dad

RICK, I WILL ADDRESS THIS RESPONSE TO YOUR TESTIMONY I RECEIVED THIS
WEEK. I READ IT INSIDE THE HOUSE BUT HAD TO GO OUTSIDE AFTER I READ IT.
THERE WAS TOO MUCH BLESSING FROM GOD PRESENT TO BE IN SUCH A SMALL
PLACE. I CAN'T REALLY PUT INTO WORDS JUST HOW IT AFFECTED ME TO READ YOUR
PRAISE OF THE LORD AND HOW HE HAS SPOKEN TO YOU. I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN,
ALL WHOM I LOVE EQUALLY. YOU HAVE BROUGHT A SPECIAL BLESSING TO MY
HEART THAT ONLY A PARENT CAN FEEL WHEN YOU SAID YOU ALLOWED CHRIST TO
BREAK YOU AND BEGIN TO MOLD YOU INTO THE PERSON HE DESIRES YOU TO BE. YOU
HAVE EXPERIENCED SOMETHING THAT CAN NOT TRULY BE DESCRIBED IN WORDS TO
OTHERS UNTIL THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH
CHRIST. I AM THANKFUL THAT GOD ALLOWED ME TO BE PRESENT ON THAT NIGHT. IT
IS MY GREATEST DESIRE THAT ONE DAY, GOD WILL BLESS ME BY ALLOWING ME TO
HEAR ALL OF MY CHILDREN AND GRAND-CHILDREN OPENLY CONFESS JESUS CHRIST
AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR.

YOU ASKED ME TO SHARE SOME OF THE SINFUL SHAME AND SOME OF GOD'S
BLESSINGS WHICH LED ME TO THE CHURCH REVIVAL WHERE YOU WERE MET BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT ON OCT. 21, 2001 IN WALHALLA. FIRST, IT HAS TO BE SAID THAT WE
KNOW IT WAS NO COINCIDENCE BECAUSE WE ARE LED BY GOD. BEFORE YOU WERE
BORN, I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE LED AWAY FROM THE LORD BY SINFUL BEHAVIOR.

WHILE I WAS GROWING UP, MY PARENTS TOOK ME TO CHURCH EVERY WEEK AND
RAISED ME IN A CHRISTIAN HOME, SENDING ME THROUGH A PRIVATE CHRISTIAN
SCHOOL. IN LATER YEARS I REALIZED HOW MUCH THIS HAD BEEN A FINANCIAL
BURDEN ON THEM BUT I BELIEVE NOW THAT IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF GOD'S PLAN
FOR THE FUTURE. EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T APPLY MYSELF AS I SHOULD HAVE, A
BASIC FOUNDATION WAS BEING LAID FOR THE YEARS TO COME. BY THE TIME I WAS
TWENTY YEARS OLD, I CHOSE TO TURN AWAY FROM THE CHURCH AND THINGS I HAD
BEEN TAUGHT WHILE ALLOWING SINS OF THE FLESH TO TAKE CHARGE OF MY LIFE
AND I BECAME A NEGATIVE INFLUENCE ON THOSE I COULD HAVE INFLUENCED FOR
THE LORD. AS A RESULT, I DID NOT PROVIDE A CHRISTIAN HOME FOR MY
FAMILY AND AS YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY WAS SHATTERED. BECAUSE OF MY SINS, ALL OF
YOU KIDS HAD TO SUFFER AND WERE DEPRIVED OF THE LOVE OF GOD THAT A
CHRISTIAN FATHER IS TO PROVIDE THROUGH CHRIST JESUS ACCORDING TO GOD'S
DIVINE PLAN. I APOLOGIZE TO YOU, CHERI, DREW, AND DANA AS BEST I CAN
THOUGH IT WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT. I ASSURE YOU I HAVE CONFESSED THAT TO GOD AND
ASKED FOR HIS FORGIVENESS AND A CHANCE TO TRY, WITH HIS HELP, TO MAKE
UP FOR WHAT I DIDN'T DO THEN. HE HAS SPOKEN TO ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT
TOGETHER WITH HIM, WE ARE ABLE TO START NOW WITH MY CONSTANT PRAYERS AND
HIS INTERVENTION IN YOUR LIVES.

