What a tremendous leap of faith they must take to hear the Lord speak to their hearts that I should be their next pastor. I am tremendously humbled.

Although I still have yet to be officially diagnosed with ALS, I believe the diagnosis is will eventually come. Because the VA hospital is as slow as the degenerative progression of my symptoms, we shouldn't have any problem transfering my records to Birmingham.

So, it looks as if I will be driving to Anniston, Alabama sometime between 20-21 January. There have been some folks that have had some concerns about my driving all that way (about 2100 miles) with the symptoms I still have: dexterity problems (trouble picking up small items or dropping them), muscle twitching (fasiculation), occasional coordination difficulty (tripping or balance problems), muscle fatigue (especially in the hands and feet), muscle cramping and rigidity, and muscle weakness (especially in the arms and legs, and sometimes neck). Nevertheless, since we left bush Alaska and have been in California, though my symptoms have not subsided, and in fact have probably increased, I'm actually doing much better. As I've spent a great deal of time praying, reading Scripture, listening to sermons from SermonAudio, the truth of the Scripture, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" (Proverbs 17:22), is quite manifested in my mortal flesh; and since the Scriptures also say that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made"(Psalm 139:14), it may be that more properly functioning parts of my body have been adjusting and compensating to my ailments and symptoms, and so they are not the problem that they used to be. It may be kind of like the man who lost his sight and his other senses were accentuated for the sense that was lacking. You can check out some encouraging insights on my ALS blog, "Our Light Affliction."

Thank you for your love and prayers.

I pray that...

...by God's grace, I be a man of prayer and not merely a man that prays; and that by His grace, I be man of God's Word and not merely a man with God's Word.

...as a congregation we would, by God's grace, be a people of prayer because the truth of God's Word is only as anointed and powerful as the saints whose wills are lined up with God's Word by and through prayer.

...the revelation of God's holiness be ever before us, bestowing upon us the blessed graces of godly fear and repentance, meekness and humility, and a passionate desire for Him and for His name to be hallowed in every aspect of our daily lives.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and support of this ministry.

I am ever...

...at the Cross and in God's Word by His sovereign grace until Christ comes,