To Africa & Beyond: Walking Through the Storms of Life with a Thankful Heart

By Joseph Meyers

To Africa and Beyond: Walking Through The Storms of Life With a Thankful Heart is a book about pilgrimage: physical, psychological and spiritual. It is about travel, adventure and personal fulfillment. It is about helping people on three continents through their challenges of discouragement and confusion while experiencing violent mental and emotional storms in my own life. More importantly it is a book about choices and consequences and lessons learned throughout a life of high adventure coupled with gut-wrenching grief which could easily have pushed me into mistrust of God & people, or cynicism & skepticism, or fear, or self-pity. It is a book about how Gods Love, Grace and active Sovereignty in my life was able to pull me through the knot-hole of suffering that at times threatened to engulf my soul (will, emotions & intellect), and rather to help me stand on my feet through Faith in God. I was enabled to hold on to the concept that God is a good God and the Devil is a bad devil in this broken world, as well as the internal choice not to quit because quitting would be worse than continuing. This I know, the most important, most faith filled prayer anyone can pray is, Lord, not my will but yours be done in my life. I know this, too, that God will usually not act sovereignly in our lives unless we have invited Him to do so. All of this was done while living in North America and West Africa, as well as extensive travel and ministry in Thailand, India, Cambodia and Vietnam. My hope is that what you read in this book will help you in your own pilgrimage through life on earth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491871034

Joseph Meyers

Joseph Meyers is a retired business man, College Professor, Pastor and missionary to West Africa, with additional ministry experiences in Thailand, India, Cambodia & Vietnam. A graduate of Bethany University, Santa Cruz, California with an earned Bachelor of Science degree, as well as graduating from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary with an earned Master of Arts and double major in Biblical Literature and Cross Cultural Communications (1978), Rev. Meyers has put his studies to good work among the 64 tribes of Ivory Coast, West Africa.

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Published by AuthorHouse    03/27/2014

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Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the NKJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication

Foreword

Introduction:   Key concepts & Biblical Guidance for Daily and Global Living

Chapter One:   The Storm of Unintended Consequences birthed out of Foolish Choices

The Storm

Results Coming out of the Storm

Attitudes of a Child—Attitudes of a Champion

Biblical Illustrations of Foolish Choices & Unintended Consequences

Chapter Two:   Storms that Confirm the Direction of a Person’s Heart

Chapter Three:   Perseverance in the Storms that Come during Active Ministry

Storm One—Chapter Three First Pastorate: Bethel Assembly of God, Yakima Washington

Storm Two—Chapter Three Second Pastorate: Vader Community Church, Vader, Washington

Lani Episodes!

Lani Episode Two

Lani Episode Three

Lani Episode Four

Family Issues & Insights (Part One) Insight #1: Biblical & Secular Culture

Storm Three—Chapter ThreeYears Wasted: A Disastrous Interlude Between Pastorates And God’s Will for our lives.

Storm Four—Chapter Three Completion of Graduate Studies, Chief Baker and Chest Pains

Storm Five—Chapter Three Language Studies in France & Switzerland

Chapter Four:   First Four-Year Term of Service in The Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) Part One

The Agouti & Roasted Termites Parable

Chapter Four:   First Four-Year Term of Service in The Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire)Part Two—Aspects of Ministry

1.   The cultural setting of all Christian Ministry throughout Ivory Coast: the Sacred Dance.

Two sources of Supernatural Power: Don’t get them confused!

2.   Ministry from within San Pedro and the local Assembly of God Church

3.   Ministry in our Jungle Churches

Mahino-1 & Meeting the Tribal Chief for the Krou people

Modern Example of winning the victory in the spirit world before experiencing it in the physical realm

Chapter Five:   Second Four-Year Term of Service in The Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire)

Saying Good-bye to our Son

Into a Hole full of rain water big enough to swallow the Mission Vehicle!

