24th Anniversary!

Wow...seems like time is always just flying by. We are celebrating our 24th anniversary today and we were able to get away for the weekend to St. Louis enjoying a leisurely walk down S. Main Street in St. Charles, MO. Lots of quaint little shops down a real brick road. After returning home and visiting my folks we learned that they used to live on that street before I and my brother Charlie were born. To think that we were walking where my parents once walked without knowing it was kinda cool.

We are all walking where others have walked before. Are we aware of it? Our thoughts, and feelings, frustrations, successes, ambitions, jealousies, endeavors, loves, interests... on and on... is there anything that others haven't thought, felt, been frustrated about, succeeded in... etc.? Am I really so unique thinking this could only happen to me when we have a great cloud of witnesses looking down upon us and ribbing each other in the side, saying, "Look at him! I did that once and broke my leg too!". Or, "Yeah, that happened to me once and I was depressed for a year...". Or, "Remember that time when we could barely make ends meet?". Others have gone before, whether we know it or not. And the one thing that was true then, as it is true now, is that God was faithful then, as he is now. He is walking with us. Where we are. Now. He is and was and will be wherever we are, were or will be. Now. Every year is an anniversary of his faithfulness to us. Even if we feel we are walking along the road alone.

Harvesters Retreat & Braymer Revival

We had 32 students attend our planning retreat at West Central Christian Service Camp this weekend and it went very well. Lots of new ideas for the semester and the unique observation from our Student Leader Jessie Lowe that most of the freshman, for the first time, were mission majors that attended. More and more students are specifically choosing Central because of the mission emphasis the school now has!

We took the new Central worship group, One Accord, with us to Braymer Christian Church for a mission revival as well. We returned from the retreat, and turned around and went to Braymer for a very full and busy weekend. I preached three times and led 3 workshops in less than 24 hours! The 13 students attending and participating were a big help and it is so exciting to see so many get involved in promoting missions along with us in the area churches. The minister at Braymer, Ashton and his wife Amber, are still planning to go to East Asia and have a specific Business as Mission Plan to implement once they depart. It is exciting to see our past students still focusing on the goal of reaching the Chinese for the Lord in out of the box type of methods.

New Semester Begins - New Students Recruited

This semester began on September 21 and many new students arrived on campus. The most encouraging were two couples we met last year at the National Missionary Convention. They were both interested in working among the Chinese. We told them about  the new Harvesters International program we were then developing at Central and about the full-tuition scholarship program. And, now, they are enrolled and preparing to go the mission field upon graduation. That is fulfilling to us as we continue now in our 6th year of recruiting among the students of Central Christian College and area churches. 

We are busy preparing for the year's activities with a Harvester's Retreat September 5 & 6, Missions Emphasis Week in October, and the National Missionary Convention in November. We are expecting record attendance in all three events this semester. We are also attempting a big mission trip next spring already. One trip, for the entire school, to Taiwan with a goal of at least 100 students and 10 faculty participating. It is a big endeavor, not just for us, but also for the missionaries on the field there. We hope that the is can be God blessed and great things come from a unifying trip for our school and future laborers for His harvest!

Ever Wish You Could Go Back In Time?

Let's say, oh about 8 weeks?? That'd be just fine because it was right here as depicted in this picture with our 3rd son Colan, that I made the decision to by a 2003 Harley Davidson Heritage Soft Tail 100th Anniversary Edition gun metal blue 1450cc. motorcycle.  Did I mention it only had 2500 miles on it? Well, about 6 days and 300 miles later I was cruising home for lunch on May 20th to tell Dezi that I was going to sell it because too many people just weren't noticing   someone on a bike and it wasn't really safe to drive in Moberly. Hard to believe after riding over 14 years on a smaller version in Taiwan that it was safer there than here. And to prove it, a young man turned left right in front of me on my way home, causing me to lay it down to avoid hitting him about two blocks from home. Well, the bike had a lot of superficial scrapes and me too, however, I broke my knee and leg, and collar bone as well. The bike fared much better. 

So, 12 days in the University Med Center and now 7 weeks later, I wish I could go back in time. 

I'm recovering slowly. It will be around August 21 before I begin putting weight on my left leg again as the plate inserted heals and I'm restricted to a wheel chair. My collar bone was broken in four places and also has a steel plate holding it together. A lot of down time for me has been very hard. I'm not even half way and I struggle daily with all the stages of trauma... depression, anger, frustration... I also know that many, many people are praying for us and it is quite evident as God seems to daily meet all of our needs.

Dezi has had it very hard as well as she manages so much more than our five children, a household, and her normal ministry life. She always does the impossible and even more so now as she is primarily taking care of my folks and me as well. Just dealing with all the doctor appointments and the insurance  company alone is a huge burden. 

I want to learn what God wants me to learn. As a good friend said, perhaps there is more to this than my own journey, but others are to learn things too. I know my children are. Dezi is. Who knows what good God may turn this trial into. We trust day to day and wait for His deliverance and His promises. James 1:2-4.

The Behavior VS. The Heart

So many times we get down on people because of their behavior. We judge them and try to 'help' them correct it at best or condemn them and avoid them at worst. However, we are missing the real issue. There is something missing in their hearts. And perhaps in ours as well.

Love is not complete. Have you read I Corinthians 13 lately? Have you read it out of the context of a wedding? Have you read it as if the Bible said "they will know we are his disciples by our love?"

