I love, perhaps too much, coffee with a snack. Bad news for diabetics. What makes it more enjoyable is the fellowship of getting together with a few brethren. This is what we do Monday morning for about an hour. This morning, Billy (pushing 80) was sharing ow his wife passed away five years ago, but he has been busy sharing the Gospel of Jesus with any who will listen. Recently returned from his trip to Ghana, he was sharing how the people are receiving the good news. It was amazing listening to him, even thrilling.
The idea of growing old(er) “ain’t what it’s cracked up to be.” What’s this got to do with Billy? Well, so many times we seniors get the feeling of uselessness. Memories sometimes do not help since they can make you feel ‘life has passed you up,’ ‘your time is past.’ It shouldn’t and doesn’t have to be that way.
Billy said his goal is heaven, and he looks forward to the next adventure! So what is making life an “adventure” for you? What makes you look forward to getting up in the morning?
Depression, the feeling of having no purpose, uselessness… should not be the feeling for senior Christians. Speaking for myself, I have and sometimes do have those feelings. Maybe you can commiserate on this a bit.
Billy quoted 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day – and not to me only, but also to all those who have set their affection on his appearing.”
‘Mindset,’ is important, not looking and living in the past, over which one has no control. Looking forward, pressing on, and as Hodge said, “I’m heaven bound!” We have to have a purpose in life, a reason to go on, something that makes this life a daily adventure. So what can take the place of living for and sharing the good news of Jesus.
Somewhere along the line I lost this, but “it ain’t over yet!” Still ticking here, and determined to practice what I’m writing about. How? By being with brethren that “charge my spiritual battery,” spend time in prayer, Scriptures, and writing to encourage other Christians. Feels good.
Smile! Exercise, push to get going and break old habits. Easy? No, since it is easy to fall into the rut of doing nothing!
Beware “idle mind is devils workshop.” More true than not.
So, let’s encourage each other since the days are getting hard! Grow in grace!
Category Archives: Articles by Jack Exum Jr
The Mission Continues – PREPARATION Pt. 2
Getting ready to go takes TIME and PRAYER. The longer the trip, the more prep time and prayer. Fail to plan and pray means a failed trip. If your not into doing it properly, just don’t make the trip or postpone until you (and family) are ready.
One preacher student met my dad as he spoke to the student body, and said he and his wife and children were going to ‘Africa’ in a few months. He was graduating soon and was ‘ready to go.’ Dad listened patiently and then asked about his preparation… He revealed they didn’t have any support yet, but they were “going on faith.” He looked at his wife, she was nervous. So dad asked, “Well why don’t you just go on faith alone?”
They postponed their move and made the necessary preparations, wife relieved.
A tough part of this preparation is raising funds and supporters. Prepare well all information to be presented. Print out nice color handouts which contains bullet points, goals, some personal info, etc… Make a list of everyone and contact info… Write out you basics of your phone call… and start calling. Understand the importance to be well versed in your mission. Your call should be as cordial and to the point as possible since all you are wanting in an appointment to come and speak to the leadership and members.
One thing which will help in this process is if YOU personally go to scout out the place where you are planning to go for 3-5 years with option to stay longer. WHY? Because this adds EVERYTHING to your presentation, including CONFIDENCE, and IN-DEPTH FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE. You will meet the people, sit and eat with the people, listen to them and understand the situation much better.
YOUR SUCCESS RATE GOES UP TREMENDOUSLY IF YOU PLAN TO GO AS A PART OF A TEAM. (Your family won’t feel as lonely and ‘stuck’ if you do this.) When mom and dad went to Belfast in 1964, dad had spent six months in prep time, and gathered a team of four families. All equally committed to GO to Northern Ireland. PREPARE yourself, PREPARE your family, PREPARE your team! Go with God and confidence! Another thing is to contact other (if any) local missionaries and get information on culture and customs, things to avoid etc… PREPARE WELL your presentation so video and story goes smoothly. DON’T EVER SACRIFICE YOUR FAMILY ON THE CHURCH ALTAR.. IT AIN’T WORTH IT!. You need solid financial commitment. DON’T LAUNCH WITHOUT IT! You have to live. DON’T SHY AWAY FROM TALKING ABOUT THIS. DON’T FEEL LIKE A BEGGAR OR ASHAMED OF THE IDEA THAT YOU NEED MONEY. Part of the preparation and presentation then must include a realistic outline of needed financial support. Sit and talk with your wife and team, and LISTEN! Understand the dollar exchange, and cost of living where you are going. How much is rent, clothing, food, utilities, a house if you plan on buying, transportation, schools, classes on learning the language, emergency trips home, hospital costs, doctors, dentists…
Still interested? Count the cost. PREPARE!
