Allow me a few minutes of nastalgia, as we celebrate the one hundredth birthday of one of America's beloved gospel singers, George Beverly Shea. Born in Ontario, Canada, he became known all over the world as the soloist for Billy Graham. Most of us can remember his singing, "Just As I Am" at every Crusade. But his signature tune is clearly, "How Great Thou Art." I am amazed as I look back over the years at the impact this song has had on church history.

George's first contact with "How Great Thou Art" was in 1954, but the song itself dates to 1885. Swedish pastor Carl Gustav Boberg was caught in a thunderstorm. He was so filled with awe at the grandeur of the storm, the rainbow, and the brilliant light and bird songs that followed the storm, that he penned the words, "Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the world Thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed."

The song made its way to the English speaking world through a German translation, and from Germany to Russia in 1912. In 1922 that Russian language hymn was published as part of a collection of Russian language hymns by the American Bible Society.

An English missionary, Stuart K. Hine, used the song in the Ukraine, and eventually wrote a third verse, in English, devoted to the amazing love of God: "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in."

When World War II forced Himes back to London, he wrote the final verse, "When Christ shall come, with shouts of acclamation..."

In 1954, George Beverly Shea met a friend in London who gave him a copy of the song, and from then on, "How Great Thou Art" was featured at most of Billy Graham's crusades. Featured in the 1957 Madison Square Garden crusade, the song was sung almost one hundred times by the insistence of the audience...and it became a standard crusade hymn. Thanks to Elvis Presley and his Grammy-winning version, the song experienced a major revival and became a favorite world-wide.

If you would like to take a walk down history's lane, go here for a 1982 "Tribute to George" by the Billy Graham organization (the segment dealing with "How Great Thou Art" begins at 16 minutes, 23 seconds). When you look at the clothes & styles, just remember that was 27 years ago! My how things have changed...but the message, "How Great Thou Art," though a bit archaic in its English, is still the same. We serve a Great God!

I highly recommend that you find a church where you can worship this Great God with others this weekend. If you are in the East Pierce County area, why not join us for a wonderful time of music, worship and good Bible preaching...we'd love to have you join us at "The Happy Church." Visit our web site for further information, www.ValleyChristianCenterSumner.com. I think you would enjoy worshippng with us.

Compelled

When Cyrus became the ancient King of Persia, he felt compelled to let a substantial number of his subjects return to their homeland. They had been conquered and moved to his kingdom decades before. So he said that any Jew that wanted to go home could go, with his blessing. Amazingly, many decided to take him up on his offer. They decided to uproot their families and return to the desolate land of their former relatives.

Why? Why did the King give his proclamation and lose these subjects? Why did the people pull up roots and go back where they had to rebuild all over again?

The Biblical Old Testament writer, Ezra, tells us that, "The Lord moved the heart of Cyrus, King of Persia." (1:1) Then Ezra said that "everyone whose heart God had moved..." returned. (1:5)

God stirred a pagan King to make a declaration, and stirred a people to take him up on the offer and leave. Remarkable!

This gives me hope. God can move on the hearts of Kings, Presidents, Leaders...and he can move on the hearts of ordinary people. When he has a plan, He can move heaven and earth to accomplish that plan if He so chooses.

So, could that 'big idea" within you have been planted there by the God of the heavens and earth? Is He stirring something within you? Is He compelling you to do something?

Could the words of the venerable Psalms 23 be an actuality within you? "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He leadeth me..." I rather think so.

What incredible encouragement. Stirred...compelled...stimulated... inspired...

Traveling With Garmin

Last weekend, our daughter and family came from Coeur d'Alene. They needed to go to Lynnwood for a gymnastics competition for their youngest daughter. To make sure they arrived at the right location, I loaned them my GPS, and programmed the address for them. It worked; got them there, and back.

Our daughter writes a family blog. Since their family name is Dundas, she writes "The Five Dundai" about their family. Here is what she wrote, titled "Traveling with Garmin" (I asked her permission to copy the article for you to enjoy). You can click on the link here and read her other articles. I think you will enjoy them.

"Traveling with Garmin"

I think Garmin could become a fabulous traveling buddy. My children were so polite to Garmin, saying "Yes, Ma'am" every time 'she' spoke. She very politely and consistently told us where to go. Garmin is, of course, a GPS road map.

My Dad let us borrow 'Garmin' as we traveled north of Seattle for Nicole's gymnastics meet. We programmed in the destination, listened to the mostly clear directions and made it there in great time, as if we knew where we were going!!! We didn't.. and the funny thing about traveling with 'Garmin' is that I still do not know how to get where we went... I would have been lost without her.

