This is the day....

I am excited about the things that the Lord is doing among those who are passionately seeking His Face! We are seeing healings in each of our services, bondages broken, addictions cast out, and joy infused!

Isn't this what it is all about? The scripture is very plain when it declares that the "joy of the Lord is our strength!" This past few months has been a stretch for Glenda and me, but it is awesome to rest in the knowledge that the Lord is our strength.

Someone wrote and asked what it was that we were doing with ourselves nowadays. Several have inquired as to whether we are retired! NOT HARDLY!!!! We are just in transition into the next phase of our ministry.

Glenda is the manager of a wireless phone store here in our area. She is working a lot of hours trying to get things up to speed. The company that she went to work for has recently been bought out by a larger company, so there have been transitional issues with that area of her life as well as on a personal level. Things are beginning to level out and soon it will be a typical work week for her.

I am still working to get a small business off the ground. The industry I am involved with is somewhat difficult to infiltrate, but I am confident that it will pay off someday soon! In the meantime, I am taking advantage of the opportunity to seek the Lord, work as much as I can get the opportunity, and minister as the doors open. Some days ago, I was seeking the Lord and telling Him about all my situations, and He reminded me that He had not failed to meet our needs in the 37 years that we have been married, and this was not going to be the year that He failed to meet them.

A man of God recently spoke a Word to me: "This season of your ministry will be greater that the seasons of the past! Plod ON!" What an encouraging word from the Lord. Each month it seems that we are falling behind financially, but God has promised! And He always keeps His word!

This week end, Glenda and I will be ministering in Kentucky for Sunday AM and PM. I feel that God has a special word for the pastor and the congregation. Please remember to pray for us as we travel in ministry that we will hear from the Lord for each of the ministries that we will touch, that we will be the vessels that God will use to encourage.

For many years, I have tried to be an encourager of the believer and especially those who have devoted their lives to ministry. The other day, I was feeling a bit downhearted. Then I recieved a call from a brother who was in a spiritual crisis. I began to speak hope and faith to him by the Word of the Lord. Suddenly, I realized that what I was speaking to my brother, was a word for me as well! I began to feel encouraged in the Lord. The circumstances have not yet changed, but the outlook is better than the downlook!

Look up, dear friend! When you look up, you are less likely to fall. When you look up, you are less likely to see the dirt! When you look up, you will see the blessings of His provision! So..... Look Up!

While walking down the street today, a man came up to me and stopped me. He shared a need, and we simply prayed together on the street. When we left, he shook hands with me and left a small cash offering in my hand. It was greatly needed and most appreciated! It was more than a monetary gift! It was a word of encouragement to me that God knows my needs. And one never knows when God will use one to meet the need of another... So Carry On and do the thing that God is speaking to you!

I look forward to your response to this blog each time I send it out! CARRY ON!

Powerful Prophetic Conference...

I have just returned from Jonesboro, AR where I participated in a Prophetic and Apostolic conference at the Freedom Worship Center on Hasbrook Road.  Watch this site for more information regarding this powerful week end.  

Bishop Alva Wilson was the host and we were blessed beyond measure as the Lord manifested His presence in our midst.

HE LIVES!

What a glorious thought that He ever liveth!  It is our prayer for you that you be encouraged in the faith and that the grace of the risen Savior will be multiplied in your life.

I will be in Jonesboro, AR on Thursday and Friday of this week at a Re-Eagle Conference with Bishop Alva Wilson.  I will be speaking in the Thursday evening session.  I would ask that you pray for this retreat of Christian workers, that we will seen the manifestations of healing and deliverance!

Our son, Shane has returned from a successful mission trip to Guatemala.  He was ill during the trip and had to come home early, but the power of the Lord was manifest in the services where he was before leaving and several healings and manifestations of the Holy Spirit were made known.

Please keep Glenda and me in your prayers for release of ministry and financial needs that somewhat are overwhelming us at this time.  God is faithful who has promised.  He always has met every need and will continue to do so!

We love each of you and look forward to hearing from you.

Keep the faith!  CARRY ON!

Sorry about the delay!

WOW! It has been a long time since I have had the chance to get online long enough to add to the blog! We do no have the capability to get online at the house, and while I do get emails on my blackberry, I have not been online long enough to catch up on the blog!

The picture at the right is the latest that I received of my youngest grandson. He is definitely growing! He is quite the personality. His older brother Jaxson and sister, Juliet, are doing well after a brief season of colds and flu like symptoms. Be sure to keep Jimmy and his family in prayer while Jimmy is in Iraq.

During the past weeks, Glenda and I have been blessed to conduct services in churches in the surrounding area. We have been blessed with testimonies of healing and deliverance. It is so exciting to have the opportunity to minister and see results in the altar. Please remember us in prayer as we continue to pursue the calling of the Lord that is upon our lives.

Yesterday was great as we had the opportunity to fill the pulpit for Jacob's Well, shere our oldest son, Shane, is pastor. Shane is in Guatemala on a missions journey this week. The altar was filled with hungry hearts seeking for the manifestation of the miraculous. We are believing the Word that came to us from the Lord that this year will be a season of the miraculous. Jesus declared that there would be signs that followed them who believe, and we have determined by the Spirit that this is the day for such miracles to happen among the hungry hearts of those who will receive.

