Thursday Night on the Coast

Today was a day of unplanned, but welcomed, interruptions. Jim Ingram and I have a standing appointment to visit on Thursdays, but we are doing our best to get the paperwork in for the Bush-Clinton Foundation Grant. So, I made it a goal to do this today, instead of visiting. I called and left a message for Jim and went to my office. There were many interruptions - and I do try not to worry about them. God has a way of putting his nose in my business, which I need and appreciate! Mike came into my office today, nervous about a visit to a governmental office to check on some benefits to which he may be entitled. We prayed together about his anxiety ... and a serious health problem he is experiencing. He then told me he would like me to accompany him on this appointmen, which I agreed to do. I learned a lot about Mike on this trip ... more than I feel comfortable sharing here ... but he is quite an interesting man. One of the brothers from Hillside Christian Church (Pennsylvania) had spent some time explaining the gospel to him yesterday, and as a result he is considering being immersed. At first you might think he is taking it too lightly, but I think Mike is on to something. He said, first, that he would like to be baptized in a river, even though he knows there is no special significance to it. He also would like the whole church to come, and for us to celebrate with hot dogs and chips and cokes. I really do think Mike is ready to celebrate his new life, don't you? Sounds like a scene from Luke 15. On my way to deliver Mike back to the church, David Kilbern called. It seems one of the teenagers who had left the night before left some very important prescription medicine in the refrigerator at Pascagoula. They had made it as far as Baton Rouge, LA. So I agreed to meet them in Slidell, Lousiana. Maggy and I took a road trip over and delivered the medicine. Of course we had to stop at Schaeffer's in Slidell for some seafood and bread pudding. I do not promote it a lot, but I do own a Yahoo Group called "John's Journal". It is an e-mail list that is made up of positive, encouraging materials, prayer requests, and sharing of our burdens. There are no debates and we do not allow anyone to put down another. If you would like to be a part of a list like this, you can check it out HERE. Not all disasters are on the Gulf Coast. Consider what the Modesto church is doing in response to the Heat Wave in California. Buddy Davis is doing an awesome job in coordination. Check it out HERE. I hope you won't be too critical of Danny Dodd's newest post, found HERE.