Shortly beforehe passed out a month ago , my Dad wrote down his spiritual journeying as the instauration to a account book he was writing on being a Christian parent . Today I share what he indite . I hope it ’s a blessing to you . It was to me . Have a wonderful Sunday .
The Testimony of Bill Perry
Introduction / Backstory
“ It ’s not how you start that ’s important , but how you finish ! ” — Jim George
Act 1 : Starting out
Dad in 2016
The above quotation mark is not new and there are many versions of it , so credit rating could go to several people . I found this exact version under author / speaker Jim George . It minimizes life ’s beginning and maximizes its conclusion . Good thing .
I did a lot of thing backwards as a kidskin and it did n’t better much as I got older . It took me three disjoined clip before I got baptized correctly . As a young grownup I tell apart God I would n’t do two things on freestanding occasions . Each timewithin 6 monthsI did both . I dedicated my life to God ’s avail at a keg company . I was in the men ’s room when the gun go off starting my first 10 K marathon . These are some taster .
Dad in 2016
All of us , to one stage or another , are born with a lot of potential drop . Me too . But what do we do with it ? Because we ’re all birth with fallen human natures , too much of our voltage never emerges or develops . Sometimes we get skew into becoming what our Padre wanted or call for we become . Sometimes it never developed because dad simply was n’t there , was n’t ask , did n’t care or worse yet , was abusive .
I was bless by never having to deal with any of that . My begetter was a good humankind , stayed married to mom , cultivate hard , gave us far more than what we needed in material things but did n’t spoil us . He was scheming in many ways , ascending to bank Chief Executive in his 30 ’s without a 4 - class college education . I learned to tell stories by listening to him tell his .
What I did n’t study from him was anything spiritual . I deal myself a first generation Christian . My female parent number to trust Christ for salvation when I was 13 . And while she succeeded in her witness to us shaver , she was n’t able to corporately steer our crime syndicate in a ghostlike direction with dad sitting on the sidelines .
Mom and Dad with me in 1980
I trusted Christ for redemption a few months after my mother did … sort of . Mom dragged my brother and I to a certain sort of Baptist church where I first heard the evangel . There are all form of Baptists so I ’ll leave alone it reasonably anonymous . Many Baptist churches do a salutary body of work . Back in the ‘ 60s this Baptist church had falsify calls everySunday . It was all young to me . All I could estimate out is that multitude “ got save ” by walking an gangway “ go down front ” to meet the preacher . After that they got baptized , sometimes that dark or a hebdomad or so after . It seem like a ritual , a right of passage to me . Never make love what the sermonizer said to them . But since I had n’t done it , I figured I was n’t saved . I was way to nervous and frightened doing that in front of hundreds of grownup . Too weird .
Going to church as a teenager normally mean you feel friends that attend the young mathematical group . One night they be after an outing to a tumbler skate rink in Ithiel Town on a Wednesday Nox . I decided to go . After they closed the rink the youth pastor keep us for 30 minutes where he gave a little talk and then an invitation to trust Christ . Here ? Now ? I thought it had to be done in a church ! I figured if I had to “ go down front , ” this was my moment : less than 25 foot , only about 20 kids here in a dimly lit empty rink and maybe a couple of parents . Perfect ! So I “ fail down front ” and talked to the youth pastor . I did n’t remember a thing he say except that if I got pour down that nighttime going home I would go to heaven because he said so . My heart was neither combat-ready nor engaged , but I feel better . I was run through and conform to the ritual to “ get saved . ” That much made good sense to me , so I go for it . I was n’t prepared for what follow .
Thenext Sundaythe pastor had his received invitation to receive Christ . No one went forward . Then the youth subgenus Pastor leaned over to the fourth-year pastor , cupped his mouth with one hired man and whisper into his spike . The senior pastor nod and here came the youth pastor right up to me . “ Bill , do you want to number down front ? ” he expect .
Mom and Dad working together in their food forest
“ Why ? I did that last Wednesday night . ”
“ You need to get baptized . ”
“ Uh , well , maybe not right now . I need to believe about it . ”
“ Well , you got saved , right ? There ’s really nothing to think about . ”
“ There is for me . This is all so new to me . ”
“ Oh , that ’s OK . Everything ’s new the first meter you do something . How about you derive down ? You believe in Jesus , right-hand ? ”
The pressure was on . I was panic . It seemed like the vocalizing got louder . Why had n’t I sat way in the back so he could n’t find me ? It feel like everyone was determine me . My gist was pounding . Then he brought the nuclear pick :
“ You ’re not ashamed of Jeee - sus , are you ? ! ”
How does an insecure , self - centered , unfledged 14 - year - one-time handlethat ? Not well . I relent and he ushered me down front where I now have it away everyonewaswatching me ! After the closing appeal about 200 adults came up front to give me “ the right manus of Christian fellowship , ” shaking my script . I survive the island .
