Happy New Year

Whew! We did it. We survived 2009. It's been a horrid year for many people. It might have been for us as well, except for God's interventions. When the economy began to meltdown, I was having nightmares of untold hardship for all, especially for us. It still blows me away that it wasn't. The worse things got outside, the better they got inside.

In 2008, Eden Valley nearly crashed and burnt. If God had not worked some major miracles, we would have been toast. Believe me when I say we were not worthy. We deserved to sleep in the bed we made for ourselves, but true to His nature, He chose to be merciful and very gracious instead. I've been praising God ever since. When the world's economy crashed, God injected $240,000 into ours. Then He filled our Lifestyle Sessions to the max. If someone messed up as badly as I did, I'd let him suffer it, but God just dusted the dirt off of my scraped knees and gave me another nudge forward. Can you beat that? If He'll do it for me, the chief of sinners, He will do it for you also. Believe me, I've had the experience often.

I weep for people who judge God by the hurts they've suffered at the hands of the ungodly. They get confused by the deceivers who professed to be Christians. Why blame God for their actions? The trick is to walk with God personally. Play fair with Him and He'll be more than fair with you. He is absolutely magnanimous. If we walked with God individually, we would come to know how awesome He is. How generous, how patient, how loving, how wise and how powerful. Oh me, if only we knew.

Galatians 1:4 says, Jesus "gave Himself in exchange for our sins." He didn't wait until we believed, received, repented, or confessed anything. He went to the cross with all of our sins whether we would believe or not. We don't believe in order to get Jesus to forgive us, we see that before we have any involvement with Him at all, He gave Himself to us. We believe after we see how wonderful He is.

Dear everyone, trust God. He won't let you down. I promise. (As if I can promise anything. My promise is based on God's promise to us.)

1 John 2:2 Jesus "is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." That includes you.

ST 9-1-1898:6 “With all assurance we may ask Christ to undertake our case; (With how much assurance? •Why?) for when He gave His life as the propitiation for the sins of the world, He undertook the case of each soul.”

Happy New Years everyone,

The Preacher to his Tribe.

Free to be Who I Am

This morning, I read something I wrote in my journal on July 27, 2008.

"Sitting in a board meeting (at Oak Haven) brings some things to the fore. Successful institutions have strong business principles. EVI has a spiritual President. No one wants to see him leave, but the institution is failing financially. Donors will not forever support incompetence (in the financial field). To bring in a separate business manager under the present president will constitute a huge transfer of power. I dare say, I have enough clamoring for my poor talents around the world and especially in Africa to recommend I be replaced."

At the time, I was thinking that if I was shorn of so much power, I wouldn't be needed at EVI anymore. Interestingly, I now have a Business Manager, Leasa Hodges. And indeed, there has been a huge transfer of power. The end result, however, is not that I am less needed, but that I have more freedom. Leasa's coming to EVI is one of my greatest personal blessings. I view her coming as the answer to a prayer I've been praying for several years now. I've long pled with God to glorify Himself at EVI. Lately, I've come to realize that I wasn't asking G tood glorify me at EVI. I don't have to be in the picture at all. That God has chosen to send Leasa I see as the beginning of new potentials for Eden Valley.

Now, the freedom I am talking about encompasses far more than mentioned above. With age comes understanding, if a man is open to it. I accept that God has given me a special talent. I praise Him for it continually. I realize, however, that I am not the only person with that gift. What if others have the same gift and much more of it? Should that bother me? I don't know if it should, but I can say that it doesn't, and that is where the freedom comes in. I am perfectly happy being who I am. I envy no one for the gift God has given them. Likewise, I am thrilled that Leasa has a talent I don't have. I am also extremely proud of my wife's successes as a leader. I have awakened to find that other people's successes are my joy. I don't know if I ever had a different feeling about that, but I can tell you that there is wonderful sense of freedom when the impulse to make others happy springs constantly from within.

I am perfectly free to be who God made me to be. Are you? From the Preacher to his tribe.

What Tiger?

Elk at Eden Valley

Have you given the Tiger a thought lately? Tiger Woods I mean. I genuinely feel for him, don't you? He worked hard to become the best golfer in the world and it looks to all like he succeeded marvelously, didn't he? Will it mean anything, if in the end he is no more than another cheap punk (albeit, with talent?) If you or I succeed spiritually, but fails at an attempt at business, sports, politics . . . few would care, but which would you rather? A big name in the world (with big bucks), but disdained of heaven and family? Or no name in this world, but honest, dependable, self-sacrificing, generous and loved of all, including heaven?

I have long realized that no matter what I accomplish, I will never be special. When I look at the way God led me as compared to the way my extended family chose to go, it appears that God did a great work for me. And He did, but I, in the thing am not great.

Some think themselves great for scaling Mount Everest. It's a huge physical drain, to be sure, and to come back alive is merciful, but is that great? Is it greatness to be a hockey star, a celebrity, a renown politician? Is it great to exercise the powers we've been given? Is it less great for those who are born cripple to exercise, in the same intensity, the powers they were given, that no one recognizes? It's all the same. The package this supposed greatness comes out of is a corruptible mess, if not already irretrievably corrupted. We owe all we have to the God who will give us His greatness if we let Him.

So my tribe, go out and accomplish all you can. Keep in mind, however, it is God that gives you the power to do great things. Give Him the glory or you might just fall after the example we've just been given by the . . . "great one".

My Little World

Finding something to say on these blogs is a chore. It is especially difficult if your life is, well, lifeless. So, what I thought I would do is just tell what is going on in my little world.

1. The big event is that Janet will arrive this weekend. I look forward to that. God willing, we plan to take a vacation in February. We wish to go to the Yukon more than anywhere else, but February is not the time of year to bask in the northern sun (like my Iroquois grandsons.) So I think we will head for Florida. We have a friend who has an empty condo there. From there we will go to the OCI board meetings in Wildwood.

