THEN I MET MARY

As a young person, I had heard Billy Graham speak of an experience with his daughter of eight years of age. "Daddy, does God know who I am going to marry some day?" Her dad replied, "God knows everything, let's pray for him right now." That struck a chord in my heart and I began regularly praying for that girl God knew I would marry. I did some dating after my time in Wheaton, but I always kept their names out of that prayer that belonged to God's choice. By the time I headed to Hutchinson, I was quite disillusioned with the girls I had dated. Then I met Mary.

When I arrived at Central Christian in Hutchinson, there she was waiting to meet me.(she told me that later on) I was immediately interested in this Mary Tucker. She played me in tetherball at a school picnic a couple of days later and won my heart by shinning up the pole to clobber the ball so I would not win. This was some girl.

At the opening school service where we gave testimonies, I sat in the row behind her. She had a date and that really troubled me. I did not understand it because I barely knew her, but in my spirit I just knew she should not be with him.

It was not many days until I realized the girl I was praying for and Mary were the same person. The more I saw her, the more I realized that this girl was all that I was looking for in one to spend my life with.

Mary went home to Salina on weekends. It was probably the middle of September when I called and asked if I could come and sit with her in the evening service at Salina Bible Church. I sat there that night during the service and visualized what our wedding would be like. When Mary and I were saying our vows at our wedding nine months later, my thoughts flashed back to the first time sitting with Mary and visualizing that day. God had graciously led me to Hutchinson to meet the girl of my dreams. Mary, I found I was soon very much in love with you and now 42 years later I love you even so much more.

ON TO TRINITY

I had felt for years that I wanted to do something in math and the ministry. After receiving my BA with a major in math and a minor in physics, I felt God led me to Trinity Divinity School in the Chicago area. I received some wonderful instruction from the staff at Trinity. After a year there, I felt very unsettled about what God had for me in days to come. As I prayed about direction during the summer after that first year of seminary, I received a phone call from Francis Grubbs. Will you come to Hutchinson to teach math and Bible at Central Christian? It seemed right and I felt confirmation from Ezekiel 3:22, "Arise, go forth into the plain and I will there talk with thee." So it was off to the plains of Kansas and all that God had prepared for me and I had no idea how much God had to say.

LESSONS AT USD

As I look back, I realize God was teaching me some important lessons concerning the future.

---The Importance of Intercession - My senior year went really well day to day. One day near the end of the year things changed. I later learned that a chemistry professor, Dr. Coker, was praying for me every day.(I was president of University Christian Fellowship) When we elected a president for the following year, Dr. Coker switched his praying to that student. It made a marked difference in how my days went.

---Spiritual Regions - I often went home on weekends. I noticed every time I left the city limits of Vermilion, S.D., a cloud of darkness lifted. When I returned on Sunday evening, it seemed I came back under that cloud at the city limits. I didn't know much about spiritual warfare in those days, but I was beginning to learn that Satan had different works in different regions.

---MPD - Looking back, I realize now that God was showing me an example of a fragmented person. My German professor was antagonistic against me for sharing my testimony with him. He was a drinker and very crude in most classes. He was raised in Poland and was no doubt abused. Some days he would come to class in a totally different personality. Once he even shared the Gospel in class. From what I have see in later years, it now makes sense.

---God's Desire and Power to Restore - I had a very unusual time with the Lord on a Sunday evening after returning to the university. I thought I needed to study for a German test, but God had something else in mind. I finally gave into the Lord and got on my knees with my Bible. All day I had been pondering an illustration given to me how that our life was like a piece of land and if Satan had some area of that land he then had right to have access through the Lord's territory. My Bible opened to a passage in Joel 2:18 that I had previously underlined. "Then will the Lord be jealous for His land and pity His people." For most of the night, I was in the Lord's presence as He spoke to me out of the book of Joel. I saw how the Lord's people's sin had opened the land to the enemy and much destruction, God's desire for repentance and then spiritual cleansing. Joel 2:25 stood out in a great way. "And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten. . ." Little did I know that the Lord was giving me a message for the many years of spiritual cleansing ministry. God was building into my life a basis for helping people to rebuild their lives. God clearly showed me His power and desire to restore years of loss to Satan's power.
There was much that I missed that I had enjoyed at Wheaton, but my years at USD were great times of evangelism and preparation for future ministry.

