Work Diary I
From September 1978 to September 2015
(Posted Oct.19, 2015)
From September 1978 to September 2015
(Posted Oct.19, 2015)
Garry & Nancy
Dedicated to all the evangelists, pastors, and missionaries in God’s service, and to all the churches that support Nancy and I as missionaries. With special recognition to the wonderful family God gave us—Benjamin, Philip, Bethe, Ruthe, Sarah, and Caleb.
This diary is compiled from three books I had written in during my years of ministry and therefore will most likely be of interest to those who are considering the ministry. And because it is a work diary, only a few entries will be about our family. I have always enjoyed biographies of people’s lives. They give us more than just a snapshot in time, but a feeling as you see them grow up. Still, this diary does not start in my childhood, but when I was 27 years old, about five years after I was saved. However, it does give my spiritual growth in the Lord, fellowship with Him and trusting Him more.
Some entries are weekly and some miss a year, one four years, and they progress from minor issues to major ones. These 37 years of service will show some changes I had in attitudes, as well as my outlook on certain issues. This diary covers blessings God gave, along with problems, some major, and how they were solved. I have avoided saying anything that might be disparaging toward another person, which means some of the problems we experienced were taken out. A few instances that involve others were left in, but things worked out well at the end, and no name was given, or even what town a person lived in. If one is considering the ministry he needs make a sober decision. For there are troubles in the ministry, but there are more troubles for those who stay home out of God’s will and without God’s help.
In Luke 14:26–34, Christ explains that our love for others should look like hatred compared to our love for Him, for whomever you love the most will control you. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish…So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?”
I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior for Heaven in February 1974 and went to Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College, where I graduated in May 1979. I served as an associate pastor in Bible Baptist Church of Puyallup, Washington, for six years under Pastor James Nolan, and was sent out to start a church in Poulsbo, Washington. My wife, Nancy, and I founded the Bible Baptist Church of Poulsbo and stayed there for five and a half years. We then were sent out under Pastor James Nolan’s Church to be missionaries and entered Romania on May 6, 1991, where we still serve. In Romania we have started five churches and a seminary (Bible institute) that has seen 64 students graduate. At times I will mention the graduation, but not all the times just as I only mention some VBS (Vacation Bible Schools), summer camps, baptisms, Missionary Get-Togethers, or some of the churches we started.
Most parentheses “(…)” were added at the time of typing this diary—I started entering it into a computer on September 2015. In order to keep the readers’ interest, several entries were shortened or deleted, as I thought them tedious. I did leave in some for the first few entries, as they showed my concerns at the beginning of my service. Some sentences are single thoughts and not connected to anything else and will begin with an asterisk (*). These are not always complete sentences or in the best grammar, but a single thought at that moment. However, I felt a raw style best conveyed the feeling I had at the time of writing. Bible quotations are from the King James Bible and will be italicized. Points I want to stress will also be italicized.
1978
Sept. 18, 1978 (First entry, at the beginning of my last year of Bible college. While I was working as a janitor at our church, La Puente Baptist Temple, in California, teaching in the Sunday school, bus route and teaching woodshop and Bible class at the Christian school.)
I want to trust in God completely, and I gave back to the Christian school principal, Mr. Mullen, the $7.50 he had given me for teaching some classes. I did this for a testimony. The $7.50 was the first money I had received for teaching, but I was glad to give it back. (I was not following the Bible in this area, as well as some other ideas I had at the beginning of my ministry. More later.)
*Need help from the Lord with some personal things. “I can do all things through Christ…” (Philippians 4:13). I am not much of a "people person" and have to learn to fit in if I will minister to others, but I am learning.
I must not be in a hurry but trust God will bring things into my life at the time He wants them. There is a saying: “I don’t have time enough to do the things I want but all the time I need to do the things God wants.”
*I need to lean on Him more.
Sept. 22, 1978
I want to keep up more with this log. I can trust God completely in my preaching, just to be myself. He won’t bless me if I am trying to be someone else, and if He doesn’t bless me when I am myself, then I had best not preach. (I heard a message by a preacher who said, "God knew what He was doing when He made you. You are an original! Don't be a copy.") One of the things I fight is pride. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
I want to thank and praise God for His Blessed peace! (Philippians 4:6–9). I have been memorizing two verses a day for a month now. I have memorized the following chapters in the Bible: Psalm 23; Psalm 103; I Corinthians 13; Romans 5, 6, 7; and I am working on Romans 8. Romans 8:6 says, “To be carnally minded is death: But to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
One verse I keep reading: “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts” (Zachariah 4:6—this verse has become my life verse. I was trusting my self to minister to others instead of trusting God's Spirit, who wants to empower me to minister to others. God begins to work when He sees inside these bodies of flesh to a heart that is trusting Him. And God knows when we are trusting him or ourselves.) And two other verses that I notice a lot are Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” and Jeremiah 1:17 “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
*I am planning on taking one day off a week. Also fast once a week. These are not vows but things I will most likely do.
*God has been using me. Praise His name!
Sept. 27, 1978
*“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16).
*Deuteronomy 12:32 says, “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” God wants us to do exactly what He has said.
*It is good “ye that tremble at his word” (Isaiah 66:5).
*“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26).
Sept. 28, 1978
*I am going to seek to look neater in my appearance and clothes. (Someone said, "You never have a second chance to make a good first impression.")
Oct. 1, 1978
*It is very important to talk to people about the wrong you have done to them and ask their forgiveness (Matthew 5:23–24 and 6:15).
I have $3.00 and no sure income till December 1. My car needs fixed, and the part is at least $8.00, plus food, gas, tithe, missions, and building fund. I am trusting God to supply these needs. I have been reading George Muller of Bristol, who had great faith. By the way, this is not the first time I have been in such a financial position, but God supplied. This is one of the reasons for this diary (George Muller kept a diary of answered prayers.), to show when and how God supplies my needs.
Oct. 6, 1978
God has been supplying my needs. I fasted Tuesday and then Wednesday, and I asked the Lord to bring me some food (I was out of money). I did not want to drive over to someone’s house around dinnertime and then ask, “What is that good smell coming from the kitchen?” When I drove home from Bible college, Mrs. Laughlin (the Christian-school secretary) met me with a bowl of dressing and a huge turkey leg. She said she had prepared it for me. I asked her why, and she said, “No particular reason.”
It is good to ask God for food. “Give us this day our daily bread.” (I heard a funny story about a widow lady who was always praising God and prayed with her window open. Two boys overheard her asking the Lord for groceries. They said one to another, "Let's trick this lady. We will go to the store and buy food for her and put it outside her front porch, ring the bell, and run and hide. When she opens the door and says, 'Praise God,' we will jump out and say, 'God didn't bring that to you lady. We did!'" Which they did, and when the lady came out and saw the groceries, she praised the Lord as they expected, and the two boys did as they planned and said, "Hey, lady, we did this, not God!" Whereupon she praised the Lord again and said, "Thank you, Lord. You are so powerful you can even get brats to bring my food to me!" God can use anyone, saved or lost, He does not have to do things our way. When Elijah needed food, God commanded not doves but ravens to bring him "bread and flesh," but ravens were one of the "unclean" birds in the Bible [I Kings 17:4-6 and Leviticus 11:13-15]. About the same time I needed food, I also need a towel, and I was out of money. I prayed and asked God to supply these, and that day while out on my bus route for the church, I saw a car spin around the corner, and a towel that someone had left on top of the trunk of that car, fell to the ground. It was a good towel. I even walked up and looked at it. But I was foolish and would not take it. I thought, "It's not mine," and I put it back on the ground and walked away. Elijah didn't refuse the bread that the ravens brought, or say, "Those unclean birds did not make that bread. They got it from someone else without asking." That same night I prayed again and reminded the Lord that I still needed a towel, but the thought came to my mind, How many times does He need to bring one?)
As to fixing my car, when I went to get my tuition money (from the GI bill for my time in the navy), I found I made a mistake in my figuring, and I had some extra dollars. I used that to buy the part for my car (a throw-out bearing). Also, the Eckmans, a family in our church, moved away, and asked me to watch their house till they could sell it—and they left the refrigerator “plum full” of food! Also, she left towels, something else I needed. I have 75 cents left to my name, and my car is on empty, plus what I need for tithe, $50.00, missions support, $50.00, and building fund, $30.00, not counting gas money. It will be interesting to see how God supplies my needs. (One of the reasons I had needs was because I was not following a Bible principle [more later]. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”)
Two things stand out to me from George Muller’s book. First, never let anyone know what your needs are—that would be like hinting or trying to “help God,” and He wants to show you He can do it without your help (more on this later). And second, you may have to sacrifice, even greatly.
A verse that keeps coming up when I open the Bible is Deuteronomy 28:47: “Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things. Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies...” (I remember this verse came up many times, by what seemed pure chance, and I even looked at the binding of my Bible, thinking it must have been broken at that place and so my Bible automatically opened there. But there was nothing wrong with the binding.) I had been walking around with a long face, wishing I had some things I didn’t have, but I probably didn’t need.
Oct. 10, 1978
God did supply the money for gas and a $20.00 dept I owed, but not like I wanted. I had asked the principal, Mr. Mullen, to give me money for some work I had done (remodeling the garage of the church/school). The school did owe it to me, but I thought God would have made him pay it without me asking for it. Still, no money for tithe, missions, and the building fund. I told the Lord they are his missionaries and He would have to supply the money if He wanted me to send it. (My commitments were to big for the income I had.)
*My teaching in the Bible class (Christian high school) was flat today. It seemed the Lord was in very little of it. Guess I will have to prepare more.
Oct. 21, 1978
The Lord supplied $50.00 from work I did for the school—$40.00 went to tithe, rest to gas. I need a regular job! (I was working at the Christian school and at our church as a janitor, both for free. I was offered money for these but turned it down. I should have applied the Bible verse “The labourer is worthy of his reward.”) Guess I am not sacrificing that much when married men go to college and raise a family and then work 40 hours a week.
When disciplining in my high school class, I have found that it is important to first deal with those who are the instigators of a problem (Psalm 40:4). Also, I am learning that just talking to them will often not be enough, but some form of discipline is necessary. Good to get advice here (Proverbs 29:19, 13:1). It of course helps to praise them for what they are doing right (Psalm 27:20). I was told, “Praise them, then scold them, and then praise them again.” Tell them the good they do, then the bad, then good again. Some people are calling this a baloney sandwich. (-: First bread, then baloney, and then more bread.
Oct. 27, 1978
On discipline in the classroom, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). Those who cause problems can get others to join in. I went to the home of the one who caused the most problems and met with his dad, and this has helped in the classroom.
*I heard Evangelist Joe Boyd today, and he preached a great messages. I would like to have a “double portion” of his spirit (II Kings 2:9).
*I need to watch what I say.
*“redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:18).
*God is using me!
Oct. 30, 1978
*I must learn to show more respect to the high school students, and everyone! (Respect or lack of it is shown by the eyes, facial expressions, and tone of one’s conversation. A lady in our church who was converted to Christ from a rough background [prostitution, drugs, and bartending] said she always showed respect to others even if they were drunk. Because, she said, they would know if she looked down on them, and that made dealing with them much harder.)
Nov. 12, 1978
Nancy and I (we were married six months after this date) had 80 on our Sunday school bus route. I have had this bus route, in all, for about two and a half years. On Saturday we go out and invite children to our church—with their parents’ permission, who do not go to church—and then Sunday morning we pick them up for church. Normally we average 40 children on our bus. The pastor of our church said he was in a contest with another church and wanted to double our church attendance this week. I prayed last week in front of our bus kids that we would have 80 the next Sunday, and they all heard this, and I think they were wondering how it would work out. The expression on their faces was “we’ll see.” Of course, we had to knock doors three times as much this week to get this done! I was very happy about making this record attendance on our bus, but right after this I almost got in some trouble. It seems the Devil sets you up for a fall if you are not on your guard. I Peter 5:5: “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
1979
Jan. 1, 1979
*I wish I would keep up with this diary more.
God allowed me to preach on a Wednesday night service in our church. This was a great opportunity, and I believe God was in most of the message. Also, the next day at college I had liberty in speech class, where I gave a message on prayer. (For such opportunities, I usually fast during the day or longer, depending on how important it is. Mixing prayer with fasting increases God’s Holy Spirit’s power in preaching or whatever we are doing, Mark 9:29 and I Corinthians 7:5.)
*God is good to me.
God has been supplying my needs, just enough. He must want me to be “thrifty” or in the future make smaller commitments that I can keep because I still owe back missions support and building fund commitments. I do believe I am in His will though, and the time will come when these debts will also be paid.
I have been praying about Nancy and marrying her! I had been going with another girl some months before and asked my pastor if he thought I should marry her because she was a “virtuous woman” (Proverbs 31:10). But I added that I was still not that attracted to her. I said, “I guess I should marry her anyway because she got a good heart.” But my pastor said, “No, it is God who gives you your desires, and if you’re not happy with her, then don’t marry her.” I told him, “I like the way you think!” I am happy with Nancy though, and I believe she is happy with me!!!
*I have got to learn to slow down. “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.”
*I have been studying about our founding fathers of America and their love of country and belief in God. The book is Teaching and Learning American Christian History.
*Another lesson I am trying to learn in disciplining teens in my class is, that care must be taken to only talk to those involved, so as not to embarrass those corrected and thus make them upset at you and possibly make the problem worse: “tell him his fault between thee and him alone” (Matthew 18:15).
Jan. 5, 1979
I spent all night in prayer, the first time I have done this (but I slept for four hours as soon as it was daybreak). I was praying about whether or not I should marry Nancy. I want to, but is it God’s will? Well after praying about it, I believe it is!
*God is good—His “mercy endureth forever.”
*I have been struck by the idea that our country is going to Hades.
My Bible class at the Christian school was not going so well, even though the teaching part is a blessing. But there is a resistance in the class. I had prayed for two hours about this, and it turned my heart and their hearts around. There is more of a love than before. Truly “sweetness of the lips increaseth learning” (Proverbs 16:21). I have also been bringing into our class Christians with good testimonies to give their testimonies to the teens, usually only 10 minutes, and the students really like these.
Jan. 7, 1979
I now owe in my back missions and building found support $290.00, with no hope of paying it off anytime soon. (I should have made smaller commitments.) Plus tithe this month. I know the tithe comes first—it is “holy unto the Lord.” (Leviticus 27:30. Abraham and Isaac tithed hundreds of years before the Law, and in Luke 11:42 Jesus said we should tithe.) My plan was that after I paid my tithe and necessary school bills, gas, and food, then what was left I would give to missions and the building fund, keeping a record of what I owe. It took most of my last summer pay from a job to make up my back missions and building commitments. But now that I am back in Bible college and still being troubled by it, and seeing no way of keeping up with my commitments, I went to my pastor (Pastor Don Ledbetter). He said the way I was doing it, he could not speak against it, but that it was not how he would have done it. Instead, he would have just paid off his commitments to God first and then what money was left over for college, etc.
I have prayed and will pray some more, but after consideration, I believe God wants me to first give the amount I said I would give to missions and the building fund of our church, and trust Him to supply the rest. God “first” the Bible says (Matthew 6:33). There could not be a worse time to do it this way, as my college tuition is due next week! But with His grace, I now plan on giving my entire GI check to Him when it comes in. I am not sure there will even be enough for a tank of gas, which I need.
*I had a ton of homework to do over the last three days, with finals and Bible classes.
Jan. 8, 1979
It seems things are already going better since I decided to give my check (all of it) to the Lord. “From this day I will bless you” (Haggai 2:19). Also, Haggai 1:5–9: “Consider your ways…Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little.” I saw this section of the Bible at least twice during the last month, and it stood out to me, but at the time I couldn’t figure what I had done wrong, for truly I had looked for more than I was getting. Missions and building fund as well as tithe go to the Lord before I touch this money. There is a family that Nancy and I gave a Christmas tree to, and they are making me some new clothes (pants). She asked for a pair of my pants to make sure she made the right size—nice surprise because I need a new pair. And today **Viola Amie gave me $5.00 for gas money, and I had not asked for it or hinted about it.
**(Viola Amie was a godly lady on our Sunday school bus route. Every Saturday I would visit her three children, Mona, Lafitte, and Derek, and every Sunday they would ride the bus to church. She had her left leg amputated because of diabetes, and because she used a wheel chair, she could not ride our bus. But ladies from our church would come over and take her to church in their cars.
Viola was quite a lady. If I needed prayer for something, she was the first one I told, and I could not leave her house without first reading the Bible to her, Mona, Lafitte, and Derek. And when I would come over to visit them, she would say with a load voice, “Oh thank you, Lord, for bringing brother Garry here today to be an encouragement to us.” And she was poor, but then so was Jesus Christ [Matthew 8:20]. Three of the windows in her house had no glass in them. My pastor said he would have the church pay for the glass if I would put it in, and so I did. Above her couch was a picture of her and her husband, who she said had died about ten years before. One day it dawned on me that if Mona and Derek were only seven and nine years old, something was not adding up. I asked her about it, and she immediately responded, “Some of my children have had some problems, and I am raising their children. They are my grandchildren.” “Oh,” I said.
I invited her to my Bible class at the Christian school to give her testimony. But when I went to pick her up in my car, she was wearing this wig that even a mannequin wouldn’t have worn. I told her she looked fine the way she was, but she insisted she wear the wig, saying she wanted to look her best for the teens. She spoke for about ten minutes to the teens, and you could have heard a pin drop, I usually had a hard time keeping order, but not her. She said to them, “Young people, when you have a problem in your life and you think you cannot go on, lean upon the Lord.” Then she repeated it, “You lean upon the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” More farther on, but it was a true honor for Nancy and I to have known her. She later had her other leg amputated and has since gone on to be with the Lord.)
Today I asked Mr. and Mrs. Crask if I could talk to their daughter (Nancy) about marriage. Up till this time, I had not even mentioned the word marriage to Nancy, and when the subject came up, I just changed the topic. I did not ask her parents if I could marry their daughter but only if I could “talk to her about” marriage. Why have her say yes to this if her parents were against it? Someone might say, “Then you do not really love her, or you would marry her anyway.” No, that is not true. I just believe that God is bigger than her parents, and if God wants us to be married, then He would change their minds. Anyhow, her parents said yes! So I waited for the right time and asked Nancy if she would marry me. Well, the time might have been appropriate, but the place was not—I asked her at a Laundromat! )^: I was not smart enough to know that the location was also important. When I asked her, she said she would have to ask her parents. I said, “I already did, and they are for it!” Praise God!
Jan. 10 1979
*As to my finances, I thought I should ask Bro. Baskin (he headed up our Bible college) if there was a job there I might have. This worked out well, and the hours I worked made it possible for me to go to college and manage my responsibilities at church also.
*I finished this semester’s finals today (Bible college)!
Feb. 15, 1979
Today I caught a teenager spray-painting our church wall. I chased him for two blocks, and he ran to his house and slammed the screen door. His mother came and told me she would take care of it. But when I walked back to the church, this same teenager pulled up in a car with three of his friends (there are a lot of gangs in La Puente). They all jumped out of the car, and he said he wanted his hat back that had fell off him when he ran from me. But they acted like they were going to cause trouble. I started to preach to them, and the one who spray-painted the wall hit my finger with the stick he had in his hand. (I was pointing at them when I was speaking.) I just kept preaching, and they stopped talking, and all of them looked in my face—I guess to see if **I believed what I was saying or not. When they saw that I did, they got back in the car and left. That evening I saw a man out at the church wall panting over that part which had been spray-painted. I asked him who he was, and he said he was the father of the young man who sprayed-painted the wall. He even had the right color of paint that blended into our wall and I witnessed to him.
**(Another time while out visiting and inviting children to ride the bus route, I went down a street I had never been on before, and a similar thing happened. About a dozen young men, perhaps 13 to17 years of age, all got up off the grass where they were sitting and came and circled me. They were holding sticks. They wanted to know who I was and why I was on their street. When I told them, they said things like, “You are against the virgin Mary, aren't you?” And some of them were moving their sticks around when they said this. I said, “No, she is Jesus’s mother, and I would have to answer to God someday if I did that." And I added, "When we die, God is not going to ask us what religion we are, but if we have trusted Jesus Christ for Heaven.” And again they all did the same thing—they moved from being around me to looking in my face to see if I believed what I was saying or not, and then they left.
*God loves me and I am thankful.
Feb. 18, 1979
Yesterday I took our bus kids that we pick up on Sunday to the snow in the mountains, 46 in all. I also witnessed to a man we met on the mountain, but he only wanted to know my “philosophy,” not God’s word, and I only succeeded in making him upset. I should have taken more time to explain that philosophies come from men, and their opinions continue to change. But God has not added one word to His Bible in 2,000 years. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” [Colossians 2:8].)
March 6, 1979
“My heart is inditing a good matter” (Psalm 45:1). We are planning our wedding! I love Nancy, and I know she is from the Lord. I believe we will make a great team for our Lord. Everything seems to be falling into place for our wedding, and also for my graduation from Bible college. The main speaker at the graduation will be Jerry Falwell.
I came off a seven-day fast. (No food, but I did drink water. This was the longest I have fasted.) But afterward, I gorged myself with the bus candy and was the most irritable I have been in a long time. Not very “spiritual.” I guessed I had expected the Lord to do some great thing. Things do not always work the way I think…“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
*“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth” (Proverbs 27:2). I like this verse. So we don’t need to look for ways to brag about our work.
April 23, 1979
Many things have happened since my last entry. I flew up to visit a seminary in Tacoma, Washington. The seminary paid for the flight up there. This school has some beliefs that I do not have, but they are good people. I think it is God’s will for me to go here (I was wrong). Perhaps I am to be an apologist (defender of the faith). I will need to learn more, “That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee” (Proverbs 22:21).
While I was there in the state of Washington, I meet with Pastor James Nolan. He is doing a great job! He started the church about nine months ago and had 50 in attendance the Sunday I was there. Nancy and I prayed about it, and we both want to help him in his ministry. I am excited about this!
May 6, 1979
I built some cabinets for Viola Amie, the lady on our bus route. “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again” (Proverbs 19:17). God has blessed that and always will if it is according to His word.
I had spent some time with Roy Amie, Viola’s son. Roy respected his mom, but he was not living for the Lord. He liked to go out and do what he called “chastising” (fight), and ran around with those who did the same. But he did not bother me because I was encouraging his mom and the children in the home. Still, the few times he came by, we had little conversation. There were gasoline lines at this time, and he needed some fuel and asked me to take him to a gas station nearby to fill up a five-gallon container.
