Come and join us!

Do you remember what He's called you out of? 

Do you remember where you were? 

Let us not take advantage of His love 

Lest we forget that we have been forgiven 

Without Him we can do nothing 

We gathered around an early evening backyard campfire at the home of brand new friends in Idaho.  Song time was about to commence.  As the guitar was being tuned, we asked our hosts if they knew any Petra songs.  

Eyes lit up, and a comment about not having heard a Petra song in years was made.

Red is the color of the blood that flowed

Down the face of Someone who loved us so

He's the perfect Man, He's the Lord's own Son

He's the lamb of God, He's the only One

That can give us life, that can make us grow

That can make the love between us flow

At evening devotions with friends in southern Mexico, while sharing favorite songs, our kids unanimously declared we must sing “Grave Robber”.   And so we did.  And now it is one of our friends’ favorite songs as well.

Many still mourn and many still weep

For those who they love who have fallen asleep

But we have this hope though our hearts may still ache

Just one shout from above and they all will awake

And in the reunion, what joy we will see

Death will be swallowed in sweet victory

Powerful words, powerful music, powerfully sung.  It only seemed fitting to us as newlyweds back in the ‘80s.  Songs by the christian music group Petra held common themes of valuing what God values, not being deceived, having faith in an almighty God, depending on him, praying.  

I lived an illusion with no one else to blame

I found a solution when I called on His name

I may not have money or riches 

but I found something better to be

To be a servant of Jesus, 

He means more than the world to me

I just want to be, I just want to be 

I just want to be His disciple

These were ideas with which we were not raised.  As we wore the dreaded “horse hoof” sounds into the cassettes by repeated play, the words and lessons were being impressed on our hearts. It was a means God used to encourage us in truth that is despised by the world.

Some say this life I live is only foolishness 

No waiting pot of gold in the faith that I possess 

But the treasures of this life will slowly turn to dust 

And this fool will find his gold in the Savior that I trust 

Fool's gold - it's waiting in a crown 

Fool's gold - in a city coming down 

I'll leave the gold I can't afford 

For the higher prize I'm pressing toward 

I'll preach the foolish cross of Christ 

And wait for my reward 

Fool's gold 

As children were added to our family, many of the analogies in the songs took on greater depth:  struggling with our own lack of self-discipline, the need to shift priorities, to care more for pleasing the Lord than pleasing men.  

And it takes so long to see the change

But we look around, and it seems so strange

We have come so far, but the journey's long

And we once were weak, but now we’re strong

As our children have grown, they have learned and loved these songs as well.  Petra put to music many truths, priorities and promises which they have been blessed to know from their earliest days.  

We love figuring out how to play and sing old favorites.  And so the idea grew...a Petra Sing Along night!

Our gracious friends at the Family Vision Library are excited to host this special evening, so we want to get out the word.  

Whether these songs are like old friends to you or you would just like some fresh encouragement from days gone by:  if you are in or near the Saint Louis metro, please come and join us! 

There's a Light over the horizon 

I'll keep walking down this road of hope 

Faithful in my prayer 

There's a Light over the horizon 

Though I may not know what lies ahead 

I know that you'll be there 

You'll be there

You won’t find the polish of seasoned road warriors, but we hope to make noise that somewhat resembles some of our favorite songs.  We will project the words and everyone can sing along.  We pray it will be a night of fellowship and refreshing as we encourage one another and praise the Lord with melodies from our hearts.  

You may be weary, but you gotta be leery 

When somebody says that you will never finish the race 

They can discourage but don't lose your courage 

You gotta narrow the margin and keep up the pace 

You gotta run for the prize

Don't look over your shoulder

Gotta keep your eyes

On the straight and narrow

Gotta run for the prize

There's no time to be wandering

Gotta make your way

Just as straight as an arrow

Please join us on Friday, March 16, at the Family Vision Library.  Bring snacks if you would like. And tell your friends!  

