Return Date Set

After conferring with Dr Mark Batory at GFA, we have set June 6 as our return date. After just over a year's absence, we will finally be headed home. Everyone is excited by the prospect of unpacking our suitcases and living a more normal life than furlough affords. We have enjoyed our travels, but there is no substitute for being where God has appointed you to be.

In the interval we have meetings in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Pray with us that the Lord will use these meetings in a special way to touch the hearts of His people and to call the unconverted to Himself. Pray also that these and other furlough contacts will be led of the Lord to join our support family so that our income will be adequate to our needs.

As you know our past term was rather trying in financial terms, but the Lord has allowed us to make up ground during our travels. We still lack about $450 per month to reach 100%. We will be contacting some churches in Ohio to see if we can participate in a few missions conferences in the Fall and/or Spring to help see our support need met as well.

The Lord has provided tickets for us at just over $150 per person (all taxes and fees included). However, since there are six of us, we will still spend over $900. Another $900 will be spent in shipping our van from Jacksonville, FL to Puerto Rico, $95 more will be spent on a one-night hotel stay in Jacksonville, and $250 on a one-day van rental to take us from Jacksonville to Orlando. Nothing is free, but the Lord always provides what is needed.

Catching Up

It has been a month since I last made an entry here. Obviously, I do not "live to blog". Our travels make it interesting to find a place with a signal we can borrow and to find the time to jot a note. We have concluded our Florida journeys where we enjoyed our time greatly. It was almost like being in Puerto Rico since the weather was warmer, palm trees were everywhere, sandy soil abounded, and Spanish could be heard at regular intervals.

We continue to experience the protection of the Lord. While in Panama City, FL we faced a tornado warning in which the newscaster advised everyone in our area to seek out a safe place immediately since circulation had been reported. No tornado developed, however. Then we went to Milton, FL and again severe weather was forecast. We left there and a few weeks later were in Lady Lake. Just one year earlier a very destructive tornado had ravaged the neighborhood. Again, severe thunderstorms were announced, but seemed to dissipate before reaching us.

Then we moved on to Savannah, Georgia. A strong thunderstorm struck that Saturday night, the lights went out for several hours, and a tornado went through just 1/2 hour north of our location. The following day we went to Atlanta where a tornado had done serious damage just two days earlier. We are always amazed by the hand of God directing us and protecting us, and that is just when we know of the danger. How many times are we protected from danger that we are not even aware of?

Another evidence of God's goodness was seen in the fact that on Sunday, March 16 I (Bill) came down with a chest cold that left me with a voice barely stronger than a whisper. Isn't it amazing that we should have a break in our schedule from then until Sunday, March 30. By then, I should be recovered sufficiently to preach. I thought I would be able to attend the Bible Conference at Bob Jones University last week, but the cold made speaking so difficult that I decided rest would be a better option. No, I was not a speaker at the conference. It's just that I met so many people I know on campus the one day that I did attend a service, that my voice suffered from the many conversations. I'm doing much better now. Praise the Lord!

Steven also needed some help in these days. He had lost his previous car in an accident, so we set out to find a suitable replacement. We found a Ford Taurus at an auction which should serve him well for a good while. It needs a little repair, but the problems are minor. Unfortunately, even minor repairs tend to be expensive. The Lord also provided a job for Steven which we hope will allow him opportunity to fully support himself. He will finish his college degree in summer school, but will be allowed to march in May. We are looking forward to being on hand to celebrate his achievement.

Congratulations, Dr. Dad!

On February 16, Bill’s dad returned from another of his overseas journeys. He is the director of Way of Truth Ministries and frequently travels to encourage missionaries and promote worldwide evangelism. He has made such trips since the mid-80s. This latest journey took him to India where he encourage several native pastors with whom he has labored over the past 7 years or so.

In spite of being delayed for several days due to weather, they arrived at a Bible college graduation at which Dad was to preach. He barely had time to don his gown and join the procession. As the diplomas were being handed out, Dad was asked to come to the platform once again. The host pastor and Bible college director then presented him with an honorary doctorate in consideration of all his labors to promote the work of the Gospel there and around the world.

