Miles Logged, Yards Gained (Go Buckeyes!), Souls Saved (Oct 28, 2009)
1 week ago yesterday (October 20), I traveled to Atlanta to preach for my alma mater, Luther Rice University. God blessed in the 10 AM chapel service, and there were a good number of decisions during the invitation time. Dr. Flanagan, a good friend to this preacher, took me lunch along with Dr. Jeff McCann, another good friend. It was a great morning.
From there, I drove over the Atlanta airport to catch a plane to Baltimore, Maryland, to officiate the funeral of our oldest church member, Eunice Laird. Eunice entered the presence of God at the ripe old age of 97. I drove to Rising Sun from Baltimore where the funeral was held and grabbed a motel. The Lord gave great liberty during the eulogy, and three reported salvation decisions were made, according to Eunice's daughter Dottie. Praise the Lord!
After the committal, I drove back to Baltimore and flew back into Atlanta, and quickly drove to Grace for the Wednesday night prayer service. Our associate pastor, Greg Powell, preached a very convicting message on the true nature of sanctification. Log on to our website and give it a listen. The principles if applied will revolutionize your life!
The church in order to honor our ten years of service here at Grace had given my family and my parents tickets to the Ohio State homecoming game on Saturday. So we boarded a plane again Thursday morning to fly to Ohio so that I could spend a couple of days with my parents before the game. While we were traveling, the health of my lone surviving grandparent was dwindling. We went from the airport in Columbus, Ohio straight to the hospital in Mansfield, where I made it in time to pray with Grandma, who died a half-hour after our arrival. Her passing was so sweet, and the family really seemed to bond during this difficult time.
I was especially honored that my Uncle Jerry asked me to deliver the eulogy along with the other two pastors that were officiating her service. I was thankful that we were able to get our tickets changed and stay over till Monday to be a part of this special service.
Dr. Adkins asked, since I was staying over, if I would preach Sunday morning at Mansfield Baptist Temple. It was their faith promise commitment Sunday, and giving me the pulpit on that day is like saying "sick 'em" to a bulldog. The Lord blessed with good freedom. One lady was saved in the 11:00 hour, and another lady who had robbed a church offering plate 41 years earlier repented, and returned the money to the Lord at the invitation time. She was a modern-day Zaccheus! Praise the Lord!
While I was in Ohio, Dr. Comfort arrived in Columbus safely, along with Dr. Brubaker and Evangelist Cajiuat, to do our annual church and school revival. God gave Dr. Comfort great freedom. Four were saved in the morning worship. One was baptized. One surrendered to full-time Christian service. Amen! What a blessing Dr. Comfort has been to this preacher. I got to renew friendship with him last night as I returned to Columbus.
Thanks for the many of you who have sent cards and prayers on our behalf during this time of bereavement. It is greatly appreciated.