Blog 51

I’m sitting here at the computer at 6 am and totally spent physically from a severe cold that has taken hold of me for two weeks now. On our cruise, we stopped in Rome to see the city and we toured in an open-air two-story bus and were on the top deck taking pictures of the major sites, including the Vatican. The Pope didn’t have time to see me this time, but hopefully, he will have another opportunity in the days ahead. The air didn’t seem to bother me at the time, but we had to hurry back to the boat for two shows and it seemed I started to have early stages of a cold that I couldn’t shake. After two days, we were scheduled to do our gospel concert and by then I was struggling. God gave me the strength to get through that event but from then until even now, I’m still not over it. I’ve prayed daily for relief but it doesn’t come.

So today we get on a flight for Oslo, Norway and it will be another “red eye” flight that will mean unless God intervenes I will endure another sleepless night. Why do I do it? Sometimes I wonder. There are many who support us and love what we do, but there is also a huge opportunity to share the love of Jesus to many in other countries who might never know of God’s love for them. On that last cruise, I was able to talk with a prominent member of the touring group and he told me he was a Darwinist. I got a chance to explain why I’m a Christian and the differences between us were stark. He believes we evolved from apes. My response to that was to say to him, then why are there still apes in the world and humans as well? If we all evolve from apes, why are there still apes? This was done with respect for his views and he was very respectful of mine as well. We didn’t get past that point because he wasn’t ready to move forward but it did make me realize that each of us is on a journey. Some never find the peace of God and reconciliation with Christ that seems so easy for me. Being raised in a Christian home, it came naturally for me. For those who didn’t share my background, it may be much harder. I think God has chosen me for a purpose. While I don’t enjoy the travel, I do count it a privilege to share our music and message of the life-changing power of the gospel in song to many who would never even think about it. To many, the church is boring and stiff; to me, the church is not a 14th-century beautiful edifice that we admire for its beauty,  but a group of people around the world who name the name of Christ and who fellowship and encourage each other in our quest to find God’s will for our lives.

I pray you to find God’s purpose for YOU in the critical days ahead. We are entering what I believe are very serious days of great deception in the world. It’s vital we have a solid foundation in our faith to be able to withstand and recognize the real from the fake. Some say, I just don’t have the faith to believe in God. I can’t see Him so He must not be there. I see him all around me in the beautiful creation we call Earth. The birds of the air, the fish in the sea, the trees, the oceans, but mostly the human body are all such amazing creations. How could anyone say that all this just evolved? For we are His workmanship, created in His image that we might show forth the grace and mercies of God to a world that is lost and without hope.

May you find YOUR purpose in life and know the peace of God that passes all understanding.