Camp Gramma 2010

We have just concluded our sixth year of "Camp Gramma". We want you grandchildren to know in the days to come about our motivation. It is our desire to provide some fun things for you. We also want you to know that you are important to us, so we sleep with you in your tents. This year was different. Because of 5 inches of rain before we started, we housed you boys in the garage and you girls in the basement. We love to be WITH you. Our main motivation is to have a time to share our hearts desire for you to grow up and walk with God. As we prayed about a theme for this year, we were impressed with the importance of having the fear of God in your lives. We chose the theme from Hagar; Thou God Seest Me with the theme verse from Deuteronomy 5:29, O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever. We shared with you the wonderful promises for those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. We know that you precious kids will face various temptations in the days to come, but if you are aware that God's eyes are on you and that you fear the Lord, you can come through those temptations in victory. We are committed to pray that God will develop the fear of the Lord in your lives. We are grateful that your parents are training you to walk with the Lord. We just want to lend our supporting voice with theirs. God bless you dear grandchildren!

OVERCOMING EVIL

We are familiar with Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." It is a wonderful thing God does when He is given something that is very painful and destructive and then weaves it into a thing of beauty in our lives.
When Andrew Murray faced a painful thing that came into his life he penned these words. He brought me here, It is by His will that I am in this difficult place. Next He will keep me here and give me grace to behave as His child. Then He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He means me to learn. Last He will bring me out in His time. Let me say I am here by God's will, in His keeping, under His training, for His time.
I remember Bill Gothard doing a chalk drawing in his seminar that made quite an impression on me. He did a beautiful drawing and then took a heavy black chalk and made a large black mark across the drawing, and then proceeded to incorporate that black mark to make an even more beautiful drawing. He pointed out that God can take those destructive things that come into our lives and produce greater beauty.
Satan brought one of those destructive black marks into our life. I feel a responsibility to testify to God's grace in taking that thing and producing a beauty that I doubt would have ever been in our lives without that black mark. It is truly amazing what God can do with that which is placed into His hands.
I am not saying that God purposed that black mark, but I am saying that God has taken it and produced a thing of beauty beyond the ordinary.
The awful treatment by Joseph's brothers opened the way for God to do a wonderful thing in Joseph's life and in his family. Joseph's godly response opened the way to a thing of beauty. Joseph told his brothers after God's mighty working in his family: "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive." Gen. 50:20
If some painful thing comes into your life, place it into God's hands and allow Him to weave it into His greater plan for your life. "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

GOD LED ME TO BEREAN

I just returned from our Saturday night prayer time at Berean Baptist Church. It so happened I was the only one tonight. Now days there are 2-4, but this was a rare occasion. I found myself thinking back over the years and what has taken place there. It was probably 40 years ago this fall that I was asked to fill the pulpit on a Sunday morning. Then they asked me back on Wednesday night and here I am 40 years later. Berean is a small place, but much has taken place there. I read years ago: "Is your place a small place, tend it with care, God set you there". I would never have dreamed then, that I would still be there so many years later. I thought of some of the special privileges God has given me there. It seemed God was helping me reminisce.
It was there that our children were dedicated to the Lord
It was there I had the privilege of baptizing them.
I baptized my mom and dad there.
I married our four daughters there.
I married our dad to John's mother-in -law.
I married my sister to Don.
It was there that God opened my eyes to the spiritual battle.
That opened up a ministry that has become a part of the churches ministry
We have seen some of our people head to the mission field.
This "small place" has been of significant blessing my life and in my families life. I am grateful for what God has done there. I have learned how important it is to wait on God's leading. It is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps. Whatever God has accomplished there, He is to be credited.

MAKING COMMITMENTS

Forty-three years ago tomorrow, Mary and I stood in front of Salina Bible Church and vowed to one another before God. We made our commitment to each other, but we also made out commitment to God. We were very grateful that God had led our paths together to be husband and wife and desired that we would honor Him with our marriage. At the close of the wedding ceremony we sang the following duet as our commitment to Him. "O may our life be to Thy praise O Father, In all we do may Thou be magnified; Thou chosest us before the world's foundation, Thine own to be, that Thou be glorified. To glorify Thee, this is our prayer; Work out thy purpose, Thy plan to share; A yielded vessel, Thine own to be, Thy praise and glory, to live for Thee."
Over the past 43 years Satan has challenged this commitment, but God has faithfully kept that sacred commitment before us. I am so grateful for Mary and the family God has given us. In the days that God yet gives us we are trusting Him to keep us faithful to our commitment.

God Protected Our Family

Sunday night June 14,1982, we took the family to Lake Cheney to camp in our tent. We had all of our children and our son John was a toddler. During the night a storm moved in from across the lake. I tried to listen to the radio for a weather forecast but the static made it impossible. I thought about loading up the family in the car and move to a safer place, but I saw that the storm was already on us. I asked our son, Roger to help hold against the side of the tent from inside to keep it from collapsing. It was then that we noticed the tent was puffed out in all directions like a balloon. We were in a tornado. We huddled together in the middle of the tent and I remember praying,"Lord Help us!" It was soon over and we were safe. As we looked around in the dark I noticed a large (10-12 inch) limb laying on each end of the tent. God was watching over us that night. In the marina nearby boats were piled up to a height of 30 feet. My brother, John and his boys were with us in a camper. A limb pierced near his head but they were safe as well. That could of been a night of tragedy for our family, BUT GOD gave His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways.
God had more plans for our family. THANK YOU GOD!

God's Faithfulness

One of the testimonies that I desire to leave with my family is God's faithfulness to supply our needs through the years. Mary and I taught in Christian Schools where the income often did not supply all that we needed, but God has always been faithful. It also was a help when I began to minister at Berean. With a growing family it was often a challenge. I'm sure our children remember the food showers given us at the church. It was quite a sight to see our table piled high with food. When I was challenged to live debt-free at the Gothard Seminar, I was soon tested on my commitment. Our water heater at 1905 started leaking. I remember praying, Lord I am going to trust you to provide instead of buying on time. It quit leaking for a week or so. This went on for about a month. One day I received a call from a hardware store telling us they had a water heater paid for for us. What a blessing. It encouraged me on in trusting the Lord. I have not always been faithful but God has. Our children helped out a great deal with paper routes, to take care of things like braces and education. We learned early on how important it was to give first to the Lord. I have seen Him honor that. I just want to pass on to my family, God cares for His children and is worthy of your trust in Him. One can raise 6 children while in the ministry even though it often meant 2 drinks at McDonalds & 4 courtesy cups.

HEAVEN IS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER

As I was on a mission to find flowers for Mary, I was hit with a strong impression that I was to get flowers for Mom Tucker. In the last several years Dad Tucker would always get my attention on Mom's birthday, anniversary, mother's day and Valentines day and tell me to get flower's for Caryl. By some means he got my attention again. I was to put: Dad remembers you and wants you to be remembered. The seeming right ones had a bear and some carmel chocolates (which I later learned were his favorites). Somehow God must have passed on his request and it did seem to make heaven a little bit closer.