Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ !
I Faithfully believe this is the last time I will have to extend my apologies for not having updated this blog with both Christ Based Inspiration and Ministry Updates. With regard to the ministry updates, feel free to check back tomorrow or the day after for some truly exciting news to report.
Nonetheless, I've tried extremely hard to not consume our ministry initiative with my personal health challenges. That has become a bit difficult as several of you are very familiar with the realty of my personal health obstacles, as it has become such a large piece of my personal testimony of Christ and His overwhelming love and unimaginable power for us. This, along with the devout prayers thrown my way from our ministries partner churches and prayer chains, with so many specific Thanx to Marcia Spelman's Prayer Warriors at First Parish Congregational Church in York, Maine, First Parish Conservative Congregational Church in Kittery, and Messiah Church in Wells, Maine.
So,....let's first talk about Thanksgiving. This year's Thanksgiving, for me personally, seems to have played out to have been the most wondrous Thanksgiving of my life.
First however, lets take a look at a piece of the Thanksgiving Prayer offered here at my house this year.
This year we were blessed with an 'Open House ' where members of our closest Christian family which is comprised of several different congregations of Christians in the area joined us. ( how wonderful it was to have Fellowship across the congregational lines,...so to speak ! ) Mark Cable, a contributing member of our ministry seemed to sum up the credible initiative this way,...... "Churches Should Be COMPLETING one Another,...... rather than COMPETING with one Another !."
The Thanksgiving Prayer I offered was rooted in a recent sermon from Rabbi Eckstein of The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
Rabbi Eckstein was very quick to point out the fact that Thanksgiving was first made a National Holiday by then President Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, President Lincoln seemed to have the fortitude lacking in so many professional politicians nowaday. President Lincoln reflected upon a year that was ' filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. " He went on to boldly say that we should 'observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving to our beneficient Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.'
Imagine that !!!,.... A President actually mentioning, and speaking out for the many many Thanks we owe to our Father and Creator. A President cemented in God. A President whom actually advocates Christ Like living and Worship. At that time, a country founded in God by Men of God.
Nonetheless, it was enlightening to have a Thanksgiving Prayer that went a bit deeper than Pilgrims and Native Indians.
But quickly back to the personal blessings I received over Thanksgiving as I believe we should all Minister our Testimonies to one another in an effort to broaden one anothers faith. First and foremost, with regard to my health challenges. While I don't necessarily have a cure, I was called the day before Thanksgiving by my Primary Care Doctor with the best news of a powerful blessing from above. As many of you are aware, last year just prior to Goodall Hospital becoming a victim of what is often referred to as a 'leveraged buyout', Goodall Hospital had begun providing me with an aggressive cutting edge infusion/transfusion protocol. This protocol had provided a quality of life change for me which CUT the 100 + Hospitalized days, and 60 plus Oncological Outpatient Infusion days by 40 and 20. Needless to say, and as pointed out by many of you, " I had energy, and the Ministry diversified ". Next, the Mother Hospital, S.M.H.C., chose to no longer provide the protocol. ( This was a powerful blow, as only a few hospitals nationwide are providing this therapy. It unfortunately appears that the Administrative directives of this hospital relate directly to how much profit can be made on each of the 6 ICU beds in the hospital. )
B-U-T ~!!!, What a powerful and Graceful and Loving God we do have !
As mentioned, my Primary Provider instructed me that the former Director of Hospitalist Medicine has opened a private office next town from me in Wells, Maine, and that he has agreed to re-establish me with the booster protocol that so overwhelmingly and positively affected my health situation. It quite honestly brought me to tears as this would provide not simply better health, but the time necessary to carry out my life's initiative to serve our God ! With The Lord our God,.. I am The Healthiest Sick Man Alive!
It also went to further clarify to me that our prayers and journeys are carefully orchestrated by God, to cross and affect one another's paths and prayers. To this and So much more, I offer our Lord Thanksgiving!
There's MORE !!!
As if I could even fathom a greater Thanksgiving Blessing than the ones mentioned above !!! The Lord through His infinite Grace and Mercy blessed me with an even greater blessing.
For those of you whom have heard my personal testimony at a Southern Maine Church, Bible Study, or Men's Group function, you are aware that prior to being saved, I lived what could certainly be called a checkered past........ I thank God daily that He is a forgiving God and that he will ultimately judge me as the man I became as a result of His planned diversities. I feel richly blessed that God chooses ordinary men to achieve the most extraordinary things in His name.
In living the checkered past mentioned above and prior to being saved, I damaged the relationship between my own Father and myself quite seriously.
Since being saved, I have been unable to re-establish a healthy relationship with my father. Quite honestly, not having him in my life after throwing off the old man, and becoming anew through Jesus Christ has caused me very deep despair and a feeling of lonliness. ( I again offer Him my Thanksgiving for providing me a wife of tremendous love and support, and a great contributor to my new life in Christ)
But again I offer our Lord Great Thanksgiving as when I called my Father to wish a Happy Thanksgiving
he seemed to have an open heart to me. Frankly, we had the first encouraging conversation In many years.
My faith dictates to me that the Lord has stirred the Holy Spirit within my Father. I firmly believe the Lord to be 'in-process' of answering my prayers to re unite my father and I.
Forgive me for rambling on, but I wanted to share my testimony of Thanksgiving blessing with you all.
What a powerful and loving Father we all have! Reflect on your days as you close them, I think you can find that every day is THANKSGIVING !
And Remember,...... " Right Believing leads to right Living " !
See Ya Tomorrow with MINISTRY NEWS !
GOD Bless !
