As the year draws to a close I find myself sitting alone at four twenty in the morning wondering what became of this year. It has slipped by in such a manner that bewilders my senses So much has transpired. Becoming older has seemingly sped up on me.

The first of the year found me traveling to Kentucky to a tornado zone to assess and help people that had their lives devastated by a tornado. The people of Dawson Springs found their town had lost four hundred and fifty homes. They are completely gone. I walked and talked with several of the people and met a pastor that found himself in charge of the recovery efforts. The town officials eventually stifled efforts by attempting to restrict the rebuilding efforts to push out the low income towns people. I cannot understand the minds of men that create such division. The pastor had become frustrated with the restrictions. People from everywhere came to help rebuild, yet could not do all that could be done to put people back to some state of normalcy.

In the spring I found myself on a committee to put together a 4th of July event. It was to be a huge event with an expected crowd to exceed six thousand people. The event was plagued with bad weather and it had less that three thousand people show up.

Back during the planning stages of the event I found myself changing jobs back to driving a school bus. I helped finish out the last couple of month of the previous school year. I’m still driving a school bus and I find this is where I should be. I have a middle school and and elementary school I deliver and take home this year that are very good compared to my previous years. I’ve found it to be my way of ministering to the elementary kids especially. In that vein of thought I resigned my position as the director of the disaster relief organization I was working with for a year.

Even with those changes I was approached by another embryonic organization just forming. The thrust of their ministry is to help veterans that need counseling and likely a place to stay for a short period. I would be a chaplain among others that will be available to talk. It is still in the planning stage.

I also am still continuing in the visitation ministry of my church as a chaplain there as well. I am coordinating with the person in charge of our nursing home ministry to become available to that ministry as needed. We have a young crowd in our church so there are very few that require visitation due to the nature of older folks require.

My biggest accomplishment this year was getting my book published. It was released in August and out of the 200 I bought for my own use I sold over 100 within the first month. I still get curious buyers and some I just give my book away to them. My desire is solely to see that the need is filled for those having issues with suicide or are family members having to deal with the loss of a family member. This book became my life-long dream to give people something to read of value that can save a life. God has been extraordarily good to me in this endeavor. My publisher did a very good job of getting it done down to getting into the market on Amazon, Barnes n Noble and Walmart Books.

Just this week I’ve found some teaching on the big picture of the Bible by Michael Heiser. It has given me insight into the overall nature of God’s endeavors. It has once again reminded me of the nature of man vs God’s nature. It is a very eye-opening teaching. God really is a big God. I tell Him daily that I love Him.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my wife receiving her ministerial license this year as she was fully ordained into the ministry. She has worked hard to get to where she is. She is a wonder partner with and to me. She also has begun to teach in the ministry school and is in charge of an area of ministry in the church.

Of those of you that read this, I hope your year has been good to you and if not so good, just know God is in charge of your life and when you strive to follow Him no matter what transpires it will come to a positive end. God’s Word does not come back void.