ON TO USD

God began to lead in various ways to make a change in my second year at Wheaton. At semester, I transferred to the University of South Dakota at Vermillion, SD. It was difficult to leave chapels and Christian teachers and students behind. However, I felt clear about God's leading. It was quite a culture shock to rarely ever see someone pray at meals and to have an ungodly roommate.
God did some very special things in my time at USD. Through getting acquainted with Frances Grubbs, my way led to Hutchinson and my lifelong mate, Mary and a ministry that awaited me. God used a number of transfer Christian students in those days to bring many students to Christ. My last two years I roomed with a transfer student from Morningside College in Sioux City, Daryl Anderson, who has become a lifetime buddy in the faith. God was doing exciting things on this secular university. It is so important to follow the leadings of God.

HOMESICK

When I went to Wheaton, one of the things I did not know about myself was that I would experience homesickness. I thought I was quite independent and never had a thought about that. Here I was in Chicago without a car(a freshman rule) and no plan to go home until Thanksgiving. I really did get homesick. I learned I was very tied to my Mom. Singing hymns in Sunday worship just brought tears. God used those days to draw me closer to Him and gave me an understanding of what homesickness felt like. I am very grateful for a close family and growing up in a safe home.

AN UNFORGETABLE ENCOUNTER

Early in my days at Wheaton, I experienced the grace of God in a time of testing. I had spent the weekend with my brother John and his wife Dorice in Chicago. They were at Trinity preparing for missions. I was returning to Wheaton on Sunday evening traveling by the Chicago Northwestern commuter train and was on the smoker car. My heart was overwhelmed as I faced the next week. Studies were hard and I was often belittled for coming from a small high school of about 17 in our graduation class. Later I learned that many of my fellow students were braggarts concerning their accomplishments. I was discouraged. All sorts of thoughts filled my mind. Had I just made up my own way in wanting to go to Wheaton? Had God really led me? Going back and farming looked attractive.


In the midst of the cloud of smoke and discouragement on my soul, a gentleman came and sat next to me and inquired if I was a Christian(I think I was carrying my Bible). I said I was and in answer to his questions, I said I was attending Wheaton College. He asked why I chose Wheaton. I began to tell him how God had used Jim Elliot and his testimony to inspire me to attend Wheaton. After he let me go on and on, he said, "that's interesting". Jim married my sister, Elizabeth. Jim's parents are at my home even now and I would like to have you meet them. It was such a joy to speak to them about their son.


But that was only part of the special thing God had just done. In essence He was saying, Relax and trust me. I know where you are and what's ahead. Trust my leading. The man was Dr. Howard, an instructor at the college: I can't remember much about him, but I will never forget that God met me in a smoker car on the way back to Wheaton at such a needy time in my life.

BLESSINGS AT WHEATON

Wheaton College was my first experience of Christian Education. It was wonderful to have classes started with prayer and often devotionals.
The chapel services were a delight. When I first saw the beautiful Edman Chapel, it had me in awe.
Dr. Angeline Brant, a very plain single lady in her 60s, gave me a love for mathematics. Her love for the subject was infectious.
It has been a blessing to get acquainted with Dr. V. R. Edman and his life. God used his writings in significant ways in my life.
I also learned how to study there. On Saturday, you had to arrive early at the library to get a place to study. Later on at the University of South Dakota, I had the choice of a hundred places in the library on a Saturday.
God also used Wheaton to alert me to much that was going on in the Christian world. I am grateful for my time at Wheaton College.

