PUNCHED

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Let us put every thing out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us. Let us keep looking to Jesus. Our faith comes from Him and He is the One Who makes it perfect.  – Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLV)

I will be honest.

With the weather being so gloomy yesterday and with what has been a busy busy week already, when I looked at my calendar and saw that I needed to run from Dayton back over to Fairborn late in the afternoon yesterday, my first reaction was “sigh”.

Really?

Couldn’t I just wrap the day with the great session with the folks from Fairhaven, CSB and CAREPORTAL (www.careportal.org) and slide back home, slip into some sweats, brew a hot cup of coffee and slink into the World Series or whatever? 

No.

And my oh my I am glad I didn’t.

For I got to meet Ancil yesterday. 

Ancil is 94 years old.

And he WASN’T tired.

Nope.

Ancil is still Pastoring. 

Ancil still impeccably dressed in his office adorned with countless AMAZING GRACE references from over the years, crackled with energy and enthusiasm.  Oddly, he had just finished a funeral. 

It was one of many this past few days including a good friend and fellow saint who left us at 104 years old.

Why was I meeting with Ancil? 

He wants to wade into the drug problem.  

He has VISIONS of a COMMUNITY CENTER where families and children will gather to be taught music and drug prevention, where basketball would be played, where the gospel would be shared.  He showed me the facility.  He told me of his vision of a SHERIFF led BOOTCAMP for kids to TAKE A STAND with their peers against drugs.  And sprinkled throughout the vision were stories of the faithfulness of GOD in his life; faithfulness that had Ancil firmly believing that this WOULD happen.

Why not?

He has planted over 30 churches.

He has been in MINISTRY since 1947.  Yes 1947.

He is debt free in his current church because he puts ALL his WORK on ‘his FATHER’S bill”.  He still preaches frequently, sharing his recent insights from Jude on compassion, mercy, and love.

Did I mention that Ancil is 94 years old?

I can’t deny that the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost as Ancil likes) punched me right in the face for “being tired” and wanting to cash out the day.

I don’t know what GOD has in store for Ancil’s vision.  But I can tell you this, I will be supporting Ancil every step of the way. 

We already are working on some plans.  

Why not?

Ancil’s race isn’t done.

So why should mine be?

How about you?

Oh, did you get punched too?

Have a blessed day!

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE