Angels At The Gate

Well, here we are in Texas! By the grace and mercy of God He has called Ken and I to the Dallas area, where He has planted us to bloom and grow, share His Word, and bring Glory to the Kingdom of God.

In our last chapter Ken was finishing the Commissioned Lay Pastor's Program in the Presbyterian Church. Ken's call was to the Salvation Army in Dallas, Texas, as the Chaplain for the men in REHAB. What a call! God is a "right now" deliverer and what a ministry this is for Ken.

Ken sure knows what it is like to be in the pits of hell without any hope. Now he can preach the Gospel of love to these men who God has placed in his life through his calling and witness.

Yes, these men are broken, wounded, hurting,and have reached the very bottom of life's deepest chaos. They come to the Salvation Army's six month program for healing from drug, alcohol, and many other addictions. They are seeking salvation, hope, deliverance and a new life. And they will find it if they are open to God and the help that is given...they only need to receive God's grace and mercy and help and work the spiritual program set before them.

Was it difficult for us to leave home, children, grandchildren and friends behind? Yes! Ask Ken! When we said our goodbyes (or really, "God be with you until we meet again.")...I cried for an hour in the car driving down here. One thing I have learned throughout this major change in our life is this: We can never be separated from each other, no matter how far we are apart, when we hold each other in our hearts. No distance, no time frame, nothing can separate loved ones when you are connected through the love of God. And it is the same way with our relationship to our Lord God.

There is nothing, absolutely nothing that could ever separate us from our Lord. I love Romans Chapter 8, because this is God's promise to us. Just read Romans 8:31-39. Oh! the joy of knowing that death can't, and life can't, the angels can't,and the demons can't. Our fears for today, nor worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell cannot keep God from loving us nor keep Him away. Whether we are high on the mountain-top of our faith or deep in the pits of hell of despair...nothing can keep God from us. What a precious promise of God's faithful presence and glory in our lives.

Our very security is based on God's unshakable love for us. God proved His love for us by willingly sending His son, Jesus, to suffer and die on Calvary's Cross to purchase and pay for our sins... so why would he hold back on any lesser gift. What more could God ever say or do to make us more secure in His love? God loves us!

Yes, that is why we could let go in love and find reasurrance that in faith we could pick up our Cross and follow Jesus all the way to Texas...knowing this was our calling and where God guides...He provides. The words in (Matthew 10:37-42) burned in our hearts as we both knew that our love for God in obedience to the Cross, was finding our lives by losing it for His Name's sake and for the Kingdom.

Ken is focused on the mission God has called him to. He works long hours and has to be in Chapel every Sunday with the men at the Salvation Army. God has called me to Hope Lutheran Church in Cedar Hill, Texas, where I pray my ministry will grow and develop as God uses me there in the Body of Christ and the community in which we live.

God is good...life is good! As you have followed our story here in the chapters we pray you have seen the beautiful tapestry of how God has woven our lives together. Yes there were the dark, difficult days of trials and testings... the light, joyful days of victories and triumphs through the Spirit. God has never left us nor forsaken us and neither will He leave nor forsake you. Our God is so faithful!

Ken and I pray that you will begin sharing your faith story if you haven't yet. We all have a story of faith to share and you never know how the telling of your story, which is God's story of salvation, will witness to others. Listen to others as they tell their story and you will see the mighty, powerful hand of God at work in their life also. We have enclosed a picture of Ken and I taken on Easter Sunday morning after the Son-Rise worship at the Center. All the men and their families were invited to the court-yard to have their pics taken. As you can tell from the picture, We are always changing yet we have a God who never changes.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
(Hebrews 13:8)

Who knows what the next chapter in our life will bring, or in your life also? God knows! And that is all that matters. Our life is in His hands - what a safe place to be. I will close this chapter with this thought for you: "God is the beginning and the very end of our life - all the joy, sorrow, pain and suffering and happiness in between. He is our rock, our anchor,our steadfast love, our joy, our salvation! What more could we ask for?"

We remain, your faithful, steadfast and constant friends in Jesus, our Lord!

Ken and Char