Now God was bringing this marriage together, of Nancy and I, and He saw fit to give me all this joy. And others at the Christian school commented on how happy I was. It was the joy of the Lord. Sorry to say that then in my Christian walk, there were often times when I had a long face if things did not go my way, but not that week. And while I was taking Roy Amie to the gas station, he also commented about the joy he could see on my face. Anyhow, there was a long line at the gas station, and people’s tempers could easily flare up about anyone who might cut in line to get gas. But this did not stop Roy, whom I told, “Now, Roy, don’t cut in line with your gas can. All will see it.” “No it won’t be a problem,” he said. And then he pulled it off without anyone saying anything. But at that moment, I also needed gas for my car, and I did not have enough to go on the honeymoon Nancy and I had planned. This really bothered Roy, and he said two or three times it was not right that I did not have gas for my car and that he was going to get me in line and we would not have to wait. I assured him I was not bothered by this and that God would work it out some other way. We drove back to his mom’s house, and all the way there he was quiet, and I could tell this was working on him, seeing how I had joy and was not troubled by my problem.
(Roy came unexpectedly to our wedding and sat in the church without saying much of anything, unusual for him. Guess what? Roy asked God's Son to forgive him of all his sins and he then turned his whole life around! One of the first things he did was go to the court and confess to some wrong he had done. The judge commended him on turning himself in but told him because of his record, he would have to send him to prison for one year. He told me later that he understood all this and did it because he wanted to serve the Lord and was afraid that sometime in the future, his past would come up and be a problem, so he dealt with it now. He also told me, “Bro. Garry I walked into that prison with joy on my face because God gave it to me. And the guards at the prison said, ‘We’ll get that smile off your face, Roy.’” But he told me, “They never got rid of it!”)
May 14, 1979
Bible college graduation (May 10) was great, and I did graduate! My mom and dad came down for the wedding and graduation, and also my two brothers. The ladies in our church made all the food and set it up really nice. Which made it more special for my parents and the guests who came. My parents were not saved, but I have asked the Lord to “water” the seeds sown.
What I got out of Jerry Falwell’s message, who preached at our graduation, was, first, my generation will have to leave our heroes in the dust if we are ever to reach our world for Christ. We are not even keeping up with the population explosion. Second, I must be constantly preparing for the Lord’s work and keep up with world events. Third, be polite, even to those who are against you. Learn to be a gentleman. I truly want to accomplish great things for our God! Fourth, a lack of funds has never stopped the Lord’s work, just a lack of faith. Fifth, the measure of a man is what it takes to stop him.
Nancy and I were married two days ago. We am happy! The wedding was terrific! Especially the vows Nancy and I said to each other, verses we had memorized from the Bible. While Nancy was saying her verses to me, I could tell she was also giving herself to me. There was a short salvation message at our wedding, and two people called on the Lord to save them!
Dedicated to all the evangelists, pastors, and missionaries in God’s service, and to all the churches that support Nancy and I as missionaries. With special recognition to the wonderful family God gave us—Benjamin, Philip, Bethe, Ruthe, Sarah, and Caleb.
This diary is compiled from three books I had written in during my years of ministry and therefore will most likely be of interest to those who are considering the ministry. And because it is a work diary, only a few entries will be about our family. I have always enjoyed biographies of people’s lives. They give us more than just a snapshot in time, but a feeling as you see them grow up. Still, this diary does not start in my childhood, but when I was 27 years old, about five years after I was saved. However, it does give my spiritual growth in the Lord, fellowship with Him and trusting Him more.
Some entries are weekly and some miss a year, one four years, and they progress from minor issues to major ones. These 37 years of service will show some changes I had in attitudes, as well as my outlook on certain issues. This diary covers blessings God gave, along with problems, some major, and how they were solved. I have avoided saying anything that might be disparaging toward another person, which means some of the problems we experienced were taken out. A few instances that involve others were left in, but things worked out well at the end, and no name was given, or even what town a person lived in. If one is considering the ministry he needs make a sober decision. For there are troubles in the ministry, but there are more troubles for those who stay home out of God’s will and without God’s help.
In Luke 14:26–34, Christ explains that our love for others should look like hatred compared to our love for Him, for whomever you love the most will control you. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish…So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?”
I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior for Heaven in February 1974 and went to Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College, where I graduated in May 1979. I served as an associate pastor in Bible Baptist Church of Puyallup, Washington, for six years under Pastor James Nolan, and was sent out to start a church in Poulsbo, Washington. My wife, Nancy, and I founded the Bible Baptist Church of Poulsbo and stayed there for five and a half years. We then were sent out under Pastor James Nolan’s Church to be missionaries and entered Romania on May 6, 1991, where we still serve. In Romania we have started five churches and a seminary (Bible institute) that has seen 64 students graduate. At times I will mention the graduation, but not all the times just as I only mention some VBS (Vacation Bible Schools), summer camps, baptisms, Missionary Get-Togethers, or some of the churches we started.
Most parentheses “(…)” were added at the time of typing this diary—I started entering it into a computer on September 2015. In order to keep the readers’ interest, several entries were shortened or deleted, as I thought them tedious. I did leave in some for the first few entries, as they showed my concerns at the beginning of my service. Some sentences are single thoughts and not connected to anything else and will begin with an asterisk (*). These are not always complete sentences or in the best grammar, but a single thought at that moment. However, I felt a raw style best conveyed the feeling I had at the time of writing. Bible quotations are from the King James Bible and will be italicized. Points I want to stress will also be italicized.
1978
Sept. 18, 1978 (First entry, at the beginning of my last year of Bible college. While I was working as a janitor at our church, La Puente Baptist Temple, in California, teaching in the Sunday school, bus route and teaching woodshop and Bible class at the Christian school.)
I want to trust in God completely, and I gave back to the Christian school principal, Mr. Mullen, the $7.50 he had given me for teaching some classes. I did this for a testimony. The $7.50 was the first money I had received for teaching, but I was glad to give it back. (I was not following the Bible in this area, as well as some other ideas I had at the beginning of my ministry. More later.)
*Need help from the Lord with some personal things. “I can do all things through Christ…” (Philippians 4:13). I am not much of a "people person" and have to learn to fit in if I will minister to others, but I am learning.
I must not be in a hurry but trust God will bring things into my life at the time He wants them. There is a saying: “I don’t have time enough to do the things I want but all the time I need to do the things God wants.”
*I need to lean on Him more.
Sept. 22, 1978
I want to keep up more with this log. I can trust God completely in my preaching, just to be myself. He won’t bless me if I am trying to be someone else, and if He doesn’t bless me when I am myself, then I had best not preach. (I heard a message by a preacher who said, "God knew what He was doing when He made you. You are an original! Don't be a copy.") One of the things I fight is pride. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
I want to thank and praise God for His Blessed peace! (Philippians 4:6–9). I have been memorizing two verses a day for a month now. I have memorized the following chapters in the Bible: Psalm 23; Psalm 103; I Corinthians 13; Romans 5, 6, 7; and I am working on Romans 8. Romans 8:6 says, “To be carnally minded is death: But to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
One verse I keep reading: “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts” (Zachariah 4:6—this verse has become my life verse. I was trusting my self to minister to others instead of trusting God's Spirit, who wants to empower me to minister to others. God begins to work when He sees inside these bodies of flesh to a heart that is trusting Him. And God knows when we are trusting him or ourselves.) And two other verses that I notice a lot are Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” and Jeremiah 1:17 “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
*I am planning on taking one day off a week. Also fast once a week. These are not vows but things I will most likely do.
*God has been using me. Praise His name!
Sept. 27, 1978
*“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16).
*Deuteronomy 12:32 says, “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” God wants us to do exactly what He has said.
*It is good “ye that tremble at his word” (Isaiah 66:5).
*“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26).
Sept. 28, 1978
*I am going to seek to look neater in my appearance and clothes. (Someone said, "You never have a second chance to make a good first impression.")
Oct. 1, 1978
*It is very important to talk to people about the wrong you have done to them and ask their forgiveness (Matthew 5:23–24 and 6:15).
I have $3.00 and no sure income till December 1. My car needs fixed, and the part is at least $8.00, plus food, gas, tithe, missions, and building fund. I am trusting God to supply these needs. I have been reading George Muller of Bristol, who had great faith. By the way, this is not the first time I have been in such a financial position, but God supplied. This is one of the reasons for this diary (George Muller kept a diary of answered prayers.), to show when and how God supplies my needs.
Oct. 6, 1978
God has been supplying my needs. I fasted Tuesday and then Wednesday, and I asked the Lord to bring me some food (I was out of money). I did not want to drive over to someone’s house around dinnertime and then ask, “What is that good smell coming from the kitchen?” When I drove home from Bible college, Mrs. Laughlin (the Christian-school secretary) met me with a bowl of dressing and a huge turkey leg. She said she had prepared it for me. I asked her why, and she said, “No particular reason.”
It is good to ask God for food. “Give us this day our daily bread.” (I heard a funny story about a widow lady who was always praising God and prayed with her window open. Two boys overheard her asking the Lord for groceries. They said one to another, "Let's trick this lady. We will go to the store and buy food for her and put it outside her front porch, ring the bell, and run and hide. When she opens the door and says, 'Praise God,' we will jump out and say, 'God didn't bring that to you lady. We did!'" Which they did, and when the lady came out and saw the groceries, she praised the Lord as they expected, and the two boys did as they planned and said, "Hey, lady, we did this, not God!" Whereupon she praised the Lord again and said, "Thank you, Lord. You are so powerful you can even get brats to bring my food to me!" God can use anyone, saved or lost, He does not have to do things our way. When Elijah needed food, God commanded not doves but ravens to bring him "bread and flesh," but ravens were one of the "unclean" birds in the Bible [I Kings 17:4-6 and Leviticus 11:13-15]. About the same time I needed food, I also need a towel, and I was out of money. I prayed and asked God to supply these, and that day while out on my bus route for the church, I saw a car spin around the corner, and a towel that someone had left on top of the trunk of that car, fell to the ground. It was a good towel. I even walked up and looked at it. But I was foolish and would not take it. I thought, "It's not mine," and I put it back on the ground and walked away. Elijah didn't refuse the bread that the ravens brought, or say, "Those unclean birds did not make that bread. They got it from someone else without asking." That same night I prayed again and reminded the Lord that I still needed a towel, but the thought came to my mind, How many times does He need to bring one?)
As to fixing my car, when I went to get my tuition money (from the GI bill for my time in the navy), I found I made a mistake in my figuring, and I had some extra dollars. I used that to buy the part for my car (a throw-out bearing). Also, the Eckmans, a family in our church, moved away, and asked me to watch their house till they could sell it—and they left the refrigerator “plum full” of food! Also, she left towels, something else I needed. I have 75 cents left to my name, and my car is on empty, plus what I need for tithe, $50.00, missions support, $50.00, and building fund, $30.00, not counting gas money. It will be interesting to see how God supplies my needs. (One of the reasons I had needs was because I was not following a Bible principle [more later]. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”)
Two things stand out to me from George Muller’s book. First, never let anyone know what your needs are—that would be like hinting or trying to “help God,” and He wants to show you He can do it without your help (more on this later). And second, you may have to sacrifice, even greatly.
A verse that keeps coming up when I open the Bible is Deuteronomy 28:47: “Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things. Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies...” (I remember this verse came up many times, by what seemed pure chance, and I even looked at the binding of my Bible, thinking it must have been broken at that place and so my Bible automatically opened there. But there was nothing wrong with the binding.) I had been walking around with a long face, wishing I had some things I didn’t have, but I probably didn’t need.
Oct. 10, 1978
God did supply the money for gas and a $20.00 dept I owed, but not like I wanted. I had asked the principal, Mr. Mullen, to give me money for some work I had done (remodeling the garage of the church/school). The school did owe it to me, but I thought God would have made him pay it without me asking for it. Still, no money for tithe, missions, and the building fund. I told the Lord they are his missionaries and He would have to supply the money if He wanted me to send it. (My commitments were to big for the income I had.)
*My teaching in the Bible class (Christian high school) was flat today. It seemed the Lord was in very little of it. Guess I will have to prepare more.
Oct. 21, 1978
The Lord supplied $50.00 from work I did for the school—$40.00 went to tithe, rest to gas. I need a regular job! (I was working at the Christian school and at our church as a janitor, both for free. I was offered money for these but turned it down. I should have applied the Bible verse “The labourer is worthy of his reward.”) Guess I am not sacrificing that much when married men go to college and raise a family and then work 40 hours a week.
When disciplining in my high school class, I have found that it is important to first deal with those who are the instigators of a problem (Psalm 40:4). Also, I am learning that just talking to them will often not be enough, but some form of discipline is necessary. Good to get advice here (Proverbs 29:19, 13:1). It of course helps to praise them for what they are doing right (Psalm 27:20). I was told, “Praise them, then scold them, and then praise them again.” Tell them the good they do, then the bad, then good again. Some people are calling this a baloney sandwich. (-: First bread, then baloney, and then more bread.
Oct. 27, 1978
On discipline in the classroom, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). Those who cause problems can get others to join in. I went to the home of the one who caused the most problems and met with his dad, and this has helped in the classroom.
*I heard Evangelist Joe Boyd today, and he preached a great messages. I would like to have a “double portion” of his spirit (II Kings 2:9).
*I need to watch what I say.
*“redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:18).
*God is using me!
Oct. 30, 1978
*I must learn to show more respect to the high school students, and everyone! (Respect or lack of it is shown by the eyes, facial expressions, and tone of one’s conversation. A lady in our church who was converted to Christ from a rough background [prostitution, drugs, and bartending] said she always showed respect to others even if they were drunk. Because, she said, they would know if she looked down on them, and that made dealing with them much harder.)
Nov. 12, 1978
Nancy and I (we were married six months after this date) had 80 on our Sunday school bus route. I have had this bus route, in all, for about two and a half years. On Saturday we go out and invite children to our church—with their parents’ permission, who do not go to church—and then Sunday morning we pick them up for church. Normally we average 40 children on our bus. The pastor of our church said he was in a contest with another church and wanted to double our church attendance this week. I prayed last week in front of our bus kids that we would have 80 the next Sunday, and they all heard this, and I think they were wondering how it would work out. The expression on their faces was “we’ll see.” Of course, we had to knock doors three times as much this week to get this done! I was very happy about making this record attendance on our bus, but right after this I almost got in some trouble. It seems the Devil sets you up for a fall if you are not on your guard. I Peter 5:5: “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
1979
Jan. 1, 1979
*I wish I would keep up with this diary more.
God allowed me to preach on a Wednesday night service in our church. This was a great opportunity, and I believe God was in most of the message. Also, the next day at college I had liberty in speech class, where I gave a message on prayer. (For such opportunities, I usually fast during the day or longer, depending on how important it is. Mixing prayer with fasting increases God’s Holy Spirit’s power in preaching or whatever we are doing, Mark 9:29 and I Corinthians 7:5.)
*God is good to me.
God has been supplying my needs, just enough. He must want me to be “thrifty” or in the future make smaller commitments that I can keep because I still owe back missions support and building fund commitments. I do believe I am in His will though, and the time will come when these debts will also be paid.
I have been praying about Nancy and marrying her! I had been going with another girl some months before and asked my pastor if he thought I should marry her because she was a “virtuous woman” (Proverbs 31:10). But I added that I was still not that attracted to her. I said, “I guess I should marry her anyway because she got a good heart.” But my pastor said, “No, it is God who gives you your desires, and if you’re not happy with her, then don’t marry her.” I told him, “I like the way you think!” I am happy with Nancy though, and I believe she is happy with me!!!
*I have got to learn to slow down. “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.”
*I have been studying about our founding fathers of America and their love of country and belief in God. The book is Teaching and Learning American Christian History.
*Another lesson I am trying to learn in disciplining teens in my class is, that care must be taken to only talk to those involved, so as not to embarrass those corrected and thus make them upset at you and possibly make the problem worse: “tell him his fault between thee and him alone” (Matthew 18:15).
Jan. 5, 1979
I spent all night in prayer, the first time I have done this (but I slept for four hours as soon as it was daybreak). I was praying about whether or not I should marry Nancy. I want to, but is it God’s will? Well after praying about it, I believe it is!
*God is good—His “mercy endureth forever.”
*I have been struck by the idea that our country is going to Hades.
My Bible class at the Christian school was not going so well, even though the teaching part is a blessing. But there is a resistance in the class. I had prayed for two hours about this, and it turned my heart and their hearts around. There is more of a love than before. Truly “sweetness of the lips increaseth learning” (Proverbs 16:21). I have also been bringing into our class Christians with good testimonies to give their testimonies to the teens, usually only 10 minutes, and the students really like these.
Jan. 7, 1979
I now owe in my back missions and building found support $290.00, with no hope of paying it off anytime soon. (I should have made smaller commitments.) Plus tithe this month. I know the tithe comes first—it is “holy unto the Lord.” (Leviticus 27:30. Abraham and Isaac tithed hundreds of years before the Law, and in Luke 11:42 Jesus said we should tithe.) My plan was that after I paid my tithe and necessary school bills, gas, and food, then what was left I would give to missions and the building fund, keeping a record of what I owe. It took most of my last summer pay from a job to make up my back missions and building commitments. But now that I am back in Bible college and still being troubled by it, and seeing no way of keeping up with my commitments, I went to my pastor (Pastor Don Ledbetter). He said the way I was doing it, he could not speak against it, but that it was not how he would have done it. Instead, he would have just paid off his commitments to God first and then what money was left over for college, etc.
I have prayed and will pray some more, but after consideration, I believe God wants me to first give the amount I said I would give to missions and the building fund of our church, and trust Him to supply the rest. God “first” the Bible says (Matthew 6:33). There could not be a worse time to do it this way, as my college tuition is due next week! But with His grace, I now plan on giving my entire GI check to Him when it comes in. I am not sure there will even be enough for a tank of gas, which I need.
*I had a ton of homework to do over the last three days, with finals and Bible classes.
Jan. 8, 1979
It seems things are already going better since I decided to give my check (all of it) to the Lord. “From this day I will bless you” (Haggai 2:19). Also, Haggai 1:5–9: “Consider your ways…Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little.” I saw this section of the Bible at least twice during the last month, and it stood out to me, but at the time I couldn’t figure what I had done wrong, for truly I had looked for more than I was getting. Missions and building fund as well as tithe go to the Lord before I touch this money. There is a family that Nancy and I gave a Christmas tree to, and they are making me some new clothes (pants). She asked for a pair of my pants to make sure she made the right size—nice surprise because I need a new pair. And today **Viola Amie gave me $5.00 for gas money, and I had not asked for it or hinted about it.
**(Viola Amie was a godly lady on our Sunday school bus route. Every Saturday I would visit her three children, Mona, Lafitte, and Derek, and every Sunday they would ride the bus to church. She had her left leg amputated because of diabetes, and because she used a wheel chair, she could not ride our bus. But ladies from our church would come over and take her to church in their cars.
Viola was quite a lady. If I needed prayer for something, she was the first one I told, and I could not leave her house without first reading the Bible to her, Mona, Lafitte, and Derek. And when I would come over to visit them, she would say with a load voice, “Oh thank you, Lord, for bringing brother Garry here today to be an encouragement to us.” And she was poor, but then so was Jesus Christ [Matthew 8:20]. Three of the windows in her house had no glass in them. My pastor said he would have the church pay for the glass if I would put it in, and so I did. Above her couch was a picture of her and her husband, who she said had died about ten years before. One day it dawned on me that if Mona and Derek were only seven and nine years old, something was not adding up. I asked her about it, and she immediately responded, “Some of my children have had some problems, and I am raising their children. They are my grandchildren.” “Oh,” I said.
I invited her to my Bible class at the Christian school to give her testimony. But when I went to pick her up in my car, she was wearing this wig that even a mannequin wouldn’t have worn. I told her she looked fine the way she was, but she insisted she wear the wig, saying she wanted to look her best for the teens. She spoke for about ten minutes to the teens, and you could have heard a pin drop, I usually had a hard time keeping order, but not her. She said to them, “Young people, when you have a problem in your life and you think you cannot go on, lean upon the Lord.” Then she repeated it, “You lean upon the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” More farther on, but it was a true honor for Nancy and I to have known her. She later had her other leg amputated and has since gone on to be with the Lord.)
Today I asked Mr. and Mrs. Crask if I could talk to their daughter (Nancy) about marriage. Up till this time, I had not even mentioned the word marriage to Nancy, and when the subject came up, I just changed the topic. I did not ask her parents if I could marry their daughter but only if I could “talk to her about” marriage. Why have her say yes to this if her parents were against it? Someone might say, “Then you do not really love her, or you would marry her anyway.” No, that is not true. I just believe that God is bigger than her parents, and if God wants us to be married, then He would change their minds. Anyhow, her parents said yes! So I waited for the right time and asked Nancy if she would marry me. Well, the time might have been appropriate, but the place was not—I asked her at a Laundromat! )^: I was not smart enough to know that the location was also important. When I asked her, she said she would have to ask her parents. I said, “I already did, and they are for it!” Praise God!
Jan. 10 1979
*As to my finances, I thought I should ask Bro. Baskin (he headed up our Bible college) if there was a job there I might have. This worked out well, and the hours I worked made it possible for me to go to college and manage my responsibilities at church also.
*I finished this semester’s finals today (Bible college)!
Feb. 15, 1979
Today I caught a teenager spray-painting our church wall. I chased him for two blocks, and he ran to his house and slammed the screen door. His mother came and told me she would take care of it. But when I walked back to the church, this same teenager pulled up in a car with three of his friends (there are a lot of gangs in La Puente). They all jumped out of the car, and he said he wanted his hat back that had fell off him when he ran from me. But they acted like they were going to cause trouble. I started to preach to them, and the one who spray-painted the wall hit my finger with the stick he had in his hand. (I was pointing at them when I was speaking.) I just kept preaching, and they stopped talking, and all of them looked in my face—I guess to see if **I believed what I was saying or not. When they saw that I did, they got back in the car and left. That evening I saw a man out at the church wall panting over that part which had been spray-painted. I asked him who he was, and he said he was the father of the young man who sprayed-painted the wall. He even had the right color of paint that blended into our wall and I witnessed to him.
**(Another time while out visiting and inviting children to ride the bus route, I went down a street I had never been on before, and a similar thing happened. About a dozen young men, perhaps 13 to17 years of age, all got up off the grass where they were sitting and came and circled me. They were holding sticks. They wanted to know who I was and why I was on their street. When I told them, they said things like, “You are against the virgin Mary, aren't you?” And some of them were moving their sticks around when they said this. I said, “No, she is Jesus’s mother, and I would have to answer to God someday if I did that." And I added, "When we die, God is not going to ask us what religion we are, but if we have trusted Jesus Christ for Heaven.” And again they all did the same thing—they moved from being around me to looking in my face to see if I believed what I was saying or not, and then they left.
