If you’re reading this then you have arrived at my new website!  Isn’t it wonderful?  I have never been this excited for anything to launch and my guess is the only thing that will top this will be when my first book goes to print!  God has brought someone to Bonnie Floyd Ministries who Donnie and I cannot begin to thank and, for now, will leave nameless, as she is one of those meek (and if you don’t know the true meaning of that word, get out your Webster’s Dictionary and look it up!) and humble servants that asks for no recognition. Because I am leaving her nameless, for now, I will refer to her as ‘Our Blessing’ because God has blessed us with her, first as a dear friend, and second to use the skills He gave her to perform an “Extreme Makeover” on Bonnie Floyd Ministries.

     I want to share a few Scriptures that come to mind when I think of Our Blessing and her willingness to do this work for us.  In Ex 31:3, God says of one who worked on the building of His tabernacle, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts... and then in Ex 36:2, “Moses summoned every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work!” I view Our Blessing as one who God gave skills, ability and knowledge and who is willing to use them to build His Kingdom.  When I told our Pastor all about Our Blessing, he said, “It is a great day, when the Lord brings to a ministry one who is truly Kingdom minded.”

     I hope you will explore the entire site - I love it all, but I think my absolute favorite is my “Retreat Memoirs” page.  I am always so blessed by the words of encouragement I receive from those of you who attend an event.  I hear countless God stories from my engagements and love that you take the time to come and speak to me or write me later.  This is my way of saying, “Back at ya!”  Here I will write about my time with you and if pictures were taken, there will be a link at the end to a photo slideshow of our time together!  How cool is that?  And soon you will be able to view the “Digital Devotions” as well.  Last December, Barry & Sheila (for those who don’t know, I am Administrator to Sheila Walsh) bought me a webcam for Christmas.  Sheila said she heard this was the “new thing” and thought I could use it for my ministry and website.  How awesome is that?  I love being her admin, she treats me so well.  I am very blessed!

     So, in closing this month’s “My Ministry” article I say a heartfelt thank you to Our Blessing and to Barry & Sheila for investing in my ministry, but most of all I thank my Lord because;

         “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father”      James 1:17

   Summer has arrived in Texas, but not without this great state producing some of the most intense storms Donnie and I have experienced since moving here 7 years ago.  Three days ago lightning was hitting the ground all around us and struck a tree not 20 feet from our house!  The winds toppled anything not nailed down and the hail was huge and tore holes in all our window screens!  I love this state, because living here is SO exciting and always an adventure!

     As I sit here and recall these storms, I am reminded that it was the "storms of life" that brought Donnie and I to our church home of Genesis Metro (GM).  We have been attending for just over a year now and continue to thank God on a regular basis for bringing us to GM.  It was not without a fight though. My Pastor’s wife (who is also our Women’s Director) says this about me, “I am so very glad God has brought you to GM, even if it was kicking and screaming all the way!”  Let me explain.  Before we moved to Texas we attended Peoples Church in Fresno, CA.  Peoples Church is the largest church in the central valley and GL Johnson (who retired just this year) was the Senior Pastor for over 40 years!  Any church we attended after our beloved Peoples Church had some pretty big shoes to fill!  In my mind a new church that meets in a school could not fill the bill and certainly not a Pastor who is 13 years my junior!  Our dear friends the Golata’s (who I speak of often - photo right) found this church and made it their church home and wanted us to give it try too. 

     Over a period of seven months, Donnie and I went through a couple of rough storms involving our extended family.  During these times, the Golata’s asked if they could share our needs with the prayer team at GM.  Both times Donnie and I were inundated with calls and emails praying over us and just general checking in to see how we were doing - and most of these people we didn’t even know!  It occurred to Donnie and I one day, that if this is how GM treats people that don’t even attend their church, how much more do they do for those who do attend? The following Sunday, Donnie and I attended GM with a completely different frame of mind and our eyes were opened to a whole new experience!  Genesis Metro’s motto is “It’s all about people!”  And they, (which I can now proudly say, “we”) live up to our motto!

     GM has many wonderful attributes, but there are two that really stand out to me, my Senior Pastor, Tim Bourne, and our Connections Pastor, Michelle Lance.  Tim’s Scripture-laced, anointed sermons hit me between the eyes every week and God quickly reminds me of His Word in 1 Tim 4:12 when I think about how young he is: “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.” Tim lives this to the fullest and next to his wife, Carrie, I am his greatest fan and his “Amen” section! (photo left)  Michelle, on the other hand, has this God-given ability to remember everyone’s names after the first time she meets them!  Her devotion to making every person feel welcome and connected is bar none! And WOW, can that woman pray!  I know I have spent this article sharing with you about a church that geographically most of you could never attend, but we are all about our church, as should all of you be about your own church! We are so blessed to have such a variety of churches available to us and we need to encourage our leaders with our gratitude and support them with our prayers....Amen?