We are back in Katrina country. We drove over to Picayune, MS last Friday and set up at Christian Life Assembly of God on Saturday. It was great seeing Pastor Darrell Worley, his wife Sharon, and their daughter Lindsey. We've been ministering here every 2 years since the early 90's. A lot has happened since we were here in February 2005. Katrina failed to forget them. Although it wasn't as bad as New Orleans it definitely poured out it's wrath and destruction there. With the hurricane was tornadoes that uprooted 100 year old oak trees and made them fall on houses leaving unbelievable damage.
Hi! This is our last week in Florida. It was action-packed with office duties, Larry scheduling rallies, and packing and repacking for our next leg of the tour to Mississippi. We bid good-bye to our pastors and friends in Florida for another two years. We will back to the Sonshine state, Lord willing, in 2009. It seems like a long ways off but it will go by quickly.
Greetings from Fort Myers, Florida! Wherever you are and whoever you are, it is our prayer you escaped last week's wrath of weather that made its way from the West Coast to the East Coast. The fury the tornados unleashed in the deep South was unfathomable. I can't imagine the grief and loss that thousands of people are experiencing today. Let's remember them in prayer.
A few days ago, Larry and I drove over to Kissimmee, FL, to a Bible campground for a small gathering of snowbirds from all over the Midwest.
A few days ago, Larry and I drove over to Kissimmee, FL, to a Bible campground for a small gathering of snowbirds from all over the Midwest.
Last Saturday we drove through the Tampa, FL area and over to Palm Harbor. It's nestled between Clearwater and Tarpon Springs. What a beautiful place, and right on the water. We were at the Palm Harbor Assembly of God church two years ago and it was a delight to return again to be with Pastor Joe Peterson and his wife, Cathy. They were well known evangelists who cris-crossed the U.S. years ago. They have been pastoring in Palm Harbor for the past several years. It is a great church with warm and friendly people. We had a wonderful service and altar call response. Pastor Joe said, "It was a delight having Larry and Gloria back with us in Palm Harbor, FL...
We had a wonderful, action-packed week. Larry has been busy booking services for the rest of 2007 and has much of 2008 booked. Last night he came in with the schedule book and said, "Honey, can I have a few minutes of your time to okay this schedule?" I obliged and he continued, "Now... in January 2009 what direction..." I cut him off and said, "Hey...hold on...I'm trying to get through this week...and you're talking about 2009? Not today, babe." He just looked at me and chuckled.
Happy Valentine's Day on this beautiful Florida day! There is nothing like waking up to sunshine...it just makes the day start right. We have been privileged to be able to park our motor home at the home of my cousins, Gary & Janet Stubenrauch, by Cypress Gardens Lake in Winter Haven, FL. They have graciously opened up their home offices to allow us to work out of and we've been able to drive out for weekend ministry. Amidst our busy schedule we have been able to visit and get caught up on years past. Last Thursday, Dorothy Burleson, who is my dad's sister and my cousin's mother, flew in from California to visit. Dorothy just turned 90 last week. What a delight to see her again!
Greetings from central Florida! What a whirlwind week...and I mean that in more ways than one. On Thursday night, as you probably know, deadly tornadoes ripped through central Florida killing 20 people and causing over $70 million dollars worth of damage. We were about 40-50 miles from its path. Larry and I adhered the weather warnings and were intently watching its predicted path. At about 1:10 a.m. the television alert system went off ...and needless to say I was a bit scared until it was over. Our hearts and prayers go out to the thousands of people who lost everything they owned. One simply cannot comprehend losing everything!
Greetings from Kissimmee, Florida! I can hardly believe it's January 31st! One month of 2007 is already history. Just one month ago today I was packing away Christmas decorations and starting to pack for our tour. My mother used to tell me, "Missy, the older you get...the more quickly it seems time flies by." How true. We had a wonderful weekend of ministry in Winter Haven, FL.
Hello! What a beautiful, warm and sunshiny Florida day! It's a perfect 81 degrees. As I snuggled into a chair to watch the evening news, the weather came on showing blue, cold weather everywhere in the US except…right here in Florida. I said, "Praise the Lord; we are in the right place at the right time!" I called my mother in Arizona and she informed me that they had a dusting of snow in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. Last week they even had some freezing rain. Wouldn't you agree that the weather patterns are definitely changing? Our future son-in-law, William Birt, is an accountant and travels all the time. He was in Oklahoma City, Dallas, and St. Louis when each of those ice storms hit. He said it was defiantly not fun!
Hello from sunny Florida! I am so thankful to be in a warm climate. A couple days ago, I talked to friends in Fargo, ND and they told us it was 17 degrees below zero- that was without the wind chill- ouch! That would make your breath freeze in midair-ha! This week and next, are heavy administrative weeks for us. Larry is doing booking, and we're both working on sermon preparations. We are trying to keep our minds to the grindstone. I have been hoping to take off a couple days this week to relax, but it hasn't happened yet. Last Sunday, we had the pleasure and rare opportunity to visit a church...