Once you have the solid financial support you need… THE LAUNCH COUNT-DOWN BEGINS.
Now the serious planning to make the move starts. Up till now you can cancel or postpone (like launching the space shuttle). Anything that comes up that is a critical issue to a launch MUST BE CONSIDERED AND DEALT WITH before hand. (Remember, all of this goes in THE NOTEBOOK.)
These are a few things that I leave with you to consider and hopefully make your mission a successful one. By the way, the work in Belfast is still going now.
Loves prayers…
Lessons From The Beaver
BEAVER – “A large semi-aquatic broad-tailed rodent that is native to North America and Northern Eurasia. It is noted for its habit of gnawing through tree trunks to fell the trees in order to feed on the bark and build dams.” “Beaver” can also be used to refer to “hard work.” For example: “Bridget beavered away to keep things running smoothly.”
What do they do for ‘us humans?’ “They store water and improve hydro-logic conditions. They increase water storage on the surface as ponds are created and increased in size. This water filters down into the water table and recharges the ground water too.” (https://kingcounty.gov/environment).
Well, last year was my first encounter of this ‘third kind,’ and at first my wife and I were thinking “how cute!” When the lake froze of course we couldn’t see the beavers that much, but then came the springtime and the thaw along with the flooding of streams… and it flooded. The water came under the road and through the conduit so fast that it washed out the beaver’s efforts, which damage the neighbor’s dock.
Fast forward… the neighbor replaced his dock, and now preparing for the wintertime, the beaver started up again building its dam. This time it is a little further down towards the neighbor’s new dock. He is not pleased. Well, we had a sunny day, and I dawned my fishing rubber waders and into the lake I went, and with my four pronged digger proceeded to do some damage to the dam. I quickly learned respect for the beaver’s building abilities. Pulling away some unbelievably big branches , sticks, a 2X4X8, mud-packed roots and vegetation, stones, twigs, and all this on top of a base I have yet to figure out.
I was and am amazed at this beaver’s instinctive abilities at providing a home and a dam to provide an area for swimming and feeding for its family. Now I forgot to mention the huge home this beaver provided for its female of the species, and for the children. (Just a passing thought, I also learned that this thing seems to be a “one female for life beaver.” He is also the beaver of the ‘house.’ She seems to just be content with raising and feeding and caring for the little ones.)
Back to the dam! Ok, so I pulled, tugged, slipped, tossed and threw all kinds of stuff which Mr. B., had used to build this thing and got 6 feet of the pretty clear. WATER WAS POURING THROUGH. I was proud of myself. Took pictures. Bragged a bit on Facebook. (Big mistake!) Then someone wrote back saying, “It will be built back by tomorrow.” (“Never a discouraging word!)
I looked the next day and THE BEAVER HAD NOT WASTED TIME. (Another lesson learned!) “See something that needs done… get to it.” Another lesson, “If you don’t know where to begin… just start where you are, and some order will come.” The dam was completely repaired and the dam complete! ONE NIGHT!
Anyway… I “put up the white flag,” and I left the dam, determined to learn more lessons from this animal! For example, just because you run up against opposition and hardships caused by others… don’t give up! Yes, I am amazed at “Mr. B.”
I am more amazed at God’s creation. “In the beginning God created… and He saw it was good.” Genesis 1.
Let me know of lessons you learned form animals which you want to share.
Grow in grace friends.
Getting Ready For Winter
How to get ready for winter in the New Hampshire? Usually we average in the neighborhood of 71 inches, and Mount Washington receives 23 feet of the white stuff, along with the very high winds. What about the temperatures? In a word, COLD! With highs in low 40’s and lows from 17 above zero to 10 below zero. The first snowfall is exciting and pretty… but from there on… it is a chore.
Basically, everything has to be prepared for winter.
Here is a brief list:
1. Water lines have to have a heating wrap with insulation
2. Tires have to be All Season tires. Tires with studs or chains are not unusual but usually good tires are enough. However, a 4-Wheel Drive vehicle is almost essential when off the main drag.
