I Being in the Way

Because of a late schedule change, the Lord allowed us a couple of days in our schedule of no services.  We were able to celebrate Esther’s birthday for the first time in seven years (her entire life) on the actual date of her birthday.  But after a couple of days off, I was eager to get back into church ministry.

Because of the extra days of leeway in the schedule, I was able to show up to a church on a Friday instead of the more traditional Saturday night.  Coming in on a Friday allowed me to go soul-winning with the pastor on Saturday morning—an activity that I rarely get to do while I am on the road.

The desire in my heart to see someone saved had become a passion.  We were able to see seven campers trust Christ in camp, but somehow that was not enough.  As I prayed, asking the Holy Spirit for direction and power, He led me to go early and join the pastor on Saturday morning.

Visitation here in AZ is not unlike visitation in other places.  The cults have saturated the area so that some will decry the very idea of going from house to house.  Going out on a Saturday morning means that some will not answer the door because they are in bed, while others have left already for work or weekend play.  Still, in spite of those obstacles, we went, believing to be have been led by the Holy Spirit.

In the end, we encountered people at only two homes.  The first was a good visit, but the two men with whom we spoke did not live in the area.  The second house at which we found people home turned out to be the answer to our prayer.

Nineteen-year-old Daniel was over at his mother’s house that morning and answered the door when we knocked the second time.  Unusually, he invited us in immediately, particularly after he discovered that we were not sheriff’s deputies.

His mother gave testimony of salvation, but when the conversation turned to him, he did not know whether or not he was saved.  After hearing the gospel, however, he bowed his head and prayed to accept Christ as Savior.  Praise the Lord for His leading and enabling!

We quit the Southwest next week (who in their right mind comes to AZ in the summertime?) and begin to head north for ministry there.  Thank you all for praying.  Our greatest needs are the leading and power of the Holy Spirit—the same needs, in fact, that you have as well.

Victory in the Desert

After a week of preparation work, camp started for us in the mountains of southern New Mexico.  This week of camp—it was supposed to be two but got shortened to one at the last minute—was a combined junior/teen week.  I was to preach to the juniors while my dear friend Dwight Smith preached to the teens.  The Lord blessed us with seven salvation decisions and a host of other decisions as well.

Though the plan was for me to preach to the juniors, Bro. Smith insisted that I take two of the teen slots.  The Lord greatly used those two messages to speak to the hearts of the teens.  At the testimony service Friday night, many specifically mentioned decisions that had been made during those two preaching times.

For the first time in several years, Sarah and I were able to celebrate our anniversary on the actual day, June 17.  It has been thirteen wonderful years for us and we praise the Lord for the wonderful life we have had together.

While we have been in the southwest, the Lord has opened up other doors of ministry in NM and AZ in addition to camp.  After this coming Sunday, we will pack up our trailer and begin the long trek to SD where we will be for a while before spending time in CO before we once again turn eastward.

Thank you for all your prayers for us.  We are grateful to see how God is answering on a regular basis.