WHEN YOU SAID YOU HEARD GOD SPEAK TO YOU THAT NIGHT, I AM ABLE TO LOOK
BACK AT THAT EVENT AND REALIZE A TRUE MIRACLE HAD BEEN COMPLETED RIGHT
IN FRONT OF MY EYES. I CAN SAY FOR SURE NOW THAT WHAT GOD PROMISES, HE
WILL DO. I SAW ONE OF MY PRAYERS ANSWERED AND IT WAS SO FAST IT CAUGHT
ME OFF GUARD. THE POWER OF GOD IS SO OVERWHELMING I WAS SCARED. IT
REMINDS ME OF THE STORY IN EXODUS OF HOW THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ASKED
THAT GOD SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THEM AND WHEN HE DID, THEY WERE IN FEAR FOR
THEIR LIVES. THEY CRIED TO MOSES TO BEG GOD NOT TO SPEAK OUT LOUD TO
THEM, THAT HE SPEAK TO MOSES AND MOSES COULD RELAY THE MESSAGE TO THEM.

RICK, I LIVED AS I WANTED TO FOR THIRTY YEARS, NOT WANTING TO CAUSE
DAMAGE TO YOU KIDS, BUT BLINDED TO THE HARM MY SINS CAUSED EACH OF YOU.
GOD CONTINUED TO BLESS ME WITH MONETARY BLESSINGS BUT I THOUGHT I WAS
DOING WELL BECAUSE I WAS SMART. I CALLED MYSELF A "GOOD PERSON," KNOWING
EVEN THEN THAT TERM IS USED TO MAKE ME FEEL AS THOUGH CHRIST IS FIRST
IN MY LIFE. THAT SELF-JUSTIFICATION MEANS NOTHING TO GOD. I ENJOYED THE
THINGS SATAN PUT IN FRONT OF ME.

IN 1997 I WAS SUDDENLY LED TO A PLACE IN NORTH CAROLINA WHICH I NEVER
KNEW EXISTED. AS I LOOKED BACK LATER, IT BECAME CLEAR GOD HAD BEGUN TO
PLACE ME WHERE HE WANTED ME TO BE FOR REASONS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.
HE CAUSED ME TO LEAVE A CAREER JOB IN LAW-ENFORCEMENT WITH RETIREMENT,
AT AGE 48, AND GO INTO DEBT FURTHER THAN MOST AVERAGE PEOPLE WOULD EVER
CONSIDER. ON APRIL 18, 1997, I BOUGHT AND WAS RUNNING A MOTEL THINKING
IT WAS ALL MY DOING NEVER CONSIDERING GOD MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
LOOKING BACK, I SEE THAT EVERY ASPECT OF THIS MOVE HAD BEEN PROVIDED BY GOD.
IT WAS LATER THAT I FOUND OUT GOD HAD OPENED DOORS WHICH UNDER ORDINARY
CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD NOT HAVE OPENED. I DISCOVERED THAT MY DAD AND HIS
WIFE, DOREEN, HAD BEEN PRAYING FOR ME AND KARLA AND WE HAD BEEN ON
CHURCH PRAYER LISTS.

