| Pastor's Welcome |
"The voices of a million angels could not express my [our] gratitude!"
I borrowed a line from the oldie-but-a-goodie Andre Crouch praise song, “To God be the Glory,” to tell you what is on my heart as I look back on the celebration of our 30 years with you at Glenview on September 27. It was so special! And I will never forget it.
To be there with family and friends like you and yours was enough joy; but the music, the preaching of a lifelong, eternal friend, Dr. Poly Rouse (I love saying that!), the videos, the gifts, the letters and the obvious sacrifices and hard work of so many were more than I could fathom, certainly more than I deserved. But the fact that you honored my wife and family thrilled me to no end! Cindy and my daughters have tolerated me more than you will (gratefully) know (Has anyone ever told you what I’m like in the mornings, or when I’m trying to break the land-speed record for trips without potty breaks?) And then to have both my brothers there too – it was just perfect (Made “perfecter” because they didn’t get a chance to tell you what my girls would be too sweet to say!).
I cannot thank Jesus enough for letting us come here in September of ’79. And if that weren’t enough, He’s let us stay here for thirty years! Wow, I never thought you were that patient and loving! By the way, for those of you who’ve told me I use ‘wayyyy too many exclamation points (!), we’re already up to 6 of those dudes! (7) But what thrills me also is the knowledge that we’ll be able to spend at least a little while longer here and all eternity in Heaven together. See, that is another of those deals (!!!) – the people we missed who are in Heaven will be able to celebrate with us – not about this preacher and his family, but the One who makes it possible for us to celebrate with Him forever.
So, let’s make a promise: In a few hundreds years or so, let’s all get together and really celebrate as we honor our Lord Jesus who made all this – and you – possible for me to sing:
To God be the glory, to God be the glory –
To God be the glory for the things He has done!
With His blood He has saved me –
With His power He has raise me –
To God be the glory for the things He has done!
(12 if you’re still counting!(13)
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