What have I been up to? Just writing daily devotionals, posting
blogs and working on my book? Well, mostly, maybe. Here’s a snap
shot of this past week. Enjoy!
Labor Day was a great day at Neighborhood Church, complete with a church
picnic and a water baptism service outdoors.
Elisabeth Kazas (above) is one of my favorite little friends. She
has matured so rapidly in these last few years and pled with her parents to be
baptized. Most of those baptized were recent adult converts to Christ,
but this little darling didn’t want to miss this chance. I love this
family. I’ve got a lot of favorites J.
Speaking of favorites. Here is Florence, one of my favorite girl
friends along with her daughter Julia. They tell me Florence is in her
high eighties, but she has not lost her beauty and her beautiful spirit.
She hardly ever misses a church service... although she has lost her hearing.
Then Wednesday through Friday morning I enjoyed the annual District
Minister’s Retreat in Monterey on the beautiful California coast. Worship
was wonderful and our invited speaker, Jeff Lucas from England, encouraged and
challenged us in our walk with Jesus.
On Thursday my pastor, Lance Lowell, and his wife, Tina, who were also
at the Minister’s Retreat, took me to lunch with them on Fisherman’s
Wharf. Neighborhood Church of Modesto is blessed to have this dedicated
couple serving as their pastors. We are seeing a true move of the Lord
with emphasis on prayer.
As long as I was at the coast on Friday afternoon, I drove the 50
minutes north to see my son, Ron and wife, Elisabet in Santa Cruz area.
Elisabet recently retired from her long time career working for the University
of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). She showed me around her new
administrative/secretarial job. She loves working along with other
Christians for Mt. Hermon Christian Retreat facility... a virtual paradise in
the Santa Cruz mountains.
Next we visited the famous Santa Cruz pier for lunch. That is
classy food, folks! And from our window we watched sea-lions and dolphins
playing in the ocean. And even saw a huge whale surface in the
distance.
Later we walked further out on the pier and behold to our amazement the
whale... or one just like it, surfaced within 100 feet of the pier which was
loaded with tourists. I happened to be enjoying a chocolate ice cream
cone which was melting all over my hands... so I couldn’t grab my camera to
capture it. It looked like it was at least 50 feet long. It
surfaced very close to where two swimmers were doing the “swim around the pier”
thing. This was really an unusual show. I have never heard of it
happening before. (Photo) Ron and Elisabet are watching sea lions playing
under the pier.
Then came Sunday, the 13th... back in Modesto where I was privileged to
minister in St. John’s Chapel of the Valley, Assemblies of God, once again with
Pastors Rick and Sherry Baldwin... long time friends. Check out Pastor
Rick and his “up and coming” worship team.
Felipe was really impressed with the cute kids. He’s saying, Do
you see what I see?!”
It is always seems worthwhile to give a brief message to the kids and
then pray with them... just before they go out for their classes during the
preaching.
(Right: Praying with the kids.)
I had sought the Lord for His “word” for the adults and He
showed up in a precious way. Pastor Rick invited me to join them at
dinner along with a group of about 15.
Then to close off Sunday night the entire Neighborhood Church had been
invited and, along with others, filled every seat in the theater to see the new
Christian film “War Room”. It has a powerful message. I recommend
it highly.
Count-down... 9 days until I leave for ministry in Spain (Wednesday 23rd).
I will need your prayers as always.
Ralph
