This past month I had the joy of celebrating 17 years as a child of God. This now marks half of my life that I have been serving Him. It really seems like yesterday my best friend Conrad and I were driving that 25 miles of country road to get to church in Arkansas, hoping that we would find what we were looking for...Jesus. We succeeded.

Tonight as I'm writing, I'm looking over at my bookshelves. They are holding over 1,000 books, from commentaries, bible studies, books on revival and evangelism, historical revival, the Puritans, of course RAVENHILL!!! 17 years ago when I began this journey I had only 2 books, my Bible and a book by Charles G. Finney; Revivals of Religion. These 2 books were my training, my Bible school. I can honestly say that after developing such a (still very small) library over this last half of my life, that my passions are still basically the same as they were 17 years ago;

1) To love Jesus with everything inside of me. To know Him and love Him more and more, longing for the day when I can fall at His precious feet and kiss them and hold them. To embrace Him, the lover of my soul. To look into His eyes of love and compassion.
2) To preach the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ to as many people as I possibly can before I die.
3) To become more like Jesus everyday and conform to His image rather to an image of Him that my mind has made up (hope that makes sense!).
4) To fully obey Him at all costs.

Next week, on Friday the 9th, something special will be happening. On that date 17 years ago, I stood up in the back of my truck as a 16 year old and preached my first sermon. It was in a parking lot in Hope Arkansas, 6 days before my 17th birthday. I remember everything about that night. I was a three-week-old baby Christian. So many people thought I was CRAZY...YEP!!! On that night I never would have imagined that God could use someone as insignificant and unqualified as me, taking me from a city of 276 people and allowing me to preach His gospel across the U.S. I never would have thought that He would send me to a city like Manhattan to plant a church. God is so good. Tonight as I was tucking my oldest daughter in bed, she asked me if she could begin ministering in the City with me! She's 10 years old! The first time she preached was the summer before last as a 9 year old. She preached once in Chinatown and once in Union Square. The results? 35 ADULTS prayed to receive Christ!!!

You better KNOW that this next Friday on my 17th preaching anniversary something OUTRAGEOUS is going to happen! Don't ask me what, I don't know. Personally, I'd like to have a truck with a parking lot close by! We'll see what happens, and maybe I'll write about it!

This last half of my life has been a WILD RIDE! I can only imagine (yeah right!) what He has in store over the next 17 years!

My beautiful wife Becky is doing such an awesome job. She is home-schooling our three oldest children while keeping the youngest entertained! She loves it, and so do they. Last Monday night she took a whole crew of ladies from our church ICE-SKATING in Bryant Park! They had a great time (and a lot of FALLS!). Becky has decided that the whole FAM will have Ice skates and it will become our weekly pastime! YES MAM! Our family will be moving into a new home by December 1st and we are EXCITED! Please pray that God directs us to the right house.

Well, thanks for taking the time to read this LENGTHY blog! Please continue to pray for us. Last Sunday night was our best service yet and the church is growing. The worship team is getting better and better and Valerie Chapman is doing such an awesome job as our Worship Leader. A great big thank you to everyone who has believed in and supported us over the past year. Becky and I are so grateful and your prayers and support have meant so much to us.

Sincerely,

Randy G.