First Baptist Church of Ocala

1. Tell God you want to go on a mission trip, “Here I am, send me!” NO ONE could be a better travel agent than Him! He’ll pick your destination, arrange the flights, and even provide the funds, clothing, food, accommodations, and the right folks to go with you!
2. When you think you have all the friends that you could possibly need, God sends you more!
In order to draw you closer, God knows the right team leader to accompany you.
God has a weird sense of humor! He sends people that know your parents!
When you need a work break, it’s lunch time. When you need another, it’s dinner time! Long walks to and from make up for the dessert.
Getting your passport stamped can be scary! I thought you went through Immigration, not Interrogation. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” 2 Corinthians 12:10.
The hiking trail is not always smooth or free of obstacles, but if you keep your eyes up, they’re not as noticeable. As an added bonus, the view at the end is spectacular!
God does answer the smallest requests, like: Back pain? What back pain? Or do I pick a shirt or hat from the Seminary bookstore?
The ice that was as clear as a piece of melted glass from Lake Louise became a reminder that God’s love is crystal clear and 100% pure.
When you hike far ahead of the crowd, even into the “Danger Avalanche” zone, and you surmise that you and your hiking partner are the only people around, you’re wrong: God is with you.
My brain is too small for my eyes.
“O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made...how great Thou art” were the only words that my mind would compute as I looked all around me to see what My Savior created.
Paint by faith and not by sight when in a closet.
Nature in all of its guises: mountains, grass, fir trees, chipmunks, elk, horses, dandelions and even rocks in all their shapes and colors are all fearfully and wonderfully made, just like me.
God will take you at any age and teach you something new. A 72 year-old team member out-worked, out-hiked and out-talked all of us! He even learned how to do laundry.
The first person up gets the hottest shower.
We have many talented women painters in our church. They can crawl into spaces meant for a child, repaint walls as many times as necessary, find clever ways to paint baseboards without touching the carpet, laugh and paint at the same time, and with the right size brush, can put color on anything.
Even if we don’t think so, we all have gifts.
Fruits of the Spirit exposed through a dropped and broken camera. Instead of choosing words that would cut like a sword, I saw kindness, gentleness, goodness, patience and self-control. The camera will be forgotten, but not the mercy shown in the situation. I’m glad I witnessed something good for my soul.
D.K. Hale and his wife Brenda truly exemplify a life lived for Christ, to go and baptize all nations with the Word of God. Canada is big, the Hales’ hearts are bigger.
The Lorenzes are a family hungry for God and eagerly and joyfully put themselves aside to see just what God will do with them. They are great cooks, too!
Last, but not least, thank you Jesus, it wasn’t about me.