Over our Head & Swallowed up with Responsibilities

Striving for Unity between the French and American trained pastors

Speed the Light & Boys & Girls Missionary Crusade Support Programs

Humorous Events

Challenge, Danger & Personal Crisis on the Mission Field

Emergency Trip Back to the United States

The Bait Stick and The Bait of Satan

Chapter Six:   Perseverance through Storms Experienced, Victories Won And Lessons Learned during Intense Spiritual Warfare

The Struggle for our Son’s Life and Eternal Destiny

1996

July 1996

August, 1996

September, 1996

Chapter Seven:   The Storm (Wind) of God’s Spirit in our lives during Twelve Years of Ministry as Itinerant Seminar Speakers across the USA and western Canada

Chapter Eight:   The Storms & Challenges faced in Ministry Throughout Southeast Asia

Chapter Nine:   The Seasonal Storms Experienced, Victories Won & Lessons Learned Near the End of our Pilgrimage on Earth

Eulogy OF my wife, Ruth Meyers September 24, 2011

Chapter Ten:   The Meaning and Purpose of Miracles

The Purpose of Miracles: Developing Habits of Trust and Obedience

Chapter Eleven:   A Dangerous, Tormented and Searching for Help Kind of Guy

Chapter Twelve:   Insights (Family Issues—Part Two) Coming out of all the Storms along with God’s Deliverance and Care for our Family

Insight #2: Telling the Truth To a world that prefers Euphemisms and Sophistry

Insight #3: The Meaning of Judgmentalism in comparison to: Correction, Reproof or Conviction of Sin

Endnotes

DEDICATION

Dedicated posthumously to my dear wife, Ruth Helen Taylor-Meyers, the Love of my life, who shared most of these experiences with me, in fact who was an essential part of many of the events herein described. How I wish she could have lived to help me write this book! But without consulting me and without my prior agreement, the Sovereign Lord God of all that exists called her home to be with Him! Ruth’s Coronation Day (crowned with Eternal Life) came on July 17, 2011 and I have been required to finish my pilgrimage on this earth without my Covenant Companion. Of course, subsequent to her Home-going I realized the importance of my joyful submission to God’s Wise & Merciful Sovereignty! Only when I have joined Ruth in Heaven’s Glorious Land will I understand the purposes of my Heavenly Father in what He allowed.

Secondly, this Book is dedicated to my daughter, Lani Rochelle Pitofsky (a successful administrator at the VA Hospital in Seattle and a woman with an intellect like a steel trap and a work ethic beyond reproach) as well as her irrepressible husband, Peter, who is Mr. Sunshine, and who makes it his life’s work to bring humor, laughs and happiness to everyone he meets.

Thirdly, this book is dedicated to my awesomely wonderful two Sisters, Norma Jean Boggs who gave me a wonderful Brother in-law, Mr. Tom Boggs, as well as Juanita Ruth Sawyer who gave me another wonderful Brother in-law, Mr. Charlie Sawyer. By the way, the French way of addressing in-laws is like: Beautiful Mother for Mother In-law or Handsome Brother for Brother In-law or Beautiful Sister" for Sister In-law. Do you think we Americans could learn something by this?

Fourth, this Book is dedicated to the prolific (like bunny rabbits) Taylor Clan, Ruth’s Family who so lovingly and graciously has continued to include me as part of The Family! To Paul Taylor who is like a Brother to me; to Esther, Ruth’s Sister (and mine). To Tim Taylor, the youngest of eight of Ruth’s Brothers who’s Faith which resulted in Healing from three stage-four cancers has inspired the entire Taylor Family (of which I am a part). I love all 100 + of you!

Last, but most of all, this Book is dedicated in humility and thankfulness to my wonderful Adonai (Lord, Absolute Ruler, Final Authority and Savior (Deliverer, Conqueror), Jesus Christ… and to Yahweh/Jehovah (Self-Existent One, Source of Life or Life-Giver), with His multiple names and titles given as a Gift to the Human Race by Him Who loved us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son to be a Redemptive Sacrifice so as to redeem us from under the power of the Evil One. To Elohim (Mighty, Strong, Strength of a Wild Ox), Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord Provides), Jehovah-rophe (Our God heals), Jehovah-nissi (God is my Banner), Jehovah-M’Kaddesh (God sanctifies [His People] or makes [His People] Holy or Righteous), Jehovah-shalom (God is our Peace)! To Him without Who we would have no life, this book is dedicated!

