Marshall’s Blog

I recently had the unpleasant experience of missing a flight.  I always, always, always (o.k., not this time) check in for my flight the night before - especially if I am on an extremely early flight.  This ensures that I am aware of any changes that have happened pertaining to my flight’s status.  However, this last time I was leaving a little later and got to bed a little later than normal (that’s getting earlier the older I get) - so I decided to skip the check-in until morning.  Well, “morning” got busy and I decided I’d just “check-in” at the airport - I’d be early - or so I thought.

When I got to the airport I found out that my flight had been “moved up!”  Can you believe it?!  A flight moved UP?!  Instead of 11:45, my flight now left at 10:40 - or something like that.  I was standing in line at 10:15 but that did not matter.  I just knew I could make it if they would just let me on - but they didn’t.  I had “missed” my flight.  And because I had “missed” my flight I could not get a flight on another airline - that only happens when a flight is canceled.

As I received the bad news, I knew I could do one of two things.  I could get mad at the situation or the ladies who were doing their job and just happened to have the misfortune of being the ones to deliver the bad news, or I could let go of what was “now” out of my control and let God work some good through it all.  And God did work good through it all as I was able to make it safely home that night - even my lugguage showed up!

Have you ever been in a place where it would have been easier to react in a typical manner, but you felt the Holy Spirit quicken you and remind you that you were His representative.  When we rest in God and allow Him to help us - even when a problem is really our fault - that truly brings Glory to Him and allows us an opportunity to be a light in a world often full of night.  I pray the next time things go wrong that you will be able to “Let Go and Let God” have His way in your life.

Yep…it is finally up and running. I got the call Thursday afternoon that they were getting ready to “turn it on,” and a rush of exhilaration, coupled with anxiety, flooded my thoughts. I knew there were still some “issues” that need resolving but decided that we would probably be working out some bugs for the next few weeks. That night was a late one as I tried to ensure most things were current, and Friday was a really wonderful day of God’s divine solutions. So many things came together to get the site up and running - as smooth as possible - that God must have surely been in control.

A note of special thanks needs to be extended to our AG leadership here, as we would not even have an office or web site if not for their support, and also to all the great IT folks who helped make this happen - especially Jimmy and Rob. Thanks so much for putting up with my pestering and ignorance at what was needed. Who would have thought all the minutiae that is a part of web design and programming! You just can’t imagine all the pieces of the puzzle that are running in the background to make the web site run smoothly…and these guys make it look so easy.

If you have seen the old site you will notice that the functionality is basically the same (hopefully) but that the appearance has changed. We have tried to keep it simple, and focused more on the function side of the site than the glitz and glamor. There is some “flash” on the site but hopefully not so much that folks with a “dial up” connection can’t enjoy the benefits that we are trying to offer. Sometimes waiting for a flash player segment to load on a person’s website can be very aggravating:).

The new site does incorporate some new features. We have added this open blog, which will hopefully be a blessing and allow us to hear from “the field.” Don’t expect me to blog every day (you can see my history), but I will do my best to keep my nose to the proverbial blog grindstone. We have also added some options for polls online and the online store will be much easier for us to maintain and ship orders. Gospel Publishing House is helping us in that area. We have also added more articles, photos, events calendar, devotional, and a district search for evangelists. The Message of the Month is now available in podcast format so that you can “subscribe” to it, as well as the 24 bit rate download as before. The evangelists highlight should stay the same, with a slightly new look.

All in all I hope the transition is a nice one, but if you notice things that do not seem to “work” please let us know. The site works best with the FireFox web browser (all the IT folks rave about it) and you can search for it online - it’s free. Internet Explorer works o.k., and especially if you have the latest version, as well as AOL. Again, thanks for checking out the site, sharing it with your friends, signing up for our monthly newsletter if you haven’t already, and being a part of helping us be better at what God has called us to do - being witnesses for Him. May the Lord bless you all richly….Marshall.

That’s the thought that ran through my mind when my wonderful wife, Nancy, shared with me that a certain department store was having an incredible sale – 30% off an already 75% reduced price. Although it’s hard to believe that anyone would pass up bargains like that, those bargains could not even begin to compare to the disdain I held for shopping. I would rather change a flat tire in the middle of winter than hazard into a nice warm store crammed full of people fighting for a great deal – and survival.

My idea about shopping is likened unto a special operations unit that has a specific mission. They take months, if not years, to prepare for some of those incredibly treacherous missions. Then, when the time for action approaches, usually in the dark of night when no one else is around, they go in, complete the mission – and get out!

