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From January 23rd

Honor. This word has been played over and over in my mind in the last week or so. I had read a verse in John 12 that has been a great blessing to me. Jesus Christ spoke these words in verse 26; “....if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour”. Imagine the one who deserves to be given all honor will show honor to one who serves Him! I have been blessed by this thought.

As I prepare for a life of ministry in the aviation field, I think back to many of the stories I have heard of the missionary bush pilots, some of whom I have been able to meet myself. These are some of the most gifted pilots in the world and yet they are using their gift to serve Jesus Christ. These pilots have skill that could earn them earthly comfort and wealth. Instead that use it to fly the sick and helpless in and out of remote lands. These men and women could be sitting in the church but instead they are packing Bibles into the small aircraft to give to a family that only just heard for the first time that there even is a God that sent His Son to die for them.

What do they get in return for obedience to a calling? What do they receive that would make this lifestyle rewarding? Just a simple promise that the great God and Creator, and eternal Holy Lord and King of Kings will honor them.

Would you like to join the ranks of the honored?

From April 26th

I’ve been a busy man. Lately I have enjoyed a lot of fellowship and there is more coming! The approaching May 3rd Open House at Alpha Aviation has me excited. Last Saturday I enjoyed a farm party with friends from church. Horseshoes, cookout, bonfire, hayride, and the whole works. I have been so blessed with friends here. Here are some shots of recent activities. I also threw in a few shots of the Catan game last week at the Schencks. Shawn and Lori Gaddy were there also with Charles and Leora. Fun times. I have decided to take a break from Catan. I have played this game a lot and I need to broaden my horizons. Please don’t think I am not going to be playing it (for a time) because I can’t win.....I like to think of it as giving less skilled friends have a fighting chance. If I were to always be winning this game what fun would that be for them? Some of these pictures are stills from my video camera, thus the grainy quality.

Ron on the swing, just before the destruction of the light. Shawn somehow got out of this without getting hit, I think because the light took the blow.

So what Has God been teaching me? Where do I begin? I guess I can tell about the recent song I have been trying to learn. It is by Don Francisco, entitled “Give Your Heart a Home”. Here are the lyrics, and also a video of Don singing it. It has a beautiful, almost haunting melody:

I hear your hollow laughter your sighs of secret pain

Pretending and inventing just to hide your shame

Plastic smiles and faces blinkin' back the tears

Empty friends and places all magnify your fears

Chorus

If you're tired and weary, weak and heavy laden

I can understand how it feels to be alone

I will take your burden, if you'll let Me love you,

Wrap My arms around you, Give your heart a home

It hurts to watch you struggle and try so hard to win

But trade your precious birth right for candy coated sin

Wasting precious moments restless and confused

Building up defenses for fear that you'll be used

Take My yoke upon you and walk here by My side

Let Me heal your heartaches, dry the tears you've cried

Never will I leave you, never turn away

Keep you through the darkness lead you through the day

Everyday I want to have a deeper burden for the lost and dying. So many people have not been given the gift that I have, to be raised in a family that taught me of the amazing Grace of God. God is calling out to those who have been giving the gift of salvation to spread it to those who have not received. Everyday God gives a greater love for this message; Christ came to rescue and save those who were guilty of breaking the Holy Law. Thanks be to God for this gift of Love.

THanks for reading, and if you have a moment please stop by to leave a note in the Guestbook.

From May 7th

The subject of consistency come up last week while I was talking with a friend. Two weeks ago while bowling I play 2 games. The first I scored a 56 (Haha very funny. Actually, not really). The second game I scored my personal best of 202. What was the difference? Consistency. In every sport the athletes will let you know that whatever it is that you do that works, you have to do the same thing. The slightest hitch in a pitchers arm or change in breathing rate for a shooter could be the difference between a great competitor and a failure. It is the key to success.