2. My little Russian translator is not doing well. Her cancer has metastasized to her abdomen. I keep praying in faith. Janet and I have another friend, Dr. Dolores Jacoby, who has a recurring melanoma in her eye. Cancer is rampant these days. Yesterday, Leonard Westphall called me. Leonard raises millions of dollars for 3ABN by getting people to give through their wills. In any case, he had prostate cancer and came to EVI last spring. We didn't manage to help him at all. He went home to find out his cancer had metastasized into his bones. The doctors gave him three months to live. He went to a doctor in Equador who uses machines with some kind of frequencies and he came back cancer free. He wants me to get some of these machines. He is sure we will be rich. How am I suppose to relate to that? God gave His people a special method for dealing with sickness. As far as I know, it has little or nothing to do with frequencies. Yet, he is healed and swears by that treatment.

3. As you know, I gave my one year notice at the last board meeting. I will be transitioning out from EVI to Africa this year. I haven't moved from that position, but I am trying to study God's providences. People at EVI seem to be willing to give me anything so long as I stay. Steve Grabiner, whose advice I really respect, thinks I would not be fulfilled in Mago, Tanzania. I think my wife agrees with Steve. A young family from Walla Walla, Fred and Caroline Baumann, are on fire about going to work in Mago. There is always the possibility of having found in Fred and Caroline the people who could run this project. I am not excited about being the leader at EVI, but it appears to me like, with Leasa around, things may begin to happen. Who knows?

4. If the number of invitations to speak keep multiplying, I may spend no time at all at EVI in 2010. However, many of the potential sites are not wholly ratified yet.

5. Janet and I may be going to Africa in March. ASI and the Review want to do articles and videos on Riverside, Kibidula and Eden Valley Foster Care Mission. We'd be flying into Zambia. Taking a lady to Vic Falls while Steven and his cohorts have a board meeting. Then we would go on to Mago and Kibi. Sounds like fun, and expensive too.

6. Already I am scheduled for much too much travel. (I resisted listing the possibilities.) Yet, on top of that, Janet would like to go to Northern Ontario. She hasn't been there in forever and I would like to go to the Yukon. Good thing there is a recession going on.

Glorious Future

The girl in blue with pink arms is Olga.

I've been at EVI for seven years. For seven years, I've been swamped with work. I don't remember a time when I didn't have more to do than time to do it in. All of a sudden, I am caught up. For the last two or three weeks I've got too little to do. It's terrible. I am forcing myself not to feel guilty and it isn't easy. By the same token, I believe that God is the orderer of all my experiences. So, relax self, God is giving you a break.

The break, I believe, is due to Leasa Hodges coming to be the Business Manager at EVI. She's taken so much work off my desk that I am wonderfully/terribly relieved.

___________________________

I may have mentioned my little Russian translator. Olga is 35 years old and dying of cancer. I've only seen Olga three or four times and the last time must have been four years ago. The young woman had a very positive impact on me. She is a strong leader, teacher, missionary. Now, however, she has cancer.

To help her with the cancer I raised money and paid to send a female doctor, Dr. Oden, to her. Dr. Oden gave her all the treatments that we would give Olga at EVI. I cannot tell if it was of any benefit to her, but when I spoke to her on the phone, her spirits were high. It appears Dr. Oden was a great help spiritually to her. Olga spoke only of perfect submission to God and seemed focus on the time when we would meet in the kingdom. The cancer has metastasized into her bones and the bones are breaking. She knows she is dying and seems at rest.

I've been praying for Olga two and three times per day. As a matter of fact, I am spending two to two and one half hours in prayer daily. I pray for many people and issues two to three times per day. Anyway, I believe God has filled my mouth with arguments on behalf of Olga. Here is how the argument goes: "Lord, if this young woman was given life, I believe she would win souls for the kingdom. If she would win souls for the kingdom, would it not be irresponsible to deny her life. God, you can do anything. It is easy for you. Please give her life without losing her soul." I finish this prayer with true gratitude, for I believe that I am heard. And I believe that I am praying according to God's will, as well.

What do you think God will do? Amazingly, I am in perfect peace. I know that God is too powerful to fail, too wise to make a mistake and too loving to disregard my appeal.

Does God answer your prayers? Do you have faith? Do you even pray?

You know, this thing of religion and of spiritual connection is not for a few chosen ones. God is there. He loves you. He hears your prayers. He answers . . . every time!

You can't know how many times I hear people say, "God doesn't seem to answer my prayers." It isn't so, you know. The reality is, we pray so little. We let go of the arm of the Lord too soon.

One year and one half ago, May 2008, I began to write a journal. It was meant to be a journal of my spiritual experience over the following four months. Eden Valley was facing a terrible financial crisis. I had made huge mistakes. The whole infrastructure was threatened with collapse. It was my fault. All I could do was pray and hope in God's mercy. So day be day, diary-like, I recorded my feelings and prayers. Now, it isn't like I was blind to God's miracles, but something special happened to me last week.

During my devotional time, I opened my Journal and read the first entry. I was overwhelmed with amazement. The entry brought me back to May 2008--the feelings, the crisis, the despair, the hopelessness--but I am in December 2009. I was able to see what God had done with a clarity that could not have been possible except for that journal entry.

Many of you may question if God really interacts with you. He does, more than we recognize because we don't record life as we should. We are always facing the problems of today. We end up focusing on the dark side of life when, if our eyes were open, we'd see a glorious reality.

Do you think you'll get to heaven and you'll be able to point back to any time in the past where God made a mistake in your case? Impossible! Then, do you realize that between here and then life can only be glorious. So says the Preacher to his tribe.