That dark they dunked me in the tank behind where the choir sit down . That was comparatively soft after the dawn ’s shock therapy school term . It was the second time I was baptized after being baptized as an infant in the Episcopal church service . as luck would have it I was too young to remember that .
Once that trial by ordeal was over , I thought , “ Well , now I’mreallysaved ! work down front … twice!Andgot christen ! How do you likethat ? ! ” And I must have been save because no one — not the pastor , the juvenility minister of religion , any parent or other youth - minded adults — followed up on me with a visit , a phone call , or just asking me at church how I was doing spiritually . I was good , all set to go , so I thought . Thing is , though , my heart was still not employ . In fact , I had plausibly been , as my longtime friend and ministry colleague Jack say , “ inoculated ” with just enough Jesus / Bible / Christianity to dissent further attempts to truly give me . And I was … for a while .
After months of going to this church and take in others go down front , I became quite smug thinking to myself , “ Ialready did that … now it’stheirturn . ” So I decided to keep my oculus on a few of them just to see how they acted after their jaunt down front . After a while I noticed they seemed authentically glad , kind of convert , and got require with the life of the Christian church . It seemed like their raw best friends were church building members . The kids I get laid from young group were just the guys I saw onlyon Sunday ’s , not real friends . I did n’t see them any other clip . I wondered what the difference was . So I started really mind to the senior pastor more closely when he preached .
It was then that I set out to understand the gospel — how Adam and Eve so exhaustively wrecked life story not only on the major planet but the intact universe . I learned why hell had to receive people who rejected God ’s loving overtures of the gospel and pardon in Jesus because only he completely paid our sin penalty on the cross and rose again to test he was stronger than decease . I mean , “ What an incredible taradiddle . ”
But I had already been down front , right ? I ’m saved , correct ? I ’d be an retard to go down there again . So I waited . I was torn . What to do ? More prison term went by . I listened more to the older pastor . OneSundayhe used the analogy of a gold Cadillac . He said a guy on the street was being paid to direct people around the recess of a building . There you would find a very flush benefactor who was giving away gold Cadillacs , the model of your option . give off ? That ’s somewhat far fetched . But how stupid would I be if I turn it down only because I did n’t think the messenger . conceive of all the place I could go in style in a gold Cadillac … and I tout it only because I did n’t consider . The pastor said life in heaven is so much better than any Cadillac , include gilt ones . Then the pastor said this : “ you’re able to choose to trust Christ for salvation anytime , anywhere . Do it today . ” I had n’t heard that before . Trust Christ without go down front ? Then why did I go down there … two times ? ! Now I was feeling angry . I went through all that embarrassment for what ? It got me nothing . But at least I finally figured out I was n’t saved . That was a freehanded first step . agnise teens undergo a lot of selective hearing , wretched mental processing , stupid choices and mood swings that would make a high end roll coaster look static .
So while things were beginning to clear up for me , this whole thing was becoming more complicated . When I was untried mom dragged us to the Episcopal church . They had a priest that wore a robe and other priestly type things . I think it would be pretty cool to be a priest . You could just pick up the phone and call God and get his take on things . Or so I thought . How else could someone learn from God ? you’re able to see how wrong most of my ideas were .
I think I had things figured out in the Baptist church , but slowly it dawned on me I still was not forgiven . I could n’t get that golden Cadillac out of my mind . But now it was n’t about me being an idiot going down front a third sentence . I did n’t take to go down there any longer ! I simply require to call out to God in religion and ask him to save me . “ Anytime , anywhere , ” the pastor said .
By this time the pastor was doing a series on scriptural prophecy and end the time . It was creeping me out big - prison term ! I was having a operose meter go to sleep afterwards . I know I was n’t veracious with God . What was holding me back ? I did n’t know . So oneSundaynight in layer , with my brother Rick slumber in the bed next to me , I decided to beg . It was the first time my centre was engaged in any prayer , I suppose , “ Lord , if you ’re really there and you’re able to hear me , I fuck I ’d be an idiot to buy the farm up your gold Cadillac just because I did n’t trust you . So Lord , I know Jesus died for me and paid for my sin on the cross . I conceive what you aver he did in the Bible . Please save me . Amen . ” I learned prayers finish in “ amen . ” I waited … for what I was n’t sure . I felt nothing . Heard nothing . see nothing . Nothing fare to mind . So I roll out over and fell asleep . And kip like a baby for the first prison term in a long clock time . And when I wake up , I knew something was unlike . It was like a lighter had amount on inside . I knewIwas different . I was saved !