He is also my Heavenly Father, in Whose Arms of Love and Glorious Light I long to be! Even so, come again; come soon, I pray, Oh Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus the Christ! Lord of Lords and King of Kings!

WITH APPRECIATION

It is important to mention my deep appreciation for the help of Mrs. Linda Pagel, and her Son, Mr. David Pagel, who have so graciously given their time to critique this manuscript and develop the unique book cover! Any current mistakes or needed improvement is due to my own errors. The compliments belong to Mrs. Pagel and her Son. The same can be said regarding the invaluable encouragement and counsel of Mrs. Carol Stone. Thank you ladies! You and your husbands are wonderful friends!

FOREWORD

What a journey! That’s what I found myself thinking as I read the manuscript of Joseph Meyers’ remarkable saga of life and ministry. The Lord opened doors of opportunity for Joseph and Ruth, not only here at home, but literally around the world—from little Vader, Washington, to Africa and Viet Nam, to Alaska and Cambodia, to Chicago and Canada, and beyond. Joseph’s childhood dream was to be a great healing evangelist. But God’s destiny was for him to impact thousands as an international Bible preacher/teacher, and to do it with his best friend, his wife Ruth.

This autobiographical account is a study in contrasts. On the one hand it is intensely personal, but on the other hand it is profoundly spiritual. It climbs exhilarating spiritual mountaintops, and plunges into the deepest valleys. There are personal testimonies, but also biblical teachings with universal application. The transparency with which it is written is sometimes painful to read, but the lessons learned bring healing.

Even the title suggests this contrast: Walking Through the Storms of Life… With a Thankful Heart. Storms and thankfulness seem incompatible, but not if you walk through the storms with the Lord’s help. We do not just walk into the storms, we walk through them. We don’t stay perpetually in the storms, we press through to the other side of them. That’s cause for thankfulness. And wherever we are, God is there. As the old song says, Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God.

Joseph’s description of the long illness and ultimate death of his son, Lance, will bring tears to your eyes. His eulogy for his beloved wife will do likewise. Painful storms; perfect peace. Unbearable grief; undeniable grace.

Joseph tells us of Ruth’s love of, and adherence to, the truth. But he also is a truth-lover and truth-teller. So his revelations about his mistakes, his honesty about his do-overs, his frustration with his inadequacies—all are told as unvarnished truth. But the truth about himself is contrasted with the truth about the God he serves. In revealing Himself in Christ, He is declared to be full of grace and truth. We not only need the truth, we need grace. That’s what Jesus offers. Our foibles and failures are met with the immensity of His grace and forgiveness. Knowing that alone will help us through the storms of life.

I identified with many of the people, places, and events in this book because I go back with Joseph and Ruth about 40 years. They were interim pastors at Spanaway Assembly in Tacoma, Washington, until I became the Senior Pastor there. I was privileged to serve for a time on the board of Joseph’s ministry, Church Renewal, and serve as his denominational supervisor. For a couple of years we were next door neighbors and would often take Lance and Lani to church with us when Joseph and Ruth had services elsewhere. Since then we have often been separated by miles and time, but our friendship has stayed strong.

Thanks, Joseph, for allowing us to follow you to the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows in your life. And thank you for reminding us that in every storm one thing remains the same: God is faithful.

Warren D. Bullock

Executive Presbyter, Northwest Region

General Council of the Assemblies of God

FOREWORD

Foreword for Walking Through the Storms of Life . . . With a Thankful Heart by Joseph Meyers

Don Detrick, D.Min., Associate Network Leader, Northwest Ministry of the Assemblies of God, Adjunct Professor, Northwest University and Assemblies of God Theological Seminary;

Author: Growing Disciples Organically: The Jesus Method of Spiritual Formation

My wife and I recently spent a few days at a Seaside, Oregon beachfront inn. Winter storms often blow in from the Pacific, and one such February storm blasted our small second story room during a particular night of our stay. The wind howled down the chimney and literally shook the windows, floor, and walls, occasionally awakening us from sleep. Having spent eight years of our lives not far from there, we were not particularly frightened by the intensity of the storm, and I awoke early the next morning with anticipation. Gone were the clouds and wind, and a blue sky welcomed me as I strode down to the beach, camera in hand.

