Report of Revival Fellowship, October 5, 2013      

We gathered from Bowie, Maryland, and Baltimore, from Ephrata, Elizabethtown, Lititz  and Lancaster in the  Fellowship Hall  of the Forest Hills Mennonite Church, Leola, Pennsylvania singing “I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter His courts with praise . . . .” 

H. Glenn Stauffer opened the meeting with prayer  (on his 81^st birthday) ! Each person gave their name and where they were from and some included testimonies. 

Wayne Lawton read from Daniel 3:16-18 about the 3 Hebrew children.  They believed God could and would save them from the fiery furnace but they added - but if He doesn’t  - we will not bow down to this golden image. They were submitting to the sovereignty of God. They confessed the word of faith in humility and submission. 

Wayne then introduced  Pearl Kumi,  Ruby Sackar  and  Queenstar  –  and with Mary Lou & Wayne they sang a praise song in IKAN  –  a language in Ghana, West Africa,  “Lift Him up, JESUS is the KING”.   Johnson and Mary Kamau  sang a Psalm  in KIKUYU  –  a language in Kenya, East Africa.  

Johnson is an ordained Presbyterian minister and his wife,  Mary Njenga,  a school teacher – but when they came to America  they could not get positions  because they had not been trained here.   They have 4 children, ages  22,  19,  15  and 9. It is a challenge to get used to a new culture. After coming in 2006 they lived in Detroit, Michigan  –  but a year later moved to Pennsylvania.   Johnson has been studying in the mental health field at Lancaster Bible College. Mary works as a Certified Nursing Assistant [at Landis Homes, in Lititz]. Johnson shared that as a 19 year old student, 200 miles away from his home in Kenya, he heard the gospel preached at his school – but he resisted. He thought old people needed salvation before they leave this life but he was still young. He heard two powerful sermons: one about Zachaeus and the other about the Prodigal Son.  When an altar call was given he would not go forward   –   but spent a sleepless night. He came to breakfast but could not eat. Conviction of sin found him a self-righteous, proud young man.  He came from a  Christian  home  and had not been outwardly rebellious  –  so he didn’t  think he needed to be saved. But the Holy Spirit was faithful and drew him with cords of love to the cross of Jesus where he repented and was saved.  He said  “I thought I was winning  –  but I was losing. Only when you surrender to Christ do you win.     

Johnson shared  at length  about the  sermons  that had so convicted him. He was like Zachaeus – up a tree and too proud to come down! He was like the prodigal son – even though outwardly Johnson was a good young man, he was wasting his inheritance, by refusing to follow Christ.  He said when the  prodigal son  came home the father should have said,  “You have wasted your inheritance   –   get out of my sight ”  but instead he ran to this boy and threw his arms around him and kissed him.  Johnson  could  see  the  unconditional  love  of  the  father  and  knew that is how God felt toward him.  As Johnson spoke of God’s love in saving him  tears ran down his cheeks   –  tears of joy. He mentioned that we sin in selfishness.  We are blest when we think about others.  Death is a comma,  to everlasting life. Johnson hopes to write several books. 

As he concluded his remarks he told how he met his wife.  He had left his copy of a Gideon Bible on a chair.  Mary found it and returned it to him. Some friends  accused him of leaving the Bible there on purpose, to catch this young girl (smile) – but this was not the case.  He sees Mary as Number Two in his life. Jesus is Number One, then Mary, whom he loves dearly.

An offering was taken – brethren in Kenya have requested more copies of “A Gentle Wind of God”. 

Also a team of six from our fellowship [ Samuel Muikia, Anthony Wachira, Gad Kimani, John Maust Tom Hess  and  Wayne Lawton ]  will travel to Portland, Maine in  February 2014  to share with a revival fellowship just beginning there.        

