America - Week 2

Well, I did consider making the title of this post, "We're not in Kansas any more." It is becoming so evident, since being over here in America, that as much as I love the Kingdom I have to face the fact that in Scotland the Church of Christ is tiny. It was made real when I was presenting our work in a congregation of around 450, that if you were to put all the Churches of Christ together in one place we would not have filled the building I was standing in!

I spent time with two of Fenella and I's favorite people in the world in Glenave Curtis and L.V. Pfieffer's. These are two safe haven's whenever I come over. Glenave was looking so well! I loved hearing about her new book she has written titled, "Food for the Soul." Anyone who knows Glenave will understand why that is a very fitting title. Glenave and Dean have always held a special place in my family's heart. L.V. was a great encouragement to visit with! I had the joy of sitting in three of his classes during my spell at Harding University. I have a great deal of respect for his life and teaching.

I have had the joy in this last week to spend time In Manchester, CT. I flew into Boston on the Wednesday evening and stayed there till the following Monday. I was GREATLY encouraged during my visit there! I must mention a few special people - Bob and Gail Jarvis, who opened their home to me and took care of me, Dave and Debbie Barbarian, who gave me hope that fundraising might not be the challenge that is seems to be, Tim and Christie Garcia who always make me feel so at ease in their home and as ever George and Elaine Caruthers, who have been great supporters of our work over the years - THANK YOU ALL! I love the church there in Manchester. They have risen to the challenge and have committed to increasing our support by a further $300 a month! It is always humbling to be treated so well and the joy of seeing their belief in what we are doing is so encouraging! Christie Garcia took me to the airport and it was early on the Tuesday morning before I found my way back to George and Donna's house in Searcy.

On a lighter note - before leaving for Texas on Wednesday morning, George and I had the joy of playing 9 holes! We got up at 5.30am to play before he started work at 8.00am. George played well, but was not quite able to defeat his big brother! A rematch has already been requested! He is a good man and I miss having him around. I jumped in the car and headed of in the direction of Bowie, Texas. Eight hours and short of 500 miles later I got there and with 5 minutes to spare got behind the pulpit and shared the presentation about our work and preached a short lesson. The response was encouraging! They all expressed how they loved being involved with us. I had the chance to stay around and visit a while before heading up to Lake Dallas. I must mention the joy of seeing John Paige again! John was at HSBS the same time as I was and we have an instant love and respect for the other. It was a GOOD visit!

Today, I had the JOY of getting together with Greg Cole and Bill Walker from the South MacArthur Church. Both these men are giants in my book. I did not tell Bill I was coming and surprised him. He grabbed me and we hugged and spent over an hour catching up and remembering good times. Greg Cole is a special man! Greg and I met on one of my first ever fund raising efforts in America. From that first meeting I have always felt a bond and deep appreciation for Greg - he has one of the most gentle and sincere hearts I have ever came across. Got to spend an hour with him over lunch before getting back into the car and heading back to Denton.

These past days have reminded me how great it is to be a part of God's family. I have friends that, if not for the Kingdom, I would have never met and had the honour of getting to know - God is Good!

Haven't mentioned all the frantic planning that is going on in the midst of all this. I am actively trying to get in contact with people who can get me to talk with various missions committees etc... This is time consuming and tough to keep track of. Please keep Fenella and my girls in your prayers! Needless to say we are struggling to be apart under these circumstances. I am missing the reassurance and stability that my family bring. I am not quite at breaking point yet, but every time I see their faces when I present our work I have to make a quiet gesture to our Father to get me through the thing.

Please be praying for my efforts and again if there are people you think might be interested in touching base with regard to supporting our work, get in touch and let me know - my number while in the States is 501 207 1891.

God Bless!

America - Week one

Just a quick update on the events so far. I am getting ready to fly up to Boston in the morning. I get the blessing of spending 5 days with the Manchester CofC there in Connecticut. I am really looking forward to the time up there. I have a rough idea of what I need to do and I am humbled by the way the Church there have responded to our need. They have sent money to help with the cost of my travel and have partnered with our ministry for a number of years now - it will be good to be there! I am excited at the opportunity to teach one of the classes while I am there because the subject for the class is the book of James. Before knowing this I pondered a while over what lessons to work on in preparation for the trip and thought I had it covered, but being challenged to look at James has been an unexpected blessing. I have worked on a class outline that introduces James from a fellow fisherman's perspective. I have loved looking over this and have been blessed in the process - hope the saints in Manchester are able to share in this blessing.