Love... reaches the heart. Changes their behavior. Changes our perspective. Love others as you would have them love you.

Free at last... Free at last....

April 1st was just what it is purported to be, for fools to be let loose and those like me to get shocked out of their minds, if only for a moment. 

Court time at 9am and I barely made it in as only 8 hours earlier we had just returned from a 12 day trip to Taiwan. Jet lagged and exhausted I sat down and waited for the judge to go through her docket starting with those with last names beginning with an "A". Somewhere between J & V I fell asleep and woke up in time to hear my name being called an hour and a half later. 

The Prosecutor began with his recommendation for 30 days in jail, 4o hours community service, 1 year suspended probation and about 4 other penalties I didn't hear as my jaw had hit the floor. The judge noticed my perplexity and asked if this was what I was expecting and I replied that I thought it would be dismissed. The Prosecutor flipped through his files again and said, "No, I do not see anything that would warrant a dismissal." at which point I was getting nervous and frustrated. I explained the story again about the investigating officer reviewing the evidence and saying I was innocent. The Prosecutor looked again and found the officer's appended report and told the judge he would dismiss the case at which point she did. I walked out a free man. It seemed like one elaborate April Fool's Joke. 

Thanks for all of you who were praying and sending notes of encouragement. It's nice to know that so many trust my character and integrity. It is also a great joy to have a home church that was so supportive. Forum Boulevard Christian Church and it's Mission Committee were behind me and getting me help from Elton Fay, an attorney I have known in the church there since childhood. His appendicitis didn't prevent him from giving me good advice and counsel. 

Maybe now I can concentrate on more important things and update you on our amazing trip to Taiwan last week with 12 students from Central! (Just let me get over jet lag another day or two!) 

It Goes To Trial

Sitting in the court room for two hours hearing case after case made me appreciate the fact that I'm innocent because some of the penalties are pretty severe. It also made me appreciate the grace we receive from God as even though we all deserve death as our penalty, Christ has dismissed our case. Not so the Prosecutor on my case... at least not yet. After finally being called forward, the judge realized I was going to explain my case instead of saying 'guilty' or 'not guilty', so she read me my Miranda Rights warning me what I say can be used against me. I explained the case, and the judge asked the Prosecutor if she would be willing to dismiss the case. Since the Prosecutor wasn't the actual Prosecutor but his underling, she was unable to dismiss and explained she did not even have my file with her. So, the judge had no choice but to set a trial date of April 1. This is the day after I return from Taiwan with a group of students. There is a possibility the Prosecutor could show the evidence to the judge in between time and the judge may dismiss the case still, however, as of now, I must go to trial. I still am choosing not to obtain a lawyer until after this trial date. So please, keep praying!

Still In Process But Looking Good

The court date is actually the 26th. However, we have made some progress finally. I went to the circuit court's office in Huntsville and asked for a copy of my case and charges and they provided it for a mere $1. Reading through it I noticed the investigating officer had actually been to our home before for our cell group bible study last year and was the neighbor of one of our professors. So, I then went to the Moberly Police station and talked to her and she ended up showing me the video footage. While you can't see what card I'm using or the items I'm buying while at the self check out lane, as I walk out the door, you can see through the bag at what I purchased... namely a bag of Doritoes. This matches what is on my receipt and does not match the EBT card's receipt so she said that it proved my innocence. She called the Prosecuting Attorney's office and reported this and I'm waiting for a call from that office that should have already happened. If it doesn't, the officer said to make my court appearance and hopefully, the case can be dismissed from there. So, while it isn't over, it is looking much more positive at this point and I'm guarding my original receipt w/ my life! 

We are amazed at how many are praying for us and specifically for those students who have been asking that it be taken care of completely so that I will not have to go to court even. We even had one student getting a crowd ready to accompany me to court!! haha! So, thank you and we will keep you updated as it transpires. 

To Jail or Not To Jail

Okay, this is a little different... two weeks ago, a student came up to me saying that he was praying and felt like I would be attacked in a strange way in the near future and it was something I had to face by myself. Another friend a week later thought that I was going to be under attack as well because of all the activities taking place around the creation of Harvesters International, a new alumni service for our student missionaries. And well, I think we have discovered what it is: 

I have to go to court on February 20 and I'm facing a minimum of 30 days and maximum of 1 year in jail for a class A misdemeanor offense. They say I stole an EBT card.. (food stamp card) and used it to buy groceries at Save More on 10/21/07 and they have video footage of me doing it. Some woman going to jail gave her purse to her boyfriend who was supposed to give it to her girlfriend. By the time her girlfriend got the purse, the EBT card and money was not in it. Then they checked w/ Social Services and it shows the EBT card being used at Save More. So they looked at the video and I'm in it buying stuff around the same time. They identified me and now are accusing me of theft of a Government device so they told me it requires that I get a lawyer. Of course, I didn't do it and I have the receipt of my purchase at Save More that day showing my own debit card being used so I should be okay... but I think it is just one of those attacks that come that are making me distracted. It's frustrating that so much time is taken up and money to have to prove my innocence when the investigator should be able to figure out that the receipt of items purchased w/ the debit card doesn't even match the video footage. The prosecutor will not even talk to me or look at my evidence. I HAVE to get a lawyer and show up in court. The lawyer initial fee is $750. It is like your are innocent until accused and no longer until proven guilty. Would you please pray for peace and a quick resolution to this attack? With the beginning of Harvesters International and the outreach week trips coming up, this is very frustrating. Thank you!