Another day to remember why...

We just closed a revival in Ohio that was another one of those life-changing moments.  On the last night of the revival we had a young man addicted to heroin...of his own admission.  He came looking for help.  I understand that concept because I remember 37 years ago going to a church looking for help.  I found THAT help comes from the Lord.  37 years later....my Help is still here!

We also had a group of young men and women....maybe 12 to 17 years old.  After me giving my testimony....being delivered from drug addiction and a heroin overdose....they filled the altar.  One after another saying the same thing..."want to make sure I am ready..."...rededicating their life to the Lord.  As I prayed for one after another crying with them...I remembered how much I love what I do.

There are days after miles and miles on the road and many nights in a motel and one restaurant after another that I feel like I would weary or faint in my vision...  Then it happens...  It happened a few weeks ago in Royston Georgia when 11 people gave their heart to the Lord in one of our Campmeetings.  It happened again last night!

First the nine young people coming to the altar...then the young man wanting to come off drugs giving his heart to Jesus!  The night before a young man ....maybe 12 or 13 coming to our product table at the end of service and kneeling at the coat rack with me and asking Jesus to come into his heart.

My nephew explained it this way...you feel like a giant and humble at the same time.  That is so, so true.  Like a giant and small all at the same time....knowing God has used you but without Him you can do nothing!!!

I went back to our motel room and remembered this is why.  This is why we travel.  This is why we live in a motel.  This is why we eat most of our meals in a restaurant.  This is why we seem to miss babies being born in our family and birthday parties and many times graduations.  37 years ago He delivered me, saved me and gave me a call.  Last night, He reminded me one more time of the call and the "why"!  I am so thankful today as we travel to our next meeting for the "call"....

THE REASON WHY....

About 30 years ago in a Campmeeting in Cleveland, Tennessee a pastor walked up to me and gave me his business card with the name of his church and phone number.  He asked me to come to Royston, Georgia and hold him a revival.  To anyone else, this may not have been such a big deal....but this was my first invitation for a revival.  That man was Pastor Vaughn.  I went to that revival.  I have held many, many revivals for him since that day.

Last week my husband and I, my brother and another evangelist held the 1st Annual Campmeeting in Pastor Vaughn's church in Royston, GA.  In four days we had 12 people saved and 5 filled with the Holy Ghost.  That alone would have made a great revival.  But there was something else...watching Sister Vaughn still singing....I'm following the One who knows the way.  Tag team preaching with Pastor Vaughn after all these years in a packed out building.

Thirty years later....still preaching, singing, praying and winning souls into the Kingdom of God.  I couldn't help but think at the end of the revival....THIS IS THE REASON WHY.

This is the reason we travel...
This is the reason we sleep away from home...
This is the reason we eat most meals in a restaurant...
This is the reason we travel 60,000 miles a year...
This is the reason we move from place to place every 3 or 4 days...
THIS IS THE REASON WHY.

Friends....

We just ended a week's revival in the Quad Cities...East Moline and Joy, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa.  Many years ago Ronnie and I put up a tent every July for 10 days down on the Ben Butterworth Parkway at the Mississippi River.  We had wonderful meetings for years with many lives changed.  We developed lasting friendships with friends from several churches.  After they sold the property on the Mississippi to build condos we moved to the Fairgrounds in East Moline.  This week we went back.  When we rented the building we had no idea who would come or if they would remember us or want to be back out in the heat in a folding chair again.

What a wonderful week it has been.  The same guys that played music with us then was back on the platform this week singing and playing just like old times!  The crowds were unaffected by the 85 degree weather.  The gathered each night hungry to be in the presence of the Lord just like they also did years ago. 

A few things had changed.  I am older.  They are older.  The children have grown into young men and ladies.  The moms and dads are a little grey.  One thing remains the same....they love to worship!  Night after night they worshipped with us and then they sat with undivided attention as I broke the Bread of Life.

This morning we pulled out with our equipment trailer and stopped to pray for all our friends that the fire will continue to burn.  The fire that was fanned in this revival.  I couldn't help but cry...  Who will be gone before I return?  What changes will occur before the next meeting?  I couldn't help but cry....  remembering each kindness, each gift, the cookies, the meals, the home to sleep in, the hugs, the crowds night after night, the Presence we were blessed with!

Ronnie and I are rich.  We know who Jesus is...we have the love of friends and family...we have open doors to carry this gospel.  What more could we desire....except maybe another trip to the Quad Cities!