Act 2 : Growth , or the deficiency of it
I do n’t recall telling anyone what had happened . acquire up in a pretty private family , keeping thing private was just machinelike . ( Have you ever noticed how hard it is to break old habits ? )
From metre to time I would learn some kids in the youth group say things like , “ I woke up this morning and I learn God say to me … ” this or that , whatever it was . That struck me as quite unknown , almost surrealistic . God talked to him ? How did that happen ? What was it like ? How did he eff it was God ? I was full of questions , and I was afraid to ask anyone because I thought they would intend I was stupid . Like I said , no one followed up on me , so I had no estimation who to ask . The pastor seemed busy all the time and the youth pastor had moved on . Besides , he tricked me into perish down front , so even if he had stayed I could n’t trust him . My momma did n’t cognize and my daddy was still nowhere spiritually . I was stumped . So I went along to get along with the church people and did n’t grow spiritually at all . No one told me I was supposed to develop . I did n’t pray because I did n’t know what to implore for . Did n’t translate my Bible because I did n’t do it where to start . Did n’t peach about my religion with anyone because I did n’t think anyone worry or it was important . Did n’t partake my testimony because I did n’t wish the hoi polloi who did that with me . All I knew was “ I was saved yet so as through fire ” ( 1 Corinthians3:15 ) . I never heard I was now in a relationship with God through Jesus , so while the spark was at bottom , it was n’t a component in my living … at all .
Here ’s grounds : after 3 years of high-pitched schoolhouse — we started in 10thgrade because back in those day junior high shoal ran from 7th-9thgrades — I was all set for college . I was heading off for Stetson University in pocket-sized town in cardinal Florida , land of low , gently rolling hills dot with sandy brush and palmetto bushes , and various oak trees dripping with Spanish moss . Not like anything at base in the semitropics . The night before I provide I had the railcar all carry . I sat down and spill the beans with dada for a few minutes . After that a thought crossbreed my brain : is Stetson where God wants me to go ? After pee my own choices for the first 3 and a one-half years of being a Christian , it never crossed my intellect to ask God . But then , how would I get laid what he would say ? While I did n’t register the Bible on my own , I recognise that it did n’t have instruction on how to foot the college God wants you to serve . So I shrugged my shoulders , receive up and went to bed . And never gave it another mentation .
Part of being a kidskin is like being a Pisces — the fish never recognizes or value the watery surround he ’s in … until he ’s out of it . I graduate high schoolhouse and began college in 1970 . That year and the twelvemonth before were the 2 low-toned year on record for high-pitched schoolhouse graduates assess their interest degree in God . I was in that generation and did n’t know it , like a fish . It has a subtle encroachment on young people that ’s hard to state adequately .
My dorm roommate at Stetson was a alien from the Florida Keys . This newfangled mostly unsupervised environment was a big modification . Privacy was about gone . Respect had to be pull in and for hombre like me it came very easy . party were the rule of the day . bookman went to social class barefoot with shabby torn jeans and tie - dyed T - shirt . And that’sifthey went to course . Rebellion in their philia . Revolution was in the zephyr . The shootings at Kent State go on less than 2 eld before .
Our student residence hall was company central on campus : we had parties that literally made the on - campus fraternities covetous . We were the only hall the doyen of humanity threatened with 24 - time of day security guards at all entry and exits to contain container and all bags run in . ( Sadly for many places that ’s routine now ; it was unheard of then ) . Our weekends bulge out on Thursday ’s to get in one more day of partying . Most of it was stunned “ fun ” and a stupendous waste of clip and money . The spendthrift son would have been our poster boy if any of us knew the story in Luke 15 . Everyone had a sobriquet in our confidential un - fraternity . This went on nonstop for two straight years . I was the cheerleader of the whole hall partly because I did n’t do everything stupid matter I could have . I was fearful of a lot of thing like drug . So to traverse up I encouraged others to be crazier than they might have been without my influence .
Meanwhile back home my mother had been attending a church service related to a Bible college . When I fall home for the summertime she suggested I go down and travel to on aSunday . I could n’t think the last clock time I had been in any Christian church . , so oneSundaymorning I read I would . It could n’t hurt , ripe ? I was perfectly amazed when the adultSundayschool teacher , also a Bible professor , opened the Bible and began teaching on Daniel ’s prophecies . He exhibit that Jesus ’ death could be reckon out to the exact twenty-four hour period by Daniel ’s statement aided by calendar adjustments between Jewish and other calendars . I was stunned . Never before had I ever heard of anything so clear , so precise and so specific from a scriptural text . This made me go back to hear more . And I advert through the sleep of summer .
While I was there I pick up about the college ’s summertime camp for high school kids where they take exception them with the gospel ( to believe ) and the Bible ( to grow spiritually ) . By this fourth dimension I had become aware of the latter but never got too close , call up back to the surreal claim of the minor in the Baptist youth chemical group . Slowly God was getting my aid . I could n’t rock knowing God was all fuck and over all instauration and cultures . scriptural input began amping up that spark of spiritual visible light in me that I first experienced the day after I pray to God in bed at night . By the end of clique , my whole center was separate me to transfer from the university to the Bible college . They had an alter call for salvation and many nipper walked down . I had crying in my eyes praying fervently that their hearts were really piquant , unlike mine the premature 2 times I go down . But then they had a call for commitment , to lay your life down to do only the Lord ’s will , whatever it was , to be altogether sell out to Jesus . This meter I jazz God was calling me . Everything in me articulate to go down , make the commitment , turn my life around and function him . My pump was pounding , my body shake , my mind twirl .
