to stand on the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and speak over this continent. I don’t fully understand the purpose of all this, and right now I really don’t want to know. I just know I have a purpose here and I will fulfill my purpose. Yahweh has blessed me so much in my life, and I want the same for these people. This is a marked time in my life and I’m so thankful to be called a son of Apostle F. Nolan Ball.
Thursday, August 30
I have arrived back in the town of Arusha. It has truly been an experience. I fully understand how we can only do so much in the natural but with Holy Spirit and submitting to the authority of an apostle, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
Yesterday, I ascended the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. I know there’s no way in the natural I could have made it, but I could feel the strength from the intercession from everyone at home. It gave me the strength to go beyond my own natural strength, a true test of perseverance. Once at the summit I stood as an ambassador for Apostle F. Nolan Ball and prophesied over this continent. I cried out for the sons of Yahweh in this land to take their places. I cried out for change to come to this place from the highest positions. I prophesied for change to come to this place, for things to be shaken up so that things that are not Kingdom will be exposed.
My spirit was also heavy for our own ekklesia in Panama City. I sang the song, "Stir Up This Place." I don’t know if it was for Panama City or for Africa, but I just knew I was to sing that song. I know there are great things about to happen in Panama City and things are being shaken up as we speak. I don’t know what and I don’t want to know what, I just know what Holy Spirit was speaking to me. I don’t know what will come from all of this, but I know I had a purpose in going to that summit and following through with this purposeful journey.
Holy Spirit revealed to me that perseverance is the key to Kingdom Generations.
I love all of you and thank you so much for all the intercession. I’m ready to get home and see my beautiful wife and kids.
Love, Ray
I finally made it here. I arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport last night and had no problem getting my visa. I was met by a driver from the expedition who drove me to the town of Arusha where I will be until tomorrow morning, when I will start up the mountain. On the drive from the airport with the full moon, I could see the snow-capped peaks in the distance– Mount Kilimanjaro in all her glory, "the roof of Africa" as they call it.
Everyone I have met here has been very nice. I have been befriended by a young man who follows me everywhere, by the name of Justin. He is 25 and used to work on expeditions up the mountain until it was too hard for him.
In my spirit I feel excited and heavy at the same time. My heart goes out to these people. They appear to have no direction, no hope of what tomorrow brings. They don’t have any sort of government in their lives. Holy Spirit will only be able to do so much for these people unless they have apostolic government to lead them. All the money in the world would not make a difference in this country. I could come back here in 30 years and it would still be the same. I feel like it’s not the people that don’t want change, but those in authority. They have to change from the top down, like lining up under the father in a family, so the blessing will flow down to the wife and children. They need those in authority over here to line up and pass the blessing on down to the people.
I’m excited for the chance to stand on the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and speak over this continent. I don’t fully understand the purpose of all this, and right now I really don’t want to know. I just know I have a purpose here and I will fulfill my purpose. Yahweh has blessed me so much in my life, and I want the same for these people. This is a marked time in my life and I’m so thankful to be called a son of Apostle F. Nolan Ball.
Thursday, August 30
I have arrived back in the town of Arusha. It has truly been an experience. I fully understand how we can only do so much in the natural but with Holy Spirit and submitting to the authority of an apostle, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
Yesterday, I ascended the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. I know there’s no way in the natural I could have made it, but I could feel the strength from the intercession from everyone at home. It gave me the strength to go beyond my own natural strength, a true test of perseverance. Once at the summit I stood as an ambassador for Apostle F. Nolan Ball and prophesied over this continent. I cried out for the sons of Yahweh in this land to take their places. I cried out for change to come to this place from the highest positions. I prophesied for change to come to this place, for things to be shaken up so that things that are not Kingdom will be exposed.
My spirit was also heavy for our own ekklesia in Panama City. I sang the song, "Stir Up This Place." I don’t know if it was for Panama City or for Africa, but I just knew I was to sing that song. I know there are great things about to happen in Panama City and things are being shaken up as we speak. I don’t know what and I don’t want to know what, I just know what Holy Spirit was speaking to me. I don’t know what will come from all of this, but I know I had a purpose in going to that summit and following through with this purposeful journey.
Holy Spirit revealed to me that perseverance is the key to Kingdom Generations.
I love all of you and thank you so much for all the intercession. I’m ready to get home and see my beautiful wife and kids.
Love, Ray

MAY 2008 - MT. ELBRUS - RUSSIA

May 15, 2008

Apostle,

I have arrived here in Moscow. The flight was very long and uncomfortable to say the least.Its very cold and windy and the language barrier is very difficult here, I have found very few that speak English, even here at the hotel. I have also found out that Moscow is one of the most expensive cities in the world. My taxi from the airport to the hotel was $200.00.