Beachcombing and photos would occupy me for the next several hours as the combination of wind and high tides had coughed up onto the sands a plethora of treasures from the deep. The hope of discovering some valuable or unique object motivated my search. Although rare these days, old Japanese glass fishing net floats were sometimes found on days like this, even rarer were old bottles, some adrift at sea for years. I held onto a hope that I might even find an old bottle with a message inside—perhaps some sailor’s last love letter before perishing years ago as his vessel sank during a storm similar to what we’d experienced the night before.

But it was not to be. My treasures that morning were the photos I was able to take, and a few seashells and sand dollars my young granddaughters might add to their collection. However the thought of finding a message in a bottle is intriguing, and motivated an internet search of the topic.

The Guinness Book of Records actually keeps track of old messages found in bottles. And the oldest one on record is a message in a bottle found in April 2012 by a Scottish skipper on the North Sea that had floated around for 98 years before he fished it out of the water. Oddly enough, the bottle discovered by Andrew Leaper was only about 9 miles from where it had originally been released on June 10, 1914 by Captain C. Hunter Brown of the Glasgow School of Navigation. He had released this bottle along with 1,899 others that day in an attempt to map the currents of the North Sea. And the message was still intact: Please state when and where this bottle was found, and then put it in the nearest post office.

One would expect more information, more drama, more romance, more… something from such a discovery! But the Guinness Book of Records does not embellish the facts—sometimes a message in a bottle, even one that has drifted about for nearly a century, can be quite boring and offer little information to help today’s traveler navigate the chilly waters of life.

The truth is, we often set off on the journey of life in anticipation of a great adventure, only to discover more disappointments than excitement along the road. The wise traveler, however, learns from both excitement and disappointment, recording lessons learned along the way. Those who go before us, such as Captain C. Hunter Brown of the Glasgow School of Navigation, may well invest much effort in mapping the currents, and helping others make discoveries and avoid the obstacles that will enable them to finish the journey successfully.

Like Captain Brown, my good friend Joseph Meyers has provided this book as a roadmap for the great adventure of life that lies before each of us. Joseph’s journey has taken him around the world and through experiences many of us will never face. From humble beginnings, he has accomplished much during his lifetime as a student, teacher, pastor, and missionary. He has led many to Christ, and diligently taught the Word of God. From the mundane to the miraculous, through dust, dirt, and danger, he has navigated through the most challenging storms by keeping his heart set on the North Star of the soul, a vision of the Lord that cannot be diminished by clouds, currents, or catastrophes.

In this book you will discover priceless pages from the diary of a pilgrim, one who has carefully documented his journey, providing us access to lessons that are best learned from others who have gone on before. Joseph’s steadfast faith and insight into biblical truth will add light to the dark and shadowy places of your soul. His conviction that God is good and will provide a way through the storm will provide nourishment to feed your soul when you are hungry for a word of hope to sustain you along the way. His determination to see the good and utilize the power of the Holy Spirit will be a well of water to quench your thirst for encouragement when your plate is full but your cup is empty. And his gentle reminders to live at all times with a grateful heart will be keys to unlock the doors of your prison of fear and release you to move toward your divine destiny.

I don’t know what you might be facing. Each of us faces different storms and at different places and times, but we can be certain that storms will come. It is best to be prepared. Walking Through the Storms of Life . . . With a Thankful Heart will help you do that very thing. Better than a message in a bottle, the messages contained in these pages will be true treasures, to help you overcome life’s storms and stay on course.

Don Detrick, D.Min.

