Have Tongue, Will Travel

I know it’s been a long time since I last wrote. Sorry. I suppose there is some interest in knowing where I’ve been and what is going on in my little existence, but I tell you frankly, the more you do the same-old, same-old the less you feel like you have anything to say.

Since coming home from Africa I’ve been traveling domestically.

1    I attended the ASI Winter Board in Cohutta Springs, Georgia. That  was a pleasant experience. I preached and didn’t get beat up for it. A lot is being done to improve ASI (especially in the accounting dept.) The ASI team is better than ever. We did lose our new Sec/Trea., and our office secretary is new, but she is already proving to be very, very good.

     I traveled to California with Dan Houghton and Harold Lance to interview our new, new Sec./Trea. Kyle Allen is young but truly promising. He will join us by mid May I believe. All these losses and gains have left us behind in our preparations for the National ASI Convention, yet I believe we will do well, regardless, by Gods grace.

3    Leonard, Leasa and I attended the OCI Retreat in Uchee Pines, AL. (And I attended the OCI board meeting.) The whole thing was profitable, not only for all the good reports, preaching and fellowship, but for some of the mistakes that I made that week. (Mistakes teach more than victories by the way.) Curious??

            For instance: I said something on the board about someone who was not present. I was rebuked. I accepted the reprimand as graciously as I could, seeing I was wrong. In turn, I felt compelled to call the individual in question to ask his forgiveness. He was more than gracious. We had an hour-long conversation that I          believe was more than profitable. I think we are not done with our dialogue. Did God allow me to sin for this resultant good? I don’t know, but good is coming out of it anyway.   

Leasa, the Molina family, the Charles family, Betty Atchison, David and Candi Katsma, Barbara Taylor and I attended the Mid-America ASI Chapter Convention in Kansas City, MO. Twelve hundred people were there on Sabbath. I preached twice there also. That convention was fun. (Doug Bathelor was our main speaker.)

     The next weekend, I attended the Southern Union ASI Chapter Convention, again in Cohutta Springs, GA. I preached twice and sat on a panel discussion. These folks raised $151,000 even tho’ the attendance was lower that usual. The Lord has more than one way to reveal His love.

     Now, I am on my way home from the Columbia Union ASI Chapter meeting. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it went. The Columbia Union Chapter is under new leadership and I feared that the new President’s lack of experience might be revealed in a sub-par experience, but it wasn’t. He did a great job. If he’ll stick with it, the chapter will improve year by year.

     I left Columbia early and made my way to Wildwood for a board meeting. All is well there, also.  

One thing I have noticed: God’s work is never out of the woods. The problems and the needs always appear to exceed the provisions and solutions, but it isn’t so. “In every difficulty, God has His way prepared to bring relief . . . a thousand ways that we know nothing about.” There is never a reason for pessimism or discouragement. All that come to us in negative appearance is to be to us as opportunities to test God’s faithfulness. They are lions without teeth, paper dragons, not nearly as dangerous as our imaginations would make them out to be, unless, of course, we lose sight of the problem Solver.

This week, I go to the Pacific North West for another ASI Convention. Heaven knows that is tiring.

In 23 days, my Lover comes home. Ten years of on and off again is a long time. I hope it is over, but you never know what the Lord will ask of us next. Whatever it is, we will give it to Him.

All is well at EVI. We are ministering to a full Lifestyle session this month. Leasa is working hard with the Youth For Jesus program in Michigan. The Michigan Conference is supporter our efforts there very well. Tho’ there are little snags in the way, the Lord is going to give a great victory and He will by instrumental in saving many souls thereby. Our farm is sprouting plants everywhere, and I am hoping to see a full education dept. by August this year. We still meet as a small group every morning at 5:30 AM for prayer. God will save . . .

So says the Preacher to his Tribe.