GOD LED ME TO WHEATON

As I look back, there were a number of things that came together to open the door to attending Wheaton College. I didn't have any counsel concerning that choice. After I read Jim Elliot's testimony including much about his time at Wheaton, I became very interested in pursuing attendance there. I transferred to a larger school so I could take Chemistry which, unknown to me, was a requirement. I applied in my junior year which was also necessary if I were to attend after graduation. It was also required to take the SAT test which I had done. I believe God graciously led me in the steps that were necessary. I really knew little about the college and knew no one who had attended. When I received my acceptance letter I was pretty excited. So, it was off to Wheaton.

A LIFE CHANGING TESTIMONY

I remember hearing on the radio one morning that five missionaries were slain by the Auca Indians in Ecuador. In my junior year in high school, I read with great interest, "Shadow of the Almighty", the journal and testimony of Jim Elliot. I was so impressed with his devotion to Jesus Christ. Through his journal, it was obvious that Christ was first in his life. God used his testimony to challenge me on in my devotion to Jesus Christ. His writing about his time at Wheaton College interested me in applying to Wheaton. Jim wrote, "he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." That truth has been very helpful in my life and I pray it will guide those after me.

GOD USED IT FOR GOOD

Teenage years can be very difficult. One experiences many changes and adjustments. I remember the difficulty I experienced with acne and my complexion. It made me quite self conscious. Looking back, I have thanked the Lord many times for the blessing which I considered a curse. It was a real safeguard against over attention to girls and dating. Over the years, I have noticed that some of the things we consider to be bad for us are there for a purpose. God saw that Paul needed his thorn in the flesh. God did not want me to get my life fouled up with girls before I would meet His choice for me.

GOD DOES HEAR ME

As a young person, I remember a great desire to share my new found faith in Jesus Christ, but with little instruction of what to do. During my Jr. High years I told the Lord one day, " if you ever have Mrs. Cosgrove assign a paper entitled 'The Most Important Event in My Life', I will write about my salvation experience". I think only several days later she gave that assignment almost word for word. I was sort of stunned. I did follow through and wrote about accepting Jesus Christ as my Savior. She always picked several students to read their paper. I was a little scared that she would call on me and she did. I am grateful for this early test of obedience. Looking back, I realize what it did for me was to give me an awareness that God does hear my prayer and was able to move a teacher to respond to my prayer. I also learned that God takes us at our word. I know now, God used it to encourage me on in daily conversing with God.

MEMORIES OF OKABOJI

An occasional vacation spot for our family during our years at home was Lake Okaboji about 80 miles from our home. It was quite a resort area with fishing, swimming, and an amusement park. One week each summer there was a missions conference sponsored by the Christian Missionary Alliance and the Omaha Gospel Tabernacle. Dr. R. R. Brown was the pastor during those year. As I think back, there were some significant things that occurred there. I have a distinct picture in my mind of seeing Billy Graham in the beginning of his ministry. I was baptized in the lake early on a Sunday morning with a number of others. I was 12 years old and the water was very cold. It was a special time for me of following the Lord Jesus. I remember another time as a teenager hearing a missionary from Viet Nam speak. She had her husband and children taken away when on the mission field. She had no idea what happened to them. She challenged young people to make their life available to God for His service. I remember going forward with many others making this commitment to the Lord. I looked up as she gave the dedication prayer for those who had come. Her voice was steady but tears were streaming down her face. I recognized in her a deep work of God produced from her suffering. I have fond memories of the fun being at the lake and am grateful for that which impacted me spiritually for the Lord at Okaboji.

THE LORD'S BLESSING

Moses told Israel in Deut. 30:19f, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live; that thou mayest love the Lord thy God and that thou mayest obey His voice."

After that special time with our family and Dr. Bob Cook, Mom and Dad began considering finding a church that preached the Bible. As I mentioned, they settled on the Meriden Evangelical Free Church nearly 20 miles from home. Now we were attending church 3 times a week instead of once a week 5 miles away. For the first time I saw people bringing their Bibles to church.

Some time after attending this church, Dad was in a prayer meeting one morning with some other men. One of the men told him about a farm that was soon to be sold. The folks looked into it and were able to purchase the land less than a mile from the church. It was a wonderful farm that always produced a good crop. The income from the farm was such a blessing to the folks through their retirement and then to us children after they went home to heaven. We recently sold the land nearly 50 years later. It sold for more than 11 times the price the folks had to pay.

