1 year, 1 month ago
A Bit of Positive Feedback
Jim Rupp from Archbold writes:
Last Saturday, June 9, I stopped to get gas for my motorcycle in Van Wert at the Shell Station on 127. I was greeted by some friendly people in green t-shirts handing out coupons for free coffee. After I paid for my gas, I went back out to my motorcycle to get the donut I had packed for my morning snack thinking how good the Lord was to provide free coffee for me. As I was getting the donut out of my leather saddlebag, a lady with a green t-shirt came up to me and asked me if I had a refrigerator on my bike. Well, I knew I was going to like this lady right away after that comment. I began to ask questions about what the group was doing and we chatted about 15 minutes. What a blessing it was to hear Linda talk about her husband Mike, his desire to live through trying times, and her faithfulness to him and to her heavenly Father. Oh, she wasn’t bragging, she was just sharing how faithful God had been in their lives. It was just what I needed to hear. I am amazed that as I started my ride that day with no idea of where I was going to get gas, that God had planned for me to meet Linda and hear her words that encouraged my heart. IT IS ALWAYS FUN TO RUN INTO OTHER CHRISTIANS DOING GOD’S WORK!
1 year, 1 month ago
How In the World Did I Get Here?
It is an interesting place that I find myself in these days. After 21 years on staff at Calvary, serving first as Youth Pastor, then Adult and Family Pastor, I now sit at my computer drafting this as the Interim Lead Pastor and wonder how in the world did I get here? When I first started attending Calvary over thirty years ago, if anyone would have told me that I would end up doing this, I would have said they were crazy. But, when God is involved and in charge, crazy is good and right. This isn’t the first time I have found myself doing something different than what I had planned. God seems to have a way with altering the direction of my plans and my life. And I have to say, it has never been a bad thing. I haven’t always understood or “appreciated” His alterations at the time, but, every time, as I loosened my grip from my plans, my desires, and my will and I handed them over to Him, the alterations and new directions have always been amazing; plus He has taught me so much through the process of change.
He has been teaching us this as a church as we have loosened our grip on our plans, our directions, our programs, and our traditions and He has been conforming us more and more to His will. I’m not worried at all about the outcome because as I have seen Him work in my own life, He’s never disappointed me with His plan - and I have a hunch that He’s not about to start now. After all, He told us in Jeremiah 29:11-14a, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD…”
Clark Williman
Interim Lead Pastor