"Battle Belongs"  Video   Shane and Shane  This song especially reinforces the note we shared today from Richard Dresselhaus.

We had a busy day yesterday. Brooksyne sang in the choir in two of our three services. That means we needed to be at the church by 6:45 for a pre-service rehearsal. I went with her and sat out in the foyer visiting with other choir spouses before the first service at 8:00 AM. Immediately after the choir finished in the 9:30 service we headed back to Mount Joy where Brooksyne had an interest in seeing a very special missionary.

Brooksyne's note: I'd like to introduce you to some of my relatives who reside in Springfield, MO. Dave, Amy and their two sons, Dan and Ben. They previously served as missionary associates in  Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu traveling to different countries teaching health and community development initiatives while they were with CompassionLink. They hope by early this summer, after they raise their support, to serve in Papua New Guinea as full-time missionaries where they will set up health aid posts in strategic locations and train local people in basic medicine and evangelism. The hope is to use these facilities as a tangible example of the gospel to allow them to go into communities where the gospel has not been welcome up to this point and to then be able to plant churches in these areas.

Dave is my third cousin and the last time I saw him he was probably the age of his sons. I was thrilled when his mom, Sharon, (who also lives in Springfield) told me they were sharing their ministry vision only about two miles from our home yesterday. When Dave told the story of getting caught in a cyclone 5 in Vanuatu with the walls of his house falling around him, he was calmed by knowing people were praying for him, especially his grandmother and mother. I felt a little "smug" since I was the only one in the congregation that knew their names and the fact that I was also related to them. His grandmother is June, Sharon's mom. They have a strong testimony of faith that I have always admired as they have dealt with much adversity over the years.  It was such a special time for me to hear Dave's story and to pray with them as the pastor invited the congregation to lay hands on them and pray for their family and their ministry vision. His calling to missions is a testimony to Sharon's faithulness to God over the years along with her husband, Mark.

In the afternoon we conducted a service at a local assisted living center where the attendees really sang out the hymns. Later Anna Mary joined Brooksyne at the piano and in this photo they are singing, "All Hail the Power". Some of you will recognize Anna Mary Paglia who is now residing at Paramount and will turn 94 in just over a week. She and her husband, Dominick (better known as Doc), served in pastoral and chaplain ministry for 68 years. Several times she said, "Oh, how I miss my husband. We always did everything together including our ministry." Doc passed away in October last year.

Last fall I bought an e-bike and thus far have really enjoyed it. I realized that for us to bike together as we have for many years I would need to get Brooksyne an e-bike as well, so her Valentine's Day gift was a new e-bike, the same as mine but white. We have many rail trails in our area and region so we hope to continue staying active. BTW, with an ebike of this type you still pedal and get exercise but you have an assist on hills. You can also use them without pedal assist as a regular bike. Later this afternoon we hope to ride together on one of our river trails if the temperature is suitable for Brooksyne!