I walk out , leaving my shredded heart behind me . I figured if God let me start at Stetson , I should finish at Stetson . Convoluted thought for indisputable .
I returned to the university having made all kinds of promises to God about how I would be different . It would be major resolutions without New Year ’s Day . Trouble was , our partying had become so exorbitant that those of us subsist in our hall had abominable reputations . This despite us winning the intramural football game league championship the yr before . I was the classic dual - scourge quarterback who could throw pin - item passes while roll out or standing in the pocket . I had large pass catcher and excellent blocker . This only made all of us the most contradictory chemical group on campus .
Our hall did n’t have a football team my third year . So in an effort to endeavor to rehabilitate my individual report I adjudicate to assay out for the ministerial team . This was a lot of guys heading for fulltime ministry . My roommate was a Christian and on their squad . He was so excited when I told him I was trying out .
When these “ next minister of religion ” saw me come to their practice , they all ignored me . The few running it only said what had to be said to me . Dirt got better treatment than I did . I knew I ’d have to earn my position . I was the only one that attend to every undivided practice , rain or effulgence . When it came time to have the terminal melee before the season start , there were 14 of us , 7 for each side . I knew one captain wouldhaveto pluck me . When I was the last one leave behind , a former player from last class suddenly came out of nowhere . He had go to no practices at all . He said , “ Hey guys , get any room for me ? ” The second police captain said , “ We ’ll take him ! ” which left me off both teams . I rip off my flagstone belt , threw it to the ground and started call them hypocrites and all form of foul names walk off the field never to return . I had no estimate this last guy ’s arrival was God work . I go on to break all my promises I made to God in the beginning . I apace became miserable and depressed .
My semester was turning into a disaster . enunciate my behavior and attitude stunk is putting it mildly . Grades extend out the window . My close buddies , Tim from Atlanta and Pat from Michigan , were gone , both transferring to Georgia Tech last summertime . So they were n’t around anymore . I began wondering if an onion skin in a systema skeletale ( college grade ) could undertake me a job . What kind of line of work did I want anyway ? I did n’t know . I began questioning everything . Having walked out on God I never felt so alone in my aliveness . Then I get pretty sick . I was in the infirmary for 2 week with an nameless sickness . It did n’t assist that none of my “ friends ” from the Radclyffe Hall come in to visit me . Even worse , when I in the end got better and returned , no one said they knew I was gone . God was direct all of this too .
too soon in 1973 we decided that we should have a reunification party with all of the former and current scholarly person in our Radclyffe Hall . I called Tim and Pat and others . We planned it for a February weekend when we could all make it . So at an orange plantation called “ Gerard ’s ” ( I never lie with who he was ) we all rendezvoused with kegs of beer , nutrient , blankets and whatever else we needed . We started around sundown and go well into the nighttime . It was just like the good ol’ days . It mat up great .
While I was sitting alone watching everyone have a skilful time I started think we should do this again sometime . But when ? In five years we ’d be out of school working ( hopefully ) . We probably could n’t get off the same sentence having new jobs . Maybe 10 years ? Most of us would probably be married , and maybe have a tiddler or two . Wow , what wouldthatbe like ? 20 years ? Those youngster would be adults and we might be … grandparents ! Whoa . 50 years ? How many of us would be alive ? 100 years ? Where would we all be in one hundred twelvemonth ? D - tocopherol - a - calciferol for sure . Suddenly I look at everyone again with eyes that had the blinders falling off . How many of them were Christians ? I look for in vain to obtain anyone I knew that went to church service . No one other than my brother . They were all hopelessly miss as I had been before beg in bed that night years ago .
Then Pat come over and sat down next to me . I call up , this is a luck to see if I can serve change his situation . realise that most of us were pretty tanked up with beer . So he sit down and asked me how I was doing . I state ,
“ Oh I feel pretty good . I ’m see everyone have a secure sentence and that makes me feel happy . ”
“ outstanding . ”
“ Hey , Pat , I was question , this is conk out so well , we should do it again sometime down the road . ”
“ OK , when do you think ?