This morning I was hugely blessed! I heard that Jo-Jean Smith had moved to Searcy and was working in the Missions office here at Harding. I popped in to say hello and ended up in tears as we talked. I was feeling a bit sorry for myself as I considered the time I was to be away from Fenella and here I am sitting with Jo-Jean who has been separated from her husband for over 4 years. I was deeply humbled and at the same time encouraged by her devotion to the will of our Father and her love for her family.

At the weekend I had the joy of spending time with two of the loveliest people on the planet! James and Faye Pitts have come into my life out of nowhere and left a marked impression on me. I wrote on the thank you card as I left, "God knew I needed a couple like you two as I set out on this journey." They were so lovely! I was honoured to get to know them. I had the opportunity to meet with the Woodson Chapel CofC mission committee. The meeting went well, but I felt so inadequate trying to express what God is doing in Peterhead and trying to say it all in around 40 minutes! I pray that God takes things further as they consider our ministry and make a presentation to their elders. The drive to and from Nashville was long, but again turned out to be great time for me to meditate and consider stuff. I took the chance to listen to some good preaching from a couple of my favorite teachers, John Ortberg and Mark Driscoll. In all I am strengthened.

This morning I got the chance to go running with George. I miss being around him! We ran round the track for around 3 miles. The heat getting ever hotter! I miss Peterhead! Last night he and his kids were on the Wii Beatles rock band. It was hilarious to watch them trying to keep to the beat of the songs. The video is on Georges facebook page - worth a look if you're in the mood for a laugh.

Well things are moving quickly and although I am missing my family I am pressing on. I got to hear Beth's oboe solo that Amy had e-mailed over to me. I was amazed at how beautiful it sounded and proud that the beautiful sound was being created by my daughter. I am surrounded by so much beauty!

Please keep my 5 girls in your thoughts and prayers while I can't be there.

Till next time - God Bless!

Arrived in America

I thought I would take one last chance to request your prayers as I begin this journey to try and secure the funds needed for Fenella and I to continue our ministry in Peterhead. I arrived late last night into Searcy, Arkansas. I forgot the way out of Memphis and ended up taking an hour to find the right road west to Searcy, but apart from that every other part of the journey was spot on. It is good to be here and to see familiar faces that have touched our lives in the past. It was especially good to walk into George and Donna's house and see them face to face. His family have grown!

I am pushing to get my presentations finished up ready for Nashville tomorrow. There are so many memories of the campaign we just finished up that are encouraging me and giving me reason to be bold in sharing what God is doing in Peterhead and in deed throughout Scotland.

I must mention the amazing fact that last Friday Shaun Main became a Christian! Shaun is 17 and has been coming for over 5 years. This past 6weeks we were studying more personally and on the Wednesday night after class he told me, "It was time!" I visited with his mum later that night to make sure she was OK with her Son making this commitment of his life to Christ. There was no problem and in fact the visit was great. It was a great night and one that moved many to tears. We now have 11 teenage Christians in the Peterhead Church, two of which are now boys.

Anyway, must get things finished up. Please keep my family in your prayers as I am away from them.

God bless!

Under way!!!

Campaign has begun!! Everyone arrived last night during our teen class. I can't quit believe that this is it! Things are going so well so far. We had a fantastic day today with our picnic. The weather in the morning was gorgeous until about 3:30 then it began to rain. I don't know how many were there, but there were a bunch! We had, I think 8 families from the mother and toddler group. It was good to see tiny children running around in the sunshine. We had about 40 kids there and about the same in adults. Everyone had their fill of good times. This evening we were at the building beginning to get the school Program sorted and getting the group confident in their roles. What a joy to be working with such an amazing bunch. I will tell you more later about the content of our program, let me add it is centred around two "knocking down" cavemen who through the progress of the presentation are changed into two "lifting Up" cavemen. Job done for today and I will now go to bed excited about worship tomorrow!

For this bunch to be doing this for the first time - their desire to serve is genuine and it is my joy to be working alongside them for the good of the community and for the furtherance of the Kingdom!

Please keep our efforts in your prayers. From Tuesday we will be presenting our program in 7 local schools which means we will be influencing over 2000 children with the blessing of our Father. Please also pray for Fenella and I as we try to keep the financial worries to the background and keep our focus in the campaign.

I am humbled and thankful for the readiness of fellow Christians who are fighting our corner and sharing our ministry with others - our deepest thanks.

Take care and God bless!

America Here I come!

