MY RACE

My inner thoughts about Xtreme Life Ministries. I understand I have not come from vintage stock in the church. My family has little heritage. I have not proven myself to be a great messenger of the faith, not for lack of trying. I pastored the most remote Assembly of God church in Pennsylvania out of desperation. I truly felt God's calling to go there. I struggled with every endeavor as we served at the Creek.

I gave it some of the best years of my life. When we left my body was broken as well as my spirit. My heart's desire was to run without stopping. I settled in my home town with the desire to continue in ministry. I made some tough decisions to preserve the local church. I would not attend there and cause division which I felt on our first visit home.

Since returning we have been unable to find a good church fit until this past fall. We have found a church where we feel comfortable and we can contribute. Mind you this was three years of visiting local churches to no avail. It seemed we would begin making connections and friends and then we would be called to look further. In the process we even planted a church only to see it crash and burn over family and personal issues.

My health during this time has been unstable. Diabetes is a vicious disease. I have had issues with my feet since resigning the church. I have been discouraged. However, I keep my faith as I know God is real and has done a good work in me. Early in my life the Lord had established a passion for the lost in my heart. This passion has not waned rather it has grown exponentially.

I relay this not to garner your pity but to convey that despite all I know that Go has been with me and will continue to be with me. We all struggle in our own ways and we all have the hope and promise that the Lord will be with us until the end. He will NEVER leave us or forsake us and His Word does not return to us void. I ifnd hope and strength in the Lord Jesus Christ and for this reason I press on.

I spoke of heritage, I may not have been born with a great linage in the church, however, I am a child of the King. Jesus is my friend and that is all I need to continue. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I have felt the call to take the Gospel to rural towns as an evangelist. The plan is to refrain from church meetings renting social halls inviting the community to come and hear the Gospel. Incorporated in this would be a compassion ministry of feeding the hungry and meeting needs as they arise. Mark 16 tells us that "Believers are to go and preach the Gospel and signs and wonders will follow." I believe as this ministry is established it will be manifested with the miraculous. I desire to be faithful to God's Word taking the haling to the sick rather than the healthy.

I have put out plea after plea for help in financing this effort to no avail. It appears I will need to fund this endeavor on my own. I know that as I step out in faith the Lod will bless this ministry and my family. I asked for assistance as I felt the Lord leading.

As there has been no response, the passion to pursue this vision intensifies so I must find a way to press on. I am his faithful servant desiring to press on towards the mark, I desire to finish the race. I may not be first, but I will finish. My mission is to Reah ONE for Christ! In football you can only make one play at a time. If you stop, you will lose. I may not be running as fast as some, but, My desire is to keep taking one step at a time until I finish.

---