Associate Network Leader, Northwest Ministry of the Assemblies of God

Adjunct Professor, Northwest University and Assemblies of God Theological Seminary

Author: Growing Disciples Organically: The Jesus Method of Spiritual Formation

Feb 23, 2014 North Bend, WA

Introduction

Key concepts & Biblical Guidance for Daily and Global Living

This is a book about lessons learned in the crucible of Life’s Storms, and the attitudes needed in successfully facing those storms. The necessary attitudes are these:

1.   A Sense of adventure and expectation for Divine Providence, protection and favor rather than an attitude of dread, fear or self-pity; knowing God loves you! God is a Good God and the Devil is a bad devil. Please don’t get that confused or mixed up!

2.   An Expectation of Providential & miraculous Guidance through each Storm;

3.   An Expectation of God’s Miraculous Provision through the Storms of life coupled with a daily practice of faith filled praying and intercession before God for your own needs and the needs of others;

4.   A willingness to engage frequently, if not constantly, in self-examination¹ for the purpose of understanding the wisdom needed for each day;

a.   the reason(s) why I am where I now find myself, needed course corrections (if any), intense consideration of the consequences that will come from the choices I make each day.

b.   Speaking of choices, one should always remember that choices normally have cumulative consequences for people and circumstances. Each choice either builds or increases strength, knowledge and wisdom; or is destructive, detractive and weakening of future opportunities and fulfillment of purposes.

4.   Remember that Life has meaning!

a.   God created each of us to have Significance, Purpose and Meaning to our life.

(1)   If these seem to be missing from our life, such a negative perception (feeling insignificant and without purpose or meaning in our life) is either an expression of impatience or misunderstanding of where we are in the process of God’s purposes being accomplished in one’s life.

(2)   or, an indication that we are out of the Will of God altogether, off the right path and needing to repent and return to where we are expected to be in our relationship with God so that purpose and meaning can return.

(3)   If the first be true, then an attitude adjustment with the help & guidance of the Holy Spirit is all that is needed;

(4)   But if the second is true (we are out of the will of God) then a serious and maybe even prolonged period of self-examination and repentance is required to help us make the course correction in our life that is needed.

(5)   Remember, God HAS gifted you with purpose and meaning for your life!

b.   The things that happen to each of us (circumstances that arise) have reason (Divine or Satanic Purpose) behind them. (Book of Job, chapters 1 & 2)!

(1)   Has God revealed to you something about the meaning and purpose of your life?

(a)   If not, it will be extremely important for one to spend a period of time in prayer, the devotional personalized reading of God’s Word, and active seeking of counsel from tried and tested Spiritual Leaders whose integrity and heart after God are beyond question.

(b)   If you have some sense of God’s Will for your life, then maybe it is time to contemplate on the admonition of some unknown Saint, Never doubt in the Dark what God has revealed to you in the Light.

(2)   To discourage us from the direction we are presently headed in life so that God can get us back on track toward fulfilling the purpose for which He created us.

(3)   To encourage us in the direction we are headed (a little bit of, Well done! Thou good and faithful servant! message from our Creator).

(4)   To help us make small or large course corrections in our life.

(5)   To encourage us to fulfill obligations and Covenant Relationships in a way that establishes more firmly the element of integrity connected to our Life Message. Faithfulness to your spouse & family! Don’t break promises!

(6)   Does your life have a Message, and do you know what that Message is?

(a)   Noah had a life message. See if you can figure it out!

(b)   Abraham had a life message. See if you can figure it out!

(c)   Moses had a life message. See if you can figure it out!

(d)   Joshua had a life message. See if you can figure it out!

(e)   Joseph had a life message. See if you can figure it out!

(f)   John the Baptist had a life message. See if you can figure it out!

(g)   None of these men could have done what the others did. The timing and the Call of God only fit their life on the earth at the time they lived.

(h)   God has equipped each of us for the time and culture in which we live and He expects us to fulfill His purposes that are unique to our personal abilities, interests and God-given potential (Grace-giftings).

