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by In Light Of The Cross

Tampa Bay Storm

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I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area. (Yeah right!)

After seeing pictures on the news last night of Bayshore Blvd all flooded, I went down early this morning with my camera to see what I could see. The street was not flooded anymore but you can still see a little flooding.  I take pictures of Tampa Bay all the time in the sunshine, when it looks so beautiful. Today’s picture does not look so beautiful does it? But you know what? All the trash you see, that has washed up on the bay, was around the whole time when I took the other beautiful pictures of the bay. The storm did not make the trash, it only revealed the trash that was already there. I thought about my life. Some times on sunny days, when all is going well, I may think I am a beautiful person. However when the storms of life come I may find some garbage in my heart. The storms of life don’t make the garbage in my heart. The storms only reveal what has been there all along. I think David knew that when he pleaded with God, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24 NKJV The storms of life may show us all the garbage in our heart, but God’s love can clean it all up for us and make us beautiful inside and out!

See what great love   the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!   And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends,   now we are children of God,   and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,  we shall be like him,   for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3 NIV

Watch the 23 second video I took here.

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by In Light Of The Cross

How Did Jesus Deal With Prejudice?

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. Mark 3:11-12

Many people, even in our own ranks, accuse Seventh-day Adventists of being dishonest, when we cover up our church sign when holding evangelistic meetings. Often we drape a makeshift sign over the name “Seventh-day Adventist” with the speakers name, or the theme of the meetings. Maybe we start the meetings in a neutral meeting hall, and announce later, after a few meetings that we are Seventh-day Adventists. Why be so secretive? I have heard people say, “I am not ashamed to be an Adventist so why do I need to hide it?”

Well Jesus was not ashamed to be the Son of God, but He still told the demons to be quiet when they announced it to the world. You see, for four thousand years, Satan had been telling humanity all kinds of lies about God and His character. Satan had even worked through un-Godlike priests and teachers to make God look stern, unforgiving and tyrant like. Jesus came with humanity draped over His divinity, to give people a chance to get to know Him first, before He revealed Himself to humanity as the Son of God. Thanks to Satan, there was too much prejudice against Him to just come right and say He was God, from the very beginning. People would have never given Him a chance with all their preconceived ideas about God. With humanity draped over His divinity, like a makeshift sign draped over a church sign, Jesus let the people find out how warm, caring and compassionate He was, and then once He had their confidence, He could let them know He was God.

Satan also told many lies about God’s remnant church. Many think we are a cult, or legalistic, so while being careful not to lie, some evangelists like to reveal that they are Adventists, after being given time to show that the Adventist church is a Bible based, Christian, compassionate church. It has nothing to do with being ashamed or deceptive. It is the same principle Jesus used when telling the demons not to tell who He was.

Of course as we spend more effort reaching out to un-churched people, we find less prejudice. After all, it was mostly “religious” people who were prejudiced against Jesus. It is often other denominations that are prejudice against Adventists, but not so much the un-churched community. I understand the principles of evangelists, who do not like to announce upfront that they are Adventists. However, if asked directly what denomination I am, I do not stutter or stammer. I say proudly I am a Seventh-day Adventist. I then assure them that we are Christian Bible based believers. I tell them, we believe Jesus is our only hope of salvation and our only example, therefore we go to church on the Bible Sabbath just like Jesus. Just like the woman at the well was receptive, when Jesus revealed Himself to her, I find many un-churched people receptive when I reveal our Bible based and Jesus centered beliefs.

While Jesus told the demons not to announce to the whole world who He was, He used wisdom in deciding when and to whom to reveal Himself. I do not always know who is prejudiced and who is not, so I pray for God to give me wisdom and the right words to say to each individual.

To study this week’s SS lesson on evangelism, click here. To download the Sabbath School app click here.

by In Light Of The Cross

The Tulsa Roughnecks Never Left Me Hanging!