This entry is simply a request for help. The situation as far as our financial support goes is serious. I have had to begin plans for making a trip over very soon. I had planned to make a trip over in late July early August, but that has had to be scrapped and an immediate response to our need is now needed. This means I will be leaving directly after our campaign in just over 2 weeks time. I plan to spend around 4 weeks in America with the primary purpose being to fund raise, but also to visit and enjoy time with those already supporting our work.

Seems that all I have been doing lately is making appeals, but the reality is that we are in a time of need and we need help. We need to replace a minimum of $1500 a month before the July, otherwise I will fall short of meeting my commitments and meeting my family's needs.

I am in the process of making travel plans and trying to work out the where and when I need to be in different places. Trying to work all this out in such a short space of time is murder, but necessary - thanks to all whom I have already been in touch with and have begun to get the ball rolling. I am coming over on faith and in the confidence that fellow Christians will see how God is working here and commit to our ministry. I make no apology telling you all that this is one of the toughest parts our ministry. I am greatly humbled and my flesh is fearful, but my spirit is bold knowing that a foundation that has been laid over the past 9 years of our ministry and seeing how God continues to work in once desolate lives that are now seeking and growing in faith.

So, with this in mind I plead with you all to consider this appeal and ask that you pray for my path ahead. God is faithful! If you can help direct my path to churches or individuals who have a love for the mission field I will try to make every effort to meet and share what God is doing here.

God bless!

Financial Emergancy

Friends, I have just received the news no missionary wants to hear and that which leaves you humbled and powerless. Our sponsoring Church has just told us that we have to take a salary drop of $1000 this month. The reality of this is simple - we live from month to month with no savings and no emergency fund to fall back on. This cut means we will fail to pay bills. I will be making a trip over to America in late July to try and make up this shortfall, but until then we are in a bit of a crisis. We need your help. If you are able in any way to do something please get in touch with brother Fred Jewell jewell@harding.edu who is the head of missions at College Church of Christ in Searcy, AR, our supporting Church.

In all this there is purpose and reason in this challenge. God is good and His love endures forever!

The Narrow Way

This past weekend was full on! Looking back, things went great. On the Friday night I took a group of 12 older teens through to Aberdeen. We went to Subway for our supper and then on to the concert at the Aberdeen Church building with "Cornerstone" a group from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. It is always good to have time with this group of teens. They are a rich blessing to our ministry and seeing their desire and faith deepen is a source of joy to me and honour to the King.

On the Saturday we had our "Pool Party" where all the youth group were invited. There were over 40 kids turned up and what a time we had! I was in my element showing off on the diving boards and being spurred on to try dives I thought I no longer had the nerve to do, but surprising what you can do when a bunch of fearless teenage boys try to out do you. The Inflatable Obstacle Course was a big hit with everyone and instantly elevated someones standing within the group if they made it across to the other end. The time flew and before we knew it the pool attendants were calling time!

On the Sunday we had our 3rd Sunday night meeting. The lesson was borne out of the above clip which was sent in an e-mail. As soon as I watched it I knew that it would lend to a great illustration on our walk in the faith. I talked from Luke 13 and Matthew 7 about entering through the narrow gate and making every effort to find the narrow way. At the start we had a good discussion about the clip and talked about the parallels between the path leading up the mountain and the path of our faith. The imagery was fantastic and after the lesson the response was very good. This was a lesson I had been looking forward to preaching and praise God that the message struck at the heart strings. The format of the meeting continues to work well and continuing with a cup of tea as everyone arrives helps get everyone talking and getting connected before entering into the meeting time.

Had a couple of amazing assemblies yesterday at Clerkhill School. Talked to around 500 kids split over two assemblies of 250. We shared a lesson about our lives and how we need to be aware of the gifts we give out to the people around us. How that some of the time we give good gifts in the way we treat others and on the down side how we can sometimes give bad gifts in treating others in a poor manner. I illustrated this with a gift bag full of chocolate bars and potatoes. I invited a mix of kids to come up and receive a gift. To some I complemented and gave chocolate, but to others I grunted and gave them a potato! When I asked what they thought I was illustrating the response was good. I shared about God being the giver of nothing but good gifts and how that we need to mirror Him. In all, I know God's blessing had touched the kids with a challenge to think about the gifts we share with each other.

Meeting up with David Emslie and Patrick Sullivan in the morning. We are going to try an tie up all the loose ends relating to our campaign that begins in a couple of weeks here in Peterhead. I am hugely excited and a little bit nervous at the same time. There is such potential with this group and we want to make the most of it, while at the same time being considerate of the fact that this is every ones first attempt at this. Please continue to be prayerful as we take this huge step.

Well, take care and God bless!