The day was also very foggy as we drove... it was such a blessing to not have to try and find road signs in the thick fog. 'Garmin' made the travels much more pleasant. "Drive .9 miles then turn right"... "exit left, drive 1.2 miles then turn right"... or whatever. Just follow 'Garmin' as she is completely unaffected by the fog.

Why am I writing this??! Because it struck me that the Bible is our 'Garmin' in life. Life on earth is quite foggy at times and often I have no idea how to get to a specific destination. But the Bible is God's direction for us.. how to live... and even our final destination for eternity will be arrived at through God and God alone. I was so encouraged by 'Garmin'... looking at it in a Biblical sense.. and knowing that God provides the direction we need in life and we can trust HIM when we can hardly see in front of us!!! And He never fails.

And sometimes we have to take the next piece of direction without understanding why or where it is going to lead! If we take a wrong turn, 'Garmin' recalculates to get us on the right path again. I do believe God has the same grace and mercy!!

Perhaps a lot to get out of a trip with 'Garmin'.. but we sure got a kick out of it. :)

Right on, Sis...

Long Shelf Life

Zacharias, a Jewish priest, serving his turn burning incense, was visited by an angel. The story is told in Luke 1, and in verse 13 we read that the angel said to him, quite literally, "The prayers that you quit praying a long time ago have been heard." The angel was referring to the prayers of past years for a child. The next thing the angel said was that in their old age, they were going to have a child, to be named John.

What caught my attention was when the angel said: "You quit praying a long time ago. But the shelf-life in heaven for prayers is really good. Your prayer was heard, and God has answered your cry." Zacharias wife, Elizabeth did give birth to John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ.

"Your prayers have a long shelf-life." They still do. What prayers have you quit praying, that need to be revived and re-prayed. I just wanted to remind you that God has not forgotten, and those prayers do have a long shelf-life.

Now you don't need an angel to tell you, because I just did.

A New Era

No matter how we voted or what we think, we have a new President. Having observed his record, his writings and his campaign rhetoric, he is admittedly the most liberal, leftist President this country has ever elected.

The Scripture tell us to pray for those in authority over us, to hold up our leaders in prayer. I encourage you to do just that. Pray for our President. Pray diligently and fervently...daily. He needs our prayers more than ever before.

I pray that he and his family be protected and safe. I pray that somehow wise, godly, conservative men and women of character will come alongside this President and give him needed counsel as he makes decisions for our nation and the world. I would even pray for a Biblical Book of Acts Damascus "Saul to Paul" experience for our President.

He has stated his intentions to lead this nation to the left and into socialism. In that sense, I hope he fails miserably. Though he has said he is a Christian, the evidence is that he is a religious leftist, which is a moral-relativism-based Christian faith of the far left. If interested, you can read more in Matt Barber's column, "The Gods of Liberalism."

As was said today, we are at the hinge of history. Truly, it is a new era for our nation. What this portends for our nation can be positively impacted by those Christians across our land who will continually, consistently and humbly pray for our President and our leaders. I encourage you to join me as we lift them before God, our Heavenly Father, Who inspired and directed our founding fathers to create this great nation of ours.

We are not done. It is not over. I refuse to bow to the nay-sayers and religious (or even non-religious) pessimists among us. I serve a great God, who has turned the course of history before, and He is still in control. He still loves us and cares for us and will walk with us through whatever we face in the next four to eight years.

As we often say at the beginning of our services, "God is great, all the time...and the best is yet to come." I happen to believe that. It is a new era, and one in which God is at work. Let's see what He will do.

Getting Off the Treadmill

Just saying "treadmill" sure brings up a lot of thoughts. Merry-go-round, being all caught up in the same old thing, an endless routine, some wearisome or monotonous activity. It is also a very popular method of exercising. When I Googled 'treadmill' it took three pages of ads before I came to the Dictionary definition of treadmill.

In looking over (very quickly) the first few dozen ads, I found you could even have a "treadmill desk" so you can walk and exercise while you work. Now we're getting somewhere...maybe! I discovered in my studies that it is a proven fact you learn much more when you are active while studying...such as on a treadmill & reading. Really! Go find the book, "Brain Rules." You will be fascinated by what is being discovered. Ah, but I digress.

Recently I disassembled our treadmill and carried it, piece by piece, out to my office. There I reassembled it, so I could use it in a warmer climate than our unheated garage. I figured if I didn't have to put on long-johns, parka and gloves to go use the treadmill (hey, at least I didn't get rained or snowed on in the garage) then maybe I would find more time to do some healthy exercise through the winter.