3. Get out all the winter coats and long johns and put your spring and summer stuff away.
4. Check the roof to be ready for the snow and freezing. Ice cycles are dangerous when they hang from the roof. So, get out your roof rakes and be ready to use them.
5. No car port? No problem. Just get out in the morning and get your snow shovel out and begin.
6. Lawnmowers and other gas driven machines have to be drained and winterized (we call it “pickling.”)
7. Get out your battery chargers and be ready to use them for the sub zero weather. Usually use them overnight on trickle charge setting.
8. Stock up on Gas and additive to keep it good. (Have some for your car/truck as well because today’s “gas” tends to develop water in the tank.)
9. By the way, if you get caught in a winter storm while out driving, it can really be a “pain” so put blankets, AC/DC (not the heavy metal band) adapter in your emergency pack. Got to stay warm so a sleeping bag will help, along with flares, etc…
10. Your screened in three season porch? Well you need to put heavy clear tarp on the screen or the porch is unusable for five months. A porch with this type protection can be heated. (So get out your heaters.)
11. Store all yard furniture or cover with tarp.
12. Get SALT or ICE MELT for obvious reasons…
13. Hmm, I seem to have run out of things… but PREPARATION and FORE THOUGHT are critical because winter in the Northeast… is different.
By the way, if you think of preaching up here, be ready to stay more than the usual two-three years. It takes a while to gain people’s trust and friendship. Aim for a minimum of five to ten years… After that, you might even like it. Springtime is marvelous, summer is hot, fall is so beautiful (at least until all the leaves fall).
Grow in grace friends…
One Day At A Time At 73
Dr. Marshall L. Cook wrote the book “Growing old Isn’t for sissies.” How true is this?! Looking back, I can remember thinking that 70 is OLD, but now here I am at 73, and I am having to re-think some things. I don’t know how you feel, but now I am thinking that maybe 80 plus is “old.” Maybe a good idea just to think of age as “just a number.” Things I have learned along the way…
1. Don’t put ANYTHING into writing before you reach 60. Why? Because “things change!” Opinions change, meanings of words change, most of all, I change. When I was a ‘young’ preacher, I thought I had all the answers. I was a ‘hell-fire and damnation’ type preacher. I pity the small congregations that had to put up with this ‘up-start’ preacher who thought he knew it all.
2. Don’t be afraid to change. Things are changing. You change, I change, we all change. Now the Word does not change, but our understanding of it changes (Lord willing) is we keep studying and pray the Spirit of Truth will guide us, soften our hearts as we surrender our lives daily. Things that can change us:
Love
Grace
Mercy
Forgiveness
Patience
All because of a Person, Jesus. He changes us if we are willing.
3. Put your family ahead of being a preacher. Never offer your family on the ‘church alter.’ Why loose your family to preach? You may say, “Church comes first!” Well, I disagree. Jesus first, Others (including family) second, Yourself last. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn.
Using Dr. Wests “B.E.S.T.” plan is very helpful for family…
B – Bless your wife and never allow any one (church members included) to put your wife down in your presence.
E – Edify your wife no matter what. We love to hear words of encouragement… but then so does your wife and kids.
S – Share your feelings, hurts, concerns, with your wife. Mark Gungor(?) has excellent videos for family seminars. He is very funny but straight forward in presenting and dealing with family and personal issues.
T – Touch your wife. A touchless marriage is a troubled marriage. Having seen marriages where things got so bad that the wife refused to be touched, the husband had to work very hard and consistently with the B.the E and the S., before getting to the T.
4. Seek help and be accountable is you need it! (Consider Celebrate Recovery).
5. Read and devour James S. Woodruff’s book “Sayings that saved my sanity”.This is manditory in my opinion for Christians in general. I won’t spoil it for you, so get this book! It is good. The title itself should appeal to church leaders.
6.Don’t forget your prayer-life and relationship with Jesus! So important.
You are encouraged to respond with your thoughts in this if you wish. Perhaps you can add something that will help someone else.
Thank you for reading, God bless you, Grow in grace!
UKRAINE NEEDS YOUR HELP!
America and the world has been in shock seeing the genocide and other atrocities resulting from the Russian war on UKRAINE. Putin’s goal is to take Ukraine and make it part of Russia. Thus, erasing Ukraine’s culture, language, and boundaries, their very right to survive!