Congratulations, Dad! You have and continue to labor for the cause of the Gospel in spite of many obstacles. May God grant you many more years and much more energy to do the work He has called you to do.

Support Progress

The Lord has continued to move us along toward our goal of returning to Puerto Rico. At present we lack $450 of monthly support. We are eager to see these funds come is as God prompts people’s hearts. Most of our increases are due to our supporters extending their commitment to our ministry. We have been in many churches that do not support us yet, and we are hopeful to hear from some of these as we draw our travels to a close.

We are currently in Florida. Our meetings with supporters have been very encouraging. We will soon visit some new contacts as well. Our hope and prayer is to return to the island by June of this year. Pray with us that this will be granted for God’s glory.

A Great Book on Job

I have been reading Beyond Suffering by Dr. Layton Talbert. This book is a study on the book of Job. The author makes the point that so many of us know only the beginning and end of the book and rarely do anything with the bulk of the book other than mining it for pithy sayings and proof texts. He explores these conversations between Job and his friends to help us understand the true message of Job. Below is are a few quotes from this book to whet your appetite for reading a truly enlightening study.

“Here is the core of comfort in the message of Job: beyond suffering, past our pain and loss, is a God Who is not only all-knowing and omnipotent, sovereign and free to do as He chooses but also always good and just, loving and wise, purposeful and perfect in all that He chooses to do or to allow—and intimately aware of all its effects on us” (Preface, xi).

“Robert Bell notes perceptively, ‘Satan would have us believe that God is not fair, yet we seldom consider the cruelty of the devil. I have never met anyone bitter about what Satan has done to him, but I have met many who were bitter toward God’” (p. 39).

“At the root of God’s dealings with fallen people is His intention to display dimensions of His character to a spiritual world that we never see and rarely consider” (p. 42).

“Job suffered to prove, among other things, that there are people who serve God “for nothing” other than for Who He is, people who worship God “without cause” (1:9) even when they suffer “without cause” (2:3)” (p. 45).

The book is full of helpful insights into our own lives and to the character of God that help to give meaning to experiences that seem to contradict what the Word so clearly teaches us about God. This book is available through Bob Jones University Press or on Amazon.com.

Summer Projects

This summer we are planning an ambitious list of projects in Ponce. With only two months to pack in all the necessary labor, advance planning is a must. However, long distance planning can complicate those plans. Due to our furlough, of course, we are not in Ponce, but we do have good folks there who help in organizing the details.

First, we will install terrazzo tile in the upstairs classrooms. This project has been delayed for at least 13 years due to other pressing matters. The rough texture of the floors makes cleaning a very difficult chore. After the tiling is done, maintenance will be much easier.

The second project is covering the area where the school students eat their lunch. This will also give us additional space for activities and protection from the weather. Torrential rains make lunch a less than pleasant experience in this expose area.

Final details of both projects should be in hand shortly. Funding will come from the school as well as the church. We are always glad to see our projects handled with our own funds. It is a faith-building experience. In July we also have a work team coming to help us ensure that the projects will be done so that classes may begin in early August. Keep these plans and projects in your prayers.

Heading South

On February 7, we headed even further south to Panama City, Florida. We are hosted by our good friends at Grace Baptist Church. They have always been very gracious hosts. We look forward to being with them for a few weeks as we visit several churches in that area.

Pray for the Pastor’s wife. Mrs. Curtis had hip replacement surgery yesterday and will need special prayer during the recovery stage. Pray that the Lord would prevent infection and allow her to regain mobility. She has suffered excruciating pain for some time and is trusting that the surgery will allow her to resume her former activities soon.

You may also pray for our health. Nathan and Matthew have colds which could easily spread to the rest of us. It’s so much easier to travel and visit with folks when you actually feel good.

Pray also for Steven to find a job soon. He has a few good contacts which may result in jobs and will be attending a job fair shortly. He hopes to make some good contacts there if not before. It is a bit frustrating to want to work and not find the right openings in the market place. We know that the Lord can do amazing things, so pray to that end. Most of all, we want him to have the job that the Lord has in mind for him.