Jim’s Update: November 2009

November 11-13, 2009: Dayton, Tennessee: Driving four hundred miles on a rainy day is not my idea of a blessed day. However, Kathy’s grandfather had a saying, “It ain’t no use to murmur or complain; it’s just as easy to rejoice. When God sorts out the weather and chooses rain; then rain’s my choice!” So I spent Wednesday, November 11 behind the wheel, arriving late afternoon just east of Knoxville, Tennessee. I spent the night there, and then woke up the next morning to blue sky and sunshine. One hundred thirty more miles later,  I arrived at the top of Dayton Mountain, home of the National Association of Christian Athletes. (For you history lovers, Dayton, Tennessee is also the site of the famous “Scopes Monkey Trial.” John Scopes, a biology teacher in Dayton, purposely violated the law against teaching evolution in the public schools.  Two celebrity lawyers of the time, William Jennings Bryan (a creationist) for the prosecution, and Clarence Darrow (an atheist) for the defense argued the case before the Tennessee Supreme Court. The charges were dropped and the case was dismissed due to a technicality.) Okay, enough of that history. I had made the trip to Dayton to see Dick Burton and his Christ Prep Patriot football team from Kansas City, Missouri play in the national championship. This event offered me an opportunity to fellowship with Dick and Carolyn and three of their children. Dick’s team made a valiant effort against a much bigger, faster and more talented team from Bradenton, Florida. The Bradenton team had a season record of 11 – 0, and averaged 40 + points per game. The final score was Bradenton 26 – Christ Prep 8. Just as an aside, the Florida team became so frustrated by this smaller team keeping the game competitive, they committed seven personal fouls, four of which came in the fourth quarter. A highlight of the time for me was Dick’s invitation to have me speak to the team before the coaches, team, cheerleaders and parents took communion together. We did this on a bluff of the mountain that had a spectacular view. It was a clear day and you could see for over a hundred miles from where we gathered. Unfortunately for me, I began to feel quite ill that evening. (In Mexico we refer to it as Montezuma’s Revenge!) I’ll share more about that as I continue.

November 13-17: Cullowhee/Sylva, North Carolina: I drove five hours to Sylva, North Carolina to be with Ken and Dana Jenkins, Tom Gamble and the Covenant Christian Church. I had supper Friday evening with Ken and Dana, and a couple of others, and my physical condition continued to deteriorate. On Saturday, I begged off breakfast, and tried to rest, then joined two couples from the church for lunch. Saturday evening I had supper with  Ken and three of the leaders he is raising up for the local church. After supper I went to spend time with a number of the congregation, including some West Carolina University students, at Ken and Dana’s home. On  Sunday morning I woke, arose and as is my routine, fixed a cup of coffee. Then I proceeded to cough it up, along with last night’s meal. Yup, for the first time that I can remember in decades, I gave way to the “confetti sneeze”– vomiting three times. (For some of you this may be TMI – Too much information.) Anyway, this was not the manner in which I was hoping to use the morning to prepare to give the message at the church. However, even though I was nauseas and weak, God really helped me, and I was able to share Sunday morning a message on “Having a Victorious Eschatology.” I was deeply blessed and grateful by the response to the message, as numerous members of the congregation came and shared how it encouraged them. But, I canceled a planned lunch with James and Amber Schlosser, and headed back to the motel for some rest and recuperation time. (Actually, God bless Amber, who stayed home from church to make me chicken soup and rice, after already preparing a roast beef meal.)

Late Sunday afternoon, George Oliver the new campus leader whom Ken has discipled, raised up and released, gathered a dozen of his student leaders to sit with Ken and me for an informal opportunity to fellowship and share. As always, it was a wonderful opportunity to interact with some bright and committed university students.

Thankfully, Ken and the former pastor, Tom Gamble, sensitively rescheduled the breakfast for later on Monday morning, and I actually began to feel a bit better. In fact, I was able to keep down some scrambled eggs and toast, again giving thanks to God. I rested much of the day after meeting with Tom and Ken, and then spent a wonderful time with Ken, Dana and their four children for supper. That evening, George had invited me to speak at Campus Rock, the campus ministry of Covenant Christian Church at West Carolina University. Still weak, and actually beginning to lose my voice, God strengthened me for the occasion. I taught on “Learning from the First Miracle,” at the end of which, the students gave a standing ovation. Let me clearly say here, ONLY TO GOD BE THE GLORY. The meeting went on until nearly midnight, and as I dropped Ken at his home, Dana had awakened the kids to allow them to watch a spectacular meteor shower. What a wonderful way for God to bring closure to this time. Cosmic fireworks!  Even in the midst of being so sick and weak, it was a tremendous time to be with the folks in Tennessee and North Carolina. As I write this update, I am almost completely recovered. I wouldn’t recommend this as a diet plan, but I did lose about eight pounds during the week.

Today, Friday, November 20, Kathy and I are making preparations for Matt, Tina and the grandchildren to visit from Florida. We will celebrate Christmas a month early with the entire family, since Matt and family, as well as Sean and Wendy and their kids, can be with us. It will be the first time in a couple of years that the entire family has had the chance to gather. (Bradley Stuart will be joining us, as well.)

On December 1 Kathy and I will fly to Utah to be with David and Jennifer Price and their three children. David and Jennifer have recently relocated outside of Park City on forty acres. I have related to them for nearly two decades, beginning when the three of us were students in a Spanish School in Antigua, Guatemala.

Finally, on Friday December 4 Kathy and I will leave Park City and fly to Montana to be with Bill and Sue Peddie. Bill pastors a church in Hamilton, and as most of you know, Sue is Kathy’s younger sister. Bill has invited me to share at the church on Sunday, December 6. As many of you are aware, their son James’s wife Jill is in a serious battle with cancer. I ask you, as I close this update, to breathe up a prayer for God to intervene, touch her and bring complete victory to her in this struggle.

On behalf of all of us here at Harvest, and especially Kathy and me, may each of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving next week. May God Himself manifest His power and provision in your lives. May His mercy and grace release tremendous joy in you. May the Lord bless and keep you in the security of His love. We love you, appreciate you, and pray regularly for you. Pray for us, please, that we can discern clearly the appointed from the unappointed, in order to be about Our Father’s business. I hope that our paths will cross in 2010.

In Him with you and yours,

Jim