In the Christian life it is no different. Consistency is needed. We cannot allow ourselves to get out of sync. Daily prayer, daily Bible reading. Sharing your faith, testifying to other Believers. Giving. All of the disciplines the help us to grow and keep us close to God. It is exciting to think that the more we know of Him the closer and more exciting this journey becomes. Maybe you have not heard His voice speak in you heart in some time. Could this be because of inconsistency in your spiritual journey? Take a few moments to refresh your self. One thing that helps me is to read the scriptures in a slow, contemplated way. Maybe only half a dozen verses, but to really get something out of those. To hear that Voice and receive the promises. Consistency is the key. Please don’t let this vital key slip away from you!

Here is a little video of bowling with my friends:

The Lord spoke to me last night. I wish you could have heard it too. It has made such a difference. What did He say? I've been there too. I didn't have to go far to hear it. The book of Psalms had it written there in so many words. He said something else. All My hero's have been there as well. And that was it. He said all He needed to say, and it has changed me. Did my circumstances, which come out of my own desires, wishes and emotions go through some sort of change? Not at all, except for one thing, I now see God right there in the middle of it. My feelings are the same, my heart has not lost it's emotion, there is a pain there. I don’t “feel” any different, but I “see” different. Now I know that God has been here too and He is here going through it with me now. I haven't gained some great new energy and vitality but now I can see Him wrapping me in His arms.

Why didn't He say more? Why didn't He tell me what I'm doing wrong or what I've done right? Why didn't He say that He would change the circumstances to make things better? I truly don't wrestle with those questions. He said all He needs to say. I've been there too. That is enough for me.

As I read, it was like the writer in the Psalm was saying exactly what I felt. Then it hit me. Who wrote this? It amazes me that we serve a God that that does that. He speaks. He spoke through the writer, and it speaks again to me. He know what to say and when to say it. I so needed to hear Him last night, more than I even knew. I did not realize that how desperate I was for His voice. I was just reading there and He came up and nudged me from behind.

When was the last time that you heard it? Where do you go to hear it? Are you afraid that He will speak something to you that you won't want to hear? Don't be afraid. Go and listen for it and be changed.

Please stop by my guest book or throw and e-mail at me. I would love to hear from you. This is a little video is a song that has greatly blessed me over and over in the past 2 or so weeks. Thanks for reading. The words from this are taken from Psalm 3. I encourage you to take a few moments and read that when you get a chance.

From July some time:

Florida Vacation Pictures! I just got back from a week in Naples with my parents, my younger sister Danielle, and my older sister Carlee and her family. Here are a few pictures from the trip. Pictures are of the fishing trip with my Dad and Brother-in-Law. Some scenery pics (I love sunsets!) and other family pictures. Also down there is the dolphin that followed us on the fishing trip.

From June 2nd :

From August 12th

Well my birthday was last Saturday. As it is with everyone I wonder where time goes. I was by myself for the day and took some of my birthday money and went out and bought a sirloin steak and some sparkling grape juice, and even a little seafood and a delicious Birthday Dinner! I spent the thinking about time, both past and present. I went over the last year and all that has changed and happened and also what will be in the days to come. One conclusion I reached is that I am a very blessed person. There are so many that have invested themselves into making me what I have become today. They have prayed for me and counseled with me. They have given time and resources. I am so grateful to all that have sacrificed to help me become what God has called me to be.

But what about the future? What does it hold? I like the verse of this hymn, it is one of my favorites:

“So I’ll dread not the future and fear not the foe

I am safe in His keeping wherever I go

For no soul that has trusted Him will He forget

For He never has failed me yet

.....I have proven Him true, what He says He will do!

For He never has failed me yet!”

