A beautiful morning in Texas!

God is good to us all the time! (Did I just hear you say, "Amen?" Good!) Let me try to give you a snapshot of the past few weeks. I started preaching for the Gilmer-Baldridge church in Ennis on August 2, arriving to a warm and humbling welcome. After a wonderful introduction by one of the elders, the congregation gave me a standing ovation! I almost got choked up and couldn't preach. It was an excellent day. I came just in time to get to enoy a Community Carnival and kick-off to VBS that was planned by Tim & Deb Paden along with help from a youth group from Brownsville, TX which is led by Tim's brother-in-law and his sister. The whole church did a super job of working together, but no one knew what to expect for this first-time effort. The church provided free food, free soft drinks, free school supplies, carnival style games, three huge blow-up toys for the kids and free ice cream from one of the members who owns an ice cream truck. Well, Monday, the night of the Carnival came and so did the people. Nearly 600 people came to the event! It was fantastic and what a way for me to begin a new ministry. That event was as much a blessing and encouragement to me as it was for anyone. Then after the Carnival and VBS, Al Batten, one of the elders, and his granddaughter contacted over 40 additional families and provided school supplies for their children. What a great ministry outreach!

Since then my weeks have been a combination of preaching and teaching on Sunday, working in the office for several days, going back to Arkansas to take care of things at home and prepare to move and then coming back to Ennis on Saturday afternoon to be ready for Sunday. It's been kind of a grueling pace but it is going to let up some soon. I've finally gotten an apartment. Merilyn and Adam, and maybe Sarah, are going to help me move in this weekend (8/22). It's going to be a bit hard to go to my own place because I've been staying with one of the elders and his wife, Dr. Bill and Maryann Kinzie, and they have been treating me like a prince.
The work in Ennis is getting off to a good start. Attendance is already starting to creep up. The spirit of the church family is becoming more joyful, hopeful and optimistic. Dr. Mike Armour, a well-known retired preacher who lives in Dallas and is now president of Eastern European Missions, has been the interim preacher in Ennis. The church had an appreciation luncheon for him and his wife, Fran, this past Sunday. I got to have lunch with Mike. One thing he said that was very encouraging to me is that he could see that there is a major difference in the attitudes and outlook of the membership just within the past 90 days. There is goood reason to be excited and optimistic about the future!

Just a few highlights from the past few weeks. Getting to visit with a wonderful 96 year old lady from the church; she lives by herself and has a marvelous, upbeat approach to life because of her faith. Visiting Baylor Medical Center in Dallas with Dr. Kinzie while we went to visit one of the members who was there for some tests and treatment, then coming to tour the new regional medical center in Ennis. Hearing from others that news is getting around that good things are happening here at the church and people are already coming to see; two new families have said that they want me to announce that they will place membership this coming Sunday. Being able to continue my Thursday night Bible study group back in Springdale; I still love all the members there so much and miss seeing everyone.

Today one of the members, Bill Lewis, who has served as mayor of Ennis, is taking me to the noon Lions Club meeting for lunch and to meet some of the community leaders. The speaker is high school head coach Sam Harrell whose son, Graham, was the quarterback for Texas Tech last year. Sam is a fellow Christian and is now fighting Multiple Sclerosis. Be sure to keep him in your prayers. This afternoon I will head back to Springdale to get things ready to move into my apartment. Please remember to pray for my safety in travel, for my family during these times of transition, and especially for God to bless the work we are seeking to do for Him in Ennis. God bless you! Have a great day in the Lord!