*God loves me and I am thankful.
Feb. 18, 1979
Yesterday I took our bus kids that we pick up on Sunday to the snow in the mountains, 46 in all. I also witnessed to a man we met on the mountain, but he only wanted to know my “philosophy,” not God’s word, and I only succeeded in making him upset. I should have taken more time to explain that philosophies come from men, and their opinions continue to change. But God has not added one word to His Bible in 2,000 years. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” [Colossians 2:8].)
March 6, 1979
“My heart is inditing a good matter” (Psalm 45:1). We are planning our wedding! I love Nancy, and I know she is from the Lord. I believe we will make a great team for our Lord. Everything seems to be falling into place for our wedding, and also for my graduation from Bible college. The main speaker at the graduation will be Jerry Falwell.
I came off a seven-day fast. (No food, but I did drink water. This was the longest I have fasted.) But afterward, I gorged myself with the bus candy and was the most irritable I have been in a long time. Not very “spiritual.” I guessed I had expected the Lord to do some great thing. Things do not always work the way I think…“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
*“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth” (Proverbs 27:2). I like this verse. So we don’t need to look for ways to brag about our work.
April 23, 1979
Many things have happened since my last entry. I flew up to visit a seminary in Tacoma, Washington. The seminary paid for the flight up there. This school has some beliefs that I do not have, but they are good people. I think it is God’s will for me to go here (I was wrong). Perhaps I am to be an apologist (defender of the faith). I will need to learn more, “That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee” (Proverbs 22:21).
While I was there in the state of Washington, I meet with Pastor James Nolan. He is doing a great job! He started the church about nine months ago and had 50 in attendance the Sunday I was there. Nancy and I prayed about it, and we both want to help him in his ministry. I am excited about this!
May 6, 1979
I built some cabinets for Viola Amie, the lady on our bus route. “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again” (Proverbs 19:17). God has blessed that and always will if it is according to His word.
I had spent some time with Roy Amie, Viola’s son. Roy respected his mom, but he was not living for the Lord. He liked to go out and do what he called “chastising” (fight), and ran around with those who did the same. But he did not bother me because I was encouraging his mom and the children in the home. Still, the few times he came by, we had little conversation. There were gasoline lines at this time, and he needed some fuel and asked me to take him to a gas station nearby to fill up a five-gallon container.
Now God was bringing this marriage together, of Nancy and I, and He saw fit to give me all this joy. And others at the Christian school commented on how happy I was. It was the joy of the Lord. Sorry to say that then in my Christian walk, there were often times when I had a long face if things did not go my way, but not that week. And while I was taking Roy Amie to the gas station, he also commented about the joy he could see on my face. Anyhow, there was a long line at the gas station, and people’s tempers could easily flare up about anyone who might cut in line to get gas. But this did not stop Roy, whom I told, “Now, Roy, don’t cut in line with your gas can. All will see it.” “No it won’t be a problem,” he said. And then he pulled it off without anyone saying anything. But at that moment, I also needed gas for my car, and I did not have enough to go on the honeymoon Nancy and I had planned. This really bothered Roy, and he said two or three times it was not right that I did not have gas for my car and that he was going to get me in line and we would not have to wait. I assured him I was not bothered by this and that God would work it out some other way. We drove back to his mom’s house, and all the way there he was quiet, and I could tell this was working on him, seeing how I had joy and was not troubled by my problem.
(Roy came unexpectedly to our wedding and sat in the church without saying much of anything, unusual for him. Guess what? Roy asked God's Son to forgive him of all his sins and he then turned his whole life around! One of the first things he did was go to the court and confess to some wrong he had done. The judge commended him on turning himself in but told him because of his record, he would have to send him to prison for one year. He told me later that he understood all this and did it because he wanted to serve the Lord and was afraid that sometime in the future, his past would come up and be a problem, so he dealt with it now. He also told me, “Bro. Garry I walked into that prison with joy on my face because God gave it to me. And the guards at the prison said, ‘We’ll get that smile off your face, Roy.’” But he told me, “They never got rid of it!”)
May 14, 1979
Bible college graduation (May 10) was great, and I did graduate! My mom and dad came down for the wedding and graduation, and also my two brothers. The ladies in our church made all the food and set it up really nice. Which made it more special for my parents and the guests who came. My parents were not saved, but I have asked the Lord to “water” the seeds sown.
What I got out of Jerry Falwell’s message, who preached at our graduation, was, first, my generation will have to leave our heroes in the dust if we are ever to reach our world for Christ. We are not even keeping up with the population explosion. Second, I must be constantly preparing for the Lord’s work and keep up with world events. Third, be polite, even to those who are against you. Learn to be a gentleman. I truly want to accomplish great things for our God! Fourth, a lack of funds has never stopped the Lord’s work, just a lack of faith. Fifth, the measure of a man is what it takes to stop him.
Nancy and I were married two days ago. We am happy! The wedding was terrific! Especially the vows Nancy and I said to each other, verses we had memorized from the Bible. While Nancy was saying her verses to me, I could tell she was also giving herself to me. There was a short salvation message at our wedding, and two people called on the Lord to save them!
Garry and Nancy, together in Christ.
My verses I said to Nancy were from Ephesians 5:25–33: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself.”
Nancy’s verses, Proverbs 31:10–31: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
June 18, 1979
Nancy and I have been married now for over a month, and we are very happy and thankful! God has given me a good wife! We have moved up to Tacoma in Washington state to help Pastor Nolan with the church he started. For now the church is too small to hire me on, so the first place I looked for a job I was hired (cabinet shop). I get $6.00 an hour, and God gave us a lovely house for only $175.00 a month rent. It has two bedrooms, garage, washer and dryer, completely furnished, and they mow the lawn! I am so proud of it, and when I had my dad down to see our home and then told him the price, he said jokingly, “You had better thank you know who,” and he pointed up toward heaven. And I responded, but not jokingly, “Yes, Dad, I did thank Him.” “Oh,” he said.
I have been given the youth department at the church (Bible Baptist Church, Puyallup, Wash.). We had 11 teens our first Sunday. There are some good teens, and they need someone to guide them. Also, Pastor Nolan asked that I give the announcements each Sunday from the pulpit. In all, it is a real opportunity to learn. Nancy and I have a bright future if we just don’t fall. Fear the Lord! We doubled our missions giving from $50.00 to $100.00 a month, but with the cheap rent we pay, this more than makes up for it.
Sept. 29, 1979
Last Saturday I talked to Chip Carter (President Jimmy Carter’s son) for a few moments. I met him at my parents’ house, as my mom is involved in politics and she had a party for him and others. I told him I believe Christians are praying more for his father now because in the newspapers it says he is witnessing to others, such as the president of South Korea. But Chip Carter said his father was not taking any stronger stand than before, just that the newspapers were making more out of it now. Next time a political figure gives me his ear, I hope to quote Proverbs 14:34 to him: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
*I just got through a week of a Bill Gothard seminar.
I enrolled in the seminary in Tacoma. Four days a week from 7:30 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. It seems hard because it takes up so much of my time studying (minimum of three hours a night), and with all the other things I must do for the church and my job. And even with all the studying I am doing, I am fortunate to just get a C in Greek and Hebrew, though my other classes are better. Still, I think it is the Lord’s will to go to this seminary, but I may be wrong? Pastor Nolan said to at least finish one semester.
Oct. 6, 1979
*Doing a little bit better in seminary, but it takes so much time, not much left for anything else.
*I have thought about starting a billboard ministry, where I could have verses placed on it. Many people would read it that do not go to church. But at $200.00 a month for an average one, I could think of other places to spend that money.
Nov. 24. 1979
Well, I can’t make it in seminary and do all the other things I am doing. It seems I keep "biting off more than I can chew." In fact, now I believe I was out of God’s will to go in the first place, surprising because I did not think I could get out of His will. Pride, I guess. I wanted a bigger diploma, master’s degree, to stick on my wall and say, “Look at me.” I did not like thinking about quitting the seminary, and it was a hard decision for me, but just a few minutes after I made this decision, I felt like a burden was lifted off me. Nancy is also happy, as I am able to spend more time with her now. Deuteronomy 24:5 says, “When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.”
*We are planning on starting a Word of Life Club in our youth department at our church. This has several churches involved and has some large activities for our teens.
*Nancy is pregnant and three or four months till due date. I need to save money for the hospital and doctor bills.
It looks like the church will be able to take me on part time, and thus I’ll spend more time preparing for the teen activities and messages. And this will hopefully cause the church to grow more (an application form, Acts 6:17). I do so want to be faithful to the Lord all my days and not just do good for a short time and then “bomb out.” II Chronicles 32:31 speaks to my heart: “God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.” I want to finish my course someday and say what Paul said, that “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (Timothy 4:7). I do not want to fall in sin.
Dec. 8, 1979
Well, the 1980s are just around the corner. I have been hired at the church, part time, for three days a week, at $100.00. And the cabinet shop I am working at is OK with me working just two days a week there.
*I led a 15-year-old-boy to the Lord yesterday, and he cried when he accepted the Lord. It is a wonderful thing to share the gospel with others.
*Little is much when God is in it.
Dec. 14, 1979
God has been supplying our needs, and it increases your faith when you see this. The other day we needed money for gas to go to the Word of Life meeting. But I did not have the money, and I thought I must have spent it wrong. While I was thinking about this, a lady named Wanda Cox from our church gave me $10.00 for our new baby, who will be due in a few months, and then this couple in our church gave Nancy and I a lot of frozen food and baby clothes, and then a couple from our old church in California sent Nancy and I some clothes, and yesterday the Beckleys had a new suit that was given to the rescue mission where they work. I went over and tried it on, and it fits perfect and looks good too!
1980
Jan. 1, 1980
A couple Nancy and I know came up to visit us. And while they were here, I witnessed to them both, something I had done before. It was quite a scene—the wife started to cry because she said I didn’t believe her when she said she did accept Christ as her savior. Now besides the fact she used God’s name in vain while I was talking to her about the Lord, she told me that her Christ “was different than the one in the Bible.” But then she said she agreed with me, and why couldn’t I understand this? Hmm. And she informed me that “as man has evolved, so does God,” and that now she has a “god that is so far beyond any god that one could write about or put in words (Bible).” I didn’t tell her that this sounded like intellectual gobbledygook, but I did tell her that make-believe gods can’t help anyone. They both believed that their good works would save them, or their church, or both, and some of the sacraments, they added. I quoted the Bible to the husband, Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” He said that was my opinion, but I said that was God’s word. And then he said that was only my interpretation of the Bible, and I said OK, you read this passage and you interpret it. I tried to hand the Bible to him, but that is when the truth came out and he said, “I don’t believe the Bible.” Anyhow, it was a big argument, and when they left. I was troubled by it all. (Some years passed, and this man was saved and wanted me to know this.)
Feb. 19, 1980
It is Sunday morning, and for the first time since we have been married, Nancy and I are not able to go to church, because Nancy is having her labor now! We are still at home because we want to make sure it is not false labor. (Our son Benjamin was born the next day, 8 pounds 2 ounces, C-section.)
Sometimes I think the Lord is calling me to have my own work, but not sure. And not sure where, perhaps Canada? I do want to help Pastor Nolan get his church up to an average of 200 people and move into a larger facility. By helping him, I am helping myself. One reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7).
*You can’t push some new Christians, or they will drop out. We all need time to grow.
*I need not be afraid to ask other Christians in the church to help in the Lord’s work.
March 24, 1980
Took our youth group to the Word of Life event in Portland, Oregon. It was a basketball tournament between several churches. Three of the youths we brought there prayed and asked Christ to save them!
Problem: the event was supposed to be over at 6:00 p.m., but we did not get out till 10:30, and it was Saturday, with church the next day. By the time I got what I thought was the last teen home, it was 3:00 a.m.! When we were done dropping off the teens, I saw one last teen in the back of the van and asked him why he did not get off earlier when we were by his house. He said, “Oh, I wanted to talk to my friend!” So, we had to drive him back to his area to get home….! :^ ( Nancy and I did not get home till 5:00 a.m. The next morning at church, Pastor was “not a happy camper.” As several teens did not come to church but slept in. Also, parents were not happy, and we tried to explain to them all about the situation, but in the future, we leave any event that is not going to get us home in time!
However, that Sunday night Pastor Nolan had me preach to the church and I had the best liberty I can remember! I had prayed and said to the Lord, “Even if I make a fool out of myself,” I was willing, as long as I could get the message across. (Fortunately, the Lord blessed in spite of that prayer, but I recommend you do not pray like this! God is big enough to get things across without making you a fool.)
*I hope to witness to one person a day, something I vowed in Bible college, but up till now I have not been able to keep up with this. I have kept a record of this in the back of my Bible, and I know how far I am behind. It is good to write down your vows so you do not forget, because God does not forget (Ecclesiastes 5:4–7).
*I made a number of mistakes—most are solved now. One helper in our youth department planned an activity for our teens but without asking first, and it caused a conflict with our schedule. I had to get that straightened out, and fortunately, it did get worked out. We are now planning a trip to the college I graduated from. The idea is to expose our teens to Bible college.
*Nancy is in the kitchen doing the dishes and singing to Benjamin, who is next to her in a mini crib. :^)
Sep. 5, 1980
*If you do not care for the people you minister to they will know it.
Oct. 2, 1980 (The following are a number of sayings that I like.)
*Have a purpose. Goals must be your own, not others. This will give you direction; otherwise, you are just drifting downstream. Get a vision from God, what He wants you to do. This helps you stay away from sin, because you won’t accomplish it if you fall!
*Henry Ford said, “The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can't are both right.”
*Don’t expect blessings if you are not sowing them. People are expecting good things to come to them, but they have not sown good things. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
*There are people who are waiting for their “ship to come in,” but they have never sent one out.
*Our most valuable gift, after salvation, is time.
*“Be kind to everyone because everyone is having a hard time.” This statement is not always true, but it helps us to consider others.
*God will help direct you to where He wants, but start serving now. “It is easier to turn a moving object than one that is sitting still.” Also, “Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" (Will Rogers).
*You can only lead people as far as you have gone.
*Flattery is worse than criticism. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6).
*What is the desire of your heart? “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
*“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31).
*“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you [buy them a small gift], and pray for them which despitefully use you [pray they will repent], and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
*Don’t seek to get love. Seek to give it. “More blessed to give.”
Oct. 31, 1980
The election is coming up, and the news keeps saying that “you can’t legislate morality.” It is true that one cannot legislate “righteousness.” In other words, pass a law to make people “good.” But every country in the world has laws against rape, murder, thief, incest, etc., and these are all moral laws. It is just a question of whose morality. Also, the news keeps telling us, “Separation of church and state.” But what they really want is separation of God and state!
*You can tell who a man is by his enemies.
Nov. 20, 1980
There has been a lot of debates and interviews on the news, and I admire people who when they are ridiculed, they do not respond ugly but “keep their cool,” and some appear to have genuine love for those who attack them and still not compromise, i.e., Jerry Falwell.
Nov. 21 1980
Some of the teens in my Sunday school class are defiant and have caused me some trouble. But I am finding out that some of them had a problem before they came to my class. There was this one girl who was giving me dirty looks in class, and after class I asked her if I had done something to offend her. She replied, “I tried to commit suicide this week.” I was taking it personal when she gave me dirty looks, but her problem was not with me but inside of her. She was having some personal situations in her life, and her parents knew and were concerned for her. Teen years are difficult, and Nancy and I could only pray for her.
*Facial expressions and eyes are the windows of the soul.
Dec. 30, 1980
I have been trying to witness to one person a day, something I said in an earlier entry. Not just invite someone to church but give the plan of salvation to someone. I had made this vow in Bible college about two years ago. At any rate, I have been able to keep my vow up the last two months. Though it is sometimes hard to get going on this, still, I am glad I do it, and afterwards I have this joy of the Holy Spirit. I go door to door, knocking on doors and giving out tracts. (With our church’s address, program, and the plan of salvation in it.) I tell them what church I am from, invite them to our church, and ask them to later read the tract I gave them, and then if it seems they will listen, I tell them how I was saved. Usually, if I am there more than a few minutes, they will let me give them a brief salvation explanation. I say, “When I was 23 years old, I asked Christ to come into my heart and save my soul so I could go to heaven,” and add that “though religion can be very good, it still cannot save, forgive sins, or give eternal life.” I then ask them, “Have you ever asked Christ to come into your heart?” (If you pray before you go witnessing and have concern for people’s souls, they will often allow you to ask such questions.) If they are open, I will share verses with them from a small New Testament I keep in my pocket.
If people reject the message of salvation, it is still not a waste. I was witnessed to six or seven times before I trusted Christ. Christ said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8—I pray for Holy Spirit power to be a witness). Most people will take the tract I give out, and I try never to argue, but say we would be honored to have them visit with us in one of our services. I also take down their addresses if I believe they are good prospects.
1981
Feb. 11, 1981
I preached in a Canadian preachers’ meeting in Victoria this month and God blessed. All the missionaries up there had small works—30 people was considered a good work. Still, it seems exciting to me to preach the gospel anywhere, especially to those who have not heard it, or where no one is laying a church foundation. One of the great things about starting a church is, hopefully, it will continue after we die, and be a lighthouse for God’s work.
*I went to a preachers’ meeting in Portland, Oregon, this week and heard, among other outstanding speakers, Jerry Falwell.
*Don’t start a building program, stewardship conference, revival, etc., unless you bathe it in much prayer.
Feb. 17, 1981
*I always try to put a minimum of $3.00 to $8.00 more in the offering above my tithe because of how good God has been taking care of us (such as having cheap rent).
Aug. 17, 1981
I am 33 years old today and I am just now begging to “feel like an adult.” Nancy said, “It’s about time!” (I Corinthians 13:11). The church gave me $133.00 and more than $60.00 a few weeks ago when we went on vacation. It is good to feel loved and appreciated by God’s people. Never had this many friends when I was lost.
Sept. 9, 1981
I was ordained into the ministry on September 6. I wrote down what I believe in the back of my Bible so that by God’s grace, in the future I would not compromise on my beliefs.
My verses I said to Nancy were from Ephesians 5:25–33: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself.”
Nancy’s verses, Proverbs 31:10–31: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
June 18, 1979
Nancy and I have been married now for over a month, and we are very happy and thankful! God has given me a good wife! We have moved up to Tacoma in Washington state to help Pastor Nolan with the church he started. For now the church is too small to hire me on, so the first place I looked for a job I was hired (cabinet shop). I get $6.00 an hour, and God gave us a lovely house for only $175.00 a month rent. It has two bedrooms, garage, washer and dryer, completely furnished, and they mow the lawn! I am so proud of it, and when I had my dad down to see our home and then told him the price, he said jokingly, “You had better thank you know who,” and he pointed up toward heaven. And I responded, but not jokingly, “Yes, Dad, I did thank Him.” “Oh,” he said.
I have been given the youth department at the church (Bible Baptist Church, Puyallup, Wash.). We had 11 teens our first Sunday. There are some good teens, and they need someone to guide them. Also, Pastor Nolan asked that I give the announcements each Sunday from the pulpit. In all, it is a real opportunity to learn. Nancy and I have a bright future if we just don’t fall. Fear the Lord! We doubled our missions giving from $50.00 to $100.00 a month, but with the cheap rent we pay, this more than makes up for it.
Sept. 29, 1979
Last Saturday I talked to Chip Carter (President Jimmy Carter’s son) for a few moments. I met him at my parents’ house, as my mom is involved in politics and she had a party for him and others. I told him I believe Christians are praying more for his father now because in the newspapers it says he is witnessing to others, such as the president of South Korea. But Chip Carter said his father was not taking any stronger stand than before, just that the newspapers were making more out of it now. Next time a political figure gives me his ear, I hope to quote Proverbs 14:34 to him: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
*I just got through a week of a Bill Gothard seminar.
I enrolled in the seminary in Tacoma. Four days a week from 7:30 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. It seems hard because it takes up so much of my time studying (minimum of three hours a night), and with all the other things I must do for the church and my job. And even with all the studying I am doing, I am fortunate to just get a C in Greek and Hebrew, though my other classes are better. Still, I think it is the Lord’s will to go to this seminary, but I may be wrong? Pastor Nolan said to at least finish one semester.
Oct. 6, 1979
*Doing a little bit better in seminary, but it takes so much time, not much left for anything else.
*I have thought about starting a billboard ministry, where I could have verses placed on it. Many people would read it that do not go to church. But at $200.00 a month for an average one, I could think of other places to spend that money.
Nov. 24. 1979
Well, I can’t make it in seminary and do all the other things I am doing. It seems I keep "biting off more than I can chew." In fact, now I believe I was out of God’s will to go in the first place, surprising because I did not think I could get out of His will. Pride, I guess. I wanted a bigger diploma, master’s degree, to stick on my wall and say, “Look at me.” I did not like thinking about quitting the seminary, and it was a hard decision for me, but just a few minutes after I made this decision, I felt like a burden was lifted off me. Nancy is also happy, as I am able to spend more time with her now. Deuteronomy 24:5 says, “When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.”
*We are planning on starting a Word of Life Club in our youth department at our church. This has several churches involved and has some large activities for our teens.
*Nancy is pregnant and three or four months till due date. I need to save money for the hospital and doctor bills.
It looks like the church will be able to take me on part time, and thus I’ll spend more time preparing for the teen activities and messages. And this will hopefully cause the church to grow more (an application form, Acts 6:17). I do so want to be faithful to the Lord all my days and not just do good for a short time and then “bomb out.” II Chronicles 32:31 speaks to my heart: “God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.” I want to finish my course someday and say what Paul said, that “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (Timothy 4:7). I do not want to fall in sin.
Dec. 8, 1979
Well, the 1980s are just around the corner. I have been hired at the church, part time, for three days a week, at $100.00. And the cabinet shop I am working at is OK with me working just two days a week there.
*I led a 15-year-old-boy to the Lord yesterday, and he cried when he accepted the Lord. It is a wonderful thing to share the gospel with others.
*Little is much when God is in it.
Dec. 14, 1979
God has been supplying our needs, and it increases your faith when you see this. The other day we needed money for gas to go to the Word of Life meeting. But I did not have the money, and I thought I must have spent it wrong. While I was thinking about this, a lady named Wanda Cox from our church gave me $10.00 for our new baby, who will be due in a few months, and then this couple in our church gave Nancy and I a lot of frozen food and baby clothes, and then a couple from our old church in California sent Nancy and I some clothes, and yesterday the Beckleys had a new suit that was given to the rescue mission where they work. I went over and tried it on, and it fits perfect and looks good too!