DaySrar Academy

The pictures are a view gotten from the campus of DayStar Academy. I spent the weekend with the staff there and interviewed a couple from Chattanooga for leadership. The weekend was wonderfully restful even though I had to drive seven hours to get there and seven hours back.

I'm impressed with the young couple, Chris and Faith Anderson. They seem to have their act together. They also are pretty well sold on the place. I look for a very positive experience when they come in May.

All in a Day

All in a Day’s Work

By Janet Fournier

It seems, after working hard all day, that there is always someone waiting at the house to have a tooth pulled or a wound cleansed and bandaged. After one of those days, I crawled into bed dog-tired. At 11:10 PM I heard voices outside. I got up to see what was happening. Baraza, my Bible worker, met me at the door to tell me someone needed a ride to the hospital.

“They are near the village elementary school,” he said.

“Ok,” I said, “I’ll be right out.”

I manoeuvered the Mitsubishi through the village roads (foot paths, actually) and stopped where we could go no further. Bag of gloves in hand, I led Baraza down a narrow path. Finally, on a little patch of grass, we found a 17 year-old girl. A lady supported her back and between her legs was her grandmother, holding a baby. They were desperate. The placenta was not fully delivered, the girl’s uterus was partially out, and they didn’t know what to do. (As far as I can tell, they had been on the trail for as long as two and one half hours.) Soon after I arrived, a man came by making his way from the bar to his home. I asked if anyone had a new razor blade. He had bought two that day and one was still in his pocket. So I tightened the knot around the umbilical cord, freed the baby, and gave instructions to wrap it up warm.

The placenta followed nicely and I managed to push the uterus back in. Someone helped the girl into the pickup, and we were off to the hospital. Well, not before we stopped to get food, a cooking pot and a wrap for the baby. (The hospital doesn’t supply these things.)

At the hospital we faced another obstacle—they wouldn’t answer the door. We rang the door bell over and over again. Finally, a security guard came to tell us he had called inside and they were coming. (I guess they have no emergencies in this hospital. It seemed like forever before they let us in.) After pushing the stretcher to the delivery room, the baby was put under a warmer and seemed to do well. The mother also did fine after some very rough prodding and poking and stitching. The baby even tried to suck, but the girl was not in the mood for mothering.

Two days later, I went to the girl’s house to see how things were going. Both mother and baby were home and doing well.

_______________________________________

This is life for young people in the villages. The girl’s grandmother had wanted her to take our sewing course, but she claims she was tricked into letting her granddaughter become a house girl in Dar Es Salaam. Not long after, she came home pregnant. Sad, but all too common. Hence, the burden God has given me for these youth.

Praying For You

Beautiful day. The sun is shining, the air is warm, the snow is clean and six inches deep. I went up the mountain to pray. The atmosphere couldn't have been more conducive. I'm praying for you.

Help Needed

The weather's been nice in Colorado, but it is turning to snow today. Tomorrow I am scheduled to preach in Copper Mountain, high in the mountains. I expect wintery roads and danger. I am going anyway. I have been going there for several years now, and I don't recall ever failing to arrive or return. Praise God.

The Swine Flu claimed the life of the daughter of one of our church members, this week. The poor lady lost her son to a motorcycle accident this year and now, this. I feel for her. Her daughter was 53. Apparently, thirty four people have died from the Swine flu, in Colorado, and more than four thousand, nation wide. So far, no one has so much as a cold at Eden Valley. Again, I can only thank God. Julie and her kids have the flu, over there in the Yukon, but it looks like they will pull out of it alright. In Africa, my little Shiloh, who burnt her hands badly, now needs help. As far as I can tell, Shiloh is not able to extend her thumb, or thumbs outward. The scarring is going to cause her problems later in life. Janet is trying to find someone to help us with this. I'll do what I can, as well.

_____________________________________________

A young man is trying to help my wife with her orphan project. His heart is in the right place, and he works in important circles, as far as I can tell. He and I are having an interesting conversation. He would like my help in encouraging OCI to receive donations for Janet's project, but the donors are not to know we are religiously affiliated. The idea is to get more donations from non-religious people. I resisted the idea softly.

He wrote, "I am motivated because this is the right thing to do, and because the risk of a "lost generation" growing up in Africa is so large, not because I view it as just another channel to do evangelism. Not to diverge, but because so much of our aid work is just a means to evangelize, I don't think we can point to having any large impact on actually solving world problems. I subjectively feel that the Gates Foundation is doing way more to solve world problems than Adventists are."

What follows is my response.

I appreciate what you are trying to do. I can even understand the logic behind your argument. We all should do what we can to help "the world and the lost generation". I am torn, actually. I know you are trying to do a good thing, but if you don't mind my saying so, your view is short sighed, as far as I am concerned. Your vision to help poor orphans will only be half effective. It may be, in the here and now, that the Gates Foundation may help the world more than can the Adventist Church. (That's an exaggeration, in my opinion.) I say that, because, at best, what the Gates Foundation accomplishes will be nothing more than a band-aid fix. If Bill Gates solves more problems than Christianity and doesn't lead anyone to eternal life, what have they actually accomplished? Zipp! What is the point of "actually solving the world's problems" if we just extend life and up its quality, only to delay the inevitable? Everyone is going to die. We should engage in humanitarian work, but not just to make healthy, happy sinners. Rather, we should work to extend life and its quality eternally. That's a goal worth pursuing, don't you think? I really doubt the church could do less than Bill Gates in this respect. Like it or not, the Gospel is the only answer to the world's problems. Have you lost faith in the Gospel? Will you put more faith in what men and money can do? Dear ______, you will end up wasting your life on that program. Jesus wants us to do all we can to help people be healthy, comfortable and happy, but not apart from salvation. Doing all the rest apart from the greater goal is a humanistic waste of time. "Just another avenue to do evangelism," as you phrase it, is not a negative. It is the only approach that does a thorough job of truly helping the "lost generation". I agree that the church is not good at it. It breaks God's heart, and mine, but there is still no other real solution to this world's woes.

