Sometimes
Life is a Bit Nostalgic and today is one of those days!!
So
I am asking the Question…Who Knew????
Who
knew ??
that I would be born into a family so diverse.
My Dad-
--the son of a Greek immigrant from South Side of Chicago…..the oldest of 5
sons and a man with one of the greatest work ethics I have ever seen, WWII vet
and came to Jesus as an adult. He was constantly amazed that he lived to be 95!
My Mom—daughter
of Scotch/Irish and English farmers in the UP of Michigan….
Who
knew they would meet at a USO, marry 5
months later…..and build a family together.
Who
Knew that Donna Ball ---a young friend in
Chicago Public Schools in the 1950’s would
invite me to, and then introduce me to Jesus at this little church on the South
Side of Chicago at the age of 11. It was a girl’s Club like K-Motion.
Who
knew that Char---children’s worker at that
same little church … Would lead my only brother to Christ at the age of 10 and
that his life would be taken in a tragic hunting accident just 5 years later.
Who
knew?? that at the young age of 12 my family
would move to Sault Ste. Marie to buy a motel, and that I would meet the
wonderful man I have been allowed to live with for 49 years, and work with for
well over 50 years.
Who
knew?? that God would give us so many lessons
and situations that we never dreamed were possible …and that some of these
lessons and situations would be beyond
painful and very difficult to deal with.
Who
knew that thru these 48 years we would have
dear hurting people come to our door with words like:
I really desperately want to drown my very
handicapped baby
I am hooked on Crack—please take my
money and hold it for me.
My husband, the son of a pastor, has
forced me to have 5 abortions….
My husband is beating me, can
you hide me?…
I am an alcoholic—please help me…
I really want to leave my husband and
children and become a “call girl”
I don’t believe the Scriptures have the
answers for my problems……anymore
I have nowhere to go, can I live here?
And even more difficult
Who Knew?? that some of our most
loved and trusted friends would believe, be involved in and spread lies and
rumors about their own Pastors and dear old friends….and in doing so, help to
tear down an incredible beautiful ministry that God was blessing…..
On the other hand…..
Who
knew??— that
God would give us so many incredible blessings and teach us so many positive lessons
in these 70 years of life and 48+ years in the pastorate---
most
of them were extremely encouraging
and fulfilling….such as:
1. Giving
us 4 wonderful children instead of the 8 that I constantly whined and begged
from God.
2. Sparing
the life of our daughter Angela at age 5.
3. Giving
us incredible spouses for our children
4. Giving
us 10 of the most intelligent, KIND and beautiful children on the earth for our
grandchildren.
5. Allowing
us to love and minister to at the very least 4,000 dear souls over these 48
years in the pastorate. Even around the world.
6. Allowing
us to watch people’s lives literally turn in the opposite direction and choose
to serve this incredible Master of their souls.
7. Allowing
us to go thru two huge building projects and survive
8. Allowing
all of our children health and life….we have not lost one to death, which is
amazing with how many are now in our family.
9. We
have fellowshipped with, and loved and been loved by countless dear brothers
and sisters in these 5 congregations and we are so so very grateful…
Who
Knew ???? That God would lead this whole church on a journey
that we never would have imagined . We were able in 1999 to move into our spacious
new building that took at least a year to build. I honestly looked at that
building every time I saw it, as an incredible miracle of God and praised Him
out-loud that He would have been so kind to have given us such a wonderful
place for housing Calvary Church. And if you were not here to go thru that
process, what followed probably did not have the same effect on you as it did
on me and others who had been in it for
the long haul.. WE watched this blessing of God be swindled
away by self-focused, thoughtless, entitled people who had no idea of the great
sacrifices this dear congregation had made
to have such a useful facility. We
called it “An Altar of Witness” for the county.” It was built to be a church NOT a
School. That was made very clear.
God will have the final say and we must
lay it in His hands.
Because, WHO KNEW??? What LESSONS we as a “shocked and hurting”
congregation would be able to tangibly learn about God’s incredible provision and
protection all this time. We have been living kind of like the homeless, and kind of like in the wilderness for a
season…hopefully not for 40 years.!!
So my question has been thru this has
been thru this “mini-sermon”….Who
KNEW???
And the answer to that is loud and clear??? GOD KNEW and HE does KNOW now…. exactly
what is in the future of not only the lives of Bill and myself, as we retire
from the formal Pastorate. But HE KNOWS exactly what He is
doing in each of your lives and in the life of this whole congregation as a
beautiful part of His Body …the CHURCH. And
He even knows and is in control of this great USA that we are privileged to live
in.!!
I am so grateful for the Scripture that
has gotten me thru so many tough points of my life and now when I am aging, I
am thankful that I can also look back
at all the faithful ways God has worked things out …way better than my
plans….as hard as that may have been for me to have seen in the middle of the
storms. The truth for me and for CALVARY CHURCH, is that I can TRUST his loving care and strength and peace and wisdom to surround each of us in a very special way.
Please trust Him, and love
Him totally, and Serve
Him with your very best ability don’t hide your gifts…. And as you LOVE , Listen to and serve Each OTHER
remember that HE KNOWS ALL!!! And is in charge of our FUTURE
ONE VERSE TO LEAVE WITH YOU….
Col. 3:16-17
Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
And whatsoever you do, in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.
Benedictions and Isaiah 40....
IF you doubt that God is in charge and
that He does know all....please study Isaiah 40 .you will see Him in all his
spendor!!!.......my very favorite chapter.
I LOVE YOU!!!
