Fort Worth Zoo Pictures.

Salt water Croc.

Fred the unknown snake.

Macaw.

Hippo Yawn.

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011.

We were up quite early this morning as we had to pack our trailor.  We left the missions house in Grand Praire, TX.  Thank is due to Lighthouse Baptist Church for the supply of this house to us; the guest book was full of people that have benefitted from this house over the years.  We then headed for Mansfield and dropped our trailor off at Countryside Baptist Church, for we are going back there on Thursday. 

After that, we headed to Abilene, TX, 2.5hrs. away, to our appontment with Harvest Baptist Church and Pastor Roy Meksch.  It was a blessing to meet Pastor Meksch and the members of Harvest Baptist.  We were able to present the church planting ministry, minister in song (Sandy, Adam, and Natalie), and preach the Word of God. 

Sunday, March 6th, 2011.

I am a little late getting this post made.  We have had some minor problems with Internet access and I am making this post from Taco Cabana restaurant.

Sunday morning we had the pleasure of ministering at Northeast Baptist Church in Southlake, TX (Pastor Jerry Summy).  We were allowed to present the ministry, minister in song, and preach the Word of God.  The people were very interested and asked many a question about Nova Scotia, specifically, and Canada in general.

Adam was the one who sang in the morning.  He sang "On the Streets of the Broadway."  This song is to the tune to "The Streets of Lareado" and my pastor changed the lyrics, which are a gospel story.  The folks were very appreciative of this song.

In the evening we got together with our home church in Yarmouth, NS via video conferencing.  We were able to report to them and bring forth a few thoughts from the Word of God.  What a blessing to see their faces and hear them sing hymns to the Lord.

Keeping the Ministry in Focus.

I am just getting around to posting this blessing.  Last Friday evening Adam and I went over to Lake Worth Baptist Church in Lake Worth, TX.  Pastor Jerry Locke was hosting a preachers workshop, which was to begin Friday evening and last through the day Saturday.  We had to drive to Houston last Saturday and were not able to attend the main part of the workshop, but we got some real gold just from the introduction Friday evening.  Here are some of the things Brother J. Locke gave us.  Obviously, Brother Locke elaborated on each point, and I am just relaying it in point format.

Keeping the Ministry in Focus:
1.  We did not iniate our ministry...it is God who called us.
2.  We did not choose the people initially placed in our lives to prepare us for ministry...God chose them.
3.  We did not choose the places of our ministry.
4.  We do not determine the length of our ministry.  (Unless by disobedience.)
5.  We never fully comprehend our ministry.
6.  We must entirely depend on God for the resources for the ministry.
7.  We are never wise enough to assess the true success or failure of our ministry.
8.  We are not to seek any personal praise for what God does though us in our ministry.
9.  We don't create our own message, we simply use God's.
10.  We never really finish anything.

In addition to this Brother Locke also brought forward these thoughts from a book by Irwin Lutzer called Pastor to Pastor (Brother Locke added the final point in this list).
1.  Prayer is more important than preaching.
2.  Preaching is more important than administration.
3.  Family is more important than the congregation.
4.  Faithfulness is more important than competition.
5.  Love is more important than ability.
6.  A true friend is worth more than 100 aquaintences.

There are decades of wisdom in the above.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011.

Today (Wed. Mar. 2) we drove to Nolanville, TX, which is near Fort Hood, a US Army base.  We were there to visit Northside Baptist Church (Pastor Olton Phillips).  We had the privilege to present the ministry and preach to these dear people, and amongst this church of soldiers and their families we found some prayer warriors.  We stayed in one of their two first class missions apartments over night.

One of the challenges for a church with a large part of its membership serving in the Armed Forces is that due to transfers of personnel the membership changes very dramatically every 3 to 5 years.  The Pastor told us that they currently have 20 members overseas serving with the US Forces.




Some central Texas countryside.



Monday, February 28th, 2011.

For all our friends and loved ones back in Canada you will please excuse us as we revel in the warmth a little.  Here are a few more pics.

Freeport, TX.

Freeport, TX

Freeport, TX.

In speaking with the folks that live on the Gulf Coast I was not surprised to find out that the BP oil spill of the past year has not materially affected them at all.  Pastor Tim Reynolds is an avid sport fisherman, fishing and eating all the saltwater fish he can; and, he is involved in a fish conservation organization and expressed that there was no ecological disaster.  Of course no one wants oil spills! But, all things must be put in perspective, and the mainline media has a terrible track record for 'chicken little' stories.  Sensationalism attracks viewers and viewership attracts advertising dollars.

Houston, TX.

This is not even rush hour.  Houston, TX

Sunday, February 27, 2011.

On Saturday the 26th we travelled the 4+ hours to Humble, Texas, a community on the north edge of the city of Houston, TX.  Houston is counted as the fourth largest city in the USA.  We were kindly received by Pastor Tim Reynolds, his wife and daughter, and all the members of Heritage Baptist Church.  We had a blessed time with them as we fellowshipped with them in the truth.  The closer two are in doctrine, and the love of Christ, the closer and sweeter the fellowship.  Both the churches we visited on this day were very sweet visits, as have all of our visits.  I have worked hard to find churches of like faith and practice, but understand, it is still a pleasure to get to the church and find out that one's doctrinal statement and their practice match.

At Heritage Baptist Church we were able to present the minisrty in the Sunday School.  I was able to answer many good questions from folks that were genuinely interested.  In the morning worship service Sandy, Adam, and Natalie ministered in music and I had the privilege of preaching.  I preached on The Gospel, the Power of God unto Salvation (Romans 1:16).  We endeavour to give ourselves to the Lord so that we can be a blessing to each pastor and church we visit, and I hope we are; but, we certainly come away with blessings.  We were blessed to meat the pastor and people of Heritage Baptist and also blessed when Pastor Reynolds told us that they were going to take us on for monthly support.

Tiers of highway in Houston.  When you cannot expand out you must go up.



Sunday afternoon we left the city of Houston and headed south for Freeport, Texas, which is located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.  What a thrill to see the ocean again, and to hear the surf! 

Sunday evening we arrived at Faith Baptist Church in Freeport and were kindly greeted by Pastor James McEntire and the members of the church.  We presented the ministry, ministered in music and preached.  I preached from Acts 13:1-5 on the Lord Jesus' method of missions and how every member can, and needs, have an integral part in church planting.  The folks had many questions about Canada and the spiritual climate, as well as the envrinomental climate.  It was approximately 70 degree F on February 27, so folks are interested to hear about our temperatures, which are definately not that pleasant.  But, folks are surprised to hear how moderate Nova Scotia is, when compared to the rest of Canada.  We made friends at both these churches.

On Monday morning we took an hour and looked around Freeport.

A white sand beach on the Gulf coast.

Plenty of palms.

Sport fishing in the Gulf is very popular.

Gull.

Storm serge protection--stilts.

Hurricanes are a serious threat on the Gulf coast.  The are certain highways marked "Huricane Evacuation Route," which people are to use when an evacuation order has been issued.