The Preacher's opinion . . .

Evidence of God

Permit me to introduce Ms. Leasa Hodges, our new Business Manager. The young man standing beside her is her son, Nicolas. I really appreciate watching Leasa operate in her new capacity. She means business . . . sweetly. As far as I can tell, she has all the talents that I lack. Eden Valley should be a totally different place in a year from now. I praise God all day long . . . for now anyway.

I can say that I am experiencing less stress. Is it because I am praying more, or because Leasa is shouldering part of the load? Has Leasa come because I am praying more? Is she the solution to my transition? (I dare not say it to loudly.) In any case, I don't intend to let up praying. The more I pray, the more security I experience.

Not much is happening:

We've had a big snowfall this week and it's been winter cold. This morning it was 20 degrees Fahrenheit (Minus 6.6 degrees Celcius). This Sunday, we start a new Lifestyle session. Apparently, we have a full house. At least one person will be housed in my home. I'm so thankful for that. Winter is usually our slow time. Who knows what will happen after November. We trust.

Yesterday, I called Olga Martinemko, my little Russian translator and friend. She is dying of cancer at 35 years of age. Last month, I raised money and sent Dr. Oden from Ooltewah to Ukraine to minister to Olga. I believe Dr. Oden ministered to her wonderfully. Some people were worried about Olga's faith and spirituality. There is certainly nothing to worry about now, as far as I can tell. Yesterday's conversation was filled with praises to God, sweet submission to His will, and talk of meeting in heaven. She was so filled with life that it was hard to picture her as dying.

Here you have a beautiful, young woman, built like a starlet, who worked hard establishing mission schools for Christ in Russia, Ukraine and some of the Stans. Now, the rug is pulled out from under her. Her work, her life, her beauty, her youth, her body--everything is apparently destroyed. If she lets the Devil have a say, he'll postulate that God is rejecting her service for Him, as well. But praise God, she's defeating the Devil. There is no evidence of bitterness, despair, anger, or discouragement. She sees glory and expresses sweet surrender and love. Tell me, if there be skeptics among us, that there is no grace, no God, no hope.

I am so positively influenced, I could shout it from the mountain tops.

There are so many complaining, bitter people around. You'd think there is no God.

-Some 200 years ago, Madame Guyon, spent ten years in a dungeon.

-She was far below the surface of the ground.

-The only light she saw was of a candle at meal times.

-Now, think with me for a moment, what would you have said to God if you had been in a dark dungeon for ten years?

-What would your attitude be towards His providencial watchcare?

Here is what she wrote:

"A little bird I am, Shut from the fields of air;

Yet in my cage I sit and sing, To Him who placed me there;

Well pleased a prisoner to be,

Because, my God, it pleases Thee.

Nought have I else to do, I sing the whole day long;

And He whom most I love to please, Doth listen to my song;

He caught and bound my wandering wing

But still He bends to hear me sing.

My cage confines me round; Abroad I cannot fly;

But though my wing is closely bound,

My heart's at liberty.

My prison walls cannot control,

The flight, the freedom of the soul.

Ah! It is good to soar

These bolts and bars above.

To Him whose purpose I adore,

Whose Providence I love;

And in Thy mighty will to find,

The joy, the freedom of the mind."

The Preacher to his tribe.

Wrestled to the Ground

In trying to wrestle negativity down, in myself and in my staff, I’ve gained a valuable insight.

Suppose that where I stand represents the present in the context of time. To my left is an overview of my past. To my right is my future as far as I can penetrate it. When I turn left to examine my past, I am flooded with a feeling of gratitude. I can see how generous God has been with me--the family I grew up in, the wife I was given, the children and grandchildren, the honors He bestowed, the friends, the travel, the responsibilities, salvation. Everything seems calibrated to make me happy. I feel like, if God added nothing more to my life I’d have enough to praise Him forever.

But when I turn to view the future on my right, all I see is uncertainty, darkness; all I feel is fear. Why is that? If God’s leading all these years has been so gentle, so generous, how can I turn around and assume my future will be different? Why do I construe what I face today into a threat to my future? Will I, in eternity, be able to point to a time when God made a mistake in my case? I think not!

God, who “is the orderer of all our experiences,” only “orders that which His providence sees best.” “[He] never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led if they could see the end from the beginning.” (IHP 265; MH 217; DA 224:5)

For all who love God, that means that had we been in heaven before we were born, and had we been granted the privilege of choosing the experiences we would have in this world as fallen beings, we would have picked the very experiences God is choosing for us today. We would find no way to improve upon God’s providences.

Friends, knowing this should put a smile on our faces, praises on our lips, and a song in our hearts. Then, negativity under any circumstance becomes understandably unreasonable.

So there! Murnuring, complaining, criticizing, whining, and all other forms of negativity are once and for all wrestled to the ground.

Glenwood Springs, Baptism

I'm home from doing a series of meetings in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. I had a restful, peaceful week. The new friends I made are genuine. The adventure was worth it and I feel like the Lord blessed our effort. Unfortunately, some of the pictures I took didn't pan out. My camera is too cheap. (Excuse me: I am too cheap to buy a good camera.) I took pictures of each baptismal candidate, but the church was too dark so they didn't turn out. I got them as a group, however. Eight people were baptized and five came into the church by profession of faith. Just for the record: I had nothing to do with these people coming into the church. The Pastor had worked with them beforehand.