Samuel Muikia mentioned his Mother’s passing in 2011. He told the group that he plans to fly to Kenya in November. His father, Eliud Muikia, will remarry a sister in the Lord on November 16^th. Don Jacobs spoke of Eliud – and his financial position in a large agricultural business in Kenya, and his leader-ship in the East Africa revival movement in Kenya. Don offered a prayer for this trip. And Sister Eva Kingori, who has lived in the United States for 14 years will take her first trip back to her home town of Nyeri, Kenya also. Don also offered a prayer for the meal.       

A book table had been set up and Pearl Kumi placed copies of two books she had written “Get On Board – Stay On Board” and “The Last Train at Sunset”  and Don Jacobs books “Consider Jesus” and “A Gentle Wind of God”. These books are available on AMAZON.com

October 5 Fellowship gathering

You are invited to hear the testimony of Johnson Kamau, an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church of Kenya, East Africa. He is a Christian Psychotherapist, Researcher and Writer. He is the founder of Joshua Mentoring & Counseling Ministry. He and his wife, Mary Njenga, live in Ephrata. PA. They have four children, ages  22, 18,  15,  9.  He will speak at the Revival Fellowship meeting on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 10 a.m..   It will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the Forest Hills Mennonite Church, 100 Quarry Rd., Leola, PA 17540. There will be a luncheon at noon ($6).

The Revival Fellowship began in this area in the 1950's as a result of missionaries returning from East Africa with testimonies of renewed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is sometimes called "The Tukutendereza Fellowship" because that is the name of the Christian revival song of East Africa.

For more information about this meeting please call Wayne D. Lawton at 717-361-8990 in the Elizabethtown area, or  C. Thomas Hess at 717-756-7921 in the Harrisburg area, or Paul Burkholder at 717-581-3964 in the Lancaster area.

Report of the June, 2013 West Coast Revival Fellowship Retreat by Betty McJunkin

The West Coast Revival Fellowship Retreat has come and gone already!  While it is still fresh in my heart and mind, I will try to share some of the blessings of the weekend. We used to record the retreat speakers which helped me to share in detail what was said but our digital recorder went kaput and my memory isn't what it used to be – but I will try with God’s help to summarize the gist of what was said.

The Warm Beach Christian Camp is a great place for us to hold our conferences because there is no specific number of participants required like other places we have used in the past.  There were 16 of us counting the three kids so it was a small group: Ron and Lois Bridgeford, Jerry Bridgeford, Ed and Carol Bridgeford, Gary and Mary Olson, Dorr and Jenny Heston and son Ethan, Jon and Stephanie Simonson and their two kids, Joshua and Sara  and Ted and me.  Our rooms were in the same building as our meeting place so that was helpful.  The dining hall was just a few hundred feet from our place, Olympic View.  The campus itself is several hundred acres with a beautiful view of Puget Sound.  The weather was sunny on Saturday and even though it was a bit drizzly on Sunday, it was fairly warm. 

The theme for the retreat was “His grace is sufficient” and “His strength is made perfect in our weakness” from 2 Corinthians 12.  

Gary Olson opened each session with some worship songs that fit in with this theme. Ted spoke on Saturday night and shared some thoughts he had from that passage – how Paul actually “boasted” about his weaknesses. How unlike us – we try to hide our weaknesses..  Paul saw them as opportunities to experience the power of Christ in his life.  I gave a testimony of how thankful I am for God’s faithfulness and His promise that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  Recently I was overtaken by paralyzing fear when I awoke during the night, fear of what might happen to one of our sons who is choosing to go his own way and is making some very bad decisions.  The devil was at work.  Often he comes during the night – during our weak moments.  But Jesus reminded me that “greater is He that is in  you than he that is in the world.”  I felt so totally helpless – but again, Jesus is the Helper of the helpless.  There is power in the blood of Jesus over the enemy of our souls – who tries so desperately to tempt us to get our eyes off of Jesus and dwell on our weakness or what terrible thing might happen, and on and on.  As I brought my weakness and total helplessness to Jesus and repented of fear and unbelief, I put my trust in His power to overcome the devil through the blood of his cross and thanked Him that He is my peace and my hope was in Him alone.  Praise His Name, He eventually brought peace to my heart and I was able to go back to sleep.  

