It was January of 1995
and we were pastoring a great church in Back Bay, New Brunswick. Seaview Full Gospel. We had been there for five years. My wife and I began having a restless feeling
and we knew that our ministry was taking a turn. Soon, we would be making a
giant step into the Province of Quebec to plant a new church. A huge transition
in our lives.
I remember the Sunday that I was planning to resign. As I sat on the platform that Sunday morning I was overwhelmed with a feeling of sadness that I cannot explain. I wept all through the service knowing that I was about to resign from a wonderful church that had been so very kind to my family and I. I remember one lady came up onto the platform, laid her hand on my shoulder and began to pray for me. She obviously recognized that I was heavily burdened. As the service continued I wrestled in my heart. There was a feeling like, “Don’t be so foolish...you’ve got it made right here in Back Bay. The people love you, and look how good they have been to you! You’re making a big mistake!” Another feeling was, “You know the voice of God and He has already lifted the burden to lead these people. God is opening a new door and you must walk through it BY FAITH. I was so torn! I got up to preach and for awhile I struggled until I made a decision. My decision was, “It’s not happening!” As we dismissed the service I went to the Parsonage and I cannot tell you how disappointed I was in myself! Then my wife walked into the living room and asked me, “So what was that all about? Why didn’t you do it!” I simply replied, “It was too hard. I’ll do next week!”
The following week I did resign. I felt so sad as the Board Members came straight to the front asking me what was wrong and why I had resigned. I assured them that there was nothing wrong and that I was not leaving because of anything that had happened. I shared with them that everything will be okay and that I really felt that God was moving us on.
During the next few weeks we packed and continued to fulfil our final thirty days. I remember being asked the question, “When you move to Quebec where will you live? At the time I really didn’t have an answer to that question and many others. Sometimes when we take a step in a certain direction that God is leading, we have to trust that He is going before us and that He is preparing the way. That’s called, “walking by faith”. You may ask, “Isn’t that kinda scary? You’re happy right! It is scary, but at the same time you feel very confident! Confident in knowing that God is in control of your future and what He has said will always come to pass.
On our last Sunday in Back Bay, I remember standing in the pulpit ready to preach my farewell sermon and I recall saying these exact words, “Many of you have been asking us where we will live when we get to Montreal.” I continued, “Oh, I don’t know! Perhaps we’ll just buy a mini-home for $30,000. and just move it up there.” And then I chuckled!! Faith lesson #1: Never underestimate the power of your own words! Faith lesson #2: Chuckle if you want to, but remember, God can chuckle too!
It was the very next day that I received a phone call from my sister, Rene, who lived in McAdam, New Brunswick. She said, “Well guess what?” I said, “What?” She proceeded to tell me that her husband Donnie had just been hired on a new job. I said, “Great, doing what?” She said, “Building airplanes in Oklahoma!” I said, “WHAT?” She said, Yeah, we’re moving to good ole Oklahoma!” Immediately there was a flood of thoughts that bombarded my head. I said, “What are you doing with your mini-home?” She said, “Selling it, I guess...wanna buy it?” Now this mini-home wasn’t very old and had been very well maintained. I said, “Put Donnie on the phone!” When he said hello, I said, “How much do you want for your mini-home?” He replied, “If you want it, Steve, I’ll sell it to YOU for what I owe on it at the bank!” “And how much is that?” I said. He replied, “$26,000.” I immediately knew that that was much less than its actual value. I said, “Consider it sold!” We paid off the mini-home and then moved it to Montreal. The moving cost was $3,997. including taxes. Now people, LISTEN! $26,000. plus $3,997. plus $3. for two coffees at Tim’s is exactly $30,000. The very same amount I had chuckled about from the pulpit! Do you think God listens? And oh, did I mention that we didn’t have $30,000 when I told Donnie, “Consider it sold!”? God supplied every penny within 10 months, then we moved the mini-home to Montreal! Choose your words carefully, and even chuckle if you want to....God listens! SRR
I remember the Sunday that I was planning to resign. As I sat on the platform that Sunday morning I was overwhelmed with a feeling of sadness that I cannot explain. I wept all through the service knowing that I was about to resign from a wonderful church that had been so very kind to my family and I. I remember one lady came up onto the platform, laid her hand on my shoulder and began to pray for me. She obviously recognized that I was heavily burdened. As the service continued I wrestled in my heart. There was a feeling like, “Don’t be so foolish...you’ve got it made right here in Back Bay. The people love you, and look how good they have been to you! You’re making a big mistake!” Another feeling was, “You know the voice of God and He has already lifted the burden to lead these people. God is opening a new door and you must walk through it BY FAITH. I was so torn! I got up to preach and for awhile I struggled until I made a decision. My decision was, “It’s not happening!” As we dismissed the service I went to the Parsonage and I cannot tell you how disappointed I was in myself! Then my wife walked into the living room and asked me, “So what was that all about? Why didn’t you do it!” I simply replied, “It was too hard. I’ll do next week!”
