Move Forward in Faith

"Trust the Lord and move forward in faith" were the words given to me at the age of twenty-one, while living with my dad in Topeka, Kansas. Evangelist Harold Velt came to our church one sunny afternoon in July and gave me my patriarchal blessing. His wife Ruth recorded it and later presented it to me in written form--I have it in my fireproof safe today. I often refer to it when I am struggling or need my spirits uplifted. It has been my mantra and the guiding light on my pathway through life.

While writing my daily devotional book, Move Forward in Faith, I spoke of the blessing

and what it has meant to me. 370 pages is a lot to write for a book. It will take me eleven more weeks working twelve hours a day to complete it, but it is a labor of love and I wouldn't have it any other way. I absolutely love writing. One might ask, "How can you find that much to write about?" I can honestly answer that question: "My heavenly Father gives me inspiration each and every day. It never is a problem or concern." I wake up between five and six am, make a pot of coffee, and start writing. The ideas flow like water, and as long as I am at my computer they continue flowing, flowing from the source of all great ideas, the Lord himself.

The prophet Isaiah said it with wonderful words as only the "silver-tongued prophet" could do: Isaiah 55:10-11 “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

And that is precisely what I receive from God. "snow come down from heaven" in the form of quiet, peaceful, confident thoughts and words. He gives me the words to write and I have become an instrument in his hands to bear witness of his great love for all his children throughout the earth. What a vocation!