ONE YEAR TO THE DAY FROM BUYING THE MOTEL I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL AT
2:30 A.M. AND HEARD THE VOICE OF MY BABY BROTHER'S WIFE SOBBING FOUR
WORDS, "TOM, MICHAEL HAS CANCER|" I SAT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY BED IN A
TOTALLY DARK ROOM HOLDING THE PHONE. I TRIED TO SAY SOMETHING ENCOURAGING
TO HER BUT TO THIS DAY I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT. I FELT NUMB, LIFELESS,
EMPTY AND SPEECHLESS. I FIRST BEGAN TO THINK A MISTAKE HAD BEEN MADE,
BECAUSE NOTHING LIKE THIS COULD EVER HAPPEN IN MY BLOOD FAMILY. THAT IS
PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME IN WHO KNOWS HOW LONG I THOUGHT OF GOD. THEN
MY CONCERN TURNED TO MIKE'S KIDS AND TO MY PARENTS. SOMEHOW I MADE IT
TO THE HOSPITAL IN SENECA THE NEXT MORNING AND AS I OPENED THE DOOR TO
MIKE'S ROOM AND STARTED TO WALK IN, I SAW HIM LYING THERE WITH HIS EYES
SHUT. MY FEET SUDDENLY WEIGHED 200 POUNDS EACH. I BACKED OUT AND
PULLED THE DOOR SHUT MAKING SOME EXCUSE TO KARLA. THE REALITY OF LIFE AND
DEATH SUDDENLY TOOK HOLD. I CALLED ON GOD FOR STRENGTH TO STAND UP, TO
BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE MIKE, TO BE STRONG IN FRONT OF MY PARENTS AND ALL
THE REST OF THE FAMILY. FROM THAT TIME ON IT WAS GOD WHO GAVE ME
STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH WHAT WAS TO COME.

DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS I LEARNED HOW TO TALK TO GOD ASKING HIM
OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR A MIRACLE OF HEALING. BUT AS MIKE BATTLED WITH
THE DISEASE, DOREEN BECAME SICK AND WAS ALSO DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER.
HER HEALTH DECLINED FAST AND I BEGAN TO SEARCH MORE AND MORE FOR STRENGTH
FROM GOD. I COULD SEE THE TOLL MIKE'S ILLNESS WAS TAKING ON THE
FAMILY AND NOW DOREEN'S ILLNESS COUPLED WITH THAT CAUSED ME TO WORRY EVEN
MORE ABOUT MY DAD'S HEALTH. IT BEGAN TO REGISTER THAT GOD MAY HAVE
PLACED ME IN NORTH CAROLINA WHERE I COULD BE CLOSE TO MIKE AND DOREEN AND
DADDY AND TOO SPEND TIME WITH THEM DURING THIS MOST HORRIBLE OF TIMES.

ONE AFTERNOON I WAS GOING THROUGH CHANNELS ON THE TV WHEN I SAW A MAN
PREACHING. HE WAS HOLDING A BIBLE IN ONE HAD AND SLAPPING IT WITH HIS
OTHER HAND WHILE SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT GOD. I FIRST THOUGHT "YOU NUT"
AND WENT ON FOR ABOUT THREE CHANNELS BUT SOMETHING MADE ME GO RIGHT
BACK TO LISTEN TO WHAT HE WAS SAYING. SOON I WAS WATCHING HIM EVERY DAY.
BECAUSE GOD KNOWS THE FUTURE, I WAS ABLE TO SPEND THE LAST 14 MONTHS OF
MIKE'S LIFE NEAR HIM AND WAS ABLE TO BE NEAR DOREEN DURING THE LAST
MONTHS OF HER LIFE. GOD SHOWED ME HOW A TRUE CHRISTIAN WAS ABLE TO BE
CONCERNED ABOUT HOW I WAS DOING RATHER THAN HOW SHE WAS WHILE SHE WAS
LOOSING THE BATTLE FOR HER LIFE. HARDLY ABLE TO TALK, SHE WOULD ALWAYS ASK
ON THE PHONE IF I WAS OKAY. DOREEN BECAME A TRUE INSPIRATION OF
COURAGE AND SHE SHOWED ME WHAT TRUE FAITH IN GOD MEANT. SHE KNEW HER
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD AND THAT ALLOWED HER TO WORRY ABOUT MIKE AND ALL OF
HER FAMILY WHILE SHE KNEW HER LIFE WAS SHORT WITHOUT A DIVINE
INTERVENTION. I SAW MY DAD HOLD HIS FAITH IN GOD EVEN THOUGH HE HAD GONE
THROUGH THE SAME ORDEAL WITH HIS LATE WIFE, EDITH, ONLY A FEW YEARS EARLIER.
I REMEMBER ASKING MYSELF OVER AND OVER HOW DID HE REMAIN FAITHFUL TO
THE LORD.

DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF MIKE'S LIFE, WE HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT
AND TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS. HE TOLD ME ONCE, "GROVE, I KNOW YOU
WOULD TAKE MY PLACE IF YOU COULD." I ASSURED HIM I WOULD AND THAT GOD
WOULD ANSWER OUR PRAYERS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. MIKE NEVER KNEW HOW
MANY TIMES I HELD HIS HAND AND QUIETLY BEGGED GOD TO TRANSFER THAT DISEASE
FROM MY BROTHER THROUGH HIS HAND INTO MY BODY AND ALLOW HIM TO LIVE AND
RAISE HIS CHILDREN, TO BE ABLE TO SEE HIS GRAND-CHILDREN. MIKE AND I
TALKED ABOUT ONE DAY SOON WE WOULD BE AT HOME WITH OUR LORD AND HOW WE
WOULD VISIT AT THE FEET OF CHRIST. I TOLD HIM WE WOULD NOT BE APART FOR
LONG UNTIL THAT DAY.

RICK, YOU DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU IN THE CHURCH IN WALHALLA AND
WHERE YOU SAT THAT NIGHT. THIS MAY SEEM STRANGE, BUT NOT LONG BEFORE
MIKE PASSED AWAY, KARLA AND I WERE VISITING THE CHURCH ONE NIGHT AND WE
SAT ON THE SAME SEAT YOU WERE IN. JUST BEFORE JIM MANLEY BEGAN TO
SPEAK, I HAD A PANIC ATTACK AND TOLD MYSELF I HAD TO GET UP AND GO INTO THE
LOBBY, THAT I COULD NOT SET THERE. I TRIED TO MOVE MY FEET AND SHIFT
POSITION AND LEAN FORWARD TO GET UP BUT THERE WAS A FORCE ON MY
SHOULDERS THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO MOVE. I THOUGHT I WOULD GO THROUGH THAT
SEAT THERE WAS SO MUCH PRESSURE BUT I SUDDENLY RELAXED WHEN JIM BEGAN TO
SPEAK. AT THE END OF HIS SERVICE HE HAD AN ALTER CALL AND I JUMPED UP
AND WALKED FAST TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH. AS I GOT TOWARD THE
FRONT I REMEMBER THINKING TO MYSELF, "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?"
THE ASSISTANT PASTOR AND I KNELT DOWN ON THE STEPS BY THE ALTAR AND HE
ASKED ABOUT A PARTICULAR PROBLEM. I TOLD HIM, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME,
PRAY FOR MY LITTLE BROTHER MIKE, HE IS DYING." HE TOLD ME WE WOULD PRAY
FOR MIKE BUT HE WANTED TO PRAY FOR ME TOO. I HAVE FELT THE PRESENCE OF
GOD EVER SINCE THEN WHEN I GO INTO THAT CHURCH WHETHER TO VISIT OR
SPEAK. GOD GAVE ME STRENGTH AND DID CARRY ME THROUGH THE WORST YEAR OF MY
LIFE TO DATE.

AT MIKE'S FUNERAL, I REMEMBER SITTING ON THE FRONT ROW AND DADDY GOT
UP AND SAID A FEW WORDS. THEN MY BROTHER BILL WENT UP FRONT AND BEGAN
TALKING, FINALLY SAYING HE WAS ANGRY THAT MIKE HAD DIED. THE NEXT THING
I KNEW I WAS WALKING UP THERE TO STAND BESIDE HIM NEVER THINKING WHAT I
WAS DOING OR WHAT I MIGHT SAY. I JUST KNEW HE WAS HURTING AND STANDING
THERE ALONE AND I THOUGHT MAYBE HE WOULD FEEL BETTER IF I WAS THERE
BESIDE HIM. I KNOW NOW IT WAS GOD WHO MADE ME STAND UP THERE. BILL NEVER
SAID BUT I BELIEVE IT MAY HAVE BROUGHT SOME COMFORT TO HIM IN THAT TIME
OF HURTING.

