@ Grand Canyon

A lot has happened over the past year and as I reflect on it all, I can only say "Thank You Lord" for your mercies shown to me and my loved ones!

Just to recap some of the events Since last August:

It has been exactly one year since our good friend, Gary Hines, received a liver transplant at the Mayo Clinic here in Jacksonville. He and Kathy came by last Sunday to celebrate with us and the Cornerstone Church Family. What a time we had!!! Gary is doing great!

It was a year ago this month that we said "bon voyage" to both of my kids as Aaron took his family to Mesa, Az where he got a new job. The same Sunday, we said "bon voyage" to Heather who moved to Texas to her new assignments from the Lord. She spent most of the year in Early, Texas with Pam & Jim Fitzgibbon, teaching and winning souls. Now she is in Amarillo with Jim & Debbie Loper and Amarillo's Cornerstone Church.  

It has been very strange for me to not have either of my children in town with me. Ruth and I both miss our times with Ethan and Marlee and the weekly family meal after church on Sunday. It has been a big adjustment for me.

We did manage to go to Arizona last March during Ethan's Spring Break. Aaron took the week off work and we had a wonderful time with the family.  We took a tour of Ethan's school; Visited their church (Hillsong Phoenix) and took a trip to the Grand Canyon. They are doing great in school, church, work etc. We are happy for them! Stephanie has started her own business taking care of pets (dogs, horses, goats, etc.) while their owners are away. She has a growing clientele. 

Ruth and I went to Honduras last September for missions with Luis Sorto and his family and this June we went to Kenya for a time of ministry with Don & Becky Cameron and the Burning Plow Team. What a time we had in both countries!

In between those activities, we did normal life as Pastors of the great folks of Cornerstone Church and kept ourselves busy in the Work of the Lord. God has been very near as we live as large as our faith will permit.  What the future holds, only He knows, but we know He has us in His Grip and all we have to do is hold on and enjoy our life in Him!

This is my way of catching up on this blog. I will try to post more often. God bless you all!

Ruth and I are making preparations to join Don and Becky Cameron and their Burning Plow Ministries Team in Kenya (East Africa) in June 2018. This is just a couple of months away! This will be our second trip to Kenya.  Pastor Jean Charles of Believers' Gathering Place, will be going with us for his first trip to Kenya.  We will be ministering in First Baptist Church of Kawaida (Near Nairobi) where Pastor Vincent Mokaya is building a new church facility and in Kibwezi (midway from Nairobi to Mombasa) for the First Annual National Conference of Kingsway Fellowship Int'l Ministers. We will joining Pastors Michael and Jennifer Criner from Dallas, Texas who also serve on the Board of Directors for Burning Plow Ministries. These are all wonderful people of vision and passion for the Great Commission. We look forward to our time with them and the Beautiful People of Kenya! Please pray for our safe travel and for effective ministry.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the News of His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles to confirm His deity, love for the lost, substitutionary death on the Cross, and resurrection from the dead.  This week, starting on Palm Sunday, we recall His Passion week which culminated in Resurrection Sunday. It is all Good News to those who believe!!!

A couple weeks ago, Ruth and I went to Arizona to visit with my Son, Aaron and his family for the first time since they moved there from Jacksonville, Fl. last August. It was the longest time I can recall being separated from them and we were excited to be there to see them and to experience their new world with them.  They live in Mesa, AZ and Aaron works in Scottsdale.  They love the outdoors, so they have already explored the surrounding area (which they were more than excited to share with us). It was Ethan's Spring Break, so after we attended church with them on Sunday (Hillsong Church, Mesa) we rented a Suburban and drove north to Sedona, then on to Flagstaff for the night. The next day, we visited the Grand Canyon! It was my first time back there since Aaron was a teenager. It was Ruth's first time as well as for Ethan and Marlee.  It was a great joy seeing the splendor of one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World with these two grandchildren. Though at times I had to turn away for nervousness of watching them scamper out on the cliffs.  We enjoyed our brief vacation and really enjoyed seeing how God has placed them in their new life (Job, Schools, Church, etc. Plus their new friends are great too!)  Ruth and Stephanie enjoyed shopping and decorating.  Aaron and Ethan and I went to a nearby outdoor gun range to shoot some paper targets. And then there was Marlee, about to be 10 years old, but still able to love on Grandpa and play silly games with me. We came home refreshed in the love of family with great memories to cherish for a life time. 

Marlee with Ethan in the background out on a ledge.

Ruth and Ronny at the Grand Canyon