Latest News Mid-July 2006

Thursday through Saturday I was with the men of Lighthouse Gospel Fellowship on the shores of Lake Huron north of Sarnia in Ontario, Canada. It was the weekend of the Huron to Mackinac sailboat race so the view from Bluewater Bridge was stunning.

Hundreds of white sails set on the blue, blue water. I camped out with the men. My speaker’s chamber was a seasoned pop-up camper nestled under the edge of the woods. I had the camper all to myself. The nights were cool and I slept soundly, falling to sleep to the sounds of crickets and wind in the trees and the fragrance of the earth and growing things. For a guy who has lived in a high-rise hotel for the last four years it was nourishing to the soul.

The men cooked and ate lots of manly food and they had an equally robust appetite for spiritual food, too. I spoke five times and they encouraged me to preach for an hour each session. The preaching was followed by singing and testimonies. I preached my heart out and told stories of faith and life. Friday night it rained on the meeting tent and we stayed under the big tent singing and sharing testimonies until midnight.

We expected the Inn to sell last week, but the sale did not close as expected, so our belongings are in Hinsdale and we are in Flint for a while longer. My heart is in Flint and in Hinsdale, my furniture and library is in Hinsdale, part of my family is in Flint and part in Hinsdale, but I am happy to have my future direction secure in the heart of my unfailing Heavenly Father. “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21 ESV)