I BEGAN TO READ THE BIBLE MORE, PRAY MORE AND WATCH THE PASTORS ON TV
WHO MADE SENSE. ONE-DAY DADDY MADE A COMMENT ABOUT TALKING TO JIM
MANLEY. HE SAID JIM THOUGHT THE LORD WANTED ME TO WORK FOR HIM. KARLA AND
I WENT TO WALHALLA ONE DAY SOON THEREAFTER AND JIM AND I RODE DOWN TO
THE LAKE TO VISIT. THE SPIRIT OF GOD BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME AND I HAVE
NEVER FELT THAT WAY EITHER BEFORE THAT DAY OR SINCE. FOR TWO HOURS I
THOUGHT ABOUT MY LIFE AND HOW I WAS WASTING IT. GOD HAD BLESSED ME WHILE
I REJECTED HIM FOR MANY YEARS. HE HAD GIVEN ME HEALTH AND A GREAT
FAMILY. JIM ASKED IF I WANTED TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GOD THAT DAY OR DID
I WANT TO WAIT. I FELT IF I DID NOT ANSWER GOD'S CALL RIGHT THEN, I
MIGHT NOT LIVE UNTIL THE NEXT TIME, THINKING THAT WE COULD BE KILLED IN A
VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON THE WAY HOME. I PRAYED THE SINNERS PRAYER WITH JIM
THAT DAY BESIDE THE LAKE AND I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS 100 POUNDS LIGHTER.
I FELT AS THOUGH GOD HAD INTERVIEWED ME FOR A JOB AND WANTED ME TO GO
TO WORK. DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS ASKING BUT I WAS SOON TO FIND OUT. I
TOLD JIM I WANTED TO BE BAPTIZED THE NEXT MONTH BUT THAT WHILE WE WERE
WAITING FOR THAT DATE, THERE WERE THINGS IN MY LIFE I HAD TO PUT IN
ORDER.

I HAD LIVED IN A SINFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH KARLA, ADULTERY THE VERY
LEAST, FOR 15 YEARS, BUT THAT COULD NOT CONTINUE. WE BOTH WANTED THE SAME
THING AND DETERMINED TO CHANGE THAT AND OTHER THINGS IN OUR LIVES. I
HAD SMOKED CIGARS FOR THIRTY AND WAS STILL CHEWING THEM AT THIS TIME
EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOT LIT ONE FOR MONTHS. I GAVE UP THOSE HABITS AND SOON
KARLA AND I WERE MARRIED. KARLA, DANA, AND I WERE BAPTIZED AND OUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE CHRISTIANS IN THAT CHURCH BEGAN TO GROW. FIFTY
PEOPLE I DIDN'T KNOW STOOD ON THE BANK OF THAT LAKE AND SANG OVER AND OVER
WHILE WE WERE IN THE WATER AND COMING OUT OF THE WATER, "NOTHING BUT
THE BLOOD OF JESUS." I REMEMBER STANDING IN THE LOBBY OF SHEPHERDS HOME
CHURCH AFTER SERVICE ONE NIGHT AND A MAN MY AGE SHOOK MY HAND, CALLING
ME BY NAME. I HAD ONLY MET HIM ONCE SEVERAL MONTHS EARLIER AND COULD
NOT REMEMBER HIS NAME. HE SAID, "TOM, I PRAY FOR YOU EVERY DAY BY NAME.
I CALL YOUR NAME OUT TO GOD EVERY MORNING." I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO
SAY. RICK, EVEN ON THE NIGHT YOU WERE THERE IN OCT., THIS SAME MAN,
CARLTON, TOLD ME THAT HE WAS PRAYING EVERY DAY FOR BILL. I WAS SURPRISED
AND TRIED TO THINK REAL FAST WHO HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, THINKING IS THERE
A BILL AROUND HERE. HE SMILED AND TOLD ME, "YOUR BROTHER BILL." HE
DOESN'T KNOW BILL BUT HE KNOWS THAT GOD DOES. HE AND I BOTH HAD TEARS IN
OUR EYES THEN AND I THANKED HIM FOR BOTH MYSELF AND BILL. THIS TYPE
OF CHRISTIAN LOVE IS COMMONPLACE THERE AND I NOTICE IT MORE NOW THAT I
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR.