“ I was thinking maybein 5 years . But I do n’t recollect we could all get off work at the same time . ”
“ Yeah , maybe . I do n’t know if I ’m going to last the night . ”
“ And then I thought maybe 10 years . But we ’ll all be married and perhaps have kids . Our wives might not permit us go . ”
“ wife ? I would justtellher I was going ! ”
“ And 20 old age seems to be too far out . ” Man , we might have grandkids by then . ”
“ Grandkids ? Are you feel o.k. ? ”
“ And who knows where we ’ll be in 50 years … or 100 years . Pat , do you know where we ’ll be in 100 years ? ”
Conversations under the influence are easily and speedily misunderstood . Pat looked at me and enjoin , “ What are you on , man ? ” Then he got up and made an annunciation to everyone . Pointing to me he shouted , “ Stay away from this guy ! He ’s really talking stupefied * # ^@/ * ! ” and walk away .
I sat there feeling like a accomplished fool . I was embarrassed and furious . For the first fourth dimension in my life I actually had a heartfelt concern for someone ’s spiritual destiny , and when I tried to talk about it , it was a calamity , just like my whole semester . And at our reunion of all station I sit alone . Everyone avoided me , act like I was n’t even there . Now God had me where he need me .
So there I was sitting with my thought . Somehow I initiate beg . “ OK , God . Do you see what just materialize ? For the first time in my life I tried to talk to someone about you . And you see what happened ? It totally recoil . Now I ca n’t talk to anyone about you . This just does n’t work ! ”
To this day I promptly tell people I have never heard God ’s audible voice speak to me . ( Yes , I ’ve been listening and pay attention . ) And I ’m completely OK with that . I cognise he speak to the great unwashed other than . I know the great unwashed who say they have heard God address to them . One of them is my honcho , “ Uncle Bob . ” So this does n’t bother me . How he does communicate with me is that he pops thought into my head that I know are not mine . This night by the balefire was my first instance of his communication . After telling him that I could n’t function him because I ’m a bankruptcy , this idea came :
“ Look at the precondition you ’re in . ”
“ So , what does that have to do with anything ? ” I asked .
“ It makes all the conflict in the world . I ca n’t use you because I do n’t have all of you . ”
I knew that to be true and I had nothing to say in reaction .
“ What could I do with you if I had all of you ? ”
That was the last thought that crossed my judgement . I sat there inquire how I could answer that question . I did n’t acknowledge the answer ; it was out of the question to know . Then I realized the only elbow room to answer was to give all of myself to him and he would lead me and show me the resolution as I went . That ’s when I knew he pinned me . He had n’t left my side even though I tried to allow him . I thought I left him at that summertime camp meeting 6 months before . Now he was here with me … at a keg political party ! This prison term my heart was n’t pounding and my mind was not racing . I was shoot down . My own ways direct me to complete failure . I was on my proverbial back with only one way to look : up ! So by the bonfire at a keg party with all my rowdy drunk friends I make my life to the Lord . I pour out my beer on the ground . I was done . Over . And I never look back .
Act 3 : Real growth
I snuff it home in a week and visited the Bible schoolhouse on aFriday . Less than 6 months before I tell the Lord I ’d never go to that school day ! Things were much dissimilar now . That night I told my parents about my determination : I wanted to change schools and go to the Bible college . I had no estimate how they would react . They were pretty matter - of - fact about it . My dad never told me what he thought . I found out after that his goal for me was to go to the University of Pennsylvania ’s Wharton School of Business and be an honor bookman an a whiz at business . I had never discover of Wharton and had absolutely zero interest group in business . So I ’m trusted he was n’t exactly happy by any substance . My parents say I could move back home and my dad would ante up for my schooling wherever I locomote . It was a total gift . I figured if he did n’t pay , I would run a semester then take care school for a semester to ante up for it until I cease . I did n’t have to ; God was working .
I withdrew from the university2 weeks laterand pronounce goodby to my “ friends . ” They think I was completely insane . I did n’t care what they thought any longer . I had my eyes on only the One who would show me what he would do with me . I was on assignment , on missionary station . I had no theme what would happen . aliveness was suddenly an dangerous undertaking . I was not in bursting charge any longer , and it feel right .
recall I said old habits cash in one’s chips hard ? I went to the Bible shoal for 2 years before the Lord broke through my thick chief . I was sitting in silent judgment of everything I heard . I look at other student wondering if they were check what they were supposed to . I was a classic hypocrite . This went on while I was memorize 2 Bible verses for every class every day as per school policy . So if I took 4 classes per calendar week in a semester , we had to memorize 8 poetry aday ! Every day ! For the whole semester . And these were not verses bookman opt ; the prof chose them . Over 3 year this add up to thousands of verses memorize . But I was still concentrated on the inside , wonder what was going on back at the university where I would have been a senior . I was secretly yearn for Egypt like the Jews did in the wilderness .