I'm very uneasy here and truthfully I just want to get on another plane back home, but I know the word Yahweh spoke to me and I will be obedient to that word, even though in my natural I just want to go back home. I will finish this journey out of my obedience. I hope once I get out of Moscow and on the mountain tomorrow I will feel better. I'm here now and I will not be coming back here, so its time to hunker down and get the job done.

I miss all of you and I love all of you. Its so awesome to be joined to a house and people that have hearts for the kingdom and each other.

Love,

Ray

May 17, 2008

Apostle,

We have completed the first day of acclimation here at Mt. Elbrus. We hiked to the top of Mt. Cheget (12,000 ft) today, it took around 6 hours. The snow was very deep, around 2 feet and we had to break trail through it. It was very tough going but I felt good the whole way. It is very windy and cold here but fortunately the sun was out.

I know Yahweh has a purpose in me being here and I know I will stand on top and prophesy over this continent. It will not be easy going, there are alot of cornices breaking loose from the winter causing avalanches. But I know by being obedient to Yahweh's word to me that I will succeed.

You know the Friday night service a couple of weeks ago, you spoke of not being scared of failing because being afraid of failing will cause you to not ever make the attempt to succeed. Apostle I'm not afraid of failing, but I do not submit to failing. I'm here out of obedience to a word that was spoken to me. I'm here to represent you and the house there in PC. I'm here to see into the NOT, to see what Yahweh has for me to see. I do not have expections, I know Yahweh will release what he has in store or me, for our house, I walk by faith so that I can see into the NOT. I WILL RAISE THE FLAG OF "THE ROCK OF PANAMA CITY" FROM THE HIGHEST POINT ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT.

I will not have another chance to use the computer until we come off the mountain. We will go to base camp tommorow at 13,800 feet. Then we will make an acclimation climb Monday, on Tuesday will we make a summit attempt depending on the weather.

I love you and everyone there and I thank you for being strength for me to draw upon.

Love

Ray

May 20, 2008
(From Allyson)

Hey,

I wanted to write and inform everyone that a body of Yahweh came together last night when Ray reached the summit of the mountain. He called me as I was leaving the church.

What an amazing time this is (such a time as this). Ray's vision was fullfilled and I am so blessed to be a part of such a group of people that had Yahweh's heart and vision in them. The act of obedience is an awesome thing to witness. Mike blowing the conch shell and Zoe on the phone from England to hear the sound and us in a circle around the rock praying in the Spirit. It touch me when Ray called and said "I'm at the top."

I did get a call from Ray this morning around 4:30 to say he had made it down. It was a short phone call because he is so tired. He will be resting today and his journey back home will begin tomorrow and end late Saturday night unless he can catch a earlier flight home. The connecting flight has not blended well so he will have to spend the night at the airport in Moscow. Thank you all for all of your prayers for Ray, me, Thomas and Caroline.

Thank you so much for being faithful.

Allyson Howell

May 22, 2008

Apostle,

I still smile at the fact that my guide could not believe how the weather just cleared out like it did. His exact words were, "Not normal, vey unusual". I guess they just don't know the authority in the earth of a true Apostle. It goes from minus 60 degrees celsius and whiteout conditions, to minus 10 degrees celsius and clear skys in a matter of hours.(Perfect Climbing Weather). If that is not confirmation of the apostlic annoiting in you. Clearing weather from half way around the world. WOW, thats awesome to me.

No expedition had summitted yet this season because of the weather. Last week they had to abandon the summit attempt because it was so bad, there eyes were freezing shut. I did not even have to wear gloves the whole time on summit day. Talk about a demonstration!

I love and appreciate all that you are Apostle, more than anything that example you are to me. Knowing someone is always there to help, someone I know has my back, giving me that since of security, even when there is none. An example to me of not only a true apostle on this earth but also of a father, a father that is always there when needed. I'm truly honored to be joined to you and to call you my Father.

It has been almost 6 years since I first came to the Rock and my life has changed so much because of the blessing you have been to me. Also being joined to such an awesome house blesses me and my family so much. Seeing the blessings each person and family walk in, is such an awesome demonstration and blessing to me. I draw so much strength from each person there in our house.

Yahweh spoke to me on the mountain two days before we went to the summit. I was very dehydated, I couldn't eat and couldn't hold anything down when I did eat something. My body had no strength at all. I was cramping just laying in my sleeping bag. But Yahweh spoke to my spirit and told me one word, "Overcome"... I believe this is not only about overcoming our weaknesses in the natural but also about overcoming our spiritual shortcoming as well. That not to let distractions in whatever form they come keep us from being obedient in the Kingdom. We let so many things ( finances, work, kids, etc) distract us from our true purpose and we have to get to a point that no matter what, we must overcome and push through whatever it is that is hazarding our walk, our purpose in the Kingdom. There is so much more for us to receive, to walk in. As long as we allow those hazards to exist, we will always be falling short of what Yahweh truly has in store for us. WE MUST OVERCOME AND GO FORTH!

I love you Apostle and everyone there at "The Rock of Panama City,

Ray