I really had a great time. Everyone treated me like a member of their family (better even). On Sabbath a number of us went for an afternoon hike. Afterward, we went to a Benedictine Monastery for vespers. That was interesting. I wish I could have taken pictures, but monasteries are dark by nature. The architecture was what you'd see in a movie. Reality, I guess, wherever a monastery exists. The vespers was ceremonial, the priests wore long white robes with hoodies. They are well choreographed in march and chant. They all sing good. The style of music is dirge-like, lamentations magnified. There was a lot of sit/stand/kneel, and finally they shut the lights off for several meditative moments for effect. Once the effect took effect they marched out, sprinkling everyone with water (holy or otherwise, I could not verify.)

The best was yet to follow: We went to the White House (restaurant) for pizza. I had a Mean Green Pizza. That means it was vegetarian--soy cheese and lots of spinach with green olives.

Life is exciting for me. I get to travel everywhere and I get to see different ways of doing the same thing. I have become less condemnatory at heart. I don't see differences in terms of right and wrong as much as I use to. Don't get me wrong, I don't subscribe to situation ethics or cultural relativism, but I see humanity as one whole lost race. I see that I am one with all the others, and I am not superior. My heart's yearning is that I might share what I know and that I might receive what they have to teach. My fear is that everyone is so set in their opinion (including myself) that we couldn't hear God's voice even if He shouted at us. I believe in the way God has led me. I don't intend to compromise God's Biblical principles, but God hasn't led everyone through SDA self-supporting institutions. I take people where they are and I am consciously dependent on the Holy Spirit to guide me to say and do what is right at any given moment. Not everyone is ready to hear just anything, much less everything. We need to be helping each other to the kingdom.

The Preacher to his tribe

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Para-glidder

This is Glenwood Springs.

(I find it difficult to play with this program. I had hoped to put these pictures under the dialogue, but it won't cooperate.)

Do you see where the para-glidder is now?

Do you see the white line on the mountain across the valley? That is a gondola. It goes up to some caves. I might show you the caves next time.

Behind me is Glenwood Springs

I'm suppose to be doing an evangelistic series. As it turns out, there are a few community people coming to the meetings, but they don't come regularly and the bulk of the people coming are the church members. I have no trouble with that, but I pity the young pastor. I'm sure he was expecting a better response from the community.

Instead of doing evangelistic meetings I am doing revival meetings. I don't know what the pastor thinks, but the meetings are strong and the response is very good. I believe I am doing the right thing. Regardless of the meetings, the pastor will be baptizing eight people on Sabbath, and another five are coming in on profession of faith. It's a good showing for a young

pastor in so affluent a society.

I'm having a good time, but I wish I could get home. I've got too much to do, and I'm not use to relaxing lately.

The family I live with are very athletic and everyday we climb a mountain or something like that. More pictures will follow in the next blog.

This is Keving Wasli, my gracious host. I will post pictures of his whlole family next time if I don't forget.

Stress.s.s.s.

I have no pictures to post, but Antionette sent me this one this week. Shiloh is our youngest. She burnt her hands terribly one month ago, and now she's got a bad cold. Life is a bummer sometimes. The most we can do sometimes is to sleep through it, wherever we are.

That is what I felt like doing all last month. Stress has been my constant companion, lately. It isn't always that way before board meetings, but this year it's been extra heavy. Last year, I got beat up soundly at the board. I didn't anticipate another beating this year, but I knew that I would be expected to lend my influence to all the decisions that needed to be made. In the end, I knew I would necessarily be the main cause of pain to someone. That is indeed how it turned out. I hate hurting people, but I did what I conscientiously thought was best for EVI.

The big news is that Leasa Hodges is now on staff at EVI. Leasa is one of the wealthy McNeilus family. I believe the news will reverberate through the ranks like a little tsunami. I think it is a good thing, but some of my staff wonder if she will be one of those tough business women. Her position is Administrative Director. That is a misleading title. It is suppose to mean business manager. It sounds more like president. In the end, it might work to my advantage. If things go well, I can leave and she can be the Administrating Director according to the dictionary definition.

One of the biggest burdens I gained over the weekend was at DayStar Academy. We had a board meeting there, also. They don't have enough staff and some of the staff work like they are unionized. The weight of the work falls on the few at the top. They are crying for help. I need to do something. Lord help me.

I start an evangelistic series in three days, in Glenwood Springs, CO. This will be a great rest or a pile more stress. I'll let you know. Unready or not, here I go. In a great degree, I do know how good the good news is and I am grateful for an opportunity to tell someone. Pray God gives me utterance and the Holy Spirit's powerful influence.

Till next time, The Preacher to his Tribe

The Rescue

Two or three of us were standing by a 600,000 gallon reservoir that we were finishing at EVI. With us was ten-year old Jonathan. Jonathan was telling us that he was very good at swimming. As a matter of fact, he is a certified life-guard, he said. Jokingly, I asked a little girl, Alicia, if I could throw her in so Jonathan could rescue her. She quietly made a little distance between us. A little while later, I was at the other end of the field by the water plant. The kids came with me. Jonathan because we are buddies, and Alicia because she wishes Jonathan was her buddy.

Near the water plant we had a hole about four feet deep, a small grave like looking hole full of water. The reason it was full of water is that I broke a water line while digging with a trencher. I was working around the hole and the kids were playing in the water. At one point, Jonathan got between Alicia and me. Alicia thought the hole was just a shallow puddle. When she saw a grasshopper jump into the water she reached over to rescue it putting her foot in the water. Oops! She disappeared altogether. She surfaced, eyes big as saucers.

"Jonathan," I yelled, "grab her."

He was within arms length from her, but he seemed stunned. She went under again. I yelled again. The third time she came up he finally got his wits together and dragged her out of the water.

It was a fine rescue, a little belated, but no harm done. Jonathan couldn't wait to get home to tell his parents of his heroics. Alicia, however, couldn't be convinced to go home. She just stood shivering in the wind saying she wanted to dry up first. It looked to me like that was going to take some time. So I pretended to need to go to the other end of the field. She wasn't going to stay alone so she followed and I led her to her dad where she promptly began crying saying she was scared.