It would be fun and helpful to RSVP and suggest some of your favorite songs for us to consider as we compile our song list.  

More power to ya!

The Warrior and the Drop of Blood.

This story is taken from A Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands, written by John Williams. John Williams was an English missionary to Polynesia in the 1800s, and, with the help of native Christians who left their own home islands to join his missionary efforts, he spread the Gospel to many island nations where it had never before been heard. This story took place on the island of Raiatea, John Williams’s base in the South Seas.

- - -

    In my own church was an old blind warrior, called Me. He had been the terror of all the inhabitants of Raiatea, and the neighbouring islands; but in the last battle which was fought before Christianity was embraced, he received a blow which destroyed his sight.

    A few years after my settlement at Raiatea, Me was brought under the influence of the Gospel, and when our church was formed, he was among the first members admitted. His diligence in attending the house of God was remarkable, whither he was guided by some kind friend, who would take one end of his stick, while he held the other. The most respectable females in the settlement thought this no disgrace, and I have frequently seen principal chiefs, and the king himself, leading him in this way to chapel. Although blind, he attended our adult schools at six o’clock in the morning, and by repeating and carefully treasuring up what kind friends read to him, he obtained a great familiarity with the truths of the New Testament.

    On the first Sabbath after my return I missed old Me; and not receiving the hearty grasp of congratulation from him to which I was accustomed, I inquired of the deacons where he was, when they informed me that he was exceedingly ill, and not expected to survive. I determined, therefore, to visit him immediately. On reaching the place of his residence, I found him lying in a little hut, detached from the dwelling-house, and on entering it, I addressed him by saying, “Me, I am sorry to find you so ill.” Recognising my voice, he exclaimed, “Is it you? Do I really hear your voice again before I die? I shall die happy now. I was afraid I should have died before your return.”

    My first inquiry related to the manner in which he was supplied with food; for, in their heathen state, as soon as old or infirm persons become a burden to their friends, they were put to death in a most barbarous manner. Even for a considerable time after Christianity was embraced, we found it necessary, when visiting the sick and afflicted, to make strict inquiry as to the attention they received. In reply to my question, Me stated that at times he suffered much from hunger. I said, “How so? You have your own plantations;” for, although blind, he was diligent in the cultivation of sweet potatoes and bananas. “Yes,” he said, “but as soon as I was taken ill, the people with whom I lived seized my ground, and I am at times exceedingly in want.” I asked him why he had not complained to the chief, or to some of the Christian brethren who visited him, and his affecting reply was, “I feared lest the people should call me a talebearer, and speak evil of my religion; and I thought I would rather suffer hunger or death than give them occasion to do so.”

    I then inquired what brethren visited him in his affliction to read and pray with him. Naming several, he added, “they do not come so often as I could wish; yet I am not lonely, for I have frequent visits from God – God and I were talking together when you came in.” “Well,” I said, “and what were you talking about?” “I was praying to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better,” was his reply. Having intimated that I thought his sickness would terminate in death, I wished him to tell me what he thought of himself in the sight of God, and what was the foundation of his hope. “Oh,” he replied, “I have been in great trouble this morning, but I am happy now. I saw an immense mountain with precipitous sides, up which I endeavoured to climb, but when I had attained a considerable height, I lost my hold, and fell to the bottom. Exhausted with perplexity and fatigue, I went to a distance and sat down to weep, and while weeping, I saw a drop of blood fall upon that mountain, and in a moment it was dissolved.” Wishing to obtain his own ideas of what had been presented to his imagination, I said, “This was certainly a strange sight; what construction do you put upon it?” After expressing his surprise that I should be at a loss for the interpretation, he exclaimed, “That mountain was my sins, and the drop which fell upon it was one drop of the precious blood of Jesus, by which the mountain of my guilt must be melted away.” I expressed my satisfaction at finding he had such an idea of the magnitude of his guilt, and such exalted views of the efficacy of the Saviour’s blood, and that although the eyes of his body were