It was very difficult for the folks to leave the family church and then to leave the family farm where my Dad was born. They chose to pursue God even though family would not understand. Proverbs 10:22 "The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it." We have been blessed in so many ways for Mom and Dad's obedience to the Lord.

AFTER THAT SPECIAL NIGHT

I have a clear memory of the next day being so happy that I knew I was saved and would one day go to heaven. I can't say that memories of my childhood were all clear, but that is a vivid memory. I remember right where I was when that joy filled my thoughts. I was given a copy of the gospel of John that night. I carried that with me in hip pocket for years. I remember having a strong desire to do something with my new Christian life but lacked help and direction. At the time, we were attending a church that was quite liberal so I didn't find help there. About that time God moved my parents to leave the family church and seek out one that was teaching the Bible. They ended up taking the family to the Evangelical Free Church in Meriden, IA, several towns away from our home. Our family was now under the teaching of the Gospel. Not only were we being fed God's Word, but God blessed our family in special ways for that decision of my parents. I will explain that in a future entry.

BORN INTO GOD'S FAMILY

June 15, 1952 was my spiritual birthday. I had heard about the need for salvation and the lostness of those who had not trusted Christ. But, to that point, I had not felt challenged to accept salvation. That night was different. Our family attended an evangelistic meeting in Sioux City, Iowa, about 50 miles from our home. Dr. Bob Cook was speaking to what seemed to me a huge crowd in the Municipal Auditorium. When the invitation was given, the thought of my heart was, "I may never find my family in this crowd of people, but I don't care; I want to accept Jesus as my Savior." I think I was the first one to go forward. I remember a lady kneeling with me and leading me in prayer to confess my sin and invite the Lord Jesus to be my Savior. That night I was born into God's family. I was blessed never to doubt my salvation from that day. My sister, Roberta, trusted Christ the same night and my parents came forward and rededicated their lives to Christ. My brother, John, was not with us but trusted Christ some time later. I not only found my parents, but I remember Dr. Bob Cook praying with our family later back stage. That night I was delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son:(Col. 1:13)
My thanks to Grandma Johnson and others who prayed for my salvation, to my Mom for her burden for our family to hear the gospel, to Dr. Cook for the message, and to the lady that prayed with me. Above all, my thanks to the Lord Jesus for paying the price so I could be born into God's family.

FREEDOM FROM FEAR

One thing that stands out in my childhood is the amount of fear I had in my early days. Looking back, I realize that after I received Christ at the age of nine, I had freedom from fear. I remember having fear of storms, fear that our furnace would blow up, fear of fire drills in school, fear of getting sick to my stomach at school, fear of the dark, and I'm sure there were many more. I came to appreciate the power of God in some of the things that had earlier caused fear.
God led later in my life to deal with some very frightening situations in the spiritual battle. I am so grateful that God had delivered me from fear. "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."(II Timothy 1:7) I agree with Martin Luther; "The Prince of Darkness Grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo his doom is sure; One little word shall fell him." I pray that those who come after me will find wonderful freedom from fear in Jesus Christ.

FUN ON THE FARM

When Mary and I started raising a family, I had wished that our children could have grown up on a farm. I really enjoyed my years on the farm. It provided endless opportunities for exploration and fun. We had about a mile of creek that needed a lot of exploring. I was one of three children. John was 6 years older and Roberta a year younger. We had a brother Edward who died in infancy. Since Roberta was about the same age, we did a lot together. Some of the things I enjoyed as a boy: looking for kittens in the haymow - baptizing cats in cattle tank(they weren't willing) - hypnotizing chickens - trapping gophers - and fishing in the creek. As we got older, there were chores and fieldwork. As I look back, I enjoyed it all. I thank God for those years and learning the lessons of farming and the cycles of life under the care of attentive, loving parents. It was a good beginning.