Alicia

If anyone doesn't know yet, Uncle John is a grandpa for the third time. The little girl is called Elizabeth, Michelle's new daughter.

Last weekend, Lee, our Lifestyle Director, and I met with a group of retirees in Paonia, Colorado, three hundred miles, one way. They requested that we come talk to them and had promised to pay our gas. I guess they forgot. Oh well, it's the Lord's work and I probably need to give more offerings.

The temperature just dropped from summer to winter. Dianne Hathaway just came over the mountains yesterday and said the mountains are covered with snow. It's freezing this week. Not to worry, it is suppose to warm up for the convention weekend.

Till next week. The Preacher

Encouraged

Two years ago, we started a project that we are just now completing. Every year, the canal where we get our water is closed down for two weeks just before convention and it usually coincides with a lifestyle session. We need a lot of water for our lifestyle sessions and we had no way of storing any, so, we chose to dig a 600,000 gallon reservoir. It worked well for the first two years, and this year we decided to finish the project. I appreciate Bill Bosko's leadership in the venture.

The reservoir is full. We are using it. A little more landscaping and a fence and we should be done for good.

We have 10 lifestyle guests this month. Seven of the ten are black ladies, mostly from Barbados originally, now living in New York and Chicago. They are a bunch of live wires. This morning, I took one of them to a Sunday church. She grew up Adventist, but something happened in the course of living to turn her heart away from us. The church we attended was very conservative, spiritual and friendly. I think they are Non-denominational. I've never seen church done this way before. To begin, everyone takes a turn at praying, then everyone just pops up, one after another and gives a two to five minute sermonette/testimony. Then they have communion. Everyone breaks a piece of white bread and eats it, and they then all drink grape juice from the same cup.

I am just sanguine enough to jump right on the moment. I prayed when it came time to pray and, though unprepared, I preached when it was time to preach. The difference with my preaching was that I looked people in the eye. They didn't. I think they had notes in their Bibles and they were concentrated there, or they were focused on their shoes for some reason. They also all took on one tone of voice and used one cadence in speaking. I was the only one to make a small appeal in my sermon. Everyone else exhorted themselves rather than the congregation. In other words, they read scripture, expounded on it, and then concluded by saying how they desired to bring their lives into harmony with the principle they that had brought this morning's conviction.

In the end, that was the best other church I have ever attended in the Loveland area. I have brought several lifestyle guests to various churches and every time it was "Rock & Roll" a la Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal style, etc.

I wondered how it would be for SDA's to have to prepare a five minute sermonette every week for church? The people at this Non-denom. church were all good at it. That tells me we could all become good at speaking in public if we were put in that position.

Yesterday, I preached in Copper Mountain. The Emmerson family came with me. We had a very pleasant day. Chuck and Wanda Scarborough make sure to attend that church when I am scheduled to preach. (They use to be Julie's principle in academy, in Fountainview.)

Things are quiet at EVI. We got our hay in, for which I praise the Lord. It's been a battle because this year is wetter than usual, but I've been praying more and the Lord has honored my prayers. We have our reservoir finished for now, and I believe that this week we will have the 10,000 raspberry shoots in, as well.

I get feedback on my blogs from the most unexpected places. There is an unintended agreement that I am too hard on myself in so far as my leadership is concerned. I appreciate everyone's concerns. Perhaps I shouldn't be so free to air my feelings about myself in public. I am the most unprivate person I know. I can't understand being private or having secrets. Also, I cannot be pretentious about anything in myself. I don't often call a spade a spade when referring to others, but the spade in me is open for all to see.

It's two weeks to EVI's annual Convention and board meeting. I am praying like mad that God's will will prevail. Rumors fly in every direction. If all the rumors were true, there would be no one left at EVI by the time the board was over. The truth is, I love EVI, but I can't bring the discordant notes into harmony. Being the conductor of a choir that can't get it together is discouraging, to say the least. I'm ready to let another lucky conductor have a go at it.

Besides that, I am full of courage. I've managed to pray two and one half hours daily (except for a few interruptions, like church board etc.), and I am here to say, it makes a huge difference in my personal, courage, outlook and conscience. May you all be driven to it . . . soon.

That's it for today, the Preacher

Headache

This pretty little flower is growing in my basement window well.

On Sunday I needed to cut a tree down in my neighbor's yard.

Bill Bosko and Leonard Smith picking the remnant of the dead tree.

When I cut the last tree I watched it fall. Just when I was feeling smug about it, a branch, two and one half inch thick and eight feet long, came down and bounced off my hard head.

Happy Sabbath

I am having a happy Sabbath. I preached a sermon on faith today. It was for me. That fact alone is a mystery. If I know the concept enough to preach it, why do I need to preach it for me? I don't know, but it works.

The most poignant point in the sermon came as a result of reading two quotes: DA 300:1 "The Lord can do nothing for the recovery of man until, convinced of his weakness and stripped of all self-sufficiency, he yields himself to the control of God. Then . . ." (At the point of being convinced and stripped) God is able to do for him what he's yearned to do all along.) The other quote says, "What is justification by faith?" The answer comes, "It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust." TM 456.

If you ever wonder why, at certain intervals, nothing goes right . . . That's why. God yearns to save and He can't until we are "convinced of our nothingness and stripped of our self-confidence."

Believe it or not. That gives me huge hope and courage.

Since my Lover left for Africa nearly two weeks ago, I've been praying two and one half hours per day . . . every day. In some respects, everything I do makes things worse. On the other hand, I am convinced that God's promises are true and they are true even for me (and you of course.)