Ted and I have just finished volume 1 of William Gurnall’s book The Christian in Complete Armor. This is an excellent book and Gurnall emphasizes over and over how important it is to keep alert, keep close to Jesus, keep being cleansed and filled with the Holy Spirit and not to be ignorant of Satan’s wily ways! 

Saturday morning Ed and Carol Bridgeford shared.  Ed handed out a couple of pages of various scriptures that referred to the weakness of our flesh and the grace of God meeting us.  He quoted various scriptures in  Corinthians – 1 Cor 2:1-5, 1 Cor  20, 2^nd or 4:7, 12:5b, 2 Cor 12:9,10, 2 Cor 13:3,4 and 2 Cor 13:8,9.  These all speak of our weakness and God’s strength and power.  He praised the Lord for the fresh work of grace that the Holy Spirit has been doing in their lives this past year and how these truths have encouraged them both in their walk with Jesus.   Carol has been blessed lately by a new understanding about how we aren’t to give in to our feelings of fear and worry but turn to Jesus and believe His promises – He does what He says!  There is a little poem that came to my mind as Carol was sharing. It was written by Martin Luther and goes like this:

“Feelings come and feelings go,

And feelings are deceiving;

My warrant is the Word of God--

Naught else is worth believing.

Though all my heart should feel condemned

For want of some sweet token,

There is One greater than my heart

Whose Word cannot be broken.

I'll trust in God's unchanging Word

Till soul and body sever,

For, though all things shall pass away,

HIS WORD SHALL STAND FOREVER!”

Jenny and Dorr Heston led the testimony time on Saturday afternoon. They praised the Lord for the way he has helped them in their first year of marriage, helping them to keep in the light and to ask forgiveness from the Lord and from each other and their son Ethan who lives with them part-time. They asked for prayer for some necessary legal decisions that have to be made in the next few months.  Prayer was given for them.  They have settled into a Calvary Chapel in the area and shared that the pastor preaches Jesus and Him crucified.  We have kept in fellowship via Skype with Dorr and Jenny every Sunday night when we meet at Jon and Stephanie Simonson’s.  Even though they live in California now, we feel like we “see” them every Sunday night and they are right there with us!

Saturday night Jon and Stephanie Simonson spoke.  Jon said that the Lord had been speaking to him the past few weeks through Hebrews 11, the faith chapter.  He said that all of those mentioned were sinners and needy people just like we are and yet the Lord miraculously delivered many of them from very difficult situations, impossible situations as they had faith in Him.  There were many who had faith in him even when they were not delivered but endured many forms of suffering.  His grace was and is sufficient.  Stephanie gave a personal testimony of how Jesus is helping her to turn to him in repentance and faith and  how she worries that she is not being a good mom, etc.  Carol relayed a wise word from a friend of hers: “The best thing a mother can do for her children is to love Jesus.” 

Sunday morning Ed Bridgeford led the communion service. Gary Olson and several others blessed us with their words of praise to Jesus and requests for prayers for specific needs in their lives.  Ron Bridgeford requested that the three children that were present were prayed for and that the fathers would put their hands on their children’s heads as we prayed together for them.  It was a fitting way to end a very blessed and rich weekend together. The kids were great by the way – we all enjoyed having them with us!

Thank  you for your prayers for this fellowship retreat.  The Lord certainly answered them.  We sensed His presence and His peace and His encouragement to keep our eyes on Jesus continually, to keep alert and keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit so we might experience His grace for our every weakness.  The blood of Jesus has not lost its power to cleanse and set us free!!

'For immediate release'

Becky Maust Kurtz will interview her father, Rev. John Maust at the quarterly meeting of the area Revival Fellowship. This meeting will take place at 10 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the Forest Hills Mennonite Church, 100 Quarry Road, Leola, PA 17540 ( see map quest for directions). There will be no noon meal.