1980
Jan. 1, 1980
A couple Nancy and I know came up to visit us. And while they were here, I witnessed to them both, something I had done before. It was quite a scene—the wife started to cry because she said I didn’t believe her when she said she did accept Christ as her savior. Now besides the fact she used God’s name in vain while I was talking to her about the Lord, she told me that her Christ “was different than the one in the Bible.” But then she said she agreed with me, and why couldn’t I understand this? Hmm. And she informed me that “as man has evolved, so does God,” and that now she has a “god that is so far beyond any god that one could write about or put in words (Bible).” I didn’t tell her that this sounded like intellectual gobbledygook, but I did tell her that make-believe gods can’t help anyone. They both believed that their good works would save them, or their church, or both, and some of the sacraments, they added. I quoted the Bible to the husband, Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” He said that was my opinion, but I said that was God’s word. And then he said that was only my interpretation of the Bible, and I said OK, you read this passage and you interpret it. I tried to hand the Bible to him, but that is when the truth came out and he said, “I don’t believe the Bible.” Anyhow, it was a big argument, and when they left. I was troubled by it all. (Some years passed, and this man was saved and wanted me to know this.)
Feb. 19, 1980
It is Sunday morning, and for the first time since we have been married, Nancy and I are not able to go to church, because Nancy is having her labor now! We are still at home because we want to make sure it is not false labor. (Our son Benjamin was born the next day, 8 pounds 2 ounces, C-section.)
Sometimes I think the Lord is calling me to have my own work, but not sure. And not sure where, perhaps Canada? I do want to help Pastor Nolan get his church up to an average of 200 people and move into a larger facility. By helping him, I am helping myself. One reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7).
*You can’t push some new Christians, or they will drop out. We all need time to grow.
*I need not be afraid to ask other Christians in the church to help in the Lord’s work.
March 24, 1980
Took our youth group to the Word of Life event in Portland, Oregon. It was a basketball tournament between several churches. Three of the youths we brought there prayed and asked Christ to save them!
Problem: the event was supposed to be over at 6:00 p.m., but we did not get out till 10:30, and it was Saturday, with church the next day. By the time I got what I thought was the last teen home, it was 3:00 a.m.! When we were done dropping off the teens, I saw one last teen in the back of the van and asked him why he did not get off earlier when we were by his house. He said, “Oh, I wanted to talk to my friend!” So, we had to drive him back to his area to get home….! :^ ( Nancy and I did not get home till 5:00 a.m. The next morning at church, Pastor was “not a happy camper.” As several teens did not come to church but slept in. Also, parents were not happy, and we tried to explain to them all about the situation, but in the future, we leave any event that is not going to get us home in time!
However, that Sunday night Pastor Nolan had me preach to the church and I had the best liberty I can remember! I had prayed and said to the Lord, “Even if I make a fool out of myself,” I was willing, as long as I could get the message across. (Fortunately, the Lord blessed in spite of that prayer, but I recommend you do not pray like this! God is big enough to get things across without making you a fool.)
*I hope to witness to one person a day, something I vowed in Bible college, but up till now I have not been able to keep up with this. I have kept a record of this in the back of my Bible, and I know how far I am behind. It is good to write down your vows so you do not forget, because God does not forget (Ecclesiastes 5:4–7).
*I made a number of mistakes—most are solved now. One helper in our youth department planned an activity for our teens but without asking first, and it caused a conflict with our schedule. I had to get that straightened out, and fortunately, it did get worked out. We are now planning a trip to the college I graduated from. The idea is to expose our teens to Bible college.
*Nancy is in the kitchen doing the dishes and singing to Benjamin, who is next to her in a mini crib. :^)
Sep. 5, 1980
*If you do not care for the people you minister to they will know it.
Oct. 2, 1980 (The following are a number of sayings that I like.)
*Have a purpose. Goals must be your own, not others. This will give you direction; otherwise, you are just drifting downstream. Get a vision from God, what He wants you to do. This helps you stay away from sin, because you won’t accomplish it if you fall!
*Henry Ford said, “The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can't are both right.”
*Don’t expect blessings if you are not sowing them. People are expecting good things to come to them, but they have not sown good things. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
*There are people who are waiting for their “ship to come in,” but they have never sent one out.
*Our most valuable gift, after salvation, is time.
*“Be kind to everyone because everyone is having a hard time.” This statement is not always true, but it helps us to consider others.
*God will help direct you to where He wants, but start serving now. “It is easier to turn a moving object than one that is sitting still.” Also, “Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" (Will Rogers).
*You can only lead people as far as you have gone.
*Flattery is worse than criticism. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6).
*What is the desire of your heart? “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
*“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31).
*“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you [buy them a small gift], and pray for them which despitefully use you [pray they will repent], and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
*Don’t seek to get love. Seek to give it. “More blessed to give.”
Oct. 31, 1980
The election is coming up, and the news keeps saying that “you can’t legislate morality.” It is true that one cannot legislate “righteousness.” In other words, pass a law to make people “good.” But every country in the world has laws against rape, murder, thief, incest, etc., and these are all moral laws. It is just a question of whose morality. Also, the news keeps telling us, “Separation of church and state.” But what they really want is separation of God and state!
*You can tell who a man is by his enemies.
Nov. 20, 1980
There has been a lot of debates and interviews on the news, and I admire people who when they are ridiculed, they do not respond ugly but “keep their cool,” and some appear to have genuine love for those who attack them and still not compromise, i.e., Jerry Falwell.
Nov. 21 1980
Some of the teens in my Sunday school class are defiant and have caused me some trouble. But I am finding out that some of them had a problem before they came to my class. There was this one girl who was giving me dirty looks in class, and after class I asked her if I had done something to offend her. She replied, “I tried to commit suicide this week.” I was taking it personal when she gave me dirty looks, but her problem was not with me but inside of her. She was having some personal situations in her life, and her parents knew and were concerned for her. Teen years are difficult, and Nancy and I could only pray for her.
*Facial expressions and eyes are the windows of the soul.
Dec. 30, 1980
I have been trying to witness to one person a day, something I said in an earlier entry. Not just invite someone to church but give the plan of salvation to someone. I had made this vow in Bible college about two years ago. At any rate, I have been able to keep my vow up the last two months. Though it is sometimes hard to get going on this, still, I am glad I do it, and afterwards I have this joy of the Holy Spirit. I go door to door, knocking on doors and giving out tracts. (With our church’s address, program, and the plan of salvation in it.) I tell them what church I am from, invite them to our church, and ask them to later read the tract I gave them, and then if it seems they will listen, I tell them how I was saved. Usually, if I am there more than a few minutes, they will let me give them a brief salvation explanation. I say, “When I was 23 years old, I asked Christ to come into my heart and save my soul so I could go to heaven,” and add that “though religion can be very good, it still cannot save, forgive sins, or give eternal life.” I then ask them, “Have you ever asked Christ to come into your heart?” (If you pray before you go witnessing and have concern for people’s souls, they will often allow you to ask such questions.) If they are open, I will share verses with them from a small New Testament I keep in my pocket.
If people reject the message of salvation, it is still not a waste. I was witnessed to six or seven times before I trusted Christ. Christ said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8—I pray for Holy Spirit power to be a witness). Most people will take the tract I give out, and I try never to argue, but say we would be honored to have them visit with us in one of our services. I also take down their addresses if I believe they are good prospects.
1981
Feb. 11, 1981
I preached in a Canadian preachers’ meeting in Victoria this month and God blessed. All the missionaries up there had small works—30 people was considered a good work. Still, it seems exciting to me to preach the gospel anywhere, especially to those who have not heard it, or where no one is laying a church foundation. One of the great things about starting a church is, hopefully, it will continue after we die, and be a lighthouse for God’s work.
*I went to a preachers’ meeting in Portland, Oregon, this week and heard, among other outstanding speakers, Jerry Falwell.
*Don’t start a building program, stewardship conference, revival, etc., unless you bathe it in much prayer.
Feb. 17, 1981
*I always try to put a minimum of $3.00 to $8.00 more in the offering above my tithe because of how good God has been taking care of us (such as having cheap rent).
Aug. 17, 1981
I am 33 years old today and I am just now begging to “feel like an adult.” Nancy said, “It’s about time!” (I Corinthians 13:11). The church gave me $133.00 and more than $60.00 a few weeks ago when we went on vacation. It is good to feel loved and appreciated by God’s people. Never had this many friends when I was lost.
Sept. 9, 1981
I was ordained into the ministry on September 6. I wrote down what I believe in the back of my Bible so that by God’s grace, in the future I would not compromise on my beliefs.
Nancy and I with Benjamin the night I was ordained.
Oct. 15, 1981
*Things that are bathed in prayer have good starts!
1982
July 19, 1982
Yesterday we dedicated Philip to the Lord in our church (he was born June 28). His middle name is Frank, in honor of my dad. God has given us some extra money, so I could give $100.00 in the offering to the Lord for Philip, a sort of “thanks!” offering. It is so much more like a family, having two sons. Also, Pastor Nolan was gone for two Sundays, and I got to do all the preaching.
Sept. 11, 1982
I officiated at my first wedding today! It looks like I will be teaching at a small Bible college the pastors in Washington state want to start this fall. And I am looking forward to it.
I have a goal of trying to reach a certain number of people for Christ. If I say the number, it would be criticized, for I can’t even count that far. I figure the only way to reach this many people is to train others so they will go out and be used of the Lord to do this. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:8).
1983
Jan. 31, 1983
A lesson I learned before but forget from time to time is, when giving to the Lord above the tithe, my family comes first. There is a saying that I have heard many times and used it myself: “You can’t out give God.” The problem is that this is not in the Bible. Though the basic idea is true, still part of the money God gave me was to feed my family, buy my wife a new dress, and meet the needs of my children. I believe in giving, and I believe in sacrifice if called upon to do this. However, I also believe “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (I Timothy 5:8). Our families can grow bitter if we take better care of others than our own or take what God has given us for our families and give it to the church.
Also, one of the reasons I was having such a hard time keeping up with my commitments, while in Bible college, was because I would not take money for the work I was doing. Which is fine if you have the funds to live on, but otherwise the Bible says, “The laborer is worth of his hire.” This is how God supplies our needs, He does not drop money out of heaven for us.
Being flexible is something some people need in their lives. During the time I was in Bible college, I had wanted to live just off my GI bill and some money I had saved up, but it was not working. I should have sought employment elsewhere or received the money from the church, which I had been offered. God does not have to do it our way! And this can be applied to many things, not just finances, so unless you have a verse that spells it out the way you want it to be, then seek council from your pastor and others who have walked farther down the Christian path than you. Some are “trusting” God to do some things He never promised to do! The opposite of being flexible is stubbornness, and God does not bless this (I Samuel 15:23).
1984
Jan. 29, 1984
*It has been a year since my last entry. The “LORD's mercies…They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23).
During spring last year, I was able to speak at the Pierce County Republican convention, over a 1,000 delegates. I spoke twice, both times about five minutes. One time about prayer in public school. My point was that the high schools have designated places you can smoke cigarettes, but it is against the law to pray there. One person said it was not really against the law to pray in public schools—but that is only if students do it silently so no one knows they are doing it, like in communist Russia. However, even congress opens in prayer! The other thing I spoke on was about home schooling. One point made by those opposed to it was that some parents might be good at it, but some parents might not be able to do it. But a lawyer stood up right after this person and said, “That sounds like the typical public school teacher to me!” I had fasted before this, and one of the verses God gave me was: “And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee…” (Joshua 3:7). There was an influential pastor there, and later I heard he bragged about me to other preachers.
1988
(Four Years since My Last Entry)
Feb. 2, 1988
The Lord led Nancy and I to start a church in Poulsbo, Washington. Our first service was March 19, 1985. We had eight people for Sunday school, counting my family of five. (Bethe was born July 26, 1984.) For the main service, we had 11 present, and my message was “The Fingerprints of a New Testament Church” (Acts 2:41–42). For our evening service, we had 13, and one couple joined! They had a Baptist background and were looking for a church! (They were from the navy submarine base at Bangor, about four miles from us. I was stationed on a nuclear submarine, USS Halibut, while I was in the navy.) Pastor Nolan sent us out with $1,000.00 a month support, plus some other churches gave us some support, and it is enough to make it. Been busy but fun! We got the church self-supporting after one year! And we mailed out a letter to the supporting churches that they no longer needed to support us.
Right after announcing we were self-supporting, we had a church split! Not fun. In fact, it was very painful. I could not eat for two weeks. I was not fasting, but simply could not eat—my stomach was tied in a knot. A man in our church wanted to call the meetings and meet with our trustees even when I was not there. In effect, he would have been the pastor, and I only the pastor in name, with him pulling my strings. When things like this happen, there are those who don’t understand.
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). I have never seen the Devil, but I have seen him work in the hearts of lost people and backslidden Christians. How do you “resist” him? Just keep saying no! (Nehemiah 6:2–8). Eventually he will get tired of listening to it and leave. This man had joined the church with his family and two other families, who were good people, and I would have liked to have kept them, especially since we were a small church. But “They that join in groups, leave in groups,” so they all left together. But praise the Lord, within three weeks we had our highest attendance to date.
We bought a bus so we could have a Sunday school bus route to pick up kids who otherwise would not be in church. There were a few people in our church who thought it was a good idea. But I know how much work it can be, not to mention the money involved, as I worked a bus route for two and a half years while at La Puente, in California. Anyhow, the Lord was convicting me about dragging my feet on this. Then one Sunday evening, a man got up to give what he said was testimony, but made it known that he did not think it was a good idea to get a bus route. Basically he said it was not the right time and we needed to be a bigger church first (Haggai 1:2). Having this vocalized in the church body troubled me. I really did not want a bus route, but some in the church did, and some were against it, and some were just watching to see what would happen.
While I was home praying about this, Pastor Dennis Brown from Yakima, Washington, called me, and the first words out of his mouth were, “Brother Garry, are you OK? Is something wrong?” I commented that it was interesting he called just then as I was going through this situation. He said, “Just start it. If someone does not want to support the bus, OK, but have those who do give to it and work it.” And then he said, “Good-bye.” I thought that was amazing he would call just then, because he never did before! I got back on my knees to pray, and then Viola Amie, the lady on our bus route that we picked up three of her grandchildren every Sunday in La Puente, called me. “Garry, is something wrong? Are you OK?” She had also never called me before. And I said, “Why are you calling me?” She explained that my face kept coming into her mind and that she felt there was a problem. “Well, there is,” I said, and I told her about it, and she said, “Garry you just get those little kids on that bus and God will bless it!” (That was the last I heard from her. She died a few years later.) “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 19:14). Well, we got a bus route, problems and all, but kids who never darkened the door of a church before got to hear about the God who loves them. (A footnote to this: the man who had said in the church he was not in favor of it ended up financially supporting the bus route!)
June 2, 1988
More about the bus route again. First, I had not wanted to go out Saturday to visit the children—this is required to get them to come—and I had expected a man who said he would drive the bus would do it, but he changed his mind. And one other man who wanted the bus route said he was too busy. When I prayed about this, I felt convicted and said, “OK, Lord, I will do it.” I had joy in my heart from this and went out and invited kids to come to church, and the bus route picked up some new children. And then a brother in our church said he would do this, and I was thankful.
We then had a major problem: the transmission was going out on the bus. Bother, it was a Saturday, and I and two other men from the church were on the bus trying to determine the extent of the problem, and we figured a rebuilt transmission would cost about $1,500.00. I remember saying out loud, “Thank you, Lord.” The Bible says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:18). But I was not happy, and all three of us, each in a different bus seat, had depressed looks on our faces and just sat there not saying much of anything. Then a man from our church just happened to drive up, saw us in the bus, stepped up into the bus, saw our looks on our faces, and said, “Hi, what’s wrong?” I told him our sad story, and he said, “I could give $1,400.00 to fix it.” Now I was happy!
Also, I praise the Lord for the good home He has given us. It is an older place but a good location on the outskirts of town, with a little creek in the backyard and over a dozen fruit-bearing trees. A good place to raise our family.
*Nancy and I are home schooling our children (mostly Nancy). Our motive for doing this was not because we were concerned our children would believe they came from animals via evolution. We could explain to them what was wrong with that, but we feared that their peer group (as those on drugs) would influence them more than we would.
1989
April 24, 1989
Something amazing happen last Friday while I was out door knocking, keeping up with my vow to witness to one person a day. I had been out door knocking for over an hour, when I walked up to an open door and a man came to the door with a towel wrapped around his head. I could not see his face at all. I thought, “This is different.” I wanted to leave, and then he fell down in front of me and I saw some stains on the towel, and I asked if he was bleeding. He said yes and pulled back the towel, and there was blood all over his face. In an attempted suicide, he had shot himself under the chin and the bullet had exited out his head just behind the hair line.
I didn’t know at the time if it was domestic violence or what, so I ran next door to the last lady I had witness to and had her call the ambulance. And she also called the police, and most of the neighborhood came over. Before the paramedics came, I had a word of prayer with him in his house with the neighbors all standing around and I asked him if he had ever asked Christ to come into his life and save his soul, and he shook his head no. Then I led him to the Lord right then and there.
One of the paramedics who arrived right after this said, “I don’t know how this guy is doing this.” He had a bullet go through his head; he was still conscious, able to walk, talk, and even prayed out loud to receive Christ. A helicopter had landed on the street right outside his home, and he was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. I tried to visit him the next day, but he was unconscious. The doctor said all the bullet had not exited and they had to operate on him. I asked if he would live, and if so, would he be normal? The doctor said, “Perhaps,” and added, “That area of the brain is not that important.” This was a surprise to me, as I thought it was all necessary. Our church and three other churches are praying for him.
May 23, 1989.
Yar Win (English spelling for Gia Nguyen, his Vietnamese name), the man who shot himself, was released from the hospital last Friday. He came to our church Sunday morning and night. So far, he seems normal in spite of what has happen to him. He was a naval officer in the South Vietnamese Navy, and after the war ended he spent four years in a communist prison camp, and when released escaped via a boat to Malaysia. He has been trying for several years to get his wife and two boys out of Vietnam without success.
1990
Oct. 15, 1981
*Things that are bathed in prayer have good starts!
1982
July 19, 1982
Yesterday we dedicated Philip to the Lord in our church (he was born June 28). His middle name is Frank, in honor of my dad. God has given us some extra money, so I could give $100.00 in the offering to the Lord for Philip, a sort of “thanks!” offering. It is so much more like a family, having two sons. Also, Pastor Nolan was gone for two Sundays, and I got to do all the preaching.
Sept. 11, 1982
I officiated at my first wedding today! It looks like I will be teaching at a small Bible college the pastors in Washington state want to start this fall. And I am looking forward to it.
I have a goal of trying to reach a certain number of people for Christ. If I say the number, it would be criticized, for I can’t even count that far. I figure the only way to reach this many people is to train others so they will go out and be used of the Lord to do this. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:8).
1983
Jan. 31, 1983
A lesson I learned before but forget from time to time is, when giving to the Lord above the tithe, my family comes first. There is a saying that I have heard many times and used it myself: “You can’t out give God.” The problem is that this is not in the Bible. Though the basic idea is true, still part of the money God gave me was to feed my family, buy my wife a new dress, and meet the needs of my children. I believe in giving, and I believe in sacrifice if called upon to do this. However, I also believe “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (I Timothy 5:8). Our families can grow bitter if we take better care of others than our own or take what God has given us for our families and give it to the church.
Also, one of the reasons I was having such a hard time keeping up with my commitments, while in Bible college, was because I would not take money for the work I was doing. Which is fine if you have the funds to live on, but otherwise the Bible says, “The laborer is worth of his hire.” This is how God supplies our needs, He does not drop money out of heaven for us.
Being flexible is something some people need in their lives. During the time I was in Bible college, I had wanted to live just off my GI bill and some money I had saved up, but it was not working. I should have sought employment elsewhere or received the money from the church, which I had been offered. God does not have to do it our way! And this can be applied to many things, not just finances, so unless you have a verse that spells it out the way you want it to be, then seek council from your pastor and others who have walked farther down the Christian path than you. Some are “trusting” God to do some things He never promised to do! The opposite of being flexible is stubbornness, and God does not bless this (I Samuel 15:23).
1984
Jan. 29, 1984
*It has been a year since my last entry. The “LORD's mercies…They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23).
During spring last year, I was able to speak at the Pierce County Republican convention, over a 1,000 delegates. I spoke twice, both times about five minutes. One time about prayer in public school. My point was that the high schools have designated places you can smoke cigarettes, but it is against the law to pray there. One person said it was not really against the law to pray in public schools—but that is only if students do it silently so no one knows they are doing it, like in communist Russia. However, even congress opens in prayer! The other thing I spoke on was about home schooling. One point made by those opposed to it was that some parents might be good at it, but some parents might not be able to do it. But a lawyer stood up right after this person and said, “That sounds like the typical public school teacher to me!” I had fasted before this, and one of the verses God gave me was: “And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee…” (Joshua 3:7). There was an influential pastor there, and later I heard he bragged about me to other preachers.
1988
(Four Years since My Last Entry)
Feb. 2, 1988
The Lord led Nancy and I to start a church in Poulsbo, Washington. Our first service was March 19, 1985. We had eight people for Sunday school, counting my family of five. (Bethe was born July 26, 1984.) For the main service, we had 11 present, and my message was “The Fingerprints of a New Testament Church” (Acts 2:41–42). For our evening service, we had 13, and one couple joined! They had a Baptist background and were looking for a church! (They were from the navy submarine base at Bangor, about four miles from us. I was stationed on a nuclear submarine, USS Halibut, while I was in the navy.) Pastor Nolan sent us out with $1,000.00 a month support, plus some other churches gave us some support, and it is enough to make it. Been busy but fun! We got the church self-supporting after one year! And we mailed out a letter to the supporting churches that they no longer needed to support us.
Right after announcing we were self-supporting, we had a church split! Not fun. In fact, it was very painful. I could not eat for two weeks. I was not fasting, but simply could not eat—my stomach was tied in a knot. A man in our church wanted to call the meetings and meet with our trustees even when I was not there. In effect, he would have been the pastor, and I only the pastor in name, with him pulling my strings. When things like this happen, there are those who don’t understand.
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). I have never seen the Devil, but I have seen him work in the hearts of lost people and backslidden Christians. How do you “resist” him? Just keep saying no! (Nehemiah 6:2–8). Eventually he will get tired of listening to it and leave. This man had joined the church with his family and two other families, who were good people, and I would have liked to have kept them, especially since we were a small church. But “They that join in groups, leave in groups,” so they all left together. But praise the Lord, within three weeks we had our highest attendance to date.
