Last Thursday, April 3, 2008 our church officially took possession of the 3.6 acres of the Horace Mann School Property here in Van Wert. From early Thursday morning until Saturday evening, the good people of Liberty, Dick and Sam from Dillon Road Baptist Church of Fostoria, Ohio, and three different construction High School groups from Vantage Career Center along with their Instructor, Larry Mengerink never stopped working. All the ceiling tile was removed along with the insulation above, three storage room walls were removed and several table holders, tables and benches were removed from the cafeteria to make way for sanctuary seating and new carpet. Of course, we had to cut three trees down just to "mark" our new territory! As I came home from the Saturday work day to finish my Sunday morning sermon on my laptop, I was exhausted. I am exhausted again from ministering at church today. But, when our adult service was over at our old church building tonight, I hitched a ride with the guy pictured here cutting down the tree to see how the teen service and scavenger hunt activity went at our new building. Love, excitement and enthusiasm permeated the dusty air as the teens and our dedicated youth workers ate pizza, cookies and drank colored syrup for refreshments. I sampled a little of each, laughed and rejoiced with the workers and good kids who make up our church youth group. Tony and Lisa Crawford, our youth director and his wife helped turn out the lights and lock the doors. Although I was asked for a ride home, I needed the five block walk in the crisp, spring, fresh Ohio air to unwind. I said to myself what my missionary son, Aaron in China once said after he directed a Neighborhood Bible Time here. "I'm tired, but, it is a good tired!" Why so good? The guy who took me to the youth activity (pictured above cutting down the tree) is Terry Reynolds, who lives just 3 blocks West of our new building. Seven months ago, Terry and his family were not Christians. But on the last week of September, 2008, after attending our church for several weeks, Terry, his wife Deb and their oldest child, T. J. accepted Christ in their own home. They also have a younger daughter named Jessie who just accepted Christ into her life last Sunday night. I was honored to be with them to show them the Bible verses about salvation and pray with them in their living room as they were saved that night. And that, my friend is what this building project is all about! And that makes it a "good tired." The Reynolds are now faithful members of our church, and Terry is one of our new "tree cutters!" Let's get tired more often in leading more people like the Reynolds to Jesus Christ.That's Something to Think About! jimmycburns@aol.com