How true it is for me! I have proven that whatever path He lead a person down He know what He is doing. I don’t know what lies ahead or what my future will be but I know that I can and will trust it to Him. I heard this quote this week: “God takes us through fire not to burn us, but to purify us. He takes us through water not to drown us, but to cleanse us.” I know that the trials that you and I are facing here are not to destroy our faith, and if that is what is happening then we are not letting God have control, but we are taking it from Him. Sometimes it sure feels that they will overwhelm us, but I thank God that He has a higher purpose! He has sanctified our trials to make us like Him. I want to get the most benefit out of the things I will be facing in the days to come. I refuse to let my trial be wasted on bitter feelings and self pity, but that they will change me. They will make me into what they are designed to make me. Pure and Holy, like Christ. That which Satan brings to destroy me I will turn around and use to make me more like my Lord.

Well since it is my birthday I thought I would put up a few pictures that I have from when I was a little guy. Enjoy! Click on the picture to enlarge it in another window. I am the 3rd born so I am the baby in the pictures with the family. You might think I looked like a little angel, but please don’t be fooled! My parents can tell you the REAL story!

From November 4th

Failure can be disappointing. As I flew away from the first test, knowing it had gone well except for the one maneuver, I couldn’t help but be disappointed. I told myself “This was 2 years in the making, and when the day came, and I couldn’t pull it off”. It wasn’t much consolation that the failed maneuver was one that I did not traditionally have problems with! Little did I know that God was going to get a lot more glory to His Name from the failure than if I had passed the first time.

I had told the FAA examiner that I would like to take that part over the next weekend. That would give me one week to do a little required training and get the paperwork together. After I got home, i started going over my finances, and come to the realization that there was no way I could pull it off. I estimated that all together I would need at least $800 to be able to test that weekend. I might be able to pull together $100. Tuesday morning after the test, I talked to God about the situation. I did not tell anyone about what I was praying for, but I asked Him if he would supply the funds to be able to take the test that weekend, and to get it out of the way and complete this huge step. I told Him that my purpose in flying was not to make a name or fortune for myself, but to use it for His glory to bring the Gospel to people.

That night i checked my mail in expectation that there might be something there to help. Nothing. I was not disappointed. I knew it was in God’s hands.

I awoke the next morning at 5am. This is not normal for me, i am not a morning person but i could not sleep so I got up and checked my e-mail. During the night I had received and e-mail from a family that told how God had put my name on their hearts. They had forwarded $350 dollars to me through Paypal to go toward my flight training! Wow! God was at work!

That night at work and i took my usual break at 8:00pm. since it was Wednesday, my parents in Ohio had been to church and when they were leaving my mom had called and left a message for me. I sat in amazement as I listen to her tell how someone had sent a check through my home church. That night the church treasurer gave her a check to put in my account for my flight training worth $545! In just 36 from when i prayed, God had provided $895 to be able to take the test that weekend! I got back to work and when my co-worker walked in i turned to him and said “I want to tell you something, you are going to have a hard time believing it, but it is 100% true. This just happened to me.....” I was than able to go through the story and tell him of God’s power. We talked at length that night about the things of God, and my co-worker confessed that the story scared him. “I used to pray, but i haven’t in a long time.” God used this to open a door to share the Gospel with this man.

Later that weekend, as I was sitting in the back room of an airport in Oklahoma, the FAA examiner had just handed me the crisp new Commercial License certificate. He asked me if I had anymore questions before we left. “I have one more thing I want to tell you. It’s about something that happened this week to make it possible to take this test today......”

That is when I realized that I was grateful that I had failed that test the first time. God had gotten more glory than I could have dreamed!

From November 22nd

Thanksgiving came early for me this year. Last weekend my dad flew in and was able to spent some time here. What a great time of laughing, talking, sharing, and just enjoying each others company! He was supposed to fly in on Friday night but had some flight/weather problems and did not make it in until Saturday morning, and stayed till Monday around noon.

Saturday we spent the day in Branson, MO, and went to Silver Dollar City to see the lights and shows. Even though it was cold we did get on a roller coaster! Plus eating out, Lunch and games on Sunday with my friends the Schenks, shopping, and just sitting around talking made up for a GREAT weekend! Thanks so much Dad for taking the time to come out. I really enjoyed every minute of it!

Here are a few pictures and some video of the time with dad: