Jump Start # 800

Mark 5:19 “And He did not let him, but He said to him, ‘Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.’”

We have reached another milestone with our Jump Start today, number 800! That’s amazing! That’s a lot of articles. Our list of subscribers is at an all time high. I am seeing these Jump Starts reprinted in church bulletins and I’m told that several congregations are using them. Nearly every day I receive an email from one of our readers with a comment, question or a thank you. To all of this all I can say is that I am amazed and God is good. Several of you have been reading these from the very first. We transitioned through two different ways of emailing these out and basically the format has remained the same. The question I am asked the most regarding these Jump Starts is, “How do you do this every day?” I guess the answer is similar to how do you find a new sermon every week after preacher more than 30 years. It’s  not me, it’s that awesome Bible. Indeed “All Scripture is inspired of God and is profitable…”

I have done this before, but it is only proper to do this again and that is to thank first, my congregation that puts up with me and allows me to do this. They have embraced these little daily reminders and are the heroes of why this has grown and spread worldwide. They are the ones who first shared it with family and co-workers. We never had much of a marketing campaign. Following the thoughts in our verse today, people just told others. That’s how the gospel was first spread. It still works that way. To the folks at Charlestown Road, thank you. You are my family, friends, and joy.

Second, I thank the tons of readers outside of my congregation. Many of you I know but many more of you I don’t. I thank you for reading these. You have shared these with others. Our base of readers has swelled because of you. That’s awesome. I wish I could hug all of you and tell you thank you personally. Often, early in the morning when I am typing, my brain and fingers aren’t on the same wave length. I’ll go back later in the day and look up something in one of the Jump Starts and see typos, wrong words, poor grammar and think this is pitiful. Yet you continue to read. You continue to share these. Thank you!

Finally, I thank our Lord. He is the reason all of this started. It is His word that I begin with each day. It is His word that has touched my heart and it is His gift that has allowed me to write. The reason I do all of this is because our world is getting darker by the minute. Too many are living day to day with no thought of the eternal. Lives are shaped and ruined by selfishness and indifference to others. The way of the Cross just seems brighter and brighter to me. I long for Heaven. I want everyone to know about Jesus. That’s all.

Many of you have come to know me because of some personal things I share in these writings. My intentions from day one was to write something worthwhile but not too heavy. Insight and reflection is what I was after. I was asked recently how much longer was I going to do this? I really don’t know. So far, the well has not dried up. I think even when we put an end to Jump Starts, I will continue to do this personally. This avenue has helped me in so many ways.

We know someday this will end. We know someday our journey here will end. We work with that in mind. We must be aware of those things. This morning a dear old preacher from Nigeria who I grew to love enormously died. When I was just a young green preacher I heard a man give a report who had gone to Nigeria. He had slides. I was amazed. I asked him for a list of preachers who could speak English. I wanted to write to them. One name on the list was Sunday. Sunday Ahiwe. I fell in love with that name. What a cool name. I chose him. I wrote. He wrote back. We corresponded for more than 30 years. I have sent him a many books and money through the years. We never met. We exchanged pictures, family stories, and love. He had a genuine love for the kingdom. Twice I tried to go to Nigeria but political unrest in his country kept me from getting a visa. This morning his journey ended. I am writing this with tears streaming down my face. I shall miss him. There are now other Nigerians. I have a whole network of those that I still write to, all because of Sunday. My friend never had much. He wouldn’t understand the concepts of modern technology. But he did understand the Lord. Folks here will never know what good he has done, but the Lord does.

Someday our journey will come to an end.  The choices we make today, the paths that we journey on will make all the difference at that time. I’m hearing about churches fussing, brethren complaining, people dropping out, finger pointing and families not getting along. Life is too short for these things. So, we have been hurt. So, we didn’t get our way. So, we don’t like a certain person. Get over it. Forgive. Extend grace. Apologize. Mend the fences and build the bridges! Our journey is coming to an end someday. Some of this stuff isn’t worth it.

Our verse reminds us, the Lord has done great things for us. He has to me. He has to you. Think about those things! Count your blessings. Be thankful. God is good!

Again, thank you. Again, thank you, my friend Sunday. Again, thank you, Lord.

Roger