It also reminds me of a needle on a sewing machine. As it goes in and out of a new fabric, it changes that fabric from blasé to brilliant by the watchful eye of the master seamstress. I used to watch my mom make clothes for (mainly) my sisters growing up. There were eight children and mom would often get those patterns you could buy at the store in order to help keep us clothed. I was always amazed to watch a sewing machine in motion – the needle could move slowly – or so fast you could hardly keep up with it while joining two or more pieces of cloth together. So too, my affinity for shopping – go in and out so fast that it is as painless as possible – for me anyway.

But I’m thankful that my wife loves “the hunt,” and is willing to brave the elements (mainly people in this case) to help care for her family. The potential good outweighs the bad, and because of her, our household has been nicely clothed at a fraction of the cost. And I am so thankful that the God who made this universe can still see the good in so many people even though there is a lot of nastiness today; a God who cares so much about us that he has paid the price of helping us get “reconnected,” through the death of His only son – Jesus Christ.

May today be a day that you don’t say “oh no” like I did when “invited” to participate in a shopping endeavor. But a day when you say, “Lord I really would like for you to step into the driver’s seat of my life and help lead me along life’s path.” It’s the greatest bargain this side of heaven because it’s free – and you don’t even have to fight the crowds:).

When I was just a kid (way back when), we packed up and moved from Dallas, Texas to a large family farm that we inherited. One of my first jobs (at the ripe age of 8 for .25 cents an hour) was to take pitch fork in hand and clean out some horse stalls that had been neglected for who-knows-how-many years. I found out rather quickly that you can dig and dig and dig and dig quite a hole if you’re not careful in a horse stall that’s been neglected. I also found out that .25 cents an hour was not near enough money for that job, so I promptly asked my dad for a raise at the end of the day to a whopping .50 cents an hour!

While cleaning those stalls, the ammonia like smell and odor of animal waste was almost overwhelming, and it was a good thing the barn had two big doors on both ends of the building to allow for proper ventilation! It took quite some time, but we finally got the stalls fairly well cleaned out and new straw put in its place. Interestingly, when we went to clean the stalls every day it only took a little effort to pick up or clean out the areas that needed attention.

As I was reflecting back on that time when I was a “professional” stall cleaner, it reminded me of how merciful God is to us. He often takes us when we’ve been neglected for so long, and smelling rather offensive spiritually, and lovingly begins to clean us up as only he can do. Many of us can attest to the fact that God usually has to clean us up over a period of time – gently smoothing out the rough edges of our lives one day at a time. But then, as we come before the throne of grace on a daily basis, we find that the cleansing comes a little easier and we rest in him and the power of his might.

I pray that you will allow God the privilege of cleaning out the stalls of your life – no matter how bad you think you smell spiritually. Because God longs to help you and to let you know that he cares deeply about every challenge, trial, anxiety and struggle that you may be facing today.

I was ministering in a small impoverished area of the country not too long ago with numerous individuals who apparently struggled to even pay their bills and live a decent life. After the service one of the men I prayed with came forward to visit - I’ll call his name Bill. Bill was unkept and smelled bad…really bad. It was almost nausiating to be honest. His teeth were rotting with black stuff on them and inflamed gums, and breath that literall hit me like a hammer. I was standing there trying my best not to make a face or show any outward sign that I was having difficulties being in Bill’s presence. He shared some of his struggles and we prayed for him again. But what happened next will stay with me for a long time - hopefully the rest of my life.

In that moment, while I was thinking about how repulsed I was at the sight and smell of Bill, the Holy Spirit seemed to whisper in my ear something profound. You know, some people like to call that your inner voice, your intuition, that sixth sense, or something else. But it was as though a thought popped into my mind from out of nowhere, and I truly believe that the Lord was speaking to me. I truly feel that way for 2 main reasons. One, I believe that God loves His creation enough that He wants to be personally involved in each of our lives. Second, the words that the Lord seemed to speak to me were: “I love him too.”

In the middle of my selfish thought about how repulsed I was with Bill, God shattered my world and helped me refocus on what He (God) was all about. God so loved the world didn’t He (John3:16)…even a world that included folks like Bill, who love the Lord but life has not looked favorably upon. To God, we probably all smelled like Bill when we lived our lives without God - almost shouting that we didn’t need Him (God). But I’m thankful that I had people who never quit praying for me and that God pursued me even when I did not feel that I needed him. He’s pursuing you too…and I hope you let him catch you.