John Maust grew up in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. He married and started his family there but later moved to Alabama where he pastored for many years in a number of churches. He has now returned to Elizabethtown and is blessing the community with some scheduled Bible studies - sharing video tapes of scriptural teaching and encouraging Christians in their walk with God..

John is the son of the late Herbert & Erma Longenecker Maust. He is 'Exhibit A' for the proverb "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it". 

Becky Kurtz is a licensed Child Care provider - in her Elizabethtown home. She too is training children in the way they should go.

For more information about this meeting feel free to call Pastor Wayne Lawton at 717-361-8990

Cedar Hill Community Church at Lifegate , 5636 Bossler Road , Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Mail or Phone to Home/Office 717-361-8990, 624 Groff Avenue,  Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Fellowship in Baltimore, May 4, 2013

A brief report of the Baltimore, Maryland chapter of the Revival Fellowship May 4, 2013

Several couples from the Baltimore fellowship came to Pennsylvania on April 13. In fact they have come quite faithfully for a number of years to the quarterly meetings held in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area. So Marlin Fahnestock mentioned to me "we should attend their fellowship in Baltimore sometime."

So on May 4th four persons from the fellowship in Pennsylvania drove to Baltimore, Maryland. The meeting was held in the home of Anthony & Winnie Wachira. Samuel Muikia led the meeting.

It was interesting to see two of the older sisters greet each other - they embraced and then began to sing ''Tukutendereza Yesu" (We praise You, Jesus). Songs were sung and each person present gave their names and testified. Many shared that they had grown up in Christian homes, attending church, hearing the scriptures - but not understanding until they were convicted of their sins and turned to Christ. Now they are finding peace and joy in fellowship with the Savior.

Requests for prayer were shared. Sister Eva Kingori spoke in Kikuyu and Anthony interpreted - she feels a special burden to pray for America regarding the acceptance of so-called 'same sex' marriage. Anthony presented all the requests in a fervent prayer to the Lord. Samuel led in songs and then asked for the sharing of the Word, We turned to Judges 6 - and saw that an angel appeared to Gideon. But this angel was so Christ-like that it must have been Jesus. "The Lord appeared to Gideon, he said 'The Lord is with you, mighty warrior'”. Well, Gideon didn't think he was a mighty warrior. He said "I am the least in my family.”  But the Lord reminded him, "I am with you".

This is what makes all the difference. You may not feel that you are a mighty warrior in God's kingdom - but if the Lord is with you - you can do mighty exploits for God just as Gideon did.

The meeting closed in saying "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Informal fellowship and refreshments followed and picture taking! 

Group Photo: Marlin Fahnestock, Peninah Kamau, Winnie Wachira, Eva Kingori, Gad Gikonyo,
Ephraim Wachira (age 2), Teresiah Hinga, Anthony Wachira, Anne Gikonyo, Wayne and Mary Lou
Lawton, Ruth Espenshade, Lydiah Mulkia. On right: Samuel Muikia (he took the group photo).
Not appearing, Jefferson Wachira, (age 8)

April 13, 2013 Fellowship gathering at Forest Hills Church

April 13, 2013  

As I begin to write the report of the meeting today here’s ‘a take’ from Don Jacobs  book “What a Life.”  I say “What a Meeting”! We truly had a fellowship meeting. I came home thinking that these meetings are like my relationship with Mary Lou – they just keep getting better and better! 

The last meeting was wonderful and you would think “could we ever have a better meeting” then you come home thinking, “yes, I think we did !” But it’s just a testimony to the freshness of fellowship with Jesus. In fact, today we sang “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.” We started singing “Jesus, the very thought of Thee with sweetness fills my breast, but sweeter far Thy face to see and in Thy presence rest.” The announcement said Bible stories shared from the heart will keep you awake! 

