Wow, was I blessed!

Nick and I went home to Kentucky over the weekend.  We had a great time!

Saturday Dad and I started the day out early- going to the cemetery, yes we do that, almost every time I go home.  All my people are buried there.  It's kind of like honoring their memory and my family- the people I come from.

Then we drove down Apostolic Road- yes...that's it's real name.  But we call it, Postolic- It wasn't until the last few months I figured out what the name mean't!

And we toured the parsonage they are building.

We picked up Karen and Baron then spent the day on the road.  Dad drove us to the Amish- I visited 3 stores.  I got herbs and vegetables for my garden.  I got some of the things I can't get here:  powdered chicken broth, dried red peppers and some gluten free flour (just in case Nick's has a food allergy to gluten, we will know this week).

We went to visit my older sister, Sis.  Her grand daughter Addy and grandson Bryson, were there.  I got to share with Sis some things about Mom.  I pray for my sister.

Then we drove all over the country.  We saw quilt blocks on barns, fields of canola- beautiful, rolling hills of yellow.  Dad bought two border collie puppies!  He named them Bo and Luke!  LOL  So cute!

Then we stopped at an OLD TIME grocery, Mintonville Grocery, where some old family friends had opened it up- with a small restaurant inside, and the original interior!  It was wonderful!

Then on to Dad's where my sister Tina and her grand daughters were waiting for us.  Maleeha, Laniya and Hazlee.  They helped me dig up LOTS of dandelion roots!

We feasted on FRESH turkey my brother-in-law, Barry killed just that morning!

My younger sister Tabitha and her two boys- Kyler and Brody were there also.

I woke up Sunday morning with VERTIGO!!!  Ugg...my head was rolling around!  I finally got up and went outside for a bit.  My head seemed to clear some.

I was able to go to gather with the church-body and that is where I was so blessed!

Here we are at a small (less than 35 people there) country church-body in south-central Kentucky and the preacher, Brother Darrell- eloquently and beautifully lead us through the Scriptures about:

our old corrupted sinful man is dead and through Christ we have a new inner man
take off the old man and put on the new
holiness is our ID (identity)
we are secure
we are no longer slaves of sin, sin is not our master
we are servants of righteousness
we can reject man-made doctrines of holiness but not's Christ's holiness
it's our profit and God's glory to identify with our holiness
who is your hope in?
which highway are you on?  Isaiah 35:8
"hope so, guess so, and maybe so" is not the highway to be on

These are all the verses he used:
1 Thess 4:7
Eph 4:24
Romans 6:19, 22
1 Thess 3:11-13
2 Thess 2:13
1 Thess 4:8
Acts 23:9
Titus 2:3
Heb 12:10
Isaiah 35:8

It was wonderful!  He was very well spoken and spoke well!  I told him afterward it was the best sermon I had ever heard him preach!  He actually looked embarrassed!

I kept turning around to look at Nick!  I couldn't believe it!

Here he is- a bi-vocational pastor.  Of a tiny church-body.  He is in his 60's.  He has been there for years.  For years he would not accept any pay.  Then the Nazarene denomination MADE him accept some.  But my dad thinks he puts it right back into the church.  He drives from another county every Sunday- twice a day.  He was a road crew supervisor for years.  Last I heard he was a security guard at a college.  He is not afraid to preach the truth in love.  I saw humbleness and kindness in him yesterday,  Here is a man that has NEVER had ANY formal education- except through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

One woman (my cousin, actually, of course) whose daughter is in the hospital in Ohio came to the front of the church- the whole church-body gathered around her while Brother Darrell anointed her with oil.  Everyone prayed over her- not silently but all at once.  Amen.

Brother Darrell is not controlled by people.  Nor money.  He allows the Holy Spirit to lead him.  Sometimes where it hurts.  But first, he is humble enough to allow the Lord to lead him.

Amen and amen.  I wonder, does this little church-body realize they have the REAL DEAL?