(i)   Realize that no one that has ever lived in human history could have done what God has asked you to accomplish with your Life Message and Purpose—only you can do that! ²

(j)   You may right now be an alcoholic or drug addict or have been molested or told you were trash and would never amount to anything.

(k)   God did not create you to spend your whole life suffering as a victim!

(l)   When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade with it, as my wife and I did, in taking the ashes of our Son’s wasted body into high school gymnasiums and women’s prisons or youth detention centers to warn and equip other youth. So also you can take the ashes of your life and do something great with them that will benefit many other people!

(m)   Find out through study and counseling with Godly people what God’s purposes are for your life. Get rid of self-pity! Tell yourself, I am strong! My life is like a Treasure of Gold hidden in a field! I will find the Treasure God has buried within me and I will use that Treasure to help others, and for the Glory of God. Just do it!

Chapter One

The Storm of Unintended Consequences birthed out of Foolish Choices

The Storm

It was a warm, sunny day, that day so very many years ago, as I walked along a California beach with my Father. We had progressed down the beach; just enjoying being together, the tide was out, but starting to come back in. Then we came finally to a place where there were tall cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other. Dad suggested that we climb the tallest of the cliffs which, as I remember, must have been all of 50 to 100 feet in height.

Dad was an experienced mountain climber, not in any technical sense, but he had grown up in the Tetons of Wyoming and had done a lot of climbing in those mountains. I remember clearly that both of us were dressed lightly as would be normal in the warmth of a Spring or Summer day in central California. I had on a pair of tennis shoes, slacks and shirt. Dad was similarly dressed.

As we began our assent up that sheer cliff there were, at first, ample finger and toe holds that made the climb relatively easy. Dad climbed first and so was above me on the cliff. That had to be a God-thing as we would later discover. On the way up, I once looked down and noticed that the tide was coming in and the rocks below were beginning to be surrounded by water. What began to cause a little concern was that the closer to the top of the rock cliff we came, the fewer were the opportunities to grasp something or put the ends of my tennis shoes onto a small protrusion in the cliff.

Dad finally reached the top and pulled himself up and over to safety, and onto the flat ground above. By that time I had reached a point where, because I was so much shorter than my Father, I could no longer find toe-holds or finger-holds with which to continue my assent. I was stuck on that sheer, perpendicular cliff and unable to ascend or descend. In the meantime, we had been so focused on the climb, which had turned out to be far more dangerous and risky than I’m sure my Father had already anticipated that we had failed to notice the changing weather and the decent of evening shadows. The wind had come up, the weather was changing and our position on that cliff was extremely precarious, especially for me. It began to look as if maybe a rain storm was blowing in from the sea. As my situation slowly dawned on me, I felt the first pangs of fear. The palms of my hands became sweaty and my knees felt unsteady. So the psychological as well as physical danger was suddenly being compounded.

As Dad sized up my (our) situation he laid down flat on the top of the cliff, wrapped his legs around a strong looking bush, and began to lower his torso down over the edge of the cliff in my direction. He then extended one hand down to me and asked me to grasp his hand. I let go with of my hold on that cliff with one hand, and reached up to him. The tips of our middle fingers touched, but Dad was unable to grasp my hand so as to pull me to safety. In a calm, reassuring voice that spoke of confidence I doubt he felt, he informed me that since we were miles away from any Park Ranger station or a telephone or any other form of help, we were going to need to solve this problem between the two of us.

He then outlined his plan of action. Even though I was pressed flat against that perpendicular cliff and holding on for dear life, I was to force my body out away from the cliff in a way that would allow me to bend my knees as best I could, then letting go of my hand-holds on the cliff shoot one hand up toward him as I jumped. He promised to catch that hand and pull me to safety. It was our only hope! Dad must have realized that, especially with the storm coming in and the possibility of rain, I would not be able to remain on the cliff long enough for him to go for help and return in time to rescue me. So this was it! We had only one try. If he missed my hand or I somehow failed to perform the jump/reach scenario correctly so that he could grasp my hand and pull me to safety, I would surely fall to my death on the rocks some 50 plus feet below.

