Uplook - October 5, 2024
Happy Saturday Morning,
I am a bit nostalgic this morning as I write because it was 51 years ago this week that I knelt next to my bed in my parent’s small home in Southern Oregon and found salvation. I never tire of telling the gentle and caring way in which the Lord led me to Himself.
Born into a loving home with both parents and a younger sister, my life seemed fairly ordinary until a traumatic health event shifted my entire focus. At the age of 14 I suffered from a appendicitis. At first we thought it was just stomach flu or something so it was a couple of days before we realized I needed medical treatment. By that time the appendix had burst spreading infection throughout my abdomen. What my parents hoped would be a routine surgery and recovery became anything but that…stretching into three major surgeries, over two months of hospitalization, the loss of about 40 pounds, school tutors, and lots of medical bills for my parents. I spent my 15th birthday in a pediatric isolation room which was no fun at all. Thankfully, I recovered and was able to come home and resume normal activities. I’ll never forget the evening, sitting on a yellow stepstool in the kitchen while mom fixed dinner, that my father asked me a pivotal and life changing question. He asked, “Bill, did you ever think you were going to die?” Honestly, that thought had never occurred to me but from that moment on, it never left me. I began to feel as if I somehow owed God something …but didn’t really know how to find Him and what He desired.
So began an 18 month journey of seeking for me. I was privileged to have met a couple of Christian young people at my high school and began to go to church. I went with one to church early on Sunday morning and then drove straight to a second church to attend with the second one. This went on for several months until I finally felt I should only attend the second church which you may have guessed was the Apostolic Faith Church. I attended services there consistently for another 4 months and even had a chance to visit the Portland camp meeting for one Sunday. It was there that I first knelt at the altar. I had told people I was a Christian and so they encouraged me to seek for a deeper walk with Christ. An interesting paradox began to develop in my life over these months. I began to feel worse the more I attended church. I simply could not understand how this could be when I was trying to do the right thing. I now understand it was the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart and calling me to fully surrender my life to God. I began to understand that God was holy and desired a full commitment which I had yet to give. Looking back, it is now easy to recognize what happened but at the time it was all a mystery to me…like groping in the dark to find the light switch.
Finally, on October 9, 1973, a Tuesday evening, I attended a special night at church where a missionary to Korea who was home on furlough showed pictures of the gospel work in that country and the sacrifices some had made just to find Christ. Something about the missionaries words and the compassionate heart and spirit behind them touched my heart. Uncharacteristically, there was no invitation to pray following the presentation but when I arrived home I knelt and prayed. It was not overly emotional but a simple and honest prayer. I asked God to somehow help me find and know Him as I’d heard others tell. In a gentle but firm response, the Lord seemed to speak to my heart with the words. “Who will be on the throne of your life?” It had a double meaning for me. I had invested much of my passion and energy and money in becoming an accomplished drummer and was beginning to see results. The stool behind the drum set is often referred to as “the drummers throne”. I realized that God wanted to be on the throne of my life and that would include all of my desires, passions, and hopes including percussion. Immediately, I responded simply with “If you will give me what these people have…the throne will be yours.” And to my utter surprise, there was a great calm which settled over my heart. No loud crashing cymbals or fanfares…just peace. And after sometime, I realized that the fear of death had departed. It was a wonderful day indeed. The next day I was able to share with one of my Christian friends how the Christianity I had claimed to have before, had now become a reality in my life. That relationship which began my trek into an eternal way of living continues to day with a hope and peace even brighter than that which I received on that night so long ago now. Thanks for letting me share this again with you. My prayer is that you will have that same peace today.
Housekeeping Notes:
Wednesday devotional/cleaning – This Wednesday evening at 7 pm we will gather in the activity room for a short devotional and snacks. We will then use the balance of the evening to do some deep cleaning of the church building prior to our upcoming special meetings. We will NOT be streaming the short devotional.
Special Meetings – October 19-20. Some have asked about the Saturday youth activities. We have secured a roller skating rink in Lynnwood for 3 hours on Saturday afternoon and all are invited to join us. The subsidized cost is $10 per person who skates. We will make directions available and also will have someone at the church who can lead any who need to follow. We will be asking for approximate numbers by October 13.
Church Contact list – The new list is nearly updated and should be available next week.