IT WASN'T LONG UNTIL JIM ASKED ME TO GET UP AND GIVE A TESTIMONY IN
CHURCH. I TOLD HIM HE KNEW BETTER, I COULDN'T SPEAK TO PEOPLE IN A
GROUP. HE TALKED ME INTO IT AND SOMEHOW WITH GOD'S HELP I GOT THROUGH IT.
YOU YOURSELF NOW KNOW HOW BLESSED IT MAKES YOU FEEL TO SHARE WHAT GOD
HAS DONE FOR YOU. TO KNOW YOU WERE DEAD AND NOW HE HAS GIVEN YOU LIFE.
IT CAUSES YOU TO WANT TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW AND JUST BE IN THE VERY
PHYSICAL PRESENCE OF JESUS.

JIM TOLD ME ONE DAY HE HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO START A SMALL CHURCH IN
FRANKLIN AND ASKED IF KARLA AND I WOULD WORK TO HELP GET ONE STARTED. WE
WERE ANXIOUS TO GO TO WORK FOR THE LORD AND BEGAN TO LOOK FOR A
BUILDING WE COULD RENT. INSTANTLY WORD CAME TO US TO GO AND TALK TO THE
LADIES IN CHARGE OF A CHURCH WHICH WAS BEING VACATED. LONG STORY SHORT,
THEY GAVE US FREE USE OF THE CHURCH AND ONE OF THEN HAS BEEN A FAITHFUL
MEMBER EVER SINCE. A RETIRED MINISTER AND HIS WIFE CAME TO GET US
STARTED AND AFTER SUNDAY SCHOOL THE FIRST DAY, HE HANDED ME THE TEACHERS BOOK
SAYING YOU TEACH THE CLASS FROM NOW ON. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS YOU HAVE
ME CONFUSED WITH SOMEBODY ELSE. BUT THE LORD LED ME THROUGH IT AND
I'VE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT, EVEN TODAY.