Today one brother put that to the test: Marlin Fahnestock was up at 4 a.m. to help his son but later called to say he could attend this meeting. As Dan & Catherine Longenecker shared from the gospel of John and also from 1^st Peter, and Glenn Stauffer shared from Matt. 26:36-46 giving Bible stories from their hearts –not just memorized but internalized, Marlin said “I didn’t go to sleep”. Wayne responded by saying, “I’ve read 1st Peter  but never felt like I ever heard Peter preach, until today.”  

Marlin Ressler quoted G. Campbell Morgan in saying “it’s not how much scripture you go through but how much scripture goes through you that makes the difference!   John Maust gave words of encouragement from scripture too.

Roger Hornberger is claiming healing for several health issues. Anna Ruth Ressler testified that during some low times physically she rested fully in the love of Jesus and He carried her through victoriously! Betty Miller testified. Wayne mentioned that Chuck Higgins in Sun City, AZ had sent a testimony via e-mail last week that really spoke volumes. Chuck’s wife, Marge, passed away in November so he is now a widower. When he would go to church or be with his Christian friends he would wonder “Why didn’t they ask me 'How are you doing now, without Marge, Chuck?'” And he would have an empty feeling. But the Lord convicted him of self-pity and said “Am I not enough, Chuck. You still have ME?” As he repented, the Lord filled him with His love and he is rejoicing even when people forget to ask how he’s doing! How many times do we feel “nobody noticed me,” “nobody spoke to me!” And then people wonder, do Christians need to repent of anything ? When we are honest there are many things we need to turn back to God with.

Dan said he thought after he became a Christian he wouldn't need to repent any more, he could just tell others to repent. Then he heard the missionaries who returned from East Africa talk about the need for repentance in the Christian life. Catherine shared how Erma Maust helped her when she was still single in NYC, teaching her to pray honestly. She also shared how fearful she used to be and didn't want Dan to leave her home alone with the children (in Harrisburg) but one evening after Dan left to serve at church peace came over her from head to toe and she felt like there were 12 angels in the room. When Dan returned he asked her how she was. She told him of this wonderful experience that she just couldn't explain. Then Dan told her that before he left for church he had gone to the bedroom and kneeling prayed “O God, give Catherine Your peace and take away her fear”.  How can anyone say that the day of miracles is past when you hear such things as this !

At the very beginning of this meeting Gad and Anne Gigonyo told of their wedding in Kenya (in December). They and others from the fellowship in Baltimore (the younger generation) said how they love to come to the fellowship in Pennsylvania to see and hear the older saints testify. 

Betty Miller is a "keenager" at 97. Simeon Hurst will be 100 on April 29 and Laura Kurtz had shared a report from Simeon’s daughter asking the fellowship to send birthday cards to him. John Graybill gave testimony today (he is in mid 90’s) and his wife, Elizabeth is 99.  Their faith is being renewed and they sound so young!

Anna Jean Dorwart offered a prayer for her sister in-law, Ruth Lentz who just had hip surgery. Nathan Hege prayed for Yosef Haileselassie who is in Ephrata Hospital.

Before we took the offering, Anna Ruth Jacobs shared that we have received several money gifts by mail  from Dorothy Stover in Alabama, Glenn Galfano in Illinois, and Betty (Mrs. Ernie) Gilmore in Florida. They all appreciate reading the testimonies shared at these meetings!

Miriam Maust Achenbach, Todd Saltzer and Michael & Collins Muikia gave testimonies. Samuel Muikia told how he was unwilling to come today – but he did choose to come – and Wayne commented “and Erma didn’t teach him that (to pray I am not willing but I choose!)” Samuel led us in singing “Glory, glory, hallelujah, glory, glory to the Lamb, for the cleansing blood has reached me, glory glory to the Lamb.”  The fellowship continues to meet bi-weekly in Baltimore, Maryland.

We stood in a big circle and sang “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love ….”   Dan Wenger, who had driven the bus from Landis Homes today offered the closing prayer and thanked God for the food we were about to eat. 

Response from persons locally and around the world that were invited to this meeting were printed on the back of the song sheet.  