The following week I did resign. I felt so sad as the Board Members came straight to the front asking me what was wrong and why I had resigned. I assured them that there was nothing wrong and that I was not leaving because of anything that had happened. I shared with them that everything will be okay and that I really felt that God was moving us on.
During the next few weeks we packed and continued to fulfil our final thirty days. I remember being asked the question, “When you move to Quebec where will you live? At the time I really didn’t have an answer to that question and many others. Sometimes when we take a step in a certain direction that God is leading, we have to trust that He is going before us and that He is preparing the way. That’s called, “walking by faith”. You may ask, “Isn’t that kinda scary? You’re happy right! It is scary, but at the same time you feel very confident! Confident in knowing that God is in control of your future and what He has said will always come to pass.
On our last Sunday in Back Bay, I remember standing in the pulpit ready to preach my farewell sermon and I recall saying these exact words, “Many of you have been asking us where we will live when we get to Montreal.” I continued, “Oh, I don’t know! Perhaps we’ll just buy a mini-home for $30,000. and just move it up there.” And then I chuckled!! Faith lesson #1: Never underestimate the power of your own words! Faith lesson #2: Chuckle if you want to, but remember, God can chuckle too!
It was the very next day that I received a phone call from my sister, Rene, who lived in McAdam, New Brunswick. She said, “Well guess what?” I said, “What?” She proceeded to tell me that her husband Donnie had just been hired on a new job. I said, “Great, doing what?” She said, “Building airplanes in Oklahoma!” I said, “WHAT?” She said, Yeah, we’re moving to good ole Oklahoma!” Immediately there was a flood of thoughts that bombarded my head. I said, “What are you doing with your mini-home?” She said, “Selling it, I guess...wanna buy it?” Now this mini-home wasn’t very old and had been very well maintained. I said, “Put Donnie on the phone!” When he said hello, I said, “How much do you want for your mini-home?” He replied, “If you want it, Steve, I’ll sell it to YOU for what I owe on it at the bank!” “And how much is that?” I said. He replied, “$26,000.” I immediately knew that that was much less than its actual value. I said, “Consider it sold!” We paid off the mini-home and then moved it to Montreal. The moving cost was $3,997. including taxes. Now people, LISTEN! $26,000. plus $3,997. plus $3. for two coffees at Tim’s is exactly $30,000. The very same amount I had chuckled about from the pulpit! Do you think God listens? And oh, did I mention that we didn’t have $30,000 when I told Donnie, “Consider it sold!”? God supplied every penny within 10 months, then we moved the mini-home to Montreal! Choose your words carefully, and even chuckle if you want to....God listens! SRR
What a miracle!
ReplyDeleteI remember this so vividly. :) Loving your stories!!
ReplyDeletevery interesting . God is so Good ...
ReplyDeleteAmen
Percy Anthony
Wow Pastor we need these stories so people can see God is still doing miracles for his obedient children
ReplyDeleteThis was from Nickey not tonia
Delete