A HUNGER TO HEAR GOD'S WORD

When I was young, our family attended a church where I learned very little of the Bible. At our home we had a big old upright radio that had short wave capability. While I was investigating what stations I could find, I found HCJB (Heralding Christ Jesus' Blessings) broadcasting from Quito, Ecuador. I listened to Christian programs by the hour. I am so grateful that God led me to find the station and created a hunger in me for the Bible. My early knowledge of God's love for me, before I was a Christian was broadcast from high in the Andes in South America. In October 2006, I had the blessing of visiting Ecuador and sharing how God had used that station in Quito to bring the gospel to a lad in Iowa. I am grateful to the founders of HCJB.

A SENSE OF DESTINY

Something happened to me as a child that I've never told until now but it has an impact on my life. I would guess I was about 7 years old and we were visiting my Mom's brother Henry and his wife Alma. She took me into a room to see her mother, Mrs. Morrel, who was nearly blind and near the end of her life. She didn't know me well but I remember her taking my hand and telling me, "God has something special He wants to do with your life." Though I was young, it made an impact on me and I have never forgotten that moment. I don't know anything about Mrs. Morrel's relationship with Christ but I do know God does have a special plan for each of our lives. That plan can only be realized as we trust Christ as Savior and yield ourselves to His will.

Job 23:10 He knoweth the way that I take . . .

Jer. 29:11 I know the thoughts I think toward you . . .to give you an expected end.

I Peter 2:9(NIV) But you are a chosen people . . .

Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship . . .

I pray that those after me would have a sense of destiny that will move them on to realize the will of God in their lives.

I CALL HER BLESSED

The writer of Proverbs 31 describing a virtuous woman says that her children rise up and call her blessed. My Mom was used greatly in my life. I see her life as used to encourage godly character in her children. My parents were 37 years old when I was born in 1942 and displayed maturity as parents. Mom displayed a great deal of gentleness. She never scolded for mishaps that were accidental. She spent a lot of time with me through childhood sickness. I missed first grade because of illness. She had the ability to keep an open door to speak to her about any matter in my life. Sometimes I'm sure I shocked her, but she didn't let on. She prayed with me every night as a child. I know she prayed for her children as I saw her often on her knees beside her bed. She was very concerned for the spiritual welfare of her family and was responsible to get us to special meetings where we heard the gospel. Mom set a wonderful example of faith, integrity, and righteous living. When I left home and attended Wheaton College, it took weeks to get over homesickness for my Mom. I am glad to call her "Blessed"!

A Close Family

My dad's parents, Mary Alice and Harry, raised their family on a farm near Marcus, Iowa. They came from German and Pennsylvania Dutch background. The Neir family was a very close family with six of the seven children settling close to Marcus. Most of the families were at their folks for Sunday dinner and time together in the afternoon. There were five girls and they were all fine cooks. Good food was important in the Neir family. Through the years the family remained close through a yearly reunion. It seemed to me the family really enjoyed closeness, something I am grateful to see in our family. I am so thankful that our children enjoy getting together and coming home when they can. It seemed to me that talking about "spiritual" things in my dad's family was too personal to talk about openly. I think our family helped to change that after Roberta, John, and I were saved and had a burden for the Neir family. My dad's family were good, hard working people and I trust most of them trusted Christ. Some years ago after one of the reunions, I sent a letter to all the family explaining salvation and my concern that we would have a great reunion in heaven. I am thankful for this family background.

Grandmother from Sweden

My mom's parents John P. Johnson and Christina C. Franson each came from Sweden as young people and met and married in Marcus Iowa in 1894. They moved to Waseau, Nebraska and raised seven children there. Christina was known to have prayed for the salvation of each of her grandchildren. The Waseau Gazette stated: "she was a loving mother and deeply concerned about the spiritual welfare of her children and friends for whom she prayed". She died before knowing many of her grandchildren. We are all greatly affected by those in our family line. What I hear about grandmother Christina reminds me a lot of my mother Alice. She had that same spiritual concern for her family. Faith is passed on in our families. I pray that my life and prayer will have an impact on those after me. Thank you Grandmother Christina for letting God use you in those yet to be born.