We bought a bus so we could have a Sunday school bus route to pick up kids who otherwise would not be in church. There were a few people in our church who thought it was a good idea. But I know how much work it can be, not to mention the money involved, as I worked a bus route for two and a half years while at La Puente, in California. Anyhow, the Lord was convicting me about dragging my feet on this. Then one Sunday evening, a man got up to give what he said was testimony, but made it known that he did not think it was a good idea to get a bus route. Basically he said it was not the right time and we needed to be a bigger church first (Haggai 1:2). Having this vocalized in the church body troubled me. I really did not want a bus route, but some in the church did, and some were against it, and some were just watching to see what would happen.
While I was home praying about this, Pastor Dennis Brown from Yakima, Washington, called me, and the first words out of his mouth were, “Brother Garry, are you OK? Is something wrong?” I commented that it was interesting he called just then as I was going through this situation. He said, “Just start it. If someone does not want to support the bus, OK, but have those who do give to it and work it.” And then he said, “Good-bye.” I thought that was amazing he would call just then, because he never did before! I got back on my knees to pray, and then Viola Amie, the lady on our bus route that we picked up three of her grandchildren every Sunday in La Puente, called me. “Garry, is something wrong? Are you OK?” She had also never called me before. And I said, “Why are you calling me?” She explained that my face kept coming into her mind and that she felt there was a problem. “Well, there is,” I said, and I told her about it, and she said, “Garry you just get those little kids on that bus and God will bless it!” (That was the last I heard from her. She died a few years later.) “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 19:14). Well, we got a bus route, problems and all, but kids who never darkened the door of a church before got to hear about the God who loves them. (A footnote to this: the man who had said in the church he was not in favor of it ended up financially supporting the bus route!)
June 2, 1988
More about the bus route again. First, I had not wanted to go out Saturday to visit the children—this is required to get them to come—and I had expected a man who said he would drive the bus would do it, but he changed his mind. And one other man who wanted the bus route said he was too busy. When I prayed about this, I felt convicted and said, “OK, Lord, I will do it.” I had joy in my heart from this and went out and invited kids to come to church, and the bus route picked up some new children. And then a brother in our church said he would do this, and I was thankful.
We then had a major problem: the transmission was going out on the bus. Bother, it was a Saturday, and I and two other men from the church were on the bus trying to determine the extent of the problem, and we figured a rebuilt transmission would cost about $1,500.00. I remember saying out loud, “Thank you, Lord.” The Bible says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:18). But I was not happy, and all three of us, each in a different bus seat, had depressed looks on our faces and just sat there not saying much of anything. Then a man from our church just happened to drive up, saw us in the bus, stepped up into the bus, saw our looks on our faces, and said, “Hi, what’s wrong?” I told him our sad story, and he said, “I could give $1,400.00 to fix it.” Now I was happy!
Also, I praise the Lord for the good home He has given us. It is an older place but a good location on the outskirts of town, with a little creek in the backyard and over a dozen fruit-bearing trees. A good place to raise our family.
*Nancy and I are home schooling our children (mostly Nancy). Our motive for doing this was not because we were concerned our children would believe they came from animals via evolution. We could explain to them what was wrong with that, but we feared that their peer group (as those on drugs) would influence them more than we would.
1989
April 24, 1989
Something amazing happen last Friday while I was out door knocking, keeping up with my vow to witness to one person a day. I had been out door knocking for over an hour, when I walked up to an open door and a man came to the door with a towel wrapped around his head. I could not see his face at all. I thought, “This is different.” I wanted to leave, and then he fell down in front of me and I saw some stains on the towel, and I asked if he was bleeding. He said yes and pulled back the towel, and there was blood all over his face. In an attempted suicide, he had shot himself under the chin and the bullet had exited out his head just behind the hair line.
I didn’t know at the time if it was domestic violence or what, so I ran next door to the last lady I had witness to and had her call the ambulance. And she also called the police, and most of the neighborhood came over. Before the paramedics came, I had a word of prayer with him in his house with the neighbors all standing around and I asked him if he had ever asked Christ to come into his life and save his soul, and he shook his head no. Then I led him to the Lord right then and there.
One of the paramedics who arrived right after this said, “I don’t know how this guy is doing this.” He had a bullet go through his head; he was still conscious, able to walk, talk, and even prayed out loud to receive Christ. A helicopter had landed on the street right outside his home, and he was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. I tried to visit him the next day, but he was unconscious. The doctor said all the bullet had not exited and they had to operate on him. I asked if he would live, and if so, would he be normal? The doctor said, “Perhaps,” and added, “That area of the brain is not that important.” This was a surprise to me, as I thought it was all necessary. Our church and three other churches are praying for him.
May 23, 1989.
Yar Win (English spelling for Gia Nguyen, his Vietnamese name), the man who shot himself, was released from the hospital last Friday. He came to our church Sunday morning and night. So far, he seems normal in spite of what has happen to him. He was a naval officer in the South Vietnamese Navy, and after the war ended he spent four years in a communist prison camp, and when released escaped via a boat to Malaysia. He has been trying for several years to get his wife and two boys out of Vietnam without success.
1990
Nancy was pregnant with Caleb when this picture was taken.
May 29, 1990
Yar Win has been doing well, with the exception of a few blackouts that last about five minutes. But now he has medications for this and hopefully will be OK, and he even drives himself to church. He comes to all the services, and we have baptized him. He also went back to work last month.
“Showers of blessings.” I got a telephone call from a Realtor I have worked with, trying to find a building for our church to buy. He said that a grange that a church was using had just came up for sale and that he thought it would sell the same day, as the price was way under market value. The asking price was $65,000.00, and the market value was $93,000.00. Guess what? We had saved up during the five years we have been in this church—exactly $65,000.00! Which we offered for the building, but the same day another bid was given for $70,000.00. That bid was not accepted, as it was to be made in payments, but ours was cash. The church voted 100 percent in favor of this, and we have already been offered $85,000.00 for the facility, but we do not want to sell. Instead, we will fix it up and use it for our church building. Also, there is a church in Everett, Washington (Pastor Ron Storz), who called me and asked if we wanted 16 padded pews, as they had just built a new auditorium and were getting new ones. These pews are really nice, and God’s people are excited about this! It is interesting how this came together at the right time. About one week before this building came open for sale, I was praying and said to the Lord, “It seems like the only thing we are doing here is waiting for our church to have its own building.” I still had a desire to be a missionary, but if God wanted me there or to stay more years, then praise the Lord. But if not, why were we still there, as we had done everything we believed God wanted us to do.
Oct. 1, 1990
God has called me and my family to be missionaries in Romania! Right after our church in Poulsbo moved into our new building, Nancy and I felt called to be missionaries. I had asked a couple of pastors what would happen if, after five and a half years of pastoring a church, I left it? They said some people will be hurt, but that they would get over it. And that if God has really called you, then you have to go! Hmm. Well, some of our people were hurt and some got upset with “poor little old me.” I have been told if I had done a bad job they would be glad I was going. But instead, God had blessed our time in Poulsbo, and I guess some felt I was deserting them. However, I stayed on till a new pastor was voted in, and they are now happy with him.
There were other pastors who wanted our church, as it was self-supporting and the building was paid for. Pastor Dennis Brown told me to stay until the new pastor came on, or the “wolf” would rise up his head. “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29). Christ warned us of hirelings in John 10:12–13, and in Matthew 7:15–20, He said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” “False prophets” usually have a bad record in their last church, or they’re “milking the system.”
I want to give a footnote about the national meeting for the churches in our fellowship that met last month and where I was approved as a missionary. It was held at Cincinnati, Ohio, and lasted for three days, with about 500 preachers plus a crowd of church members, in all about 1,600 people. As I was walking around the auditorium during a break and looking at all the preachers, I felt like I was just a small kid in comparison to everyone there. And the next day I was to stand up for five minutes in front of everyone and share my burden for Romania. And while I was walking around, suddenly I felt scared, and I said in my heart, “Lord, I do not know if I can do this.” I have seldom had such a feeling, but the Lord strengthened me. I could feel I was stronger, and I took that as a sign He was in it all and to leave it to Him. He wanted us in Romania and He would get us there. I realized there that it was not about me or my dream but that God was taking Nancy and I to Romania to do His work, and He was in charge, so I had better do it! God did bless the next day when I stood to speak to the preachers, and many booked us to visit their churches and present the work we hope to do in Romania.
1991
May 29, 1990
Yar Win has been doing well, with the exception of a few blackouts that last about five minutes. But now he has medications for this and hopefully will be OK, and he even drives himself to church. He comes to all the services, and we have baptized him. He also went back to work last month.
“Showers of blessings.” I got a telephone call from a Realtor I have worked with, trying to find a building for our church to buy. He said that a grange that a church was using had just came up for sale and that he thought it would sell the same day, as the price was way under market value. The asking price was $65,000.00, and the market value was $93,000.00. Guess what? We had saved up during the five years we have been in this church—exactly $65,000.00! Which we offered for the building, but the same day another bid was given for $70,000.00. That bid was not accepted, as it was to be made in payments, but ours was cash. The church voted 100 percent in favor of this, and we have already been offered $85,000.00 for the facility, but we do not want to sell. Instead, we will fix it up and use it for our church building. Also, there is a church in Everett, Washington (Pastor Ron Storz), who called me and asked if we wanted 16 padded pews, as they had just built a new auditorium and were getting new ones. These pews are really nice, and God’s people are excited about this! It is interesting how this came together at the right time. About one week before this building came open for sale, I was praying and said to the Lord, “It seems like the only thing we are doing here is waiting for our church to have its own building.” I still had a desire to be a missionary, but if God wanted me there or to stay more years, then praise the Lord. But if not, why were we still there, as we had done everything we believed God wanted us to do.
Oct. 1, 1990
God has called me and my family to be missionaries in Romania! Right after our church in Poulsbo moved into our new building, Nancy and I felt called to be missionaries. I had asked a couple of pastors what would happen if, after five and a half years of pastoring a church, I left it? They said some people will be hurt, but that they would get over it. And that if God has really called you, then you have to go! Hmm. Well, some of our people were hurt and some got upset with “poor little old me.” I have been told if I had done a bad job they would be glad I was going. But instead, God had blessed our time in Poulsbo, and I guess some felt I was deserting them. However, I stayed on till a new pastor was voted in, and they are now happy with him.
There were other pastors who wanted our church, as it was self-supporting and the building was paid for. Pastor Dennis Brown told me to stay until the new pastor came on, or the “wolf” would rise up his head. “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29). Christ warned us of hirelings in John 10:12–13, and in Matthew 7:15–20, He said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” “False prophets” usually have a bad record in their last church, or they’re “milking the system.”
I want to give a footnote about the national meeting for the churches in our fellowship that met last month and where I was approved as a missionary. It was held at Cincinnati, Ohio, and lasted for three days, with about 500 preachers plus a crowd of church members, in all about 1,600 people. As I was walking around the auditorium during a break and looking at all the preachers, I felt like I was just a small kid in comparison to everyone there. And the next day I was to stand up for five minutes in front of everyone and share my burden for Romania. And while I was walking around, suddenly I felt scared, and I said in my heart, “Lord, I do not know if I can do this.” I have seldom had such a feeling, but the Lord strengthened me. I could feel I was stronger, and I took that as a sign He was in it all and to leave it to Him. He wanted us in Romania and He would get us there. I realized there that it was not about me or my dream but that God was taking Nancy and I to Romania to do His work, and He was in charge, so I had better do it! God did bless the next day when I stood to speak to the preachers, and many booked us to visit their churches and present the work we hope to do in Romania.
1991
Mountains and field in the town of
Busteni Romania where we live.
Busteni Romania where we live.
Sept. 12, 1991
*Almost a year since my last entry. I need to keep up with this more. But we are now in Romania! As to being a missionary, we raised our support in seven months, and I had fun doing this! One pastor I called, trying to get a booking to present the field of Romania, when I asked if I could come in April, said, “For you to raise your support that fast would take a real miracle.” And he added that he had an opening in the fall if I liked. I said, “Lord willing, I will be gone by then,” and I added, “If you want us in your church, it would have to be before the end of April.” Well, he booked us for the last Sunday in April, for an evening service. And with his church, we had raised all our support, and the next day (April 29) we flew out from SeaTac Airport for Romania! We flew to Portugal, and from there, for the next seven days, we took trains all the way to Romania because we were supposed to save money by doing this. It was a big mistake, but anyway, we reached the Romanian frontier on May 6, 1991, praise God! Please see our short story "The Matheny Family Express." http://www.truechristianshortstoriesfreebygmmatheny.com/the-matheny-family-express.html
Much has happened. I am trying to learn the Romania language. It is Latin based, which I was told would make it easier for me to learn, but so far I am only stumbling through it. (I used a translator to preach for the first three churches we started). We started a church a few months ago, and we had a good start. People are friendly here in Romania, which helps us, being foreigners. And being the only Americans in our town makes us sort of novelties. My family has not complained about any of the different things, like waiting five hours in line just to get bread. I guess we have been spoiled by America and how easy it is. Ben and Philip have been big helps to us.
Sept. 16, 1991
A footnote on Yar Win. Before I left for Romania our church in Poulsbo raised the money to fly his wife and two sons to America. They arrived about four months after I left, and they all go to church. The last I heard, his wife had accepted Christ as her savior. Yar Win did the translating for her, as she does not yet speak English. (There two sons did well in school and graduated from universities, and Mr. and Mrs. Win had another addition to their family, their third son.)
Yar Win and Pastor Matheny
Nov. 1, 1991
We (Nancy, I, and our children) are planning a trip to Israel. We still have to do some work to get approval for our paperwork so we can get visas, and our visas are due shortly. So it is either go through another religion or leave the country, and then when I return, have our passports signed at the airport for three months. We need a break and someplace that speaks English, because until one learns a language, it is “mental work” to think in another language. Tel Aviv is only a couple of hours by plane from Bucharest. We plan on staying a week and seeing some sights!
1992
Feb. 21, 1992
Yesterday I felt led to start another work in a town not too many miles from our main work, which is in Busteni (both of these churches are in the mountains in the center of the country, later I will give a map).
Pastor Nolan, my sending pastor for missions, came over to Romania to visit us with his wife and Matt, his son. We were sure glad for their fellowship! We took a short one-day trip to Moldova (a small country right next to Romania that speaks the same language). Border guards in Moldova stopped us six times (this was in 1992, but not today) before we could get out of the country.
Learning the language is a bigger job than I thought, but I am enjoying speaking it. Our church in Busteni is going forward, little by little. We have been averaging about 40 each Sunday. But probably some of the people will not stay, as most have their own church and seem to just want to figure out what the American is doing here in their town, but it is good to have someone to preach to.
*Our children are all healthy, praise the Lord!
June 5, 1992
In the new work we started, we have had to move from three different buildings, as a priest, who is also on the city council, is behind this. The last time we were only given two days’ notice, and we had a six-month contract. But the man I rented the building from said if we did not move, then they were going to close down his building. I said, “OK, God will give us someplace else.” We ended up renting a room in an elderly lady’s home, and so far it seems to work.
June 27, 1992
The town where the priest is against our new work has reportedly said he would destroy our “cult.” At least, that is what I was told. In one of our services, in the elderly lady’s home, a man ran in while I was preaching and put an open letter on the pulpit and then ran out! I knew it would not be good, so I just folded it up and put it in my pocket. I continued preaching my message, and I thought the Lord gave me good liberty. When the message was over, the people (about a dozen) ran up to the pulpit and said, “What is in that letter?” I can not read Romanian yet, but my translator said that it told me to get out of town quick, or they (it did not say who “they” were), would make it “bad for me.” Also, the priest has told the lady we are renting from that she is going to get fined for having us in her home. But she seems more determined than before for us to stay!
I went twice to see the mayor but was told he was gone. Then the police chief called me up and wanted to talk to me. I came to the police station, and he told me we did not have authority to preach in his town. I showed him the paperwork we had gotten from the Romanian government and that it was for the whole county of Romania. But he said that it did not mention his town by name. I asked him if his town was in Romania or not. He was not too happy with my question, but I was frustrated. I hired a lawyer, and he wrote up a good letter that said unless the police chief recognized our paperwork and agreed to leave us alone that he would be held responsible. It seemed to make some difference, but we are now waiting for a reply.
*We started another preaching service in the town of Sacele, about 45 minutes away from our main work. I am now preaching seven times a week, counting four Sunday services.
Aug. 28, 1992
I was called back to the police station again. I had to bring a translator, as I still could not speak good enough Romanian to communicate, and it is important that I not say the wrong thing. I felt the police chief wished he did not have to deal with the situation. I think he thought that I would get tired of this and go to some other town. I left thinking not much was accomplished.
The advice I am getting is to just leave it alone unless they contact me, which I am willing to do. I prayed and asked God to give me a verse from the Bible that would fit my situation, to guide me. I opened up the Bible at random, and the verse that attracted my attention was, “There shall no man be able to stand before you” (Deuteronomy 11:25). This was written to the nation of Israel, but I still thought God was speaking to me through this.
I have bought a small building in Sacele to be used for the church we are starting there. I only paid $6,000.00. Buildings are not near as expensive here as in the States. The building we bought was a bar, but instead of giving out liquor, we will be giving out God’s Word.
Sept. 12, 1992
I was called back to the police station in the town we are having problems in, and I was told we were going to be fined 50,000 lei (Romanian currency, not that much compared to dollars.) I was told if I paid it within 48 hours, it would be half price. But that would be an admission of guilt, and I had not done anything against the law. My lawyer said that the law they were trying to use against me did not apply, and he believed we would win in court. But just because a lawyer thinks you will win does not mean you will. Not sure I have any choice; it is go to court and fight this, or pay the fine, look guilty and leave the town. I am not in the States, and the laws are not exactly the same.
Sept. 30, 1992
I started a Bible institute, or as some would call it, a seminary. It is only on Saturday but lasts for five hours. The purpose is to train young men and women for the ministry. I have taught at a small Bible college in the Sates for a few years and so have some experience with this, and there have been some young men who are interested in preaching! Right now there are eight young people, though I expect some will drop out. (There have been visiting preachers and laypeople from the States who have said if I wanted, they would try and get our students trained in the States. This leaves the impression we are too dumb to do it. I told them the Apostle Paul did not send his converts back and forth to Jerusalem to be trained. And I do not want to give the false impression that if someone needs help with a visa to the States that they should be “converted to Jesus Christ and join our church.”)
As to the situation of the fine and going to court to contest it, we seem to be “in a holding pattern,” but eventually it will go to court. I am not bothered by it as long as I do not focus on it. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). Peter did not sink in the sea because of the storm but because he took his eyes off Jesus. But the priest is still up to something, and after our services, some have told me he followed them home and told them he will not bury them when they die. Apparently his church owns the only cemetery in town. I told our people if such was the case, we would take them to Busteni and bury them.
Nov. 10, 1992
God gave the victory in court! The judge accepted the paperwork and said we never should have been in court in the first place. I have heard the police chief said he would not bother us again—actually, I do not think he wanted to in the first place. When I left the courtroom, one of two missionaries (Robin Burnet and Tom Gentry) who came there that day said I looked totally different after the court hearing. I felt 20 pounds lighter; a burden has been lifted off me.
I also prayed and asked the Lord what he was going to do to the priest. Two things happened immediately when I prayed that: one was that God’s word came to my mind loud and clear. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). And the second was I felt like God was upset with me for asking Him, sort of like He said, “I don’t need your advice.” I told the Lord I was sorry and left it alone.
Nov. 22, 1992
The priest has had to leave town. He was on the city council, and people in his town have put their names on a list to get new apartments, with some waiting as long as three years. Apparently, the priest sold some of them to those who were not on the list, and everyone was pointing their finger at him, and he has had to leave!
*I am trying to raise money to buy another building for one of our works.
1993
Feb. 24, 1993
*I am preaching in three churches each Sunday and getting a little tired. Hopefully a missionary family will come over and help us.
Marian Stefan, who was saved and baptized in Busteni, is starting to help with the preaching once a week. And the other students in our institute have been giving their testimonies in our churches and going out and distributing tracts and inviting people to our churches.
Aug. 2, 1993
A problem has arisen between me and another missionary (like Barnabas and Paul, Acts 15:37–41). He was talking to others about me, including the missions’ office, and told them of his “concern” for me, that I was going to burn out, lose my wife and family, and not last in the ministry. I confronted him about this and asked if he could give any practical illustration of how this was true or how he could know this. He said he could not but that he just “sensed it.” I suppose it doesn’t matter if he wants to believe this, but I did not like him talking about us to others. I told him I thought his concern was really jealousy, because I was getting more done than he was, and I shared what I believed were problems in his work. I went home and asked my family (my wife and older children) how they felt, thinking maybe I was blind to it, and they said, “You know we are happy.” I also asked other missionaries who have been in our home and know my family much better than he did, and they said they could not see a problem.
It is interesting to me that those who would say you should just be gracious to those who do this to you are themselves upset when someone does something similar to them. Anyhow, I am sorry, but it made me upset. In truth, telling him what I did, did not make me feel any better. I should not have said to him the things I did. Guess I needed to be more “gracious.” I called the missions’ director, as this man had shared his “concern” for me with the director also. Thankfully, the director said he knew I was not losing my family but thought I had too many irons in the fire, but he added that he knew the other missionary was jealous of me. It is true one can burn out, but it is also true one can rust out. I don’t have a good feeling about this, and I am not sure how all this will play out, but for now I want to keep my distance from him.
*The bread lines have all gone away! It is nice to just go and buy what you want without waiting in line.
Aug. 10, 1993
In our newsletter we send out to the supporting churches, I wrote that, Lord willing, two missionary families have said they want to come and help us in the churches we started and the Bible institute here in Romania. And that they would like to do this until they learn the language. This newsletter was printed in a religious newspaper that goes to churches, and I appreciated this. Thank you, Lord!
Nov. 3, 1993
We hope to go back to the states on furlough in about month and a half. (We did not go when we planned, but had to wait another six months so a missionary could fly to Romania to take our place.) Hopefully, it will be “fun!” Overall, even with some hard things that have happened during this first term, it has been fun.
We put together a Missionary Get-Together, where we invite the other missionaries to come and hear some encouraging preaching and fellowship. Preachers also need to hear preaching. Twelve missionary families came, some who have not seen another American for over six months. One missionary gave a testimony and said, “I told people what I was going to do when I was in the States on deputation, but it is a whole lot different on the field when you are actually here and facing reality.”
Sept. 16, 1991
A footnote on Yar Win. Before I left for Romania our church in Poulsbo raised the money to fly his wife and two sons to America. They arrived about four months after I left, and they all go to church. The last I heard, his wife had accepted Christ as her savior. Yar Win did the translating for her, as she does not yet speak English. (There two sons did well in school and graduated from universities, and Mr. and Mrs. Win had another addition to their family, their third son.)