Ok, winter is here, the office is definitely warmer than the garage, so why aren't I out there more often? Why indeed. It is this thing called time...and discipline. This week it's been twice, so far.

Perhaps I will let you know how I am doing. Then again, perhaps I won't. Especially if I'm not doing well. So here's my challenge...be sure to ask me how I'm doing. With that kind of motivation, perhaps I can be a bit more diligent about arranging my schedule.

You know, we really get done what we really want to get done. When it comes right down to it, we do what we really want to do. We will find time, find the funds (usually) and we will do what we really set our minds to doing. Even if it's a boring exercise on the treadmill.

It is a new year. What have you set your mind to doing this year? Treadmill, anyone?

Where Did Sunday Go?

Sunday is over…again. How do they come and go so fast? I am often so amazed on Sunday night, or Monday morning, to realize another week is gone. So quickly, too. I treasure my Sundays. There are the hours and hours of preparation, prayer, writing, reading, study, listening…and more that goes into sermon preparation. I want Sunday to be a special time. I want my congregation to go home chewing on some thought, some truth, encouraged and uplifted…and happy. My thought is continually, “How can I bless the people today?” I don’t want to just preach sermons, I want to touch lives, encourage, lift, laugh, impart a word of wisdom, share my knowledge of the Word, and when we leave, I want those who attended to say, “Now that was good!”

Now, it is Monday, and my thoughts are on next Sunday. Where am I going in my teaching, what will my sermon focus on? It is January, so I look to preach and teach on subjects centered around the new year, goals, schedules, and whatever I can to help us look positively ahead. There are some great opportunities before us this year, again. We want to take advantage of them, and find ways to reach out to the community with love, acceptance and forgiveness.

Am I Having Fun Yet?

Welcome...a very stormy winter evening welcome. Two items to write about tonight, both of historical importance...at least they are to me.

This is twice...twice in two weeks...and absolutely historical. Twice in two weeks we have had to cancel a church service. First, it was the Sunday before Christmas, Sunday morning and even the scheduled Christmas Program for Sunday evening (and we had to miss all those goodies with the social time that always follows). It seems a winter storm moved into the area on Saturday, following a week of below freezing weather (not necessarily normal for the Pacific NW), and it dumped 3-8" of snow, depending on where you were in Pierce County. Further snow was forecast for late Sunday afternoon (which brought another 5-8" of that white stuff...guaranteeing a "white Christmas"). Across Pierce County many churches, ours included, canceled services for that Sunday.

Now tonight we had to cancel our regular Wednesday night Bible study. Only tonight we were going to have our annual "Planning Session," where we all bring our calendars and together we lay out the year's activities for the church family. Well, tonight it is flooding across Western Washington, with extreme flooding for parts of Sumner, Orting, Fife and surrounding areas. Highway 410 through Sumner is closed (we currently have almost 100 road closures in the county, most of them around us), Orting is undergoing an evacuation, as is Fife south of I-5. We decided it was a wise choice to reschedule our Planning Session for next week and let people stay home...or evacuate as may be necessary.

I cannot remember the last time we canceled a church service, let alone two, on account of winter storms. Perhaps now we can just get on with our normal mild, wet winter for which the Northwest is known for.

Now for the second "historical" item. Tonight our church website has gone live (they call it "published" in the web world). The web site has been ready for several months, but I just did not have the time to finish the final details. Over the Christmas holidays I took the time to finish and proof the site (however, that doesn't mean it is perfect...this is a project in motion). Now I was ready to "publish." Well, it has taken almost a week to accomplish that intricate little detail. First our hosting site decided they could no longer host "Front Page" web sites as they have in the past (ok...perhaps we may be a bit antiquated, but we are still using "Front Page"). It took them almost three days to finally, finally, come to that conclusion. I'm not sure how many tech's I sent home with migraines as we tried to work out the bugs, only to find out their Linux system was incompatible with our Front Page. So on to find another hosting site. It then took them four days to work out the bugs, and tonight, a brilliant tech walked me through some final details (why couldn't the first tech tell me those things???)...and it was "published." Ok, so I lost most of you back there about fourteen paragraphs. Simply put, a week's work, lots of phone calls and emails, and we are "live."

Perhaps I have a few less hairs, but am delighted that we are now "on line." Perhaps you are reading this because of finding Valley Christian Center on line. Welcome...I'm so glad I'm finally here...and you are here. Let's have a great journey together. Come on back. I promise you I'm going to have some fun here. Just wait until I get warmed up! Why not join me. Besides, we're "The Happy Church."