Skelly Stadium, home of the Tulsa Roughnecks from 1977-84

Everyone has watched the video, by now, of the boy left hanging, trying to encourage his favorite team, the Miami heat for a good, but failing effort.  This is not the first time a loyal fan has been snubbed by the team he supports. Makes you wonder what sports stars are thinking today? Are they under some delusion that we pay to worship them, instead of to see a game? But let me take you back to a simpler time and place where things were different between a major league sports team and the city that loved and supported it.

In the late 70s and early 80s there was a major league soccer team, the Tulsa Roughnecks, that played and practiced in Skelly Stadium, on the Tulsa University campus, just a few blocks from my house.  Many summer mornings would find my neighbor friends and I walking down to the stadium, into the field, and kick the ball around with each other and even a major league soccer player or two, before their workout-practice began at 10:30am. Once practiced started, we would sit on the field and watch. Once over, we would visit with the players who were always glad to talk to us. They knew us by name. On Mondays the whole team would meet at a Tulsa restaurant, where everyone was welcome to have lunch with them.

The Tulsa Roughnecks were Tulsa. The city loved them. Once they lost a playoff series out of town, and were surprised to find hundreds of fans at the airport to greet and congratulate them for their effort, when they returned on a red-eye flight. I remember one player on the news, almost teary eyed, exclaiming with amazement that he had never seen such support after a loss! In 1983 the Roughnecks won the championship. The league was struggling and the team almost financially collapsed, but KRMG radio station held a telethon, and in one day the money  poured in to keep the team going. The people of Tulsa loved its team, and the team loved Tulsa.

Scenes like this were common after a game. Even after a loss the players did not just run off the field after a game. They showed appreciation. (Thank you Tulsaroughnecks.com for this image.)

Later I moved to Dallas-Fort Worth, and went to get tickets to a Rangers baseball game. At the stadium ticket booth, in the morning, long before game time,  I asked to use the pay phone about a yard behind the ticket booth. I was told I could not do that because it was across a yellow line. Really? In Tulsa I could walk onto the field and talk with the players, but in Texas I could not step across a line to use a phone? Made me think how special my years in Tulsa, as a Roughnecks fan was. Then I realized, no, it was not special. Yes I took it for granted, how friendly, personable and humble the players were, but you know what? It should be taken for granted! That’s right! I don’t care if you are the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys or Miami Heat, every player, every team should be friendly, personable and humble. Yes, if a city is going to stand behind its team and support it, it should be taken for granted that the team owes something more to the community than to just let the  city pay to worship them.

The Tulsa Roughnecks were not the only major league soccer team to show some class. I remember being at a game where Tulsa was playing Giorgio Chinaglia and the New York Cosmos. Chinaglia was the Babe Ruth of Major league American Soccer and the Cosmos were the Yankees of soccer. In the middle of the game, Tommy Ord, of the Roughnecks got a painful leg cramp and was lying on the ground. With no time outs in soccer play continued, and the Cosmos took the ball and attacked the Tulsa goal. Instead of charging down the field with his team, Chinaglia went over to Tommy Ord, lying on the ground in pain, and helped Ord exercise his leg to relieve the cramp! When was the last time you saw something like that in sports?

You can easily find pictures on the Internet and videos of Babe Ruth with children, especially in hospitals. Ruth was not perfect, but he understood he was part of a community, and not an idol for people to worship.  We ask what has happened to players today to give them the big head, and think they owe nothing to the community except to let people worship them. Wrong question. Where did the community go wrong to give the sports stars the idea that we wanted to worship them instead of see a game?

I still have in my possession, a copy of an article, I wrote to the Fort Worth Star Telegram shortly after the 1994-95 Major league baseball strike. Shortly after the strike I called the Texas Rangers ticket office. I was greeted by a recording saying, “baseball is back.” I wrote to the Star-Telegram asking where did baseball go? I knew the Texas Rangers were on strike, but was still quite certain I had still seen baseball on college fields, little league fields and even sand lots. Was major league baseball so arrogant as to believe they were baseball? And that if they were on strike that baseball ceased to exist?

