In Everything Give Thanks

Been a bit rough the last few weeks, sickness on sickness, fighting computers, electric outages, roof leaks ect. Being sick, hours fighting the computer, then the internet to post and electric going out while uploading, on multiple occasions, kind of takes the zeal out of wanting to post anything… Woke early yesterday with folks banging on our gate telling us the rain is washing away the new church building in San Gernanimo. Rush out to see. As I drive out the kia blows oil all over. Make it to the church only 4 miles and used 2 qts of oil. The front retaining wall fell exposing part of the foundation. Make calls try to get the ball rolling. Buy 2 gal($50) of oil to drive to town and fix kia. Bearing, seals and an hand full of money later, noon back on road pick up $500 in supplies and head back, need much more.
On the second trip to town for more blocks the exhaust lets go. Stop(while loaded) and have it welded only to find a manifold bolt broke too so it is still loud and have to drive with windows open because of exhaust fumes in the cab… repairs for tomorrow…Church men have it cleaned up and almost ready to lay blocks by evening. Cover it with tarps and hope for no rain. As I drive home get a call from our ministry corporation lawyer. We are updating papers for the government requirements plus for the container coming and find something was not correct and must be redone and now has a $500 fine for being late. Try to post pics on internet and keeps going out. Give up go to bed and the rains begin hard and the power goes out and the roof leaks above my bed…. hmmm. In everything give thanks…. Now 3 am and electric back on and rains slowed. Dread seeing the church in a few hours. no confidence in the tarps…Funny thing these are not the things that stress me out… It is just time money and sweat… The LORD will provide as He always has.

Now a sweet true story. A while back one of our preachers, from a very poor mountain church, by chance met a small group from some of the larger member different denomination churches while making purchases in the city. When they asked him questions they were bemused by his answers and asked if he was a pastor. He replied yes. They then began to tell of some of their fundraisers in church how they raised x000s in different offerings. Finally asking what kind of offerings does His church take in. He replied  sometimes $3 sometimes $5, sometimes a chicken. They began to laugh and say God was not blessing his church... He then asked if they knew about salvation... Did they know where they would go when they died? Not a one could give a biblical reply, Some said if they are good enough, if God allows... if or maybe was as good as it got. He then shared that all the regular adults in his small poor church could answer that question with yes. And that was worth more than anything else and a much bigger, much richer blessing. He asked if they wanted to hear, but they scoffed. Strangely they asked him to preach to a group of preachers. Willing to preach the truth anywhere, he agreed... but was soon disapointed because they did not understand what preaching was. His prepared message was strong for preachers, but they had him preach on the corner outside of where they were meeting... He did but changed the message and led some passers by to the LORD... If you ask him if he would do it again... the answer would be,.. of course...