Yar Win and Pastor Matheny
Nov. 1, 1991
We (Nancy, I, and our children) are planning a trip to Israel. We still have to do some work to get approval for our paperwork so we can get visas, and our visas are due shortly. So it is either go through another religion or leave the country, and then when I return, have our passports signed at the airport for three months. We need a break and someplace that speaks English, because until one learns a language, it is “mental work” to think in another language. Tel Aviv is only a couple of hours by plane from Bucharest. We plan on staying a week and seeing some sights!
1992
Feb. 21, 1992
Yesterday I felt led to start another work in a town not too many miles from our main work, which is in Busteni (both of these churches are in the mountains in the center of the country, later I will give a map).
Pastor Nolan, my sending pastor for missions, came over to Romania to visit us with his wife and Matt, his son. We were sure glad for their fellowship! We took a short one-day trip to Moldova (a small country right next to Romania that speaks the same language). Border guards in Moldova stopped us six times (this was in 1992, but not today) before we could get out of the country.
Learning the language is a bigger job than I thought, but I am enjoying speaking it. Our church in Busteni is going forward, little by little. We have been averaging about 40 each Sunday. But probably some of the people will not stay, as most have their own church and seem to just want to figure out what the American is doing here in their town, but it is good to have someone to preach to.
*Our children are all healthy, praise the Lord!
June 5, 1992
In the new work we started, we have had to move from three different buildings, as a priest, who is also on the city council, is behind this. The last time we were only given two days’ notice, and we had a six-month contract. But the man I rented the building from said if we did not move, then they were going to close down his building. I said, “OK, God will give us someplace else.” We ended up renting a room in an elderly lady’s home, and so far it seems to work.
June 27, 1992
The town where the priest is against our new work has reportedly said he would destroy our “cult.” At least, that is what I was told. In one of our services, in the elderly lady’s home, a man ran in while I was preaching and put an open letter on the pulpit and then ran out! I knew it would not be good, so I just folded it up and put it in my pocket. I continued preaching my message, and I thought the Lord gave me good liberty. When the message was over, the people (about a dozen) ran up to the pulpit and said, “What is in that letter?” I can not read Romanian yet, but my translator said that it told me to get out of town quick, or they (it did not say who “they” were), would make it “bad for me.” Also, the priest has told the lady we are renting from that she is going to get fined for having us in her home. But she seems more determined than before for us to stay!
I went twice to see the mayor but was told he was gone. Then the police chief called me up and wanted to talk to me. I came to the police station, and he told me we did not have authority to preach in his town. I showed him the paperwork we had gotten from the Romanian government and that it was for the whole county of Romania. But he said that it did not mention his town by name. I asked him if his town was in Romania or not. He was not too happy with my question, but I was frustrated. I hired a lawyer, and he wrote up a good letter that said unless the police chief recognized our paperwork and agreed to leave us alone that he would be held responsible. It seemed to make some difference, but we are now waiting for a reply.
*We started another preaching service in the town of Sacele, about 45 minutes away from our main work. I am now preaching seven times a week, counting four Sunday services.
Aug. 28, 1992
I was called back to the police station again. I had to bring a translator, as I still could not speak good enough Romanian to communicate, and it is important that I not say the wrong thing. I felt the police chief wished he did not have to deal with the situation. I think he thought that I would get tired of this and go to some other town. I left thinking not much was accomplished.
The advice I am getting is to just leave it alone unless they contact me, which I am willing to do. I prayed and asked God to give me a verse from the Bible that would fit my situation, to guide me. I opened up the Bible at random, and the verse that attracted my attention was, “There shall no man be able to stand before you” (Deuteronomy 11:25). This was written to the nation of Israel, but I still thought God was speaking to me through this.
I have bought a small building in Sacele to be used for the church we are starting there. I only paid $6,000.00. Buildings are not near as expensive here as in the States. The building we bought was a bar, but instead of giving out liquor, we will be giving out God’s Word.
Sept. 12, 1992
I was called back to the police station in the town we are having problems in, and I was told we were going to be fined 50,000 lei (Romanian currency, not that much compared to dollars.) I was told if I paid it within 48 hours, it would be half price. But that would be an admission of guilt, and I had not done anything against the law. My lawyer said that the law they were trying to use against me did not apply, and he believed we would win in court. But just because a lawyer thinks you will win does not mean you will. Not sure I have any choice; it is go to court and fight this, or pay the fine, look guilty and leave the town. I am not in the States, and the laws are not exactly the same.
Sept. 30, 1992
I started a Bible institute, or as some would call it, a seminary. It is only on Saturday but lasts for five hours. The purpose is to train young men and women for the ministry. I have taught at a small Bible college in the Sates for a few years and so have some experience with this, and there have been some young men who are interested in preaching! Right now there are eight young people, though I expect some will drop out. (There have been visiting preachers and laypeople from the States who have said if I wanted, they would try and get our students trained in the States. This leaves the impression we are too dumb to do it. I told them the Apostle Paul did not send his converts back and forth to Jerusalem to be trained. And I do not want to give the false impression that if someone needs help with a visa to the States that they should be “converted to Jesus Christ and join our church.”)
As to the situation of the fine and going to court to contest it, we seem to be “in a holding pattern,” but eventually it will go to court. I am not bothered by it as long as I do not focus on it. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). Peter did not sink in the sea because of the storm but because he took his eyes off Jesus. But the priest is still up to something, and after our services, some have told me he followed them home and told them he will not bury them when they die. Apparently his church owns the only cemetery in town. I told our people if such was the case, we would take them to Busteni and bury them.
Nov. 10, 1992
God gave the victory in court! The judge accepted the paperwork and said we never should have been in court in the first place. I have heard the police chief said he would not bother us again—actually, I do not think he wanted to in the first place. When I left the courtroom, one of two missionaries (Robin Burnet and Tom Gentry) who came there that day said I looked totally different after the court hearing. I felt 20 pounds lighter; a burden has been lifted off me.
I also prayed and asked the Lord what he was going to do to the priest. Two things happened immediately when I prayed that: one was that God’s word came to my mind loud and clear. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). And the second was I felt like God was upset with me for asking Him, sort of like He said, “I don’t need your advice.” I told the Lord I was sorry and left it alone.
Nov. 22, 1992
The priest has had to leave town. He was on the city council, and people in his town have put their names on a list to get new apartments, with some waiting as long as three years. Apparently, the priest sold some of them to those who were not on the list, and everyone was pointing their finger at him, and he has had to leave!
*I am trying to raise money to buy another building for one of our works.
1993
Feb. 24, 1993
*I am preaching in three churches each Sunday and getting a little tired. Hopefully a missionary family will come over and help us.
Marian Stefan, who was saved and baptized in Busteni, is starting to help with the preaching once a week. And the other students in our institute have been giving their testimonies in our churches and going out and distributing tracts and inviting people to our churches.
Aug. 2, 1993
A problem has arisen between me and another missionary (like Barnabas and Paul, Acts 15:37–41). He was talking to others about me, including the missions’ office, and told them of his “concern” for me, that I was going to burn out, lose my wife and family, and not last in the ministry. I confronted him about this and asked if he could give any practical illustration of how this was true or how he could know this. He said he could not but that he just “sensed it.” I suppose it doesn’t matter if he wants to believe this, but I did not like him talking about us to others. I told him I thought his concern was really jealousy, because I was getting more done than he was, and I shared what I believed were problems in his work. I went home and asked my family (my wife and older children) how they felt, thinking maybe I was blind to it, and they said, “You know we are happy.” I also asked other missionaries who have been in our home and know my family much better than he did, and they said they could not see a problem.
It is interesting to me that those who would say you should just be gracious to those who do this to you are themselves upset when someone does something similar to them. Anyhow, I am sorry, but it made me upset. In truth, telling him what I did, did not make me feel any better. I should not have said to him the things I did. Guess I needed to be more “gracious.” I called the missions’ director, as this man had shared his “concern” for me with the director also. Thankfully, the director said he knew I was not losing my family but thought I had too many irons in the fire, but he added that he knew the other missionary was jealous of me. It is true one can burn out, but it is also true one can rust out. I don’t have a good feeling about this, and I am not sure how all this will play out, but for now I want to keep my distance from him.
*The bread lines have all gone away! It is nice to just go and buy what you want without waiting in line.
Aug. 10, 1993
In our newsletter we send out to the supporting churches, I wrote that, Lord willing, two missionary families have said they want to come and help us in the churches we started and the Bible institute here in Romania. And that they would like to do this until they learn the language. This newsletter was printed in a religious newspaper that goes to churches, and I appreciated this. Thank you, Lord!
Nov. 3, 1993
We hope to go back to the states on furlough in about month and a half. (We did not go when we planned, but had to wait another six months so a missionary could fly to Romania to take our place.) Hopefully, it will be “fun!” Overall, even with some hard things that have happened during this first term, it has been fun.
We put together a Missionary Get-Together, where we invite the other missionaries to come and hear some encouraging preaching and fellowship. Preachers also need to hear preaching. Twelve missionary families came, some who have not seen another American for over six months. One missionary gave a testimony and said, “I told people what I was going to do when I was in the States on deputation, but it is a whole lot different on the field when you are actually here and facing reality.”
Of the missionaries pictured above none of them are still in Romania but they did a good work while they were here and most are now ministering in the States.
Also, one of our Bible institute student’s parents told him to not go to the institute and to stop coming to our church. Of course I did not want to lose him and struggled with this, but there were some other things involved, extenuating circumstances. I ended up taking him home, and talking to his parents (“Honour thy father and thy mother”) and telling them we would like him to continue in our church and Bible institute, but if they were not in agreement, then it was their decision. Well, after that they let him return, and things seem better.
Regarding that situation I had with the other missionary…I have found myself thinking about it sometimes two or three time a day. I told my wife that I think I should call him and apologize for the things I said, but she said not to. Well, I ended up calling him anyway and said I was sorry for what I had said and that it was not my business how he did his work. He accepted this graciously, and I felt better about it, only wishing I had done this sooner.
1994
Nov. 15, 1994
I have been disappointed in Jerry Falwell because of his association with the PTL club and preaching on a regular basis there. I know Falwell does not agree with PTL, but it blurs the line for others. It is getting harder to defend him, and I have stopped praying for him every day. He is probably doing this to build up his college, but it has hurt him with others. Later, when he had to stop going on that TV program, it was the only time I had ever seen him discouraged.
Also, we got back from furlough three months ago and it was great! We saw family, and it was fun preaching in the different churches. The missionary who took my place while I was on furlough did a great job. And there is another missionary, Glen Sanders and his wife, who have come back with us to Romania to help in the work here.
One thing that happened while I was on furlough: the Lord gave me a vision. This has never happened before (nor since). When one talks about visions, he will often be ridiculed, and I understand why, with some having a “vision” every day, but they most likely just ate too much pepperoni pizza! Still, something took place on this furlough while I was at a missions’ conference. I was listening to a preacher who said, “Some just don’t have the faith to believe God can work mightily.” I thought, “I do.” Then he said, “Or some have that faith but don’t think God will use them to do it.” And this was the thought I had. But when he said that, somehow I saw right in front of me a room filled with four hundred Romanians, some I know, all in smiles, in a church building. Think what you want, but that is the only way I can explain it. It was only for a second, but I had this impression that someday God was going to give us such a church in Romania. Every country is not the same or as easy to build a work in. My impression after one term in Romania was that even if I was fortunate, that after 20 years, maybe, somehow, I could have a church with 200 people. But still I believe God was letting me know this as He let Joseph know his calling in advance. So I am looking for a place to buy or eventually build that will hold such a crowd.
About the missionary I had a problem with—I found myself still thinking about it once a week, and I felt bad, so I sent him $250.00 as an offering to his support. Three months went by, and I received a letter from him. It said he was shocked I had sent him the money, and that he knew things had not always been right between us, and to let the blame be on him. The tone of the letter was good, and it takes a big man to say that. I respect him for it! This helped me with thinking about it, for it is now gone! Praise God! When he came off furlough, I went and thanked him for it.
Also, one of our Bible institute student’s parents told him to not go to the institute and to stop coming to our church. Of course I did not want to lose him and struggled with this, but there were some other things involved, extenuating circumstances. I ended up taking him home, and talking to his parents (“Honour thy father and thy mother”) and telling them we would like him to continue in our church and Bible institute, but if they were not in agreement, then it was their decision. Well, after that they let him return, and things seem better.
Regarding that situation I had with the other missionary…I have found myself thinking about it sometimes two or three time a day. I told my wife that I think I should call him and apologize for the things I said, but she said not to. Well, I ended up calling him anyway and said I was sorry for what I had said and that it was not my business how he did his work. He accepted this graciously, and I felt better about it, only wishing I had done this sooner.
1994
Nov. 15, 1994
I have been disappointed in Jerry Falwell because of his association with the PTL club and preaching on a regular basis there. I know Falwell does not agree with PTL, but it blurs the line for others. It is getting harder to defend him, and I have stopped praying for him every day. He is probably doing this to build up his college, but it has hurt him with others. Later, when he had to stop going on that TV program, it was the only time I had ever seen him discouraged.
Also, we got back from furlough three months ago and it was great! We saw family, and it was fun preaching in the different churches. The missionary who took my place while I was on furlough did a great job. And there is another missionary, Glen Sanders and his wife, who have come back with us to Romania to help in the work here.
One thing that happened while I was on furlough: the Lord gave me a vision. This has never happened before (nor since). When one talks about visions, he will often be ridiculed, and I understand why, with some having a “vision” every day, but they most likely just ate too much pepperoni pizza! Still, something took place on this furlough while I was at a missions’ conference. I was listening to a preacher who said, “Some just don’t have the faith to believe God can work mightily.” I thought, “I do.” Then he said, “Or some have that faith but don’t think God will use them to do it.” And this was the thought I had. But when he said that, somehow I saw right in front of me a room filled with four hundred Romanians, some I know, all in smiles, in a church building. Think what you want, but that is the only way I can explain it. It was only for a second, but I had this impression that someday God was going to give us such a church in Romania. Every country is not the same or as easy to build a work in. My impression after one term in Romania was that even if I was fortunate, that after 20 years, maybe, somehow, I could have a church with 200 people. But still I believe God was letting me know this as He let Joseph know his calling in advance. So I am looking for a place to buy or eventually build that will hold such a crowd.
About the missionary I had a problem with—I found myself still thinking about it once a week, and I felt bad, so I sent him $250.00 as an offering to his support. Three months went by, and I received a letter from him. It said he was shocked I had sent him the money, and that he knew things had not always been right between us, and to let the blame be on him. The tone of the letter was good, and it takes a big man to say that. I respect him for it! This helped me with thinking about it, for it is now gone! Praise God! When he came off furlough, I went and thanked him for it.
The Bible institute has nine students, and Glen Sanders is helping with the teaching.
We have had 11 baptized since we have been back from furlough! Baptism does not save any more than a wedding ring makes you married, but a ring shows that you are married, and baptism shows one believes Christ died for his sins, was buried, and rose bodily from the grave.
We have had 11 baptized since we have been back from furlough! Baptism does not save any more than a wedding ring makes you married, but a ring shows that you are married, and baptism shows one believes Christ died for his sins, was buried, and rose bodily from the grave.
*Started another church in the town of Sfântu Gheorghe (Saint George), about an hour and 20 minutes from my house.
Dec. 2, 1994
A few days ago I got a call from another missionary who said he wanted to have a “meeting” with me and other missionaries, about the paperwork I had (approval from the Romanian government).
I had obtained this paperwork to help with visas so we would not have to go through another religion, and to own property. If you do not have this, then you will have to put any property, land, or buildings in the name of an individual in the church, and even if he is a good man, when he dies some lost relative may think it is his inheritance. This was one of the first things I did when I came to Romania, and it took five months to get it approved. I hired a lawyer to write up the paperwork, and the American embassy helped us get the approval.
Anyhow, this missionary who called me wanted to have some say in this, but those in our church do not need his help. I thought it was like playing politics. If he wanted some authority over it, then he could go get his own approval from the Romania government.
*Our children have been a real blessing and encouragement to Nancy and I.
Dec. 16, 1994
I have been reading in our family devotions about Jim Elliot, a missionary to South America, who died for his faith in Christ. I read that he kept a daily diary, and this encourages me to keep up with mine. I hope that someday this diary can be copied out and left to my children to read, and maybe my grandchildren. I also believe it would be helpful to those training for the ministry.
Dec. 29, 1994
We have four churches that we have started in various stages of growth. Some of these may not make it, but I hope to start more. Jesus said if a town will not receive you, leave (Luke 9:5). Cities and towns are like people—they have personalities, and some people are open to the gospel and some are not, the same with towns. Jesus could do no mighty works in his own hometown because of their unbelief. Christ did not lack power to save, but they lacked faith. Every place is not the same.
I keep thinking that our major problems are behind us now. (Hmm) I suppose the more works you have (churches), the more potential problems. I felt like Nehemiah, who was building and battling at the same time. “And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows…” (Nehemiah 4:16). At any rate, I hope now to grow the works that God has given to us.
Dec. 30, 1994
Tonight on my way back from a church service, I came around a corner, and there was a man lying in the middle of the road. As it turned out, he was drunk. I pulled the van over and put him in it with the help of another man who was passing by. If I would have left him there, he most likely would have been run over and died. But not far down the road, the drunk man woke up and wanted out of my van. I was willing to take him to his house, but he would not let me. As he walked away, he fell a couple of times but still did not want our help. The man who had helped me put him in the van said, “You have done what you could.” In the States I would think that some I shared the gospel with were intoxicated with this world’s philosophy. "The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble." (Proverbs 4:19)
1995
Jan. 4, 1995
*Missionary Glen Sanders and his wife are a real blessing to us and to the students in our Bible institute. A missionary who had served in another country for 15 years told me the first few years on the mission field, a missionary often goes through a “baptism of fire.” He meant the problems and adjustments you can go through. He added that the problems will make or break a missionary. I have purposely not written about a couple of problems, least I should be an offense to others, but thankfully God gave us the victory on these also. I have had four major problems in the last three and a half years. Guess what? I don’t like them! Hopefully, they are behind us now.
Some of these problems may be used of the Lord to bring about a greater ministry. I had written earlier that I have a desire for leading a large number of people to the Lord, perhaps through those I train and send out. And from time to time I would say a short prayer while I was out doing the Lord’s work, praying, “Lord, lead me on the path of many souls.” Perhaps I may have to go through many trials to get there? "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." (Acts 9:15-16)
Feb. 1, 1995
A dear sister in the Lord passed away. She had an excellent testimony. Her name was Sora Azura. Here in Romania, they keep the deceased in the house for three days, in an open casket. I like this better because we preach to the relatives and neighbors who come out of respect for their friend or neighbor but would not come to our church. Then on the day of the funeral, the open casket is brought outside in the courtyard of the deceased, and you get the opportunity to preach again. Usually the most people attend this service. There were over a hundred people who came to this funeral on the last day. Then we walked to the grave (thankfully, she only lived a mile from the cemetery), and then Glen Sanders preached again. By the way, in many cases they use the same graves over again, depending on what town the cemetery is in, so after seven or ten years, they can open up the grave and put someone else in it. The caskets are usually made out of wood and decompose. It is not uncommon to see the bones of a former relative lying on the dirt from the redug grave. I try to put more effort into funeral services, as most would never come to hear us preach in our church, and this Sunday, two first-time visitors came from the funeral we held.
Feb. 6, 1995
Out of the 12 students in the Bible institute, most show real promise as teachers or preachers. All the ladies do a great job when they present their lessons in our Sunday school class, and I believe some are ready to teach a class in our churches. The attendance in our different works is not very good; still, I believe God would have us start some more churches.
March 3, 1995
*We have been trying to fix the upstairs in our home so we could have places for guests to stay, as we are expecting some shortly. Evangelist Mike Gass and some missionaries will soon be arriving for our second Missionary Get-Together.
*None of the works are growing fast, but when there is a good attendance, still I am happy. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:8). We were able to get a church self-supporting in the state of Washington in one year, but it will take longer here.
*Two more missionaries have expressed interest in coming to help us. We are using the young preachers in our institute to translate for them till they learn the language. By the way, I do preach regularly in the Romanian language and also when teaching in the Bible institute; however, my Romanian is a long way from what it needs to be.
March 6, 1995
*There are different things, problems in the ministry, that can bother me if I think upon them, but other times it seems like the Lord is letting me know that they are no big deal. Nancy is good at sizing up different situations and often tells me not to worry about some incidents, and she is usually right.
March 21, 1995
*We got our upstairs ready in time for our guests and paid off the man who did the work.
We started a new work in the city of Onesti, about three and half hours from us, or seven hours round trip (but if it snows one may have to spend the night). We hope we have not bit off too much. I need to find another place to rent, as the one we are using is too big of a room, “it swallows us up,” and there are other things that would work better if we had a different location.
The Missionary Get-Together went well! Twenty-one families of missionaries came, and the preaching was great! We also used Evangelist Mike Gass to hold a revival meeting for us in our main work in Busteni. God’s people came out each night and also for Sunday, with the spirit of the church being great! After the conference all the missionaries and their families went out to eat.
*Caleb’s birthday is tomorrow—he will be four. He was only six weeks old when we left for Romania.
I have been so busy the last two weeks, and I was concerned about spending time with our children. Nancy said not to worry, that they were all fine. I did manage to wrestle with them tonight. Nancy is the best wife, and I see more and more that God led us to be together.
April 10, 1995
*We (our family) leave today by train to spend a week in Budapest, Hungary, which is close to us. Our daughter Ruthe is reading this diary, at least today she did (I love her).
May 5, 1995
*Tomorrow we will have been here in Romania four years!
I am having my neighbor helping me to build a kind of tree fort for our girls, Bethe, Ruthe, and Sarah, who are all excited about it! I enrolled Ben and Philip in karate classes. I believe it will help them have some self-confidence when bullies tried to push them around, whether physically or verbally. I believe if someone knows how to defend himself, he is less likely to be intimidated but will give his opinion.
May 12, 1995
*Today is our anniversary! Sixteen years ago we were married.
May 22, 1995
It is Monday, my day off! :^) I mostly rest, and I dislike doing something on this day. I would rather take off an extra day and use it to entertain someone, or whatever, than take my one day off and go on some “outing.”
June 16, 1995
We found a building to rent in Onesti that is a better situation than the other one we had. Also, missionary Jim Morgan will be helping with Marian Stefan at both Saint George and in Onesti. Now we will have two services a week in Onesti. Before this, we had only the one, and I was trying to work it so we could have another, but before this logistically it would not work out.
We have had a missionary family live with us, and then another missionary family, for a total of over two months. This was done till they could move into the places they wanted to rent. But I do not recommend this, as situations arose that made it hard on both my family and those who were guests. A few days would not have been a problem, but two months is simply too long for us all.