Thanks to Becky Maust Kurtz and Deb Eger for serving a delicious lunch! And to Bruce & Norma Stauffer for opening the church today, and Martin Peifer for taking out the trash and closing the building. I feel like I may have forgotten to include someone’s testimony in today’s report.  If I did please forgive me.  I wasn't taking notes.

Wayne Lawton, reporter   

Photo attached of the Kenyan's singing that Jesus is the Water of Life !

Dan and Catherine Longenecker

You are invited to hear Dan & Catherine Longenecker tell some Bible stories from their hearts. They will speak at the Revival Fellowship meeting on Saturday, April 13, 2013. It is held in the fellowship hall of the Forest Hills Mennonite Church, 100 Quarry Road, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540. The meeting begins with worship in song at 10 a.m. and there is a noon meal for $6.

Dan & Catherine Longenecker  are part of the Network of Bible Story Tellers, International. This organization emphasizes telling Bible stories with emotion and drama - to capture what the writers had in mind. It involves internalization of the stories being told so that listeners are captivated and inspired. As they tell the stories from their hearts you hear more than someone quoting or reading the Bible to you. It actually keeps you awake (smile) !  

They will also share testimony of how this inter-denominational revival fellowship  - which was formed when missionaries from Africa returned with revived faith in Christ - ministered to them. Dan and Catherine have been involved in ordained pastoral ministry and chaplaincy in Pennsylvania, Oregon, New Jersey and Virginia. Dan grew up in Middletown, PA. Catherine grew up in Manheim, PA. They now live at Landis Homes in Lititz, PA

For more information you may call Wayne & Mary Lou Lawton in Elizabethtown 717-361-8990 

or Paul & Miriam Burkholder in Lititz  717-581-3964 

or Tom & Sheila Hess in Harrisburg 717-756-7921

For directions to the meeting check Mapquest.

Report of January 5, 2013 meeting at Forest Hills.

We gathered on Saturday, January 5, 2013 and sang “Another year is dawning, dear Father let it be, in working or in waiting, another year for Thee” and “Lead me, guide me, along the way “ a good prayer and lively spiritual by Doris Akers.

     After prayer Bill Scott spoke from Psalm 46 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble, therefore we will not fear . . . “. It wasn't only the words Bill spoke but the way he spoke them – you could sense the presence of the Lord in his life and that God is trust-worthy in every situation. “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Bill then commented on the wonderful heritage of this fellowship. He was ready to leave the ministry because he felt so frustrated and inadequate but God spoke to him [through Roy Hession] the word about Saul being rejected as king of Israel because someone “better than thou” has been chosen. Bill saw that in his ministry God had chosen Jesus to replace him. This ‘death to the self’ resulted in new life for Bill and he spent the next 45 years in fruitful ministry. Bill didn't mention that he and his wife Marian had raised seven children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and God has used them in spreading the gospel around the world. Bill read an excerpt from a letter Herbert & Erma Maust had sent in 1975. The thing that thrilled Erma was seeing people set free as a result of being challenged and helped to pray honestly, “Lord, I am not willing [a confession of the sin of unwillingness and the cleansing that takes place instantly] but I choose to do your will [the response of faith after being cleansed] !

     Then Gloria Scott , daughter of Bill & Marian, spoke. She has been serving in scripture translation with Wycliffe, in Burkina Faso, Africa for the past 20 years. Gloria had prepared  and interesting fact sheet with colorful photos. She gave some power point illustrations of the persons and work God is helping her to do.  Gloria spoke about Elijah and the miracles that God helped him to perform. After the miracle at Mount Carmel (where the fire fell) Elijah became depressed and wanted to retire – he prayed that God would take him. (Gloria thinks that some in this fellowship may think it’s time to retire.)  But God was not finished with Elijah. He sent angels to feed him and he got some rest. God rebuked him for self-pity (he thought he was the only faithful one left). And God sent Elijah back in to ministry and miracle after miracle took place – all this after he had recovered from ‘giving up’ !