DADDY TOLD ME ONE DAY SOON AFTER THE CHURCH HAD BEGUN HERE THAT I
SHOULD TAKE THE LAY MINISTER COURSE BEING OFFERED AND BEGIN PREACHING. HE
AND JIM HAD DISCUSSED IT AND HE ENCOURAGED ME TO THINK ABOUT IT. JIM
LATER BEGAN TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE LAY MINISTER COURSE OF STUDY TELLING
ME PEOPLE WOULD LISTEN TO WHAT I HAD TO SAY. SOON I WAS ENROLLED IN
THE COURSE WHICH YOU YOURSELF HAVE JUST BEGUN. THINGS HAPPEN FAST IN
GOD'S WORK. SOON AFTER OUR LITTLE CHURCH BEGAN, PASTOR CHILDS WAS UNABLE
TO MAKE THE TRIPS FROM SENECA EACH WEEK DUE TO ILLNESS. JIM TOLD ME
THERE WAS NO OTHER PASTOR AVAILABLE TO SEND TO US AND WE MIGHT HAVE TO
CLOSE THE SERVICES FOR NOW. I TOLD HIM WE COULD MEET FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL
CLASSES BUT I DIDN'T THINK THE LORD WANTED US TO SHUT DOWN THE LITTLE
CHURCH. HE AGREED AND TOLD ME, "YOU CAN GET UP THERE AND PREACH A
MESSAGE ON SUNDAYS." ONCE AGAIN I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "YOU HAVE THE WRONG
MAN." THEN I BEGAN TO THINK THIS IS NOT MY WORK, IT IS THE LORD'S WORK.
IF HE IS GIVING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH AND TO PRAISE HIM BEFORE
OTHERS, I WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF THE TIME HE HAS GIVEN ME ON EARTH
TELLING OTHERS ABOUT HIM. I BEGAN BRINGING THE MESSAGES IN SERVICE AND
HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY KARLA AND DADDY AND MANY OTHERS ALONG THE WAY.
RICK, I CAN'T DESCRIBE IN WORDS THE BLESSING A PERSON FEELS AFTER
STANDING BEFORE ANY AND EVERYONE WHO WILL LISTEN AND TEACHING THE LESSONS OF
GOD AND HIS LOVE FOR US. YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THOSE BLESSINGS AS YOU
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE LORD AND DO HIS WORK. JESUS SAID HE HIMSELF WAS A
SERVANT OF GOD TEACHING THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION TO ALL WHO WILL
BELIEVE. GOD IS USING ME AS HIS SERVANT JUST AS MY SAVIOR WAS ON EARTH AND I
AM BLESSED TO DO THE SAME WORK JESUS CHRIST DID HERE.
WITH THE SAME HAND HE HELD OUT TO PETER ON THE LAKE AS PETER SANK IN
THE WATER, JESUS REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND CAUGHT ME AS I TRAVELING DOWN
THE ROAD TOWARD HELL AND HE PULLED ME UP. LIKE PETER, I DON'T WANT TO
TAKE MY EYES OFF HIM AGAIN. AS YOU STUDY NOW EVERY DAY AND WALK CLOSER
EVERY DAY WITH THE LORD YOU WILL SEE ALL THE THINGS THE LORD HAS TO
GIVE WHICH YOU COULDN'T SEE BEFORE HE SPOKE TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW
THEN WHAT TO LOOK FOR. THE TASTE OF SIN IS NO LONGER AS SWEET AS
BEFORE. YOU'LL PRAY EVERY DAY THAT GOD WILL PUT YOU IN A POSITION WHERE YOU
CAN TESTIFY FOR HIM. BE READY BECAUSE HE WILL DO JUST THAT. WHEN GOD
PLACES YOU WHERE HE WANTS YOU TO DO HIS WORK, DON'T GET DISCOURAGED AND
THINK "I CAN DO GREATER THINGS." THINK INSTEAD, "I CAN DO ALL THINGS
THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME." FROM NOW UNTIL THE TIME YOU DIE, AS
YOU WORK FOR GOD, EACH DAY WILL BE A TRAINING DAY FOR YOU. I'VE
LEARNED IN THIS LITTLE CHURCH THAT GOD TAKES CARE OF THE BUSINESS, ALL I HAVE
TO DO IS STUDY AND BE FAITHFUL. HE WILL CARE FOR HIS OWN AS PROMISED.
KEEP IN MIND WE ARE HUMBLE SERVANTS, NOT MANAGERS. BE THANKFUL GOD HAS
CHOSEN YOU TO WORK FOR HIM. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND ALL OF MY FAMILY.

I DIDN'T INTEND TO TALK THIS MUCH BUT I HOPE I'VE SAID SOMETHING THAT
WILL ENCOURAGE YOU IN SOME SMALL WAY. REMEMBER TOO, RICK, THE LIFE YOU
LIVE WILL BE THE BEST FORM OF PREACHING YOU CAN DO. PEOPLE WILL SEE
CHRIST IN YOU BY EXAMPLE WHERE THEY MIGHT NOT LISTEN TO WORDS YOU SPEAK.
I PRAY GOD WILL BLESS YOU,(AND ALL THE REST OF MY FAMILY), THE WAY HE
HAS BLESSED ME.
IF YOU WANT TO PUT THIS ON YOUR WEB SITE I DON'T MIND. DO WHAT YOU
WANT TO WITH IT BECAUSE IT MAY ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ELSE. IF IT WERE
POSSIBLE, I WOULD GIVE THE SAME TESTIMONY TODAY TO THE JOINT HOUSES OF
CONGRESS ON PRIME TIME.