The Art of Marriage - 40 Years!

Donna and I celebrate 40 years of marriage this weekend! I am so thankful for such an amazing wife and so grateful that we have had such a wonderful life together! Donna's love language is travel and it was our intention to take a trip to the British Isles this year to celebrate our anniversary, but with COVID and it's restrictions we are going to have to put that off a while. We decided to do something much more practical and headed over to New Orleans for a couple of days. We recently learned about the Degas House - A bed & breakfast museum in the former home of the Edgar Degas family. Degas actually visited Louisiana in the late 1800's and worked on some of his most celebrated artwork while in New Orleans. Degas was one of the French Impressionists and Donna loves that style of art. We set the trip up and then learned the Mayor of New Orleans was putting an edict in place that required proof of the COVID Vaccine or proof of no COVID within 72 hours. So, we got tested on Wednesday before driving over on Thursday. The bed & breakfast was lovely and we enjoyed the art and tour of the home. We made reservations at Restaurant R'evolution on the recommendation of our friends Shawn and Tonya Johnson! We were not disappointed! Ces Magnifique! 

A Chance Meeting Over Signs and Wonders

Years ago when I was the Youth Pastor at Crossroads Church (then Bethel Assembly of God) I was leading worship one Sunday morning and, while transitioning from one song to another, I began to sing in the Spirit. 

The next morning I got a call from our local Chi Alpha Director, Eric Treuil asking me if I had felt anything special when that happened that Sunday morning. I had to admit, I didn't really sense anything particularly special about that moment - the presence of God was always precious to me. He told me the reason he asked was because he had a young Chinese student with him that morning in service who he had recently led to Christ. As I began singing in the Spirit, she grabbed his arm and asked him how I knew Mandarin. He assured her I did not. She told him I was singing in perfect Mandarin. 

She had been struggling as to whether or not she should be baptized in water, as this could have led to her being ostracized or every persecuted when she returned to Taiwan. Hearing me singing in her native tongue by the Holy Spirit that day was the sign she needed to yield to God in full obedience! 

Today at our General Council, I met a missionary to Taiwan who works with this young lady in ministry every week. All these years later, she is still serving God and living in obedience to His Great Commission!