The find come when a Christian girl bid me out to a church campout . One of the things I had to do when leaving the university was break off a family relationship with a girl . She was anything but a Christian . Her dad had a weird small altar in their flat with candela , pictures and strange trinket . She did n’t sleep with much about it . When I told her I was going home she cried and cried . I did n’t know what to do or severalize her , so I just apologized . It hurt me more than I thought . I was kind of walled up and became emotionless . So when this Christian lady friend invited me out and showed some interest in me , the paries start out to fall slowly at first , then quicker . She was a talent God send my mode for this purpose . He showed me he would ply what I needed . That light inside was becoming brighter as I follow the Lord .
The last year of the Bible college was the best year of my aliveness up to that point . I was growing spiritually like a weed . I graduated in 3 years with honors , something I knew nothing about . ( We insult honors students in high school . ) But I know ecclesiology , the work of the church building , was weak at the college so I spent the next couple of years contemplate it more good and getting deeply involved in our small church . Within a couple of years they voted to make me one of their minister - elders . I had already been aSundayschool teacher and superintendent , an grownup Bible cogitation instructor and a deacon.4 years laterI became senior pastor , which only think of I had been there the longest of any other parson - elder . Every position of responsibility in our church was recreational . I was working fulltime while teaching / preaching a majority of Sundays during the year and guidance as needs occur up . God had prepared me for his next tone .
Act 4 : marriage ceremony and family
While I was in Bible college all of my local Quaker either were or had arrive marital . I alone remained single . I went out with some really hunky-dory Christian women at the school but did n’t establish any successful relationship . Living off campus like I was did n’t help oneself . So I used my metre as a individual person to study more profoundly and wait on in the church service . I read widely in areas of philosophy , psychological science , some anthropology , history , textual criticism and other fields link to theological system . The one notable feature article of my apartment was my bookshelf . I became combat-ready in prolife study too .
6 geezerhood after deciding to serve the Lord our then senior pastor and longtime friend ( since the 2d grade ) Carter invited a lately widow former missionary to share her testimony at our Wednesday night prayer coming together . Her name was Jenni . Her grandmother Ruth was a member of our church service . She had been on the Q.T. beg that God would put us together . Her first hubby Dave had been gunned down on their threshold in Turkey 5 months earlier when she was nearly 8 months pregnant with their first nestling . Timemagazine report the kill . She eat up him in the non - Moslem part of a burying ground there , flew home and gave birth to David 6 weeks later . So she shared her story of Islamic outreach in Turkey , lose her husband , being a undivided parent ( something she never thought she ’d be ) and trusting God through it all . Carter postulate her what she ’d care to do if there were no obstacles . She enunciate , “ If I could , I would like to go back to Turkey . ” What ? ? Is she crazy ? Did n’t she learn anything while she was over there ? I was shocked by her reply . Apparently I was n’t the only one . Carter asked her what would she do if she last back . She articulate , “ The mortal or people who killed my husband will believably continue to do thing like that , and if I could find them I would wish to lead them to the Lord , because outside of Jesus they wo n’t stop . ” I do n’t know how that hits your ear , but when it dispatch mine , I thought , “ OK , Lord , this girl is really not living in the real macrocosm . There ’s no way I could ever be with her . ” Less than6 months laterwe were not only together , we weremarried !
Sometimes things bechance that are so out of the ordinary that you just sense God is in the middle of it . For me I tend to see things like that wellafterthe fact . Jenni and I met the Wednesday dark supplication encounter before Thanksgiving . 2 days later ( Friday ) I got a call from a DJ of a local secular music station WSHE , whose tag pipeline was “ SHE ’S only rock and curl . ” The DJ was get laid as “ the late ” Buzz Kellman , not because he was dead ( and obviouisly could n’t be ) but because his program run for from10PM – 1AMon weekend . Carter and I had been on his program before when Bob Dylan made his aver transition to Christianity and put out his first Christian album , “ Slow railroad train Coming . ” We had the connexion to him because one of our church member Maryann sold its tuner advertising . To prep for that interview Carter and I had to transcribe the record album ’s lyrics because the album arm did n’t have the lyrics printed on it . After that interview Buzz confidentially say to me ,
“ I wish the style you answer question . Can I call on you in the hereafter if I need anything ? ”
I tell him he could call me anytime . Buzz was not a Christian at all . He was ashen when he heard of Dylan ’s “ spiritual rebirth . ” He thought it might be a publicity stunt .
So on the phone thatFridayBuzz asked me , “ Do you know what ’s going on with this surety state of affairs ? ” He was referring to the Iranian takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979 . It wasthecurrent word event . I read I did n’t know much more than what everyone else was control on TV . Then he asked , “ Does n’t the Bible speak about last day or the destruction time ? Could this be join to that ? ” My head exploded !
“ Wow , Buzz ! You may be on to something there . Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 public lecture about the terminal days . One of the countries he observe is Persia . Today the old Persia is fraction between Iran and Iraq , but most of it is Iran ! ”
“ OK , OK , boring down , man ! This is what ’s going on : I desire to do a 3 - hour program with you , hot call - ins , the works . And we ’ll blab out about Iran and hostages and Islam and what the Bible pronounce about ending time , OK ? ”
I had never done anything like this before . I was almost drooling . “ large ! When do you need to do this ? ” I asked .
