Tuesday, March 27, 2012

From Los Angeles to Issaquah to Lynwood, Washington

These past three weeks have been blessing after blessing.  It started with the Shepherd's Conference in L.A. where I heard great preachers and teachers speaking about the sufficiency and power of God's Word.  The fellowship with many long time friends and meeting new friends was wonderful as were all the speakers.  I attended every session that I could and then I downloaded every session from www.shepherdsfellowship.org   I highly engourage everyone to download these great messages!  They are all free!

The following weekend, March 17 we drove from Port Angeles, WA to Issaquah, WA where I would be preaching on the 18th at Trinity Evangelical Church.  While enroute another motorist pulled up along side of us and was frantically waiving and pointing to our trailer.  We had blown a tire and didn't even know it.  We pulled over and the tire was shredded.  After a quick tire change we continued on our way to Issaquah.

On Sunday I spoke on the Doctrine of Indestructible Joy.  It almost never seems to fail that God always provides a living illustration for me to use in my sermons just as He did with the blown out tire.  After the message the people took up a collection which almost totally paid for a new tire.  What a blessing to be ministered to by such warm and loving people!

Trinity Evangelical Church, Issaquah, Washington
On Sunday we drove to Sunset Bible Church in Tacoma where we would park our house while attending the Pacific Northwest Regional Conference to be held at Corban Seminary.  The fellowship was great as we were able to meet new friends and reconnect with old.  The theme of the conference was "Biblical Church Growth."  I am always suspicious when I hear this topic and it turns out I had good reason to be suspicious.  The speaker's first two sessions were excellent but his last two sessions were quite dissappointing.  It is amazing to me how I can go from one conference and hear some wonderful teaching right out of the Word of God and then go to another conference one week later and hear the exact opposite.  I hope to soon be speaking with the officers of the PNW Regional concerning their last speaker and will be encouraging them to listen to a couple of the Shepherd's Conference sessions that addressed the same topic.

Inside the Chapel of Corban Seminary
After the PNW Regional we returned to Jason and Shelli's home in Port Angeles to be with Autum on her 12th birthday.  Then on Saturday we headed to Lynwood where I would be speaking at Alderwood Community Church in three of their fellowship groups.  The topic that they wanted to me to speak on was "How did a nice Jewish boy like you become a Christian Preacher?"  We had a lot of fun with this topic and always took the people to the Scriptures concerning the sovereignty of God.  As I write this entry we are in Snohomish at Associate Pastor Tim Walton's home and getting ready to speak at one more group before departing back to Port Angeles.

Outside Alderwood Community Church with Merilee, Kristy, and Jackson Walton


Speaking in the Boomers Class


Speaking in the Silver and Gold Fellowship on Tuesday.  Approx 80 seniors.

Concerning future ministry....We were told that we may be sent to Idaho to help out a church so hopefully we will hear more soon.  If nothing comes up we will be heading to Fir Point Bible Camp to work until needed elsewhere.  So please continue to pray for us, and for ministry opportunities.  Also pray for our grandson, AJ, Annie's oldest, for possible brain tumors.  We will know the results of the CT Scan soon.


Sunday, March 4, 2012

Going to the Shepherd's Conference

As I write this entry I am in Klamath Falls, with my good friends Duane and Cora Tucker.  A couple of weeks ago Duane called me and asked me to go to the Shepherd's Conference with him.  I was hesitant for two reasons--having to be away from Dayle and the grand kids for a week; and secondly, I really didn't want to drive for 24 hours down to LA.  Well, Duane and Cora were going to be up in Bremerton which is just 1 1/2 hour drive from Port Angeles.  He convinced me to go.  I met them in Bremerton this morning, parked the car at the Amtrak station in Tacoma, and hopped in the van.  Duane, being a professional driver, plans to do most of the driving, and I can just sit and relax.

Tonight we are in Klamath Falls.  Tomorrow I have a few errands to run, and very early Tuesday morning we will head to Los Angeles.  I am looking forward to a great conference, spiritual refreshment, and sweet fellowship.  On early Sunday morning, I board the Amtrak train and return to Tacoma.

Dayle is staying in Port Angeles...the grand kids were willing to let one of us go, but not both.  Our daughter-in-law said that "mom" cannot go.