I cannot possibly do an adequate job of describing the psychological storm within my mind, emotions and will power that day on the cliff. My sweaty palms and weak, shaky knees against the cold stone of that cliff were only external evidences of the internal struggle with fear washing over me. I wished for a different set of choices but there were none.

How did I get into this position? What had started out to be a fun time with my Father on a warm, balmy California day had turned into a hellish, life-threatening nightmare! Regrets, second guessing and wishes for a chance to back up and redo our choices of that day would solve nothing. I’m sure Dad must have been going through a similar emotional storm that early spring day as he looked downward at his Son whose life clung precariously to quickly diminishing options in a seemingly impossible situation. How would he face his wife (my Mother) if this ended badly? How could he ever forgive himself for getting the two of us into this predicament?

I knew I could not hang onto the small safety and comfort of finger and toe holds. Time, fear and the incoming change of weather all dictated a leap of faith or a terrible fall that would surely end in the breaking of every bone in my body or, maybe, a merciful and sudden death on the rocks below. I wanted to live! Obedience and trust in my Father were my only choices if I hoped to have the opportunity for health and life.

Results Coming out of the Storm

My knees bent, my hand shot up toward my Father’s hand. I am alive and well today as a testimony to God’s Grace and help, as well as the stubborn Will-power of my Father who now, with only half of his body on top of the cliff and the top part of his torso hanging downward on the side of the cliff, had the herculean task of pulling the dead weight of my body up over the top of that cliff to safety.

I remember so very clearly Dad’s words to me after I was safely on top with him, Son, we won’t tell your Mother about this, will we? It was many years later before Mom found out about that wonderful day on the cliff when God taught my Father and myself lessons about commitment, obedience, trust, faith, perseverance, hope and the need to think & plan carefully before making hasty choices!

There would be another day, years later, a day of deep discouragement and bitterness of soul when I would re-learn the lessons of boyhood by means of a supernatural visitation from God, coupled with the words, Son, down the road (of life) you will need to know that I know where you are! But that is another story. Actually, the times I would need to remember those words and the fact that God was very much aware of my location and need and, by implication, that I would be sheltered and cared for within His Love for me; these are multiple stories to be shared. The first two are separated by from 10 to 13 years (from the time I was somewhere between 6 to 12 years of age (1949 to 1955) all the way to 1966 when I was about 23 years of age, from a child jumping with trust to catch my Dad’s hand to a grown man, married and feeling that God was not treating me right because I was having to work too hard to pay for my Bible College training instead of spending enough time with my lovely, beautiful Bride, a gift from God); all because of the work & study requirements.

And then too, times much later on in life, out in Africa, looking down the barrels of guns pointed at my head or deadly snakes threatening my life or angry witch doctors also wanting to take my life. At each point, needing to know that my Heavenly Father knew where I was and by implication was in control of my circumstances, allowing what was happening within the confines of His Sovereign, disciplining (training), loving and merciful Will! There is always the temptation, when events or circumstances in life are not to our liking to want to choose to quit in disgust, saying, This is not for me! And then make choices under the stress of disappointment, or frustration, or self-pity or anger that will alter our lives and, as a consequence, cause us to miss the very best that God has planned for us!

I can say now, in 2014, at 70 years of age, that there were many times I was tempted to throw in the towel and make life altering choices because I was exhausted, disgusted, filled with self-pity, or angry. There was one period of my life, after we came to the end of our missionary career that I literally laid on my bed and prayed over a period of months that God would take my life. Depression and a sense of failure and self-pity had set in and it was only because of the love of my precious wife, the friendship of Pastor Fulton Buntain in Tacoma, Washington and the tender patience of my Heavenly Father that I was able to survive that season of my life. Physical and emotional fatigue is a great catalyst that the Enemy of our Souls can use against us in an effort to cause us to miss out on God’s highest destiny for our individual lives. This is true for each of us! God has a unique destiny for each person, just like each snow flake is unique or each flower or each part of His awesome Creation is unique. And we should each remember the promise given by the Holy Spirit through His Prophet, Jeremiah.³ And then again there is the assurance of Psalm 139:16-18 (New Living Translation), that each moment and day of our lives is planned by God before we are born.