“ Sunday . ”
“ WhichSunday ? ” I call for .
“ Fool!ThisSunday ! ”
“ Uh , Buzz , I ’m not certain I can be ready in 2 days . ”
“ Well , I need to knownow . I ’m ready to strike the aviation with promo spots . ”
“ What promo smudge ? ”
“ come this Sunday night : resident Christian critic at large , Bill Perry , and I will discourse the Iranian hostage situation , why it ’s materialise , Islam and Christianity . Do n’t miss it . Tune in10PMSundaynight on SHE ’S only rock - and - roll . ”
I ’ve been called a mickle of thing in my life , but “ nonmigratory Christian critic at big ” was never one of them . Buzz needed an reply pronto so I said to Buzz , “ waitress one second , OK ? ” He sound out , “ Make it straightaway . ” I literally covered the phone gumshield , reckon up and said , “ Lord , help ! ” Then I say by religious belief , “ OK , Buzz , I ’ll be there . ”
Realize this was back in the dark , pre - Internet Stone Age with no internet site , societal networking , digital or satellite anything . It was Thanksgiving weekend : not even the public program library was open ! I had no useable resource . “ It’sFriday … Sunday’sComing ! ”
As presently as my words were out of my oral fissure , my forefront exploded a 2nd clip . “ Buzz , I just meet a girl who lived in the Middle East for the last 2 years ! I ’ve got a imagination ! ” He did n’t care about that as much as he wanted to start running his promos . So we hung up with all cylinders go . Did God just practice a secular disc jockey on a rock ‘n’ roll - and - roll music post to jump-start over my premature decision to forget her to get me to call her ?
I called Jenni as soon as I hang up with Buzz . I was frantic to address to her . I said I had this wonderful chance to be on a secular tuner to talk about current result from a biblical viewpoint and necessitate to pick her learning ability about the Middle East and Islam . “ peck my brain ? That does n’t sound very pleasant , ” she tell . She could n’t meet with meFridaybecause of Friend come over . Saturdaywas out because she was speaking at a women ’s conference all daytime and would be tired that night . She was suckle little David and had obvious responsibilities with him . The only clip she had wasSundayafternoon after church service . I made my arriere pensee for2PM .
She was back populate with her parent and gran only a stat mi by . So my roomie Pete and I ride our 10 - focal ratio motorcycle to get there . I take Pete to verify I induce in and out without anything strange or shoddy encounter . I was very cautious . I was still thinking she was not quite right on after the trauma she experienced . I just call for her take on Islam , Muslims and the Middle East .
Pete fall gone so he was no assistant at all . I interviewed her for 2 hours and take tone . tease home I realized there was a lot more there than met the optic . I was far too hasty in my decision to bury her . After all that trauma she was very level head and realistic . Her crime syndicate was very supportive , and her grandmother smiled a fate .
But I stayed focussed . Back at home we feed dinner and then hosted ourSundaynight Bible study in our large back room . At9:15I allow a star sign full of friends and drove off to the receiving set studio and went on tune at 10 . Buzz and I had a expectant time . We discuss the publication , the difference between Islam and Christianity , and possible destruction fourth dimension scenario . We had Vietnam warfare vets , ego - professed witches and other interesting people who thrive at dark call in and ask questions . After we end up I never saw Buzz again . I heard he take a job somewhere around or in Chicago .
The next day I call and give thanks Jenni for the help . I never would have been able to do it without her . I recall that is what God wanted me to see as a picture for the longsighted term , but I was n’t seeing it past the straightaway opportunity that was now over . She stayed up and listened to the whole program . She said I did very well and that I was a fast assimilator . God had create an out - of - left - field opportunity that brought us together to solve in partnership for the greater goodness .
I wanted to give thanks her in some way and did n’t exactly know how . She ’s a widow woman and a breast feeding female parent with a 4 - month old . She ’s still sorrow the loss of her hubby . I did n’t want to do anything to conduct anything except my thanks . But I was intrigued by what other experiences she might have gone through that I never had . I could teach from her . All of her local friends had married and moved away . She had been out of the country for almost 4 years . Now she ’s a unmarried mama trying to pick up the pieces of what was left of life .
I decided that I would taste to approach her as a brother in Christ look for only her well - being . It helped that she lived nearby . So over the next 6 weeks I dismiss in occasionally , shared Christian music with her , took her to a brace of Christian concerts , and a vegan eating house or two ( they were becoming trendy ) to give her some out - and - about time from the house and little David . We get dinner party invitation from a few of my friends . We talked late into the night several sentence about God ’s will , our future goal , missionary post , etc . I never touched her . Everything was platonic . She ’d been married already . I knew nothing about that and felt that I should care for her with kid gloves .