Things like that take me back to a time, when I was young and naïve, and took it for granted that all sports heroes were friendly, personable and humble, just like my Tulsa Roughnecks.

A couple of years ago, I ran across an article about Alex Skotarek, a long time Roughneck player, coach and GM. I found his number and called him up to see if he remembered me, and my friends watching him practice. He remembered us and our names. We reminisced for a few minutes about those special days in Tulsa with the Roughnecks. After a few minutes, I politely told him I would let him go.  He thanked me for calling and told me to call back anytime.

I wish the young fan at the Miami Heat game could have had the same experience growing up with major league sports that I had.

Go Roughnecks!  (Thank you Tulsaroughnecks.com for this image.)

by In Light Of The Cross

The Bible Cure For Narcissism

I am writing tonight form the beautiful northwestern rolling hills of Connecticut.

Have you ever worked for a narcissist? Maybe you think someone in your family is a narcissist? Maybe you are one and you just don’t care. Sometimes you may get into a working relationship or even romantic relationship with a narcissist before you realize what they are really like. They try to come off as sincere and caring, but before you know it, they are using you to serve them and their agenda. Many cult leaders are narcissists. Below are signs, from the Mayo Clinic, that you or someone you know may be narcissistic. The Mayo clinic says this is a rare mental disease. I and many others wonder what their definition of “rare” is. Many believe narcissistic behavior is becoming an epidemic. After each sign, I have provided a Bible passage offering a cure or example for each sign. I don’t believe people are narcissistic on purpose or aim to be. If this looks like you, please prayerfully consider the Bible verses and contact the Mayo Clinic for help. If you are in a relationship with one, how you handle it may be determined by exactly what your relationship is. Obviously it is not healthy for you. I would seek spiritual and maybe even professional counseling to find your best way out. Don’t be surprised if the narcissist makes him or herself look like the victim.

  • Believing that you’re better than others

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:1-8 NLT

  • Fantasizing about power, success and attractiveness

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45 NLT

  • Exaggerating your achievements or talents

Then the people of Ephraim asked Gideon, “Why have you treated us this way? Why didn’t you send for us when you first went out to fight the Midianites?” And they argued heatedly with Gideon.

 But Gideon replied, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t even the leftover grapes of Ephraim’s harvest better than the entire crop of my little clan of Abiezer? 3 God gave you victory over Oreb and Zeeb, the commanders of the Midianite army. What have I accomplished compared to that?” When the men of Ephraim heard Gideon’s answer, their anger subsided. Judges 8:1-3 NLT

  • Expecting constant praise and admiration.

Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.  The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. Acts 12:21-23 NLT

  • Believing that you’re special and acting accordingly

When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice:  “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited?  The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:7-11 NLT

  • Failing to recognize other people’s emotions and feelings

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Romans 12:15-16 NLT

  • Expecting others to go along with your ideas and plans

Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. Proverbs 11:14 NLT

  • Taking advantage of others

Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.  Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.  Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment.  For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. James 5:1-4 NLT

  • Expressing disdain for those you feel are inferior

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’  I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14 NLT

 

 

 

  • Being jealous of others

 

Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.” Acts 26:28-29 NLT (When Paul had Jesus He did not want anything King Agrippa had. He wanted Agrippa to have what He had!)