I announced to our church this morning that I will be transitioning out of EVI over the next year. The assumption at this point is that I will join my wife in Africa as soon as I can find someone to replace me. I doubt the Lord has other plans. In the meantime, I will do my best to find my replacement and to push EVI forward. Change to me is always exciting. Frankly, I don't intend to involve myself in leadership any more. I've just realized that I've been doing this for 31 years now. After 31 years, you'd think I would have learned something. On the other hand, if God sees that I need more humbling, then who am I to deny Him. Boy, I hope not. I'd like a twenty-year sabbatical, thank you.

One thing though, God is more real to me now, than ever before. I see myself in darker hues and by contrast, I see God in brighter colors. I am thoroughly corrupt and He is intrinsically pure. In myself I am lost, but He can overcome even that and bring me home. I believe it. Thrilling paradox.

Have a happy week. The Preacher to his tribe.

Our second oldest granddaughter, Brianna at the Spokane Youth Conf. 
Our third oldest granddaughter, Chistina, at the Youth Conf.

This is my oldest granddaughter, Vanesssa. At the Youth Conf. in Spokane, WA. It was a huge blessing to be with our kids again.
Janet and I went to the ASI National Convention in Phoenix. Our booth area was busier this year than I have seen it in a long time. My wife and Deniece did a great job putting the booth together. What you see above is only half of what the booth was at ASI. This picture was taken in Spokane, at the Youth Conf.

Above is a picture of Pastor Steven Bohr. He isn't a bore however. He spoke three times and I was blessed, each time. I had the privilege of speaking five times. I felt like the Holy Spirit was present and blessed our efforts. The singer, Derrol Sawyer and his wife Cindy were there as well, and did a great job of it. I am thinking to invite Derrol and Cindy to be our guest speakers/singers at the EVI Convention on Sept. 25-27. You are all invited.

I wish I had more time to write a true blog. (A true blog, to me, is the expression of an opinion or some research on any given topic.) For sure, I am wonderfully or terribly opinionated and I could probably write on almost any topic, but time is the problem. So, I end up just sharing what is happening in my uneventful little life. Sorry! There is a ton I'd love to share with you. Someday I'll retire and do nothing but blog around. (Sounds blah, doesn't it?)

Anyway, what's new in my little life? 

Oh, nothing! Well, that isn't completely so.  I did get to chair the OCI board at ASI. That was pleasant. While there, I made an important life decision. I chose to begin transitioning out of being Eden Valley President over the next year. I don't know whether it is wise to announce that decision so early, but by the same token, we can't start looking for the next lucky President so quietly as to keep everyone in the dark.  People need to get use to the idea. 

The reaction is mixed 

Some applaud the decision. They feel I shouldn't be separated so much from my wife. True, but I believe the Lord led in it. Others try to persuade me to remain, intimating that our best years may be just ahead of us. Possibly, but I've been praying for a long time. I believe my leaving will be a relief to some people. Don't cheer too soon, however, I may be at EVI for another whole year if we don't find the Great Reliever before then. 

There are several reasons to move on: 

My wife certainly is a big factor. Interestingly, I would have thought that this would be great news for her. It is, I think, but she is practical enough and love me enough to worry about my future in Africa. I appreciate her for that. She knows that I like being involved with the American ministries. I also like traveling the world preaching God's word. I will probably lose all of that by moving to Africa. There is a sense that going to Janet's project is like sinking into obscurity. Not to worry, I have no secret or open ambitions. Obscurity might just be a great sabbatical until I transition from dung to dust. (joke.) Hey, I might just write the book everyone has been encouraging me to write. That would be good, wouldn't it? 

Secondly, God intended for His institutions to be instruments in His hands for the salvation of many souls. Institutions are theoretical more efficient than everyone doing their best singly. But institutions go thru' cycles. They can be powerful, or they can deteriorate into battlefields. Every few years, it seems they face upheaval. The Lord allows all hell to break loose on a place for the purpose of cleaning house. The struggles that lead up to the purge is very hard on the leader, especially if the leader isn't super strong to begin with. 

Thirdly, I think I am not very pretentious. What you see is what you get, I think. (I'm not very good at self-judgment, either.) I guess I could wish to be a strong choleric, but I am not, and I don't even want to try to play the part. I may be too phlegmatic in this respect, but I pretty well accept myself as I am. Can you imagine being comfortable in this skin? I am. Well, I am when I am not failing so miserably or stressed out by different factions wanting me to rule in their favor. When I see I am not able to do a good job, I admit it, and gladly move over. It is time, I am not doing a good job.

Fourthly, I am just plain tired.  If I was choleric enough, I would simply choose where I want to go and only take those who agree to go with me on my terms. I am too relational. I can't please everyone and in the end I will hurt everyone. That is reason enough to move on. Besides, it is time for a rest, like it or not. 

I plan to close the retirement center next month. That will leave EVI with an excess of two, three or more staff. Who will I have to ask to vacate? I know that I wield the greatest influence around here, but I am not good at using power. I'd rather submit than to have others submit to me. Weird, eh? 

Ok, you've got the scoop. Don't say I never talk to you. The Preacher.

Reunion

My lover is home from Africa. She's been away since May 5. Our reunion was sweet indeed. On her way home from Tanzania she had a layover of 23 hours with Michelle and Julian in London. She took a very nice video of their little boy. 

This was the 50th Anniversary of Oak Haven Conventions. In the picture are two former Presidents recounting the history of Oak Haven. Sherman Leach is at the pulpit and Ron Crary is waiting his turn. In the foreground is Eileen Leach, Sherman's wife.

This man use to be a student at Riverside Farms in Zambia when we were there. He is a Rwandese. He lost 37 members of his family in the massacres. He walked 200 miles with two children, dodging assassins every step of the way. He came to the Oak Haven Convention to see me because he heard I would be there. 