     There were some encouraging responses to this Word. Samuel Muikia sang the “Glory Song” in Kiswahili and Luganda and English. Testimonies were shared by the Lawton’s, John Maust,  Marlin Fahnestock, Jane Njenga, Joanne Reist, Lydiah Muikia, Linda Berry,  Becky Kurtz, Virgie Keener, Nancy Longenecker, Barbara Reed, Anna Ruth and Don Jacobs and Paul Burkholder. We realized that God has spoken today through His humble servants – and our zeal was renewed to keep on spreading this Word of His grace.

     Don Jacobs mentioned that some books he has written are available today: "What A Life" (a Memoir); "As The Wind Blows" ( Stories of his ancestry) and "Consider Jesus" ( a daily devotional from the book of Hebrews). 

     A delicious meal was served by Becky Maust Kurtz and Linda Berry.

                                                                                                    Wayne Lawton, reporter

A gracious testimony from Chuck Higgins

February 6, 2013

Dear Saints in the making...

    I am missing Marge from the “Chuck ‘n Marge” team and fellowship.  Not only do I miss having her around within the sound of my voice but also within her loving fellowship and her embrace.  I miss her wise counsel and as a “sounding board” to some of my foolish and farfetched ideas. 

    I was thinking the other day that as I took an overview of my life I see now where God in His maturation of my life on occasion has removed something/someone from my life I had to have to lean upon.  When that happened it took some time to regain that comfortable balance in the “new norm of living.” 

    However, I have discovered those epoch times were times God used to grow me into a further likeness of Jesus even when those times were often painful and agonizing.  So very often those were the defining moments God used Marge to help me as I entered that “new norm of living”.  But when Marge was removed it was the most agonizing of all.  I now have come to the awareness that I need her now more than I could ever have appreciated her before.

    I remember some years before I was faced with the fact Marge was probably the most important counselor I had for many of the decisions I was facing.  I invented a scenario in which I would be talking with, say, Billy Graham on the phone.  I was facing a major decision and needed his wise counsel for this.  He then proceeded to give me the counsel I needed.  After the phone conversation with Billy Graham I would turn to Marge and (humbly?) tell her of his wise counsel.  She would look at me and say, “Chuck, I’ve been trying to tell you the very same thing for the past few weeks and you would not even listen to me....if only....”  I failed to realize the wisdom she could’ve shared with me if only I would respect her and the wisdom she had to give.

    Another incident comes to mind when I was having a difficult time at a church I was pastoring. I decided (without Marge’s input) I should resign on a certain date.  So, I brought my conclusion to Marge.  When I approached within a week of that date I reminded Marge I would be tendering my resignation the following Sunday.  She then sat me down at the table (I should have known!) and calmly looking at me she said her piece.  She told me she didn’t agree with my decision.  She reminded me I had done this before in another church to which she did not agree.  She said we had not yet seen what God could do if we would remain.  She also told me that it will be difficult but that she would be with me all the way.  However, with grace, she said she would abide my decision.  Right then and there I knew she was right and I responded by deciding we must make this decision together in oneness of spirit.  I then discarded the selfish conclusion I thought I should  follow.  And guess what....God did His own awesome and miraculous thing following this decision we made together! But...that’s another story.

    You know now why I miss her so.  I found such encouragement from John 14:28 when Jesus told His disciples He was leaving them by saying, “If you loved Me you would be happy to know that I go to the Father for He is greater than I.”   I received that announcement as coming from Marge.  Though she is gone from me and the family yet God Who is greater is remaining with me!  Hallelujah!!  So, I’m learning, in another phase of my life, to lean heavily upon Jesus adjusting to this “new norm of living life” in the power of the Holy Spirit.

    As we continued through the years learning to live in the Light with one another we together grew only by the grace of God.  She was more than a wife to me, she was my sister in the Lord.  That made the redeeming difference in our relationship. 

chuck ‘n marge (Marge would have added her name to this)

Charles E. Higgins
clerhig1@cox.net