Part Three

Tim had begun calling and setting up services in our district, Peninsular Florida, as soon as our resignation was announced. Tim had served our section for a number of years as the Assistant Presbyter, for those who have no clue what I'm talking about. In the Assemblies of God we have a National Office in Springfield, Missouri with a General Superintendent. Then states have District Superintendents. Each District then is divided by sections who have a Presbyter, Assistant Presbyter and secretary/treasurer, we were in section five of the Peninsular Florida District and Tim was the Assistant Presbyter for a number of years and the duties of the Assistant Presbyter is to schedule Missionary services with section pastors. So, now he was calling Pastors to schedule services as well as the District helped schedule some services. Our phone bill was close to $400 a month just calling and trying to reach Pastors. We always knew, if you could get past the Pastor's Secretary, you had a chance. We truly appreciated Pastor's secretaries because most were good at protecting the pastor especially pastors of large congregations. But it sure was a learning experience in scheduling services.

We had our FIRST deputation service July 3, 1994. Tim had us scheduled in Hudson, Florida on the west coast of Florida for Sunday morning and Palm Bay, Florida on the east coast of Florida in the evening. What a trip! After ten years of service at Cocoa First Assembly, the church board and congregation voted to purchase a 32 foot motor home for us to travel in and live in when we got to South Dakota as long as necessary. When we resigned and held our last service there were some 400 to 500 in attendance with the purchase of the remainder of the ten acres the church sat on paid in full and a savings account of $139,000.00 in the bank. God had blessed the church in all ways and our church family blessed us going out. Almost 2/3 of our monthly support came from individuals of Cocoa First AG. That we were so thankful for as well as those who partnered with us as we traveled and shared our vision.

Our first weekend of deputation we came up $250 short of our weekly budget. On our way home from Palm Bay Victory Assembly of God, I remember looking out the window of the motor home weeping as the rain fell thinking "God, what are we going to do?" Monday was the 4th of July. We had a cook out with our Daughter, her husband and our grand daughter (we kept our Grand daughter, Alexis, nearly EVERY weekend). I made it through the day and then Tuesday it was time for Tim to start making phone calls again for services. That afternoon Tim went out to get the mail. In the box there were two pieces of mail. One had been forwarded to us from a lady in Potato Creek, South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The other from a dear pastor friend Karl Strader. Tim read the first weeping all the while desiring so much to be able to go to SD RIGHT THEN. Then he opened the other from Carpenter's Home Church in Lakeland, Florida & Pastor Karl. In "that" letter, Pastor Karl had written us a personal letter telling us he had great confidence in our call. He said, although their missions budget had been set and designated, he wanted to sow seed into our call and thus sent a check in the amount of $500. WOW, HOW GOD MET THE NEED OF OUR $250 SHORT FALL WITH $250 IN RESERVE! How much more could God confirm what HE had called us to!

Somewhere Tim still has our schedule. We have our first newsletters we published packed away. That year was certainly more than we expected.