I had to drive to Michigan in one day, 1,150 miles because I had Jennifer Dettmann with me. We arrived at 12:45 A.M. The next day Ron, Jennifer's dad, and I went kayaking on lake Michigan. I enjoyed that very much. The rest of the weekend was taken up by the Convention and board meetings. Oak Haven is doing extremely well, but not without their own bumps in the road. 

On the way to and from Oak Haven I listened to three audio books, biographies of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and of Crazy Horse. They were all worth listening to. Each book was about 8-9 hours of listening time. It all kept me awake and interested. 

At Eden Valley we suffered a devastating hail storm. It pretty well wiped out our outdoor gardens. The Lord is in charge, we take all He gives with gratitude. Today, I rec'd a two-week notice from a cherished couple. They are therapists with us. It breaks my heart, but I can understand their frustrations. They promised to write both the Executive Committee and the Board a letter. I'm sure to take a beating. It's ok, if I thought I was faultless I would be disturbed, but I am neither without recrimination or disturbed. Perhaps it is time someone examined my  brand of leadership, or lack thereof. I've considered resigning this year, but I am getting a lot of resistance. They don't seem to realize how much better things would be with a better leader. 

I think I wrote about agreeing to do an evangelistic series in October in Glenwood Springs. The pastor, Ruddy Vivanco, is needing themes and titles right now. He doesn't realize that I don't have a clue what I will do, but I've promised to drudge something up by Monday. Lord, help me.

That's it from the Preacher to his tribe.

Jedidias and Heli's daughter, Abi

Michee, Ignacio and Kettie's daughter

Sarah, my farmer's wife

Sally Smith our new therapist. Her husband, Leonard is our new accountant

Kevin and Debbie Hogfeldt

Picnic time up on the mountain at EVI. We had Lifestyle guests, Village residents, staff and church members. It was as hot as blazes, but everyone seem to have a good time. 

Not too much new at EVI. Everyone is working to catch up with the work. We've got 9,000 more raspberry plants to put into the ground, and not enough workers to do all of our everyday work and that too. The lady who donated the money for the raspberries is saying we must have them planted by the end of July or we lose the donation. I believe we'll get it done, but it will be a miracle. We lost some hay. Everybody has lost hay this year in Colorado. It's been raining since April. The only comfort is that the price has shot up to $8 a bale. Maybe we can make up our losses.

We end a Lifestyle Session today. We had 12 adult guests and three children. My staff has been working their fingers to the bone, and mine, but it is worth it. The Lord seems to especially carry the spiritual messages we convey to the heart. I am always encouraged by the responses of the people.

Tomorrow morning I leave for Oak Haven. I have Jennifer Dettmann with me. She is a 19 year old girl, and that will necessitate that I drive from Colorado to Michigan in one sitting. I can't take a motel with her except I take two rooms, and I can't afford that, so here goes a long drive. 

The Pastor of Copper Mountain, Ruddy Vivanco, asked me to do a seven-day evangelistic series in Glenwood Springs in October. I said yes.

A few months ago, Bill, my farmer, asked if I could suggest some spiritual talks for a man who, I think, is dying of cancer. I sent the Prodigal Son Series. The man is Catholic, and I'm told he really appreciated the set. Just this week, Bill got a phone call asking if I would be willing to do a series of meetings, the Prodigal Son I assume, in the Catholic church where this man attends. So, tell me, should I do it? It's a no-brainer. Of course, I'll do it. Now, I'm waiting for the call. Please pray that the Lord opens this door. I'd love to do that. So much from the Preacher to his tribe.

Alone for Once

Life continues to be busy. When Paul West  and Roger Julian left my house, they were replaced with a new batch. Gabriela and her husband, Adam Dean, spent the weekend with me, and a young lady called Dawn. Gab and Adam spent most of their time exploring the Rocky Mountain Park. On Sabbath, we all went to Copper Mountain where I preached. It was fun.

Chuck and Wanda Scarborough, who use to be Julie's Principal at Fountainview were there. As a matter of fact, they were at Aspen Park the week before when I was preaching. At Aspen, they were amazed at the sermon I preached. They didn't think a sermon like I preached on Righteousness by Faith could come from a Self-supporting leader. Well, I preached another one this Sabbath and totally blew Chuck away. Apparently, (his wife told me) Chuck had been out of the church for a while, and he is now coming back. He seems very encouraged by the messages I am giving. So much so, that he is asking me for a photocopy of the message. Now, I am encouraged. It is so strengthening to feel that God can still use me.

After returning home on Sabbath, Gabriela, Adam and I climbed to the top of South Peak. Good climb. We got back after dark, 9:30 P.M. For the first time in months, I am alone in my house. It's a break I am appreciating. Today, I have such a sore back, I can walk only with difficulty, but guess what? I did a workout anyway. This afternoon, I have a Chiropractic appointment.

Got to go, I'm juicing for the Lifestyle Guests. 

Mountain Dude

Guess where I was yesterday. I took some friends from Missouri, Ben and Lisa Brown, to the mountains. I took the afternoon off. It was a relaxing blessing, except that it came after a peculiarly heart-wrenching Executive Committee. Sorry, can't tell you about it. My daughter-in-law says I ought to be more careful what I write on this blog. 

Last night, one of our Lifestyle guests fell. He weighs 317 lbs. The doc was afraid of leaving him alone at night. He's got a foot missing, he is very old, and terribly weak. So I spent the night with him. He got up four times to go to the bathroom. There is no lack of opportunity to serve around here.

Every day I feel more deeply my lack of leadership skills. If people don't put it on my nose, then circumstances do. I prayed our prayer hearing God to humble me. Don't pray that prayer, you'll wish you hadn't. Better to humble yourself than to have God do it. Yet, I wouldn't take myself out of God's hands for all the tea in China. So says the Preacher to his tribe.