But there is a price to pay for experiencing God’s best in our lives! And that is also what this book is all about! It is about the price Ruth and I paid to experience God’s best in our lives, and how we learned to live with thankful hearts and positive attitudes even while we suffered, continuing daily to pay the price necessary for success, and obedience to God. Part of that price being the long hours of study, learning, travel, teaching, hard work, the disappointments, personal betrayals even by those we served and loved. Often there was work that required me to be awake and faithful to my responsibilities 16 to 18 hours out of each day. There was language study in France from 8 AM to 11 PM five days a week with only 9 months to learn the language. In Africa, dangerous trips into the jungle to visit our churches, rescuing persecuted African Christians from certain death even as we risked our own lives, or long hours of work at the Bible School in order to train African pastors. Even standing guard, with my 12 gauge shotgun, over the students at the Bible School while they slept at night so as to insure they would not be murdered in their sleep because of the crime wave by hardened criminals & murderers set free from jail by the President of the country. That story, and so much more, is also in this book!

If I had quit, or made different choices instead of letting God direct my life and make some important choices for me, I would not be where I am today with a life history that has taken me all across West Africa, Europe and Southeast Asia. I have students that I have trained living and ministering in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Senegal, and indeed, so I am told, throughout West Africa. I have had many, many adventures in the Jungles of West Africa, in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and across northern India up into the Himalayan Mountains, all the way to the ancient Kingdom of Sikkim ⁴ just south of Nepal, and was part of a team of 13 people that traveled with Micah Smith north of Hanoi to open an orphanage near the border with China. I got very sick on that trip and one of the team members later told me that he didn’t expect me to survive.

I was with another team of men when we were arrested in Nagaland (northeastern India) and then were freed the next day, allowing us to teach and share with pastors in that region. I also met men and women on that trip who had been beaten and left for dead, and had suffered greatly for their faith in Christ.

In Vietnam we met with 90 plus members of the Underground Church to encourage men and women and children, all of whom had spent years in jail, suffering greatly for their Faith in Christ. Walking through the streets of Hanoi was a thrilling, beautiful and wonderful experience and I saw it as part of my reward for walking in obedience to the Lord. My visit to the Hanoi Hilton, where John McCain and so many others of our Vietnam Veterans were held prisoner, suffering horrific torture while there, was an eye opening experience! I saw the instruments of torture that were on display, but seriously doubt that the two guillotines present at the time I was there, were used during the Vietnam War. As I understand it, those were used by the French against their own North Vietnamese prisoners before the USA even got into the war. If one believes the Vietnamese account, the cruelty of the French created much bitterness toward the white man & Western Civilization and were a large part of the reason our American soldiers met such resistance.

Being part of a team that took two truck-loads of supplies down steep dirt jungle roads slippery with mud and with high cliffs on one side and 1,000 foot drop offs on the other was both dangerous, and challenged our trust in God. But we persisted into the refugee camp and prepared to give needed supplies to new refugees from the Karen (pronounced: kuh-wren) Tribe that would arrive shortly out of the Burmese jungle and into the northern Thailand jungle Refugee Camp. They would be virtual captives, not allowed by the Thai government to assimilate into Thai culture but forced to spend the rest of their lives in that Refugee Camp where only people like us who brought supplies to them plus United Nations trucks that came from time to time would keep them from starving to death. I was told that the Burmese Army regulars were a short distance away from the camp and that all that guaranteed our safety were the Karen Freedom Fighters. Periodically they would cross the border to attack that camp. I met and visited with people who had lost arms and legs to the land mines planted by the savagery of the Burmese soldiers. All of that provided eye-opening, gut wrenching adventures that a person could never arrange for with a travel agency no matter how much money you paid them. But God had quite evidently seen into my heart and seen my love of high adventure as well as my love for Him and desire to help others, and to make my life count for Eternity. So He put together all those parts and pieces to give me a life that has been extraordinary almost beyond description.

The capstone