We have seen that any and all options to reach this goal are on the table for Putin. The result thus far has been destruction, pain, suffering and death. Having lived there I came to love and appreciate Ukraine and it’s people. I was witness to how tough and determined they are to defend their nation. However, as you have and will see, THEY CANNOT DO THIS ALONE. Not only does Ukraine need help in fighting the war, they need help in caring for those who are stranded, homeless, hungry, and soon… cold! My goal is simply to introduce a good friend whom I bot to know when we were working there and let him (Roma Prehodka) ‘speak’ to you of their desperate need. From there it is with prayer, up to you.
Roma lives in Kremenchuk, and works as a Massage therapist. He is very active in his church, helping feed and care for many in the area. I will be receiving periodical updates and will post them here. His email: romanprihodko22@gmail.com if you wish to email him.
The following is his first report from Ukraine…
“Our small volunteer team, which we named in honor of our location “Derevo”, started preparing hot meals for refugees who came to our city of Kremenchuk at the beginning of the war. At first we fed the refugees every day, then 5 days a week, now 3. This is due to a lack of resources and problems in the preparation of food itself, so the house where a young family with two children lives has now turned into a food warehouse and a dining room.”
“We dream of having a separate kitchen for cooking. But we want not only to feed people, but also to communicate with them over a cup of tea, to listen to them, to help them psychologically in order to express our love for them more and thereby calm them down, and show that they (are) not indifferent to us.”
“Autumn is ahead, then winter. This enormously increases costs for products, transport, premises (for lodging). We sincerely want to help displaced people with hot food, psychological help and our love. Our team are people of faith. We believe that people now desperately need not only physical, but also spiritual food!”
Estimated needs for this free service:
1. Folding tables for feeding + chairs + garbage container ($50)
2. New tanks for feeding 3 pieces. ($150)
3. Bluetooth speaker ($20)
4. Permanent consumables, dishes, napkins, gloves ($30 per month)
5. Transport (rent + gasoline) ($110)
6. Utility costs during cooking (light, gas) ($50 per month)
7. New stove ($200)
8. Products on a permanent basis: potatoes,cabbage, carrots, cereals, bread, meat, sweet,
fruit ($200 per month)
9. Filling gas cylinders for cooking ($ ???)
10. UFO oil heater or lamp ($200)
11. Renting an apartment or house (for cooking meals + the possibility of inviting refugees to visit for communication) ($100 per month)
So, if you wish more info, please contact either Roman Prihodko by his gmail email romanprihodko22@gmail.com
(Thank you for taking time to read and consider the needs of the Ukrainian people… JHEJR)
Back In Business 2022
Well, something is different! My web builder has been working on this site to make some repairs to ‘broken stuff.’ At first it was thought to be a hack, but later was discovered t be internal problem. It’s technical for sure, so I don’t fully understand it. Just glad to have Earle (Earl’s help desk.com) to work on it. It is a huge (in my estimation) site, and so when something gets out of whack, it creates a domino effect… headache! Again I want to recommend
EarlsHelpDesk.com | Remote Access Computer Services. I highly recommend his help as one who is not only good at fixing computer problems, but also an author (check out his web site!)
All this being said, we will be continuing our writing on unfinished series, (Book of John), adding more photos of the Exum family, answering your messages on the site, and adding other things I have been thinking about lately… We hope you will be reading and responding.
Thank you for your patience. Looking forward to
RUDY (aka Rudimous)
Rudy, a cute little Chihuahua of dubious mixed blood, passed away on the same date that my brother Bob Exum passed on. January 25, 2022 was a hard day, as Rudy’s health had been going down. He was diabetic, needing insulin (morning and evening), heart trouble for which he was given 1/2 of a heart tablet per day, he was for the most part blind due to cataracts, he had arthritis as well. He was almost 15 years old. In human terms, he should have been in a nursing home for dogs I guess.
He enjoyed going for a walk, but lately it has been too cold and snowy. It was a chore in some ways to care for him, but all because we loved him. He would follow me wherever I went, much like he did with Bob. I wish we had him for a longer time, because he was company. A real ‘lap-dog.’
So, here’s to our last of four pets we had. Little Bit, Miss Precious. Molly, and Rudy… All gone now.