Marsha's Blog

As most of you know, you can't say anything to me that doesn't remind me of a personal story that I just HAVE to share.  I think there are words for people like me, but I’m not sure they're always nice.  Take for instance that great story about Elijah and Elisha (from 1 Kings 19). Elijah was about to be taken up into Heaven.  We know that, because people kept asking the young man Elisha if he knew this was happening soon.  His answer was, “Yes”. But Elisha didn't want to let him go, so he kept following him around ........ until Elijah stops and says the equivalent of "WHAT??" Then Elisha asked for his blessing, which he received. Now, fast forward thru history to 1968.  It was winter, Tony and I had fallen in love and naturally we wanted to get engaged.  But these were the days when the guy (if he’s decent) gets the girl's parents’ permission before he moves forward. I’m thrilled to mention that both my son and my son-in-law honoured that age old practice...

This morning I'll tell you another story about those interesting, exciting and Spirit-filled days in the small 700-year-old town of Yoshioka. As I mentioned last time, a big part of our week was spent at a small country church built there by a true man of faith, Dr. Abe (pronounced "Ah - Beh"). By the time we arrived, the small medical centre he had built had added a preschool that attracted just about every family in the community, along with a church that offered Sunday services and weekly Bible studies.  As with all things old and traditional, Yoshioka was changing into a bedroom community for Sendai, and along with the changing nature of the population, we were seeing new convenience stores, a gas station, revitalised government offices and the beginnings of a new preschool.  Not unexpectedly, Dr. Abe’s  clinic/preschool/church was starting to slip.  But it was not going to go silently. The people were still filled with enthusiasm, and every local festival day in...

I’ve shared with many of you the wild experiences Tony and I had in the months before our son, Trevor got sick and died. Looking back, I’m convinced that it was a time of preparation, while God systematically removed any traces of doubt we may have had about His existence and His love for us. We would be needing all the faith and hope we could muster, and God was there to give it.  In particular were those 'interesting' experiences with both the Holy Spirit and with demons during those years we were living in Sendai, Japan. I remember one precious Japanese family.  He was a soldier, on assignment to a little town north of us, close to where we had a church.  Mrs and I became good friends. She came to church asking about salvation, and within a few weeks she prayed to receive Christ. Then the 'fun' began.  She had a good, loving relationship with her husband, which was sometimes rare in a country like Japan, where in the previous generation, around 90% of all marriage...

Good Morning America! If you're reading this in the land of my birth, you're probably too busy to be reading it.  I can picture you wiping off the BBQ sauce with your elbow as you scroll down the page.  How we miss America, especially this time of year! We have a little pack of cousins in North Texas and “The Fourth” (as it should be) is enjoyed to the eyeballs … or elbows, if you will.  There is red, white and blue bunting everywhere, a football game on the lawn complete with resplendent water sprinklers, or as in the case a few years back, a stock tank filled with fresh water for a baptism, followed by a quick dip by every kid in the yard for a nice cool down.  Some of my happiest memories have been there. And the reason?  Because we live in a FREE country.  We celebrate what we want, worship Who we want ......... all with the freedoms allowed us, thanks to the blood of our ancestors and their quest for freedom. (and we can say the same for our other coun...