July 5, 1995
Yesterday was the Fourth of July in the States. I have been feeling a little down. Some of our churches are struggling. I sent a letter to my friend Rich Farinella, a pastor in Washington State. It takes a week to get there, if fortunate, and then if he responds right away, another week to get it back. I told Nancy about a bunch of things I did not like, and she told me I sounded like the children of Israel, complaining in the wilderness. I told her, “I’m not complaining, I just thought you would want to know” (ha-ha). I asked the Lord to forgive me for complaining, and I do feel better.
July 10, 1995
Yesterday I preached in one of our churches, and took our whole family there. This church is in a home, as in the Bible it talks about “the church that is in their house” (Romans 16:5; I Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; and Philemon 1:2). And houses were smaller in biblical days than today. In Romania, such a work is called a “Casa de Rugaciune” (House of Prayer).
I desire to build a real church building. I have had people tell me that “You do not have a church.” I say, “Yes we do,” but they respond, “No, you have a house.” Well, they do not know that in the Bible a church is an assembly, not a building. Nonetheless, we are competing with cathedrals here in East Europe, and I would like to have something to encourage our students and other missionaries, as well as those Romanian young men who go out to start works. A church building gives the impression you are here to stay. My first Sunday service here in Busteni, I told those who came I plan on staying 20 years in Romania, and Lord willing, I still plan on it. And I would like to leave something behind as a visible reminder of this work for the lost to see. Perhaps a church building will help us build up the work here.
July 15, 1995
My car broke down (throwout bearing), and Bro. Sanders’s car engine completely broke, which can be a big problem, as the parts will most likely have to come from Germany, so it may be over a week before his car is back up and running. We need these cars for transporting students and getting to the different works. But other than that, things are getting better here. In fact, each month I see progress. If I drive to Brasov (45 minutes away), I can buy basically anything want. I feel like Romania is my home now.
July 28, 1995
*There is a young couple who will be married tomorrow in our church. They met at our Bible institute.
*There are a couple of students that, to be honest, in times past I wished they did not show up because of some situations we had with them. However, God has done a real work of grace in their lives.
July 30, 1995
The wedding went well, and about 70 people came. There were 12 professions of faith. I try to always give a plan of salvation at funerals and weddings, as this can be used to reach people who would not normally come to hear us.
We are now helping about 10 missionary families get visas through our approval we have with the Romanian government. All these missionaries do not work with us but live and work in other areas of Romania. We do not charge for this except to ask them to pay for the gas money of one of our workers to drive down to Bucharest.
Aug. 1, 1995
*Today I completed 100 hours of study in the Romanian language since I have been back from our furlough. I still make mistakes in the language, but it is getting better.
Aug. 12, 1995
Five preachers from the States are scheduled to be with us shortly, and we are preparing for them to help in the preaching in our different churches, revival service, and to pass out Christian tracts.
Missionary Glen Sanders, who works with us, had a mild heart attack this week! He is 67 years old and had open-heart surgery seven years ago. If it happens again, he needs to go back to the States. He and his wife love being used of the Lord, and they have been a big blessing to the students and to two churches we have.
Aug. 15, 1995
The Sanders and my family are all going to Bulgaria to get visas. It is only for one day, and then we cross back over the border and get 30-day visas. At the moment, no one seems to be getting visas, but we were told that should not last long.
Sept. 15, 1995
*The attendance in Sacele has been down for two weeks now.
*On the bright side, my pastor, James Nolan and his wife, will be coming back to Romania to visit us for three weeks!
*Dina Cornescu, a very godly lady in our church, and who prayed for years for God to start a church in this town of Busteni, now has to move to another city. Her husband is a doctor, and his job requires them to move. She will be greatly missed! Maybe she will be a blessing to others.
Oct. 10, 1995
*“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). This verse helps me because I need to be strengthened.
*There are now three missionary families working with us. “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27).
*We get one-year visas now, which makes it nicer because before they were every six months.
*I long for more souls to be saved. I want to see things grow, not just hold our own. But planting churches is not just for us only, but for future generations that will profit from this work. “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” (Isaiah 58:12)
Oct. 27, 1995
We went to the city of Constanța for five days. A sort of mini vacation, and I filled in preaching for Gary Santino, who was in the States for a month. Learned to play Dutch Blitz (a card game) with my three girls, Bethe, Ruthe, and Sarah—they beat me bad!
While there, I had a chance meeting with five missionaries who were waiting for a container to be unloaded at the Port of Constanța. Two of them I knew already, and I enjoyed the fellowship and meeting some new missionaries, who I encouraged to attend to our Missionary Get-Togethers. One of the missionaries I was introduced to said he had heard negative things about me from some other missionaries. But after meeting me, he said he realized those things were not true. I saw it as God looking out for my name.
Dec. 23, 1995
Tomorrow the 24th we will hold our Christmas service as this will be Sunday. We are expecting a good group and new visitors. The lady students from the Bible institute have prepared Christmas plays in four of our churches and have put much work into them.
1996
March 1, 1996
Many things being planned—guest speakers and a singing group from the states are arriving for special meetings. The Missionary Get-Together is planned for April and looks good so far, with 40 missionary families saying they plan on coming! Evangelist Tom Williams and Pastor Bob Gray will be the main speakers.
March 11, 1996
March 8th was Women’s Day here in Romania. It is sort of a Mother’s Day as in the States. But all the ladies receive something, not only Moms but even little girls. It is a good promoter, as we give out one flower to the little girls and a special bouquet to those with the most children or oldest, etc.
March 25, 1996
We started a church in another town, but after a few weeks, it is basically only children coming. We want to reach all, but you cannot build a church with only children. I am thinking about stopping this work. The church in Saint George is averaging in the mid-20s, and I see some growth there. Our church in Busteni is averaging in the 50s.
*I see the need to pray more ever day for my family.
April 24, 1996
The Missionary Get-Together went great. We had 30 families of missionaries, besides people from our churches who came. Still not the 40-plus who said they hoped to come, but it snowed the night before, and in two days we had two feet of snow, otherwise more probably would have come. The heating and lighting was not sufficient—my fault, as I should have checked better at the location we rented. I had walked inside of the building before I rented it, but at that time the heater was not on, and I assumed when the building needed heat it would be good. “Live and learn.” I am not planning on having another one till l998, when we are able to schedule Evangelist Paul Swanke.
May 1, 1996
One of the things I got out of the meeting was to try and win friends in the community so they will be open enough to listen to the gospel. Also, I need to be more thankful for what God has given me. I prayed for more people to come to the conference, and I am a strong believer in “ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). But I need to be thankful for what the Lord has given.
*I believe God has put it in my heart to have a church building. This means we will have to build it to have room for 400 people, as in my vision I shared before.
*Five students from the Bible institute graduated tonight during our revival services with Mike Gass.
*When soul winning, it is possible to pick “green fruit,” but that is better than leaving it on the vine to spoil.
*“Overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
*To walk with Christ will cost you something. Christ went to the cross. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27–23).
*“What you are speaks louder than what you say.”
*“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). You’re going to be a longtime dead, so if you’re going to do something for God, do it now!
June 15, 1996
I had prayed for direction in the ministry, as something was missing. I still believe God wants me to be here in Busteni and oversee the works, but it seems something is missing. And though I believe God will someday build up the church to 400, I was not to wait on this but find what He wants now. Maybe God wants me to start another church? So I will pray and look for a location that He wants, not what a student or church member wants, because God will lead. And now I feel much better about it.
*The Santinos came over and spent three days with us. I enjoyed the fellowship. He helped in preaching, and I was challenged by him. “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17).
July 12, 1996
I have been going through a three-month problem, and I have come to the realization it is because of my pride. Very possibly the entire problem could have been avoided if simply I would have put on humbleness of mind. God is not going to let His children walk around like that without an attitude correction. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:6). King Nebuchadnezzar had pride and said, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). Daniel gave him some advice: “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor” (Daniel 4:27). But after God humbled him the hard way Nebuchadnezzar had a different outlook, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase” (Daniel 4:37). God seems to judge this sin quicker than others. I prayed for two hours, confessing every thought and word of pride I could remember. But I did feel great after I prayed. I hope I do not forget the lesson, as it was very painful.
*When somebody is given a job with authority over others and it goes to his head, the Romanians have an expression: “He is the new dog on the block.” Which means he likes to bark loud to tell everyone else he is there.
Sept. 10, 1996
The Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) we hold in the different works seem to be going very well. I have Missionary David Heady to thank for this. Also, our students from our institute enjoy holding these five-day VBS programs for children in the churches.
*I am getting a lot of rest lately because of no problems!
*I need to build up the churches. It seems we have everything we need—a nice home to live in, finances, other workers who help out—just need more people for our churches, which is the reason I came here in the first place.
*Missionary Gary Santino said he plans on sending 10 students this fall to our institute.
Sept. 17, 1996
*Missionary Robert Blume said he also plans on sending some students to our Bible institute. With his, ours, and those from Bro. Santino, it may be possible to have 20 students.
Apparently there is some situation at the orphanage here in town. The orphanage in Busteni is only for boys, about 300 of them. They are from 8 years old to 18. We send our Sunday school teachers there each Saturday to teach the boys, with flannel graph boards, and to sing some Christian songs and give out little treats, cookies, etc. But we were told we could not go there now, so I will go down and see what is wrong. Our Sunday school teachers were told we were indoctrinating the children. Our lady teachers asked what that meant, but no explanation was given. It is only on a voluntary basis that the children come to our class, and we average about 50 boys. I don’t see how stories of David and Goliath, Samson, and the 12 apostles could hurt anyone.
*God has given us rest from the other problems that were troubling us, and it is nice!
*The last few weeks I have been having this odd feeling like I have lost my desire to do the work here. But I have no desire to go back to the States. It was almost like when I was being called of the Lord to leave my position as associate pastor in Puyallup, Washington, or when I stepped down as the pastor in Poulsbo. I want this to be my life work. I said to everyone, if the Lord wills, I would like to stay here 20 years and I hope the Lord still wants me to stay here. There are some visiting preachers from the States, who will be here shortly, and maybe they can give me some advice. But I have a peace now even as I write this. Good to know that God has a plan. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5).
Sep. 23, 1996
We started the Bible institute with 21 students. At the institute, I teach along with the other missionaries who are helping us. The visiting preachers from the states also give their testimonies, and two of them preached to the students. All this is “free” help, both from the missionaries and those visiting from the States. If I were a pastor in the States, I would have to give an honorarium, not to mention paying for their transportation costs and hotel rooms, but they pay for it all! Why are they willing to do this? For missions, to start churches in other countries that will be indigenous and preach the gospel to others (Mathew 28:18–20).
I shared, with one of the visiting pastors from the Sates, about needing direction on what the Lord would have me do and that it was almost as if I had lost my burden to be here. He said I just needed a vacation. I told him, “I don’t think so.” He gave me the book My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Smith, who said, “A blank space may come after sanctification to teach you what service means.” I am still trying to figure out what that means!
Oct. 7, 1996
We are meeting again with the orphans but not at the orphanage. We are renting a restaurant that is one block away and then inviting the boys there for a 40-minute lesson each week. Marian Stefan, who is a good man, is seeking permission from the main people in charge of the orphanage, who are in another city, to return to the orphanage. We will see how that goes, but for now those who oversee the orphanage said it was OK for us to invite the boys for our class at the restaurant. It is hard to ask their permission since we are the ones renting the restaurant, but it helps if we work with them.
Dec. 5, 1996
My wife and I spent three days driving around looking at towns to start a church in. And I believe it is the town of Pucioasa that God would have us start a church. This town is to the south of us about an hour and 20 minutes. My wife, Nancy, has suggested we make it a family project, that only our family start this church, no other missionaries or students. Our other students are all busy on Sunday in their churches anyway. Bethe, Ruthe, and Sarah will sing a song special, Nancy will play the electric organ, Ben and Philip will greet the visitors and pass out the visitor slips, Caleb will be the “baby in the nursery,” and I will preach. We have all practiced the Romanian songs, so we know them well, as none of the visitors are likely to know these songs. I rented a storefront building, and tomorrow we all go to pass out invitations. (This church turned out to be a real blessing, and today it has a new church building that another missionary [Dave Manary] helped raised the funds for.)
I believe this was what was missing, that I wrote about before, that God wants me to start a new church. Maybe we will get some new students from this work. Without students, eventually our movement of churches will die out. Missionary Robin Burnet will be in my place in Busteni on Sundays, and one of our students will translate for him. We will still live in Busteni, and I will preach here on Wednesdays.
I told our people in Busteni I would only be gone for six weeks. But after I said that, I thought it’s basically impossible to start a church in six weeks. I do not know what I was thinking when I said that. Still, I have peace even now as I write this. Maybe we will get another missionary who will help us on this. It will be interesting to see where God will lead on this. This Sunday is our first service.
Dec. 9, 1996
Out first service in Pucioasa went well. At 10:00 for Sunday school, when we started, we had no visitors. But by the second song, we had two teenage boys from the invitations we passed out who said they came “to see what this was about.” And about halfway through the Sunday school, we had seven more come in! For the evening service, we had 23, mostly adults. It seems of the Lord, and my wife and I enjoyed it all, and our children. I will not have time this week to go there and visit, so I am sending out letters to all who came.
Dec. 2, 1994
A few days ago I got a call from another missionary who said he wanted to have a “meeting” with me and other missionaries, about the paperwork I had (approval from the Romanian government).
I had obtained this paperwork to help with visas so we would not have to go through another religion, and to own property. If you do not have this, then you will have to put any property, land, or buildings in the name of an individual in the church, and even if he is a good man, when he dies some lost relative may think it is his inheritance. This was one of the first things I did when I came to Romania, and it took five months to get it approved. I hired a lawyer to write up the paperwork, and the American embassy helped us get the approval.
Anyhow, this missionary who called me wanted to have some say in this, but those in our church do not need his help. I thought it was like playing politics. If he wanted some authority over it, then he could go get his own approval from the Romania government.
*Our children have been a real blessing and encouragement to Nancy and I.
Dec. 16, 1994
I have been reading in our family devotions about Jim Elliot, a missionary to South America, who died for his faith in Christ. I read that he kept a daily diary, and this encourages me to keep up with mine. I hope that someday this diary can be copied out and left to my children to read, and maybe my grandchildren. I also believe it would be helpful to those training for the ministry.
Dec. 29, 1994
We have four churches that we have started in various stages of growth. Some of these may not make it, but I hope to start more. Jesus said if a town will not receive you, leave (Luke 9:5). Cities and towns are like people—they have personalities, and some people are open to the gospel and some are not, the same with towns. Jesus could do no mighty works in his own hometown because of their unbelief. Christ did not lack power to save, but they lacked faith. Every place is not the same.
I keep thinking that our major problems are behind us now. (Hmm) I suppose the more works you have (churches), the more potential problems. I felt like Nehemiah, who was building and battling at the same time. “And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows…” (Nehemiah 4:16). At any rate, I hope now to grow the works that God has given to us.
Dec. 30, 1994
Tonight on my way back from a church service, I came around a corner, and there was a man lying in the middle of the road. As it turned out, he was drunk. I pulled the van over and put him in it with the help of another man who was passing by. If I would have left him there, he most likely would have been run over and died. But not far down the road, the drunk man woke up and wanted out of my van. I was willing to take him to his house, but he would not let me. As he walked away, he fell a couple of times but still did not want our help. The man who had helped me put him in the van said, “You have done what you could.” In the States I would think that some I shared the gospel with were intoxicated with this world’s philosophy. "The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble." (Proverbs 4:19)
1995
Jan. 4, 1995
*Missionary Glen Sanders and his wife are a real blessing to us and to the students in our Bible institute. A missionary who had served in another country for 15 years told me the first few years on the mission field, a missionary often goes through a “baptism of fire.” He meant the problems and adjustments you can go through. He added that the problems will make or break a missionary. I have purposely not written about a couple of problems, least I should be an offense to others, but thankfully God gave us the victory on these also. I have had four major problems in the last three and a half years. Guess what? I don’t like them! Hopefully, they are behind us now.
Some of these problems may be used of the Lord to bring about a greater ministry. I had written earlier that I have a desire for leading a large number of people to the Lord, perhaps through those I train and send out. And from time to time I would say a short prayer while I was out doing the Lord’s work, praying, “Lord, lead me on the path of many souls.” Perhaps I may have to go through many trials to get there? "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." (Acts 9:15-16)
Feb. 1, 1995
A dear sister in the Lord passed away. She had an excellent testimony. Her name was Sora Azura. Here in Romania, they keep the deceased in the house for three days, in an open casket. I like this better because we preach to the relatives and neighbors who come out of respect for their friend or neighbor but would not come to our church. Then on the day of the funeral, the open casket is brought outside in the courtyard of the deceased, and you get the opportunity to preach again. Usually the most people attend this service. There were over a hundred people who came to this funeral on the last day. Then we walked to the grave (thankfully, she only lived a mile from the cemetery), and then Glen Sanders preached again. By the way, in many cases they use the same graves over again, depending on what town the cemetery is in, so after seven or ten years, they can open up the grave and put someone else in it. The caskets are usually made out of wood and decompose. It is not uncommon to see the bones of a former relative lying on the dirt from the redug grave. I try to put more effort into funeral services, as most would never come to hear us preach in our church, and this Sunday, two first-time visitors came from the funeral we held.
Feb. 6, 1995
Out of the 12 students in the Bible institute, most show real promise as teachers or preachers. All the ladies do a great job when they present their lessons in our Sunday school class, and I believe some are ready to teach a class in our churches. The attendance in our different works is not very good; still, I believe God would have us start some more churches.
March 3, 1995
*We have been trying to fix the upstairs in our home so we could have places for guests to stay, as we are expecting some shortly. Evangelist Mike Gass and some missionaries will soon be arriving for our second Missionary Get-Together.
*None of the works are growing fast, but when there is a good attendance, still I am happy. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:8). We were able to get a church self-supporting in the state of Washington in one year, but it will take longer here.
*Two more missionaries have expressed interest in coming to help us. We are using the young preachers in our institute to translate for them till they learn the language. By the way, I do preach regularly in the Romanian language and also when teaching in the Bible institute; however, my Romanian is a long way from what it needs to be.
March 6, 1995
*There are different things, problems in the ministry, that can bother me if I think upon them, but other times it seems like the Lord is letting me know that they are no big deal. Nancy is good at sizing up different situations and often tells me not to worry about some incidents, and she is usually right.
March 21, 1995
*We got our upstairs ready in time for our guests and paid off the man who did the work.
We started a new work in the city of Onesti, about three and half hours from us, or seven hours round trip (but if it snows one may have to spend the night). We hope we have not bit off too much. I need to find another place to rent, as the one we are using is too big of a room, “it swallows us up,” and there are other things that would work better if we had a different location.
The Missionary Get-Together went well! Twenty-one families of missionaries came, and the preaching was great! We also used Evangelist Mike Gass to hold a revival meeting for us in our main work in Busteni. God’s people came out each night and also for Sunday, with the spirit of the church being great! After the conference all the missionaries and their families went out to eat.
*Caleb’s birthday is tomorrow—he will be four. He was only six weeks old when we left for Romania.
I have been so busy the last two weeks, and I was concerned about spending time with our children. Nancy said not to worry, that they were all fine. I did manage to wrestle with them tonight. Nancy is the best wife, and I see more and more that God led us to be together.
April 10, 1995
*We (our family) leave today by train to spend a week in Budapest, Hungary, which is close to us. Our daughter Ruthe is reading this diary, at least today she did (I love her).
May 5, 1995
*Tomorrow we will have been here in Romania four years!
I am having my neighbor helping me to build a kind of tree fort for our girls, Bethe, Ruthe, and Sarah, who are all excited about it! I enrolled Ben and Philip in karate classes. I believe it will help them have some self-confidence when bullies tried to push them around, whether physically or verbally. I believe if someone knows how to defend himself, he is less likely to be intimidated but will give his opinion.
May 12, 1995
*Today is our anniversary! Sixteen years ago we were married.
May 22, 1995
It is Monday, my day off! :^) I mostly rest, and I dislike doing something on this day. I would rather take off an extra day and use it to entertain someone, or whatever, than take my one day off and go on some “outing.”
June 16, 1995
We found a building to rent in Onesti that is a better situation than the other one we had. Also, missionary Jim Morgan will be helping with Marian Stefan at both Saint George and in Onesti. Now we will have two services a week in Onesti. Before this, we had only the one, and I was trying to work it so we could have another, but before this logistically it would not work out.
We have had a missionary family live with us, and then another missionary family, for a total of over two months. This was done till they could move into the places they wanted to rent. But I do not recommend this, as situations arose that made it hard on both my family and those who were guests. A few days would not have been a problem, but two months is simply too long for us all.
July 5, 1995
Yesterday was the Fourth of July in the States. I have been feeling a little down. Some of our churches are struggling. I sent a letter to my friend Rich Farinella, a pastor in Washington State. It takes a week to get there, if fortunate, and then if he responds right away, another week to get it back. I told Nancy about a bunch of things I did not like, and she told me I sounded like the children of Israel, complaining in the wilderness. I told her, “I’m not complaining, I just thought you would want to know” (ha-ha). I asked the Lord to forgive me for complaining, and I do feel better.
July 10, 1995
Yesterday I preached in one of our churches, and took our whole family there. This church is in a home, as in the Bible it talks about “the church that is in their house” (Romans 16:5; I Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; and Philemon 1:2). And houses were smaller in biblical days than today. In Romania, such a work is called a “Casa de Rugaciune” (House of Prayer).
I desire to build a real church building. I have had people tell me that “You do not have a church.” I say, “Yes we do,” but they respond, “No, you have a house.” Well, they do not know that in the Bible a church is an assembly, not a building. Nonetheless, we are competing with cathedrals here in East Europe, and I would like to have something to encourage our students and other missionaries, as well as those Romanian young men who go out to start works. A church building gives the impression you are here to stay. My first Sunday service here in Busteni, I told those who came I plan on staying 20 years in Romania, and Lord willing, I still plan on it. And I would like to leave something behind as a visible reminder of this work for the lost to see. Perhaps a church building will help us build up the work here.
July 15, 1995
My car broke down (throwout bearing), and Bro. Sanders’s car engine completely broke, which can be a big problem, as the parts will most likely have to come from Germany, so it may be over a week before his car is back up and running. We need these cars for transporting students and getting to the different works. But other than that, things are getting better here. In fact, each month I see progress. If I drive to Brasov (45 minutes away), I can buy basically anything want. I feel like Romania is my home now.
July 28, 1995
*There is a young couple who will be married tomorrow in our church. They met at our Bible institute.