If you would like for us to minister in your community, contact us by email at whetstone.r@gmail.com We would love to come and minister to you. This is a faith-based ministry reaching into communities and churches across this nation.

May the blessing of the Lord be upon you!

CARRY ON!

The Loss of a Friend

During the years of my life, I have suffered the loss of people as a result of tragedy who were dear to me.  I remember a dear friend who was killed in Vietnam in the late 60's, with whom I had enjoyed great fellowship.  Another dear friend died in a tragic plane crash.  So through the years I have learned that life continues.  It is always painful to lose a friend.

Scripture teaches us that have a friend is good and in order to have friends, one must be friendly.  I have learned that there some people connect in a moment of time and become life long friends. 

There is a significant difference between a friend and an acquaintance.  Through the years of my life I have become acquainted with thousands of people in my travels.  Often I use the term, "I have a friend..." in reference to someone who I have had fellowship but really they are simply an acquaintance.  

Recently I visited with a dear friend in Tennessee.  We have been friends since we were in our teens.  In recent years, we have not been able to get together, but the moment we met a few days ago, it was clear that the relationship of friendship was still there.  We talked of things with one another that we could not rehearse with others.  And we understood.  He is afflicted with MS now and it was painful for me to see him sitting in a wheelchair.  But it didn't change the love that we felt for one another.  I know that I can count on him and he knows that whatever comes, I am here for him.

I have people that are very close to me that I share my joys, my dreams, my failures, and my heartaches.  They listen because they are friends.  They do not harshly judge me, they often tolerate me, I am sure.  But they are always there for me.  One thing you can count on from a friend is that they will be honest with you and treat you with the blessing of not guessing where they stand.  Even when they disagree, they give you the privilege of being wrong without abandoning you.

I work hard at being a friend.  I pray for my friends every day.  I stand in the gap before the Lord, interceding for their needs.  There are times that I disagree with my friends, but I work hard to not become disagreeable with them.  In other words, I try to be a consistent in my relationship.  I attempt to always be there for them in a crisis, either in person, or by phone, standing with them in the face of their situation without judgement, simply loyal to the individual.

This week, I lost a friend.  I didn't lose this friend by death.  This friend had been close to me, and vice versa.  But I came to realize that this individual had walked away from me.  It has broken my heart.  I have wept, done personal inventory, questioned.  But the fact remains....I have lost a friend.  I will miss their fellowship.  I will miss their laughter.  I will miss their tears.  I will always pray that somehow we can be restored.  

Keep the faith!

CARRY ON

   

The Secret Place...

It has finally warmed up to about 36 degrees today, and the ice is melting.  I have placed my Explorer in the garage to have some repairs this week so I am spending some time catching up on rest, paperwork, and time with the Lord.  The mechanic just informed me that he should have me going this evening or at the latest on Monday.  They are having to rebuilt the rear end and replace the axles on the front as well.

During this week, I have met with several people, done some ministry, shared with pastors in this area what the Lord is doing in Glenda and me, and most importantly, finding the time to spend some intimate time with the Lord each morning at the church.  WOW, what a blessing it is to sense the sweet presence of the Father as I sit at the keyboard and just worship. 

Yesterday, I became lost in His presence for well over an hour as I worshipped.  It was so refreshing to me.  We live about 14 miles from the church, and often it is easy for me to decide that I can do this at home.  But really, there is no place like coming into the House of Prayer to soak in the Presence of our Father God!  I had figured that I had cried all my tears on Thursday, but found that there was another fountain this morning as I worshipped.

The hour that I set aside, has become two in many instances.  It is better than Italian Cream Cake!

Please....take the time to spend in intimate worship with the Lord.  It will renew your faith as you come into His presence.

I received an email from Jimmy, who is in IRAQ, this morning.  He is having an issue with an apparent pinched nerve resulting in severe pain to his shoulder and thereby, difficulty in sleeping at night because of the pain.  Would you join with Glenda and me to pray for this need?  I would appreciate it very much.

We will be praying for you this week end in our services.  I am bringing a printed copy of the names of all those who are responding to me either by email or through this blog into the service for prayer.  If you have need for healing, deliverance, restoration, or any other need, please let us know.  We want to stand with you in prayer for divine intervention in your situation.

So....... whatever you do....

Keep the faith!

CARRY ON

You can have a song....

Scripture tells us that He gives us songs in the night! One of the most difficult things to do is to get through the night when you are unable to sleep. It seems that often the night is when our mind begins to play tricks upon us.

When you are struggling in the night, I encourage you to get out an old song book, put on a CD with worship music, simply serve notice on the enemy that you are going to praise the Lord anyhow!

I have often thought of the struggle that Leah went through knowing that her husband Jacob had not chosen her to be his bride. She was sure to have felt the rejection. But, she loved Jacob and bare children to him. The fourth son, she named Judah! Leah learned to praise the Lord anyhow!

No matter what you are facing, you can press through the darkest hour with praise. I have learned to praise Him when I feel like it, and to praise Him when I don't. I praised him Sunday for a beautiful day, and I praise Him today in the midst of a gloomy, rainy day! I praise Him when a new child is born, and praise Him when a loved one draws their past breath! Sing the song of praise!

Thanks to those who have responded recently and touched my heart with their words of encouragement. I praise God for you!

CARRY ON!