These are confidential and not to be used for any commercial/non church purposes and of course should be used to spread encouragement only.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
I am a bit nostalgic this morning as I write because it was 51 years ago this week that I knelt next to my bed in my parent’s small home in Southern Oregon and found salvation. I never tire of telling the gentle and caring way in which the Lord led me to Himself.
Born into a loving home with both parents and a younger sister, my life seemed fairly ordinary until a traumatic health event shifted my entire focus. At the age of 14 I suffered from a appendicitis. At first we thought it was just stomach flu or something so it was a couple of days before we realized I needed medical treatment. By that time the appendix had burst spreading infection throughout my abdomen. What my parents hoped would be a routine surgery and recovery became anything but that…stretching into three major surgeries, over two months of hospitalization, the loss of about 40 pounds, school tutors, and lots of medical bills for my parents. I spent my 15th birthday in a pediatric isolation room which was no fun at all. Thankfully, I recovered and was able to come home and resume normal activities. I’ll never forget the evening, sitting on a yellow stepstool in the kitchen while mom fixed dinner, that my father asked me a pivotal and life changing question. He asked, “Bill, did you ever think you were going to die?” Honestly, that thought had never occurred to me but from that moment on, it never left me. I began to feel as if I somehow owed God something …but didn’t really know how to find Him and what He desired.
So began an 18 month journey of seeking for me. I was privileged to have met a couple of Christian young people at my high school and began to go to church. I went with one to church early on Sunday morning and then drove straight to a second church to attend with the second one. This went on for several months until I finally felt I should only attend the second church which you may have guessed was the Apostolic Faith Church. I attended services there consistently for another 4 months and even had a chance to visit the Portland camp meeting for one Sunday. It was there that I first knelt at the altar. I had told people I was a Christian and so they encouraged me to seek for a deeper walk with Christ. An interesting paradox began to develop in my life over these months. I began to feel worse the more I attended church. I simply could not understand how this could be when I was trying to do the right thing. I now understand it was the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart and calling me to fully surrender my life to God. I began to understand that God was holy and desired a full commitment which I had yet to give. Looking back, it is now easy to recognize what happened but at the time it was all a mystery to me…like groping in the dark to find the light switch.
Finally, on October 9, 1973, a Tuesday evening, I attended a special night at church where a missionary to Korea who was home on furlough showed pictures of the gospel work in that country and the sacrifices some had made just to find Christ. Something about the missionaries words and the compassionate heart and spirit behind them touched my heart. Uncharacteristically, there was no invitation to pray following the presentation but when I arrived home I knelt and prayed. It was not overly emotional but a simple and honest prayer. I asked God to somehow help me find and know Him as I’d heard others tell. In a gentle but firm response, the Lord seemed to speak to my heart with the words. “Who will be on the throne of your life?” It had a double meaning for me. I had invested much of my passion and energy and money in becoming an accomplished drummer and was beginning to see results. The stool behind the drum set is often referred to as “the drummers throne”. I realized that God wanted to be on the throne of my life and that would include all of my desires, passions, and hopes including percussion. Immediately, I responded simply with “If you will give me what these people have…the throne will be yours.” And to my utter surprise, there was a great calm which settled over my heart. No loud crashing cymbals or fanfares…just peace. And after sometime, I realized that the fear of death had departed. It was a wonderful day indeed. The next day I was able to share with one of my Christian friends how the Christianity I had claimed to have before, had now become a reality in my life. That relationship which began my trek into an eternal way of living continues to day with a hope and peace even brighter than that which I received on that night so long ago now. Thanks for letting me share this again with you. My prayer is that you will have that same peace today.
Housekeeping Notes:
Wednesday devotional/cleaning – This Wednesday evening at 7 pm we will gather in the activity room for a short devotional and snacks. We will then use the balance of the evening to do some deep cleaning of the church building prior to our upcoming special meetings. We will NOT be streaming the short devotional.
Special Meetings – October 19-20. Some have asked about the Saturday youth activities. We have secured a roller skating rink in Lynnwood for 3 hours on Saturday afternoon and all are invited to join us. The subsidized cost is $10 per person who skates. We will make directions available and also will have someone at the church who can lead any who need to follow. We will be asking for approximate numbers by October 13.
Church Contact list – The new list is nearly updated and should be available next week.
These are confidential and not to be used for any commercial/non church purposes and of course should be used to spread encouragement only.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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