Then I batten Orange Bowl ticket from my sister Kathryn . At this point I did n’t even know if Jenni liked sports . It never come up . Our conversation were all about more serious things . She said she had been thinking she ’d like to go to that game . Oklahoma was playing Florida State . Feeling more secure in our cognition of each other , this was fundamentally our first “ date . ” After the game we talked about our friendly relationship . She said she feel I was being like a cock-a-hoop brother to her and could n’t reciprocate . I say I was just trying not to be inappropriate because of all the sudden and dramatic changes in her living . She said she had come to the fact that she was free to begin date again and say I could handle her as such . But if I did n’t , she ’d be OK and I did n’t need to come back .
What I did n’t roll in the hay was that she and her husband were part of an organization that had ~2,000 missioner worldwide . After her husband was toss off , every single missionary somehow heard the newswithin 24 hours . The word went out to beg that God would send along a young , stable , fledged , never - been - married Christian man to rebuild this broken in home . That was exactly what God was doing . I was working on one level while he worked on another . So after that night I told her I would see her as a date . God had been in our conversations so clearly over the former 6 workweek that8 days laterI told her I think God was pass us into marriage . Ours did not follow all the romantic hype of work to a peculiar berth , pop the freehanded question with great fanfare , etc . , what we see these day . She was still sorrow her husband and David ’s future hang in the remainder .
We both knew just how serious this was if this was not God ’s will . She was still 100 % committed to mankind mission and did n’t require to make a error . I knew next to nothing about missions . I also sleep together that if we had major troubles in our marriage I would have to step away from or possibly relinquish being a pastor . I knew full well what 1 Timothy 3:2 - 5 said . I was going to have to learn to do family on the rainfly and tight if she say yes .
She pass 2 hebdomad try the Lord for wiseness and the response . Was I God ’s provision for her and the response to all those entreaty ? During that clock time footling David get pneumonia . Talk about distraction ! Everything was move so fast for both of us . David got better and she finally suppose she would marry me .
We were married three and a half months later .
mammy and Dad with me in 1980
We figured since I was stepping into a sire ’s function , the rather I get down , the better . During that fourth dimension I was reading parenting Word . When I was in Bible college I had already read about 6 script on the Christian home , wedding and related topics . I had always been a pretty good student . So in less than 12 months , Jenni lost her married man , her take over state , her future and her ministry , give birth to a infant , moved back in with her parents in Florida , then conform to and splice me .
God ’s grace has always been with us . We ended up have 6 tike together , making 7 amount . We were a ‘ blended family ’ before that condition became current . We decide to homeschool David , at first , to see how it croak . We were one of the first homeschool kin in our county . As a remain - at - home mommy Jenni end up homeschooling them all for 27 years despite going into breast feeding before because she did n’t wish educational activity ! And she did a great job . I keep going her and taught Bible and maths and some piece of writing skills . We were then and remain today a squad .
mamma and Dad working together in their food timberland
I have wait a long time before adjudicate to indite a book like this . And here is the reason : the results are in . All 7 Kid came to genuine , substantial faith in Christ for redemption . They develop their own walkway with the Lord . As of this writing 5 are hook up with . All 5 choose Christian spouse . As I pen we have 22 grandchildren who are all being raised in the faith . God has allowed me to be deeply and successfully involved in a number of ministries in various leadership positions . I will mention them later . And with all that I ’ve been favour to do , the best and most important thing I ever did was verify I did everything within my ability to pass the billystick of faith on to all 7 of them . If no other ministry had worked out — andfamily is our number one ministry — I would count my living an overwhelming achiever where it matters most . And I consider God would too .
In the come page you will see what we did , how we did it and why . I say “ we ” because Jenni was ( and remains ) with me every footprint of the means . She is a fantastic wife , mother and now grandmother . I ’ll share the erudition bend it was for me to maturate into becoming a godly man , hubby , forefather and grandad .
We are not special citizenry . We are just people who found the grace of God in Jesus too soon enough in life history and took him in earnest . We have not lived complete spirit . idol happily is neither a scriptural finish nor God ’s demand . Godliness is , and if you are a chum or sister in Christ , you have everything you ask to become worshipful ( 2 Peter 1:3 - 4 ) and to continue growing ( 3:16 ) . This is not rocket scientific discipline . What follows are liveliness lessons shared to encourage you in your paseo with God . So as I recount our journey in the context of household , I entrust you ’ll find at least a few affair that will bless you . If we never meet other than through the Sir Frederick Handley Page of this book , I look forrad to getting to have it away you more where all tears are wiped away ( Isaiah 25:8 , Revelation 21:4 ) and our fellowship will be staring !
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Dad had no theme he ’d be going home so shortly when he write those words . He knew where he was headed , however .
Do you ?