*There are a couple of students that, to be honest, in times past I wished they did not show up because of some situations we had with them. However, God has done a real work of grace in their lives.
July 30, 1995
The wedding went well, and about 70 people came. There were 12 professions of faith. I try to always give a plan of salvation at funerals and weddings, as this can be used to reach people who would not normally come to hear us.
We are now helping about 10 missionary families get visas through our approval we have with the Romanian government. All these missionaries do not work with us but live and work in other areas of Romania. We do not charge for this except to ask them to pay for the gas money of one of our workers to drive down to Bucharest.
Aug. 1, 1995
*Today I completed 100 hours of study in the Romanian language since I have been back from our furlough. I still make mistakes in the language, but it is getting better.
Aug. 12, 1995
Five preachers from the States are scheduled to be with us shortly, and we are preparing for them to help in the preaching in our different churches, revival service, and to pass out Christian tracts.
Missionary Glen Sanders, who works with us, had a mild heart attack this week! He is 67 years old and had open-heart surgery seven years ago. If it happens again, he needs to go back to the States. He and his wife love being used of the Lord, and they have been a big blessing to the students and to two churches we have.
Aug. 15, 1995
The Sanders and my family are all going to Bulgaria to get visas. It is only for one day, and then we cross back over the border and get 30-day visas. At the moment, no one seems to be getting visas, but we were told that should not last long.
Sept. 15, 1995
*The attendance in Sacele has been down for two weeks now.
*On the bright side, my pastor, James Nolan and his wife, will be coming back to Romania to visit us for three weeks!
*Dina Cornescu, a very godly lady in our church, and who prayed for years for God to start a church in this town of Busteni, now has to move to another city. Her husband is a doctor, and his job requires them to move. She will be greatly missed! Maybe she will be a blessing to others.
Oct. 10, 1995
*“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). This verse helps me because I need to be strengthened.
*There are now three missionary families working with us. “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27).
*We get one-year visas now, which makes it nicer because before they were every six months.
*I long for more souls to be saved. I want to see things grow, not just hold our own. But planting churches is not just for us only, but for future generations that will profit from this work. “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” (Isaiah 58:12)
Oct. 27, 1995
We went to the city of Constanța for five days. A sort of mini vacation, and I filled in preaching for Gary Santino, who was in the States for a month. Learned to play Dutch Blitz (a card game) with my three girls, Bethe, Ruthe, and Sarah—they beat me bad!
While there, I had a chance meeting with five missionaries who were waiting for a container to be unloaded at the Port of Constanța. Two of them I knew already, and I enjoyed the fellowship and meeting some new missionaries, who I encouraged to attend to our Missionary Get-Togethers. One of the missionaries I was introduced to said he had heard negative things about me from some other missionaries. But after meeting me, he said he realized those things were not true. I saw it as God looking out for my name.
Dec. 23, 1995
Tomorrow the 24th we will hold our Christmas service as this will be Sunday. We are expecting a good group and new visitors. The lady students from the Bible institute have prepared Christmas plays in four of our churches and have put much work into them.
1996
March 1, 1996
Many things being planned—guest speakers and a singing group from the states are arriving for special meetings. The Missionary Get-Together is planned for April and looks good so far, with 40 missionary families saying they plan on coming! Evangelist Tom Williams and Pastor Bob Gray will be the main speakers.
March 11, 1996
March 8th was Women’s Day here in Romania. It is sort of a Mother’s Day as in the States. But all the ladies receive something, not only Moms but even little girls. It is a good promoter, as we give out one flower to the little girls and a special bouquet to those with the most children or oldest, etc.
March 25, 1996
We started a church in another town, but after a few weeks, it is basically only children coming. We want to reach all, but you cannot build a church with only children. I am thinking about stopping this work. The church in Saint George is averaging in the mid-20s, and I see some growth there. Our church in Busteni is averaging in the 50s.
*I see the need to pray more ever day for my family.
April 24, 1996
The Missionary Get-Together went great. We had 30 families of missionaries, besides people from our churches who came. Still not the 40-plus who said they hoped to come, but it snowed the night before, and in two days we had two feet of snow, otherwise more probably would have come. The heating and lighting was not sufficient—my fault, as I should have checked better at the location we rented. I had walked inside of the building before I rented it, but at that time the heater was not on, and I assumed when the building needed heat it would be good. “Live and learn.” I am not planning on having another one till l998, when we are able to schedule Evangelist Paul Swanke.
May 1, 1996
One of the things I got out of the meeting was to try and win friends in the community so they will be open enough to listen to the gospel. Also, I need to be more thankful for what God has given me. I prayed for more people to come to the conference, and I am a strong believer in “ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). But I need to be thankful for what the Lord has given.
*I believe God has put it in my heart to have a church building. This means we will have to build it to have room for 400 people, as in my vision I shared before.
*Five students from the Bible institute graduated tonight during our revival services with Mike Gass.
*When soul winning, it is possible to pick “green fruit,” but that is better than leaving it on the vine to spoil.
*“Overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
*To walk with Christ will cost you something. Christ went to the cross. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27–23).
*“What you are speaks louder than what you say.”
*“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). You’re going to be a longtime dead, so if you’re going to do something for God, do it now!
June 15, 1996
I had prayed for direction in the ministry, as something was missing. I still believe God wants me to be here in Busteni and oversee the works, but it seems something is missing. And though I believe God will someday build up the church to 400, I was not to wait on this but find what He wants now. Maybe God wants me to start another church? So I will pray and look for a location that He wants, not what a student or church member wants, because God will lead. And now I feel much better about it.
*The Santinos came over and spent three days with us. I enjoyed the fellowship. He helped in preaching, and I was challenged by him. “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17).
July 12, 1996
I have been going through a three-month problem, and I have come to the realization it is because of my pride. Very possibly the entire problem could have been avoided if simply I would have put on humbleness of mind. God is not going to let His children walk around like that without an attitude correction. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:6). King Nebuchadnezzar had pride and said, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). Daniel gave him some advice: “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor” (Daniel 4:27). But after God humbled him the hard way Nebuchadnezzar had a different outlook, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase” (Daniel 4:37). God seems to judge this sin quicker than others. I prayed for two hours, confessing every thought and word of pride I could remember. But I did feel great after I prayed. I hope I do not forget the lesson, as it was very painful.
*When somebody is given a job with authority over others and it goes to his head, the Romanians have an expression: “He is the new dog on the block.” Which means he likes to bark loud to tell everyone else he is there.
Sept. 10, 1996
The Vacation Bible Schools (VBS) we hold in the different works seem to be going very well. I have Missionary David Heady to thank for this. Also, our students from our institute enjoy holding these five-day VBS programs for children in the churches.
*I am getting a lot of rest lately because of no problems!
*I need to build up the churches. It seems we have everything we need—a nice home to live in, finances, other workers who help out—just need more people for our churches, which is the reason I came here in the first place.
*Missionary Gary Santino said he plans on sending 10 students this fall to our institute.
Sept. 17, 1996
*Missionary Robert Blume said he also plans on sending some students to our Bible institute. With his, ours, and those from Bro. Santino, it may be possible to have 20 students.
Apparently there is some situation at the orphanage here in town. The orphanage in Busteni is only for boys, about 300 of them. They are from 8 years old to 18. We send our Sunday school teachers there each Saturday to teach the boys, with flannel graph boards, and to sing some Christian songs and give out little treats, cookies, etc. But we were told we could not go there now, so I will go down and see what is wrong. Our Sunday school teachers were told we were indoctrinating the children. Our lady teachers asked what that meant, but no explanation was given. It is only on a voluntary basis that the children come to our class, and we average about 50 boys. I don’t see how stories of David and Goliath, Samson, and the 12 apostles could hurt anyone.
*God has given us rest from the other problems that were troubling us, and it is nice!
*The last few weeks I have been having this odd feeling like I have lost my desire to do the work here. But I have no desire to go back to the States. It was almost like when I was being called of the Lord to leave my position as associate pastor in Puyallup, Washington, or when I stepped down as the pastor in Poulsbo. I want this to be my life work. I said to everyone, if the Lord wills, I would like to stay here 20 years and I hope the Lord still wants me to stay here. There are some visiting preachers from the States, who will be here shortly, and maybe they can give me some advice. But I have a peace now even as I write this. Good to know that God has a plan. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5).
Sep. 23, 1996
We started the Bible institute with 21 students. At the institute, I teach along with the other missionaries who are helping us. The visiting preachers from the states also give their testimonies, and two of them preached to the students. All this is “free” help, both from the missionaries and those visiting from the States. If I were a pastor in the States, I would have to give an honorarium, not to mention paying for their transportation costs and hotel rooms, but they pay for it all! Why are they willing to do this? For missions, to start churches in other countries that will be indigenous and preach the gospel to others (Mathew 28:18–20).
I shared, with one of the visiting pastors from the Sates, about needing direction on what the Lord would have me do and that it was almost as if I had lost my burden to be here. He said I just needed a vacation. I told him, “I don’t think so.” He gave me the book My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Smith, who said, “A blank space may come after sanctification to teach you what service means.” I am still trying to figure out what that means!
Oct. 7, 1996
We are meeting again with the orphans but not at the orphanage. We are renting a restaurant that is one block away and then inviting the boys there for a 40-minute lesson each week. Marian Stefan, who is a good man, is seeking permission from the main people in charge of the orphanage, who are in another city, to return to the orphanage. We will see how that goes, but for now those who oversee the orphanage said it was OK for us to invite the boys for our class at the restaurant. It is hard to ask their permission since we are the ones renting the restaurant, but it helps if we work with them.
Dec. 5, 1996
My wife and I spent three days driving around looking at towns to start a church in. And I believe it is the town of Pucioasa that God would have us start a church. This town is to the south of us about an hour and 20 minutes. My wife, Nancy, has suggested we make it a family project, that only our family start this church, no other missionaries or students. Our other students are all busy on Sunday in their churches anyway. Bethe, Ruthe, and Sarah will sing a song special, Nancy will play the electric organ, Ben and Philip will greet the visitors and pass out the visitor slips, Caleb will be the “baby in the nursery,” and I will preach. We have all practiced the Romanian songs, so we know them well, as none of the visitors are likely to know these songs. I rented a storefront building, and tomorrow we all go to pass out invitations. (This church turned out to be a real blessing, and today it has a new church building that another missionary [Dave Manary] helped raised the funds for.)
I believe this was what was missing, that I wrote about before, that God wants me to start a new church. Maybe we will get some new students from this work. Without students, eventually our movement of churches will die out. Missionary Robin Burnet will be in my place in Busteni on Sundays, and one of our students will translate for him. We will still live in Busteni, and I will preach here on Wednesdays.
I told our people in Busteni I would only be gone for six weeks. But after I said that, I thought it’s basically impossible to start a church in six weeks. I do not know what I was thinking when I said that. Still, I have peace even now as I write this. Maybe we will get another missionary who will help us on this. It will be interesting to see where God will lead on this. This Sunday is our first service.
Dec. 9, 1996
Out first service in Pucioasa went well. At 10:00 for Sunday school, when we started, we had no visitors. But by the second song, we had two teenage boys from the invitations we passed out who said they came “to see what this was about.” And about halfway through the Sunday school, we had seven more come in! For the evening service, we had 23, mostly adults. It seems of the Lord, and my wife and I enjoyed it all, and our children. I will not have time this week to go there and visit, so I am sending out letters to all who came.
Caleb, Sarah, Ruthe, Bethe, Philip and Ben.
Nancy and I love the all!
1997
Jan. 7, 1997
The new work in Pucioasa has been going well, and some people from there have been baptized. Each Sunday we have a couple of new visitors. We also have a few possible prospects for the Bible institute, which will start up for the spring semester in two weeks, and we’ll see then if any students from Pucioasa will be coming.
Jan. 15, 1997
My wife left last night for the USA because her dad suffered a heart attack. Amazingly, another missionary’s wife also left today because her father is seriously ill, and even on the same airline and to the same city in Arkansas! I was glad about my wife going with her, as I did not like her having to go alone. Last night we went out to dinner before she left, and I already miss her. But the kids all want to do their part while Mom is away, and the girls want to practice their cooking for Dad. Missionaries Glen and Winnie Sanders are also close by and will help with the food, so we will not starve.
Jan. 20, 1997
The mayor of Pucioasa, the town we started the last work in, said we could not meet in his town till he verified our paperwork from the government. Hmm… However, we have seven students from this new work for our Bible institute!!! And I had told our church in Busteni that we would only be gone about six weeks, so until things get resolved, we will drive our van down to Pucioasa each Friday night and get the students. They will spend two nights in our house, Friday and Saturday, and then on Sunday after church we will drive them home. This is simply amazing to have this many students, and in such a short time. Even though we will not be there for the time being to hold Sunday services in Pucioasa, still the students who were the main part of that work will be here with us and be in our main work. So not being able to hold services in Pucioasa was a blessing in disguise. God truly worked this all out!
Feb. 7, 1997
*The first day of our new semester, we had 27 students! Always there are some who drop out, but it is our best start.
*The mayor from Pucioasa said he was waiting on a letter from the government on our paperwork. OK.
Feb. 16, 1997
The students from Pucioasa are still coming, being faithful to the institute and church. This last Sunday we had them in both Busteni and in the evening service in the Sacele work. A couple of them gave their testimonies there.
I have been doing some more planning for our Missionary Get-together in May of 1998. I now have lined up three good speakers: Evangelist Paul Swanke, Dr. Bob Baird, and Pastor Bud Calvert. The missionaries will not come if the preaching is not good. I understand that Pastor Calvert’s church supports more missionaries than any other in the world, some 400 families!
*It is still a no-go at Pucioasa, and not expecting anything back from them till the end of the month.
Feb. 20, 1997
*Went skiing with our kids and bought Ben a leather coat. He is 17 years old now.
Feb. 28, 1997
*Went skiing with Ben, Philip, Bethe, and Ruthe.
May 6, 1997
*We arrived in Romania six years ago today, and Nancy and I will celebrate 18 years of marriage on the 12th of this month.
*The mayor from Pucioasa received a letter from the government that all was good with our paperwork, so now we wait and see.
May 22, 1997
*I have been depressed for a couple of days, something rare for me. I am more likely to have a problem with anger than depression. Psalm 103:2 is good “medicine” for this: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
May 24, 1997
*Been reading in my devotions about Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others who were arrested by the Pharisees and priests, who stirred up others to be against them.
*Sunday we plan to meet again in Pucioasa and even in an open field if we cannot find a place to rent by then.
May 29, 1997
Held Sunday services in Pucioasa. We are meeting in one of our student’s home till we find a neutral place to rent. We only had seven in the morning service, but I had liberty to preach, and I felt a Christian love there I have not sensed before. I think they all wanted to encourage each other. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another” (Hebrews 10:25). In the evening service we had two more visitors. Our students in this town are praying and looking for a place to rent.
June 2, 1997
*Sunday in Pucioasa we had 10 in attendance. Also, the attendances in both Busteni and Sacele were up, and the other works are holding their own.
June 11, 1997
We rented a place in Pucioasa that was originally a home but later was turned into a store, and has rooms upstairs for Sunday school classes. This building is on the main road in town, so it has some visibility, and we put our sign out front. There were 23 Sunday morning and 24 Sunday night, and six people called upon Christ to save them! I have learned from past experiences that some will not come back, but we have good prospects to follow up on, and there is a certain excitement in the air.
*Missionary George Corneciuc said he is thinking about coming and working with us. He is Romanian by birth but had escaped Romania under communism, immigrated to Canada, and there received Christ as his savior.
*I am planning on buying my son Philip a Pentium computer. He has had a really good attitude, and I want to encourage him.
July 29, 1997
Things seem to be going well overall, but two of our works, Preadeal and Timisul de Jos, are very small and not sure what to do about them. The work in Timisul is mostly children and some parents who come and listen. Unfortunately, for the time being, we have to meet outside, and it is right by the train tracks with a train going by about every 10 minutes, so you have to stop preaching till it passes by, not to mention an occasional dog fight that disrupts the service. But without Christ, what hope do they have?
*I have been spending too much time playing a video game, so got I rid of it.
*Missionary Ron Reasoner to Russia called and asked if I want to go to a conference in Belgium. I am thinking about it.
Aug. 12, 1997
*I went to the missionary meeting in Belgium, which was encouraging, and enjoyed the fellowship of Ron Reasoner. I also got to take a “Bullet Train” to Paris and go to the top of the Eiffel Tower!
Sept. 13, 1997
*We had camp last week (8–12 Sept.), around 60 teens and workers, from our different churches. Missionary Tom Gentry did the preaching, and we had a lot of fun.
Nancy and I love the all!
1997
Jan. 7, 1997
The new work in Pucioasa has been going well, and some people from there have been baptized. Each Sunday we have a couple of new visitors. We also have a few possible prospects for the Bible institute, which will start up for the spring semester in two weeks, and we’ll see then if any students from Pucioasa will be coming.
Jan. 15, 1997
My wife left last night for the USA because her dad suffered a heart attack. Amazingly, another missionary’s wife also left today because her father is seriously ill, and even on the same airline and to the same city in Arkansas! I was glad about my wife going with her, as I did not like her having to go alone. Last night we went out to dinner before she left, and I already miss her. But the kids all want to do their part while Mom is away, and the girls want to practice their cooking for Dad. Missionaries Glen and Winnie Sanders are also close by and will help with the food, so we will not starve.
Jan. 20, 1997
The mayor of Pucioasa, the town we started the last work in, said we could not meet in his town till he verified our paperwork from the government. Hmm… However, we have seven students from this new work for our Bible institute!!! And I had told our church in Busteni that we would only be gone about six weeks, so until things get resolved, we will drive our van down to Pucioasa each Friday night and get the students. They will spend two nights in our house, Friday and Saturday, and then on Sunday after church we will drive them home. This is simply amazing to have this many students, and in such a short time. Even though we will not be there for the time being to hold Sunday services in Pucioasa, still the students who were the main part of that work will be here with us and be in our main work. So not being able to hold services in Pucioasa was a blessing in disguise. God truly worked this all out!
Feb. 7, 1997
*The first day of our new semester, we had 27 students! Always there are some who drop out, but it is our best start.
*The mayor from Pucioasa said he was waiting on a letter from the government on our paperwork. OK.
Feb. 16, 1997
The students from Pucioasa are still coming, being faithful to the institute and church. This last Sunday we had them in both Busteni and in the evening service in the Sacele work. A couple of them gave their testimonies there.
I have been doing some more planning for our Missionary Get-together in May of 1998. I now have lined up three good speakers: Evangelist Paul Swanke, Dr. Bob Baird, and Pastor Bud Calvert. The missionaries will not come if the preaching is not good. I understand that Pastor Calvert’s church supports more missionaries than any other in the world, some 400 families!
*It is still a no-go at Pucioasa, and not expecting anything back from them till the end of the month.
Feb. 20, 1997
*Went skiing with our kids and bought Ben a leather coat. He is 17 years old now.
Feb. 28, 1997
*Went skiing with Ben, Philip, Bethe, and Ruthe.
May 6, 1997
*We arrived in Romania six years ago today, and Nancy and I will celebrate 18 years of marriage on the 12th of this month.
*The mayor from Pucioasa received a letter from the government that all was good with our paperwork, so now we wait and see.
May 22, 1997
*I have been depressed for a couple of days, something rare for me. I am more likely to have a problem with anger than depression. Psalm 103:2 is good “medicine” for this: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
May 24, 1997
*Been reading in my devotions about Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others who were arrested by the Pharisees and priests, who stirred up others to be against them.
*Sunday we plan to meet again in Pucioasa and even in an open field if we cannot find a place to rent by then.
May 29, 1997
Held Sunday services in Pucioasa. We are meeting in one of our student’s home till we find a neutral place to rent. We only had seven in the morning service, but I had liberty to preach, and I felt a Christian love there I have not sensed before. I think they all wanted to encourage each other. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another” (Hebrews 10:25). In the evening service we had two more visitors. Our students in this town are praying and looking for a place to rent.
June 2, 1997
*Sunday in Pucioasa we had 10 in attendance. Also, the attendances in both Busteni and Sacele were up, and the other works are holding their own.
June 11, 1997
We rented a place in Pucioasa that was originally a home but later was turned into a store, and has rooms upstairs for Sunday school classes. This building is on the main road in town, so it has some visibility, and we put our sign out front. There were 23 Sunday morning and 24 Sunday night, and six people called upon Christ to save them! I have learned from past experiences that some will not come back, but we have good prospects to follow up on, and there is a certain excitement in the air.
*Missionary George Corneciuc said he is thinking about coming and working with us. He is Romanian by birth but had escaped Romania under communism, immigrated to Canada, and there received Christ as his savior.
*I am planning on buying my son Philip a Pentium computer. He has had a really good attitude, and I want to encourage him.
July 29, 1997
Things seem to be going well overall, but two of our works, Preadeal and Timisul de Jos, are very small and not sure what to do about them. The work in Timisul is mostly children and some parents who come and listen. Unfortunately, for the time being, we have to meet outside, and it is right by the train tracks with a train going by about every 10 minutes, so you have to stop preaching till it passes by, not to mention an occasional dog fight that disrupts the service. But without Christ, what hope do they have?
*I have been spending too much time playing a video game, so got I rid of it.
*Missionary Ron Reasoner to Russia called and asked if I want to go to a conference in Belgium. I am thinking about it.
Aug. 12, 1997
*I went to the missionary meeting in Belgium, which was encouraging, and enjoyed the fellowship of Ron Reasoner. I also got to take a “Bullet Train” to Paris and go to the top of the Eiffel Tower!
Sept. 13, 1997
*We had camp last week (8–12 Sept.), around 60 teens and workers, from our different churches. Missionary Tom Gentry did the preaching, and we had a lot of fun.
Teen camp and testimonies at camp fire.
The Bible institute is scheduled to start on the 20th of this month, and right now there are over 30 students who say they will be attending, a great encouragement! We rent a vocational school by our church and use its classrooms for the institute. It is a three-year school (later, because I felt we were “microwaving” our students, we lengthened it to four years), and besides the five hours of classroom instruction students have on Saturday, we provide lunch and transportation. They are expected Sunday to work in some capacity in their local churches.
Please go to Work Diary II
(under True Stories)
The Bible institute is scheduled to start on the 20th of this month, and right now there are over 30 students who say they will be attending, a great encouragement! We rent a vocational school by our church and use its classrooms for the institute. It is a three-year school (later, because I felt we were “microwaving” our students, we lengthened it to four years), and besides the five hours of classroom instruction students have on Saturday, we provide lunch and transportation. They are expected Sunday to work in some capacity in their local churches.
Please go to Work Diary II
(under True Stories)