 

 

 

  • Believing that others are jealous of you

 

And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.And David said, What have I now done? [Is there] not a cause?  1 Samuel 17:26-29

 

 

 

  • Trouble keeping healthy relationships

 

A man [that hath] friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24

 

  • Setting unrealistic goals

 

“How you are fallen from heaven,
O shining star, son of the morning!
You have been thrown down to the earth,
you who destroyed the nations of the world.
For you said to yourself,
‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.
I will preside on the mountain of the gods
far away in the north.
I will climb to the highest heavens
and be like the Most High.’
 Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead,
down to its lowest depths. Isaiah 14:12-15 NLT

 

  • Being easily hurt and rejected

 

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  Isaiah 53:3-6

 

  • Having a fragile self-esteem

 

And the women answered [one another] as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands .And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed [but] thousands: and [what] can he have more but the kingdom?   And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.  1 Samuel 18:7-9

 

 

 

  • Appearing as tough-minded or unemotional

 

And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:  Ezekiel 11:19

 

 

 

by In Light Of The Cross

The Power of The Cross Revival-Seminar

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

I am very excited about my recent invitation to speak on the power of the Cross in Torrington CT.! I have never been to New England before and am really looking forward to meeting my brothers and sisters there. If you are in the area, I hope to see you there!

Also in the month of May I will be speaking May 5 at the Plant City SDA Church at 11am and for the first service (9am) at the Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church. May 19th.

To schedule a seminar or workshop in your area please contact me at LayPastor@TampaAdventist.net

by In Light Of The Cross

The Ten Commandments In Light Of The Cross Part 9

 

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.  Exodus 20:16

Here God is promising us that Jesus, Who is the Truth, will be our savior and we will not need a lie to save us from anything. When we trust in a lie we are turning our backs on the cross and putting our faith in lies. No matter how big of a mess I get myself into Jesus can save and deliver me and I don’t need to lie.

“There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel.” Steps to Christ, Page 100

God gives me a love for people so that I don’t need to hate or murder. He also gives me a love for truth so that I don’t need a lie. I love who God made me and so I don’t need to lie about myself. I love my neighbor and do not need to lie about them either.

by In Light Of The Cross

Blogging Etiquette

I am writing from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Bloggers love to receive feedback on what we share with the world. In a humble attempt to make the blogging world a more pleasant place, here are some thoughts I have on blogging etiquette.

Okay, there is no better way to say this, so I am just going to come right out and say it. If a blogger does not allow your rebuttal to be posted on their blog for the whole world to read, it may not be that you are right, and they just don’t want to admit it. It may be that your argument is so absurd, that the blogger is saving you public embarrassment by just not publishing your argument. A while back someone made a comment on my blog, arguing with what I was saying. I know I am not always right. I will say I am one of the quickest people to admit when I see I am wrong. More than a few times I have told my Bible marking class of 5th and 6th graders, “I was wrong.” They found it refreshing for a teacher to admit their errors. I make many. However, in this case, I was right and the person rebutting my blog was being unreasonable. I knew this person, and that they hated Adventists and just liked to argue. I prayed and decided not to post their comment or respond. Later, while reading another blogger’s blog, I ran across the same person arguing with them too and even writing, “I bet you won’t post my comments because nobody does since I am right and they are wrong.” How sad this person doesn’t realize the true issue.

One time I posted the comments of a man arguing with me about my post. I then replied to his comment, sharing why I believed the way I did. He then responded with another post that must have been three pages long. Sorry, if you are going to write that long of a comment you need to get your own blog! I did not post his thesis.

Another time, a man posted a comment on my blog, once again with a different point of view. I posted his comment and then posted my reply. He replied once again with a rebuttal. After several exchanges I told him we need to agree to disagree. He still sent more comments trying to argue. My policy is, that if you continue contacting me to argue, after I have already said, “let’s agree to disagree” you are now considered a psychopath! I started deleting his comments and personal e-mails without even reading them. Several weeks later they finally stopped coming.

