AARON BURNS IS 30 TODAY!

(Above, Aaron Burns probably 8 years old).

I stayed up till 2:30 am today (Monday, Aug. 24) to write this Birthday tribute to you. Your Mom and I were up early the day you were born also. We lived in a Mobile home in Lester, WV. Burns boys always come EARLY in the morning! And thus you did. I showered, put on my "preacher suit and tie," and drove your Mom to the Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley. I remember bringing you and Mom home and how proud we were and also how proud your big brother, Matt was to have a "little brother." It was the "olden days" and we had an "old doctor" named "Bliss." He usually wouldn't let the Dad's in for the delivery, but, I begged him, put on the garb and in I went. I told Doc Bliss as you came out, "Wow Wee! I've never even seen a cat born!" And the Doc. said, "Me neither!" Our seven months of joyous bliss was nearly crushed as Jesus led you very near the Shadow of death with meningitis and a semi - coma. But back at good ole Raleigh General, Dr. Concepcion was used of God to bring healing to your little mind and body and our Lord spared your life for something very special.



(Aaron, Christmas, 08).

Being the son of a "Preacher" is not easy, but you have fared it well. From West Virginia to Kansas, to Ohio, the ups and downs, glad times and sad times have molded you into a great Man of God. When we took you to Northland Baptist Bible College in Northern, Wisconsin, our hearts broke to drive off, but it was HIS plan for your life in your education chapter. When I wrote you once to say, "Due to going to a Bible College, you will one day have friends for life around the world." I didn't know Jesus would one day call you to go. As hard as these special times are to be in the U. S. while you are in China for your 30th, I think all in the family and especially you would say, "This is what the Lord's will and plan is for Aaron Jay Burns."

I thank the Lord for how he has spared your life and protected you here and now, half way around the world. Thank you for following HIM, and obeying the Lord when he called you to go. We will make up on the "missed times" later, and one day, probably very soon, we will be sitting at Jesus' feet, soaking in the SON, singing, "It was worth it all."

(Me standing in front of the Hospital where Aaron was born).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Mom and I love you very much. Love, Dad

OUTDOOR BIBLE TIME AT NEW CHURCH!

I love the old chorus we used to sing, "There is Joy in Serving Jesus!" That can be said by about 12 of our faithful children's workers, Coletta and me with today being the final day of our first ever "Bible School" activity at our new facility. Due to the recession here which has really affected our church offerings, we were not able to go all out and have a BIG Neighborhood Bible Time at the Liberty Baptist Church of Van Wert, Ohio this summer. In June, while doing a live prayer time devotion at a Lima, Ohio Christian radio station, I picked up a Child Evangelism pamphlet that had the area director's name and phone number. I gave Rex Eads a call, and immediately, this loving, compassionate, humble servant of God who lives every day by faith loving Kids into the Kingdom, called me back and we scheduled a Five Day Bible Club at our playground just East of our new church. (You can see the East side of our gym and school building we bought in the background of the picture above).

Brother Rex did the drive from Lima every day this week, and was always early with a big smile on his face. We had a total of 32 children enroll, that ranged from 4 to 12. Five Children accepted Jesus this week. Other than rolling out the blue tarp for the kids to sit on and putting up a few chairs and a refreshment table, the rest of us just helped keep the kids in line and were faithful each day for their safety and welfare. Other than Rex's hard work, the other main duty for each day was for some to take turns bringing and serving refreshments at the end of each hourly morning session.

This afternoon as I left the hot playground and ball diamond picking up the tarp and the last table and chair, I whispered a prayer to the Lord today. "Thank you Lord for giving us this property to show the love of Jesus to neighborhood kids. Thank you for placing my wife and I here to serve these wonderful people. And, thank you Lord that even though the plants and crops really need the rain here, you held it off every day to let our church sponsor the 'Outdoor Bible Time' for Kids for the first time since we have purchased this property!"

I'm Jim C. Burns, and that's something to think about!

PS. "Lord, you can give us a down pour now!"