Sure, I enjoy those comments commending my posts and confirming my point of view. However, I need to be challenged in my thinking, and I need to quickly admit when I am wrong. I will “come to my senses” a lot quicker when comments are polite and reasonable. Thanks to all of you who post polite and reasonable comments commending AND criticizing my blog. I post ALL comments that are politely and reasonably written, regardless if I agree or not.

by In Light Of The Cross

The Only Right Worth Dying For

I am writing this morning from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

The Only Right, Worth Dying for

 

“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee To day, shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

 

Behold the matchless love Jesus has for sinful man! He comes to our earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Creator and Ruler of the universe. Satan wants to destroy Jesus. What Satan did to the Son of God here on Earth is exactly what he would have done to Him in heaven if he had been able. What love Jesus has for us when He comes down to this Earth and tells Satan, “Okay, I will let you take my crown away and give Me a crown of thorns, you may strip me of my royal robes and let me hang on a cruel cross. You can take away My scepter and mock me and slap Me in the face. You may mock My claim to be king of the Jews, and at last you can crucify Me and take away my life, and yes I will give up my omnipresence eternally. But the one right that I will never ever let go, is My right to forgive sinners!”

 

Out of all the rights and privileges of being the King of this universe, the only right Jesus did not give up on the cross was His right to forgive your sins! When we fail and feel hopeless, let us keep this in mind. Jesus never gives up on us, so we must never give up either. He died for us not when we were at our best, but when we were at our worst.

 

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.   Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:15-16

by In Light Of The Cross

Owasso Three Angels SDA Church-Old and New

I am writing today from the beautiful Tulsa area.

It was the summer of 1987. I was 21 years old and working in a warehouse and doing deliveries for P-F Business Systems in Tulsa. I was an assistant head deacon at the Tulsa First SDA Church. I had just become re-acquainted with a young lady I had known growing up. She attended the Owasso SDA Church. I fell in love with this young lady and her small church. There was a deep spiritual atmosphere that I craved. I soon moved my membership to the Owasso church. To make a long story short, the lady I had fallen in  love with moved away. I stayed at the Owasso church because I had made many friends there, and they gave me plenty of opportunities to minister there. At the age of 22 the church made me a local elder, and thus the youngest elder in Oklahoma at the time. The next year I became the head elder. My friends, Gary, Paula and Terri invited me to join them as Literature Evangelists. I left my job at P-F and joined them. In 1991 I became the  Bible Worker. I stayed on with the Owasso Church until October of 1993, when I moved to Fort Worth. While I was at Owasso we had plans to add on to the church and build a sanctuary but for several years, even decades, the church looked exactly how I left it. The above picture is what it looked like when I came and for years after I left.

Today, I came back to preach and visit my Owasso Church family and this is what I found.

They finally added the sanctuary! They also added a very nice lobby, Sabbath School classrooms and library. It was beautiful!

I took this picture of my friend Terri, playing the piano, in the sanctuary on a visit back in 2007.

Today the same room is used for a beautiful fellowship hall.

Today, the Owasso SDA Church has a beautiful sanctuary that years ago we only dreamed about. I took this picture during Sabbath School before the entire church had joined for worship service. I am not 21 years old anymore. I have since moved on to Texas and now Florida. The lady I fell in love with so many years ago, has since married someone else and has five kids now. There are a lot of new faces in the church now who never knew anything about my ministry there so long ago. Still, there are a lot of familiar faces and current friends that I am still in touch with on Facebook and that are still a part of my ministry network. In some ways, the Owasso church is a memory in my distant past, but in so many other ways, like today it is a part of my current life. God has taken me a lot further than I had ever dreamed since that Summer of 1987. Still, I owe what I am today, to that small church family in Owasso who loved me and believed in me. Some have passed on. Some, sad to say left the faith. Some I still talk to every week on Facebook. Even though I may be 1,400 miles and 18 years away now, my Owasso Church family is still a big part of who I am today. In my heart they are never far away. I am very proud to see how the church in Owasso has grown, and I hope they too can be proud of how I have grown. Even though my lady friend and I were never meant to be, she is still a good friend today, but even more so, she introduced me to a wonderful church family. A church family that believed in me and my ministry before it even began. A church family that I have to thank, not only for my ministry that began 24 years ago, but also for my ministry today, 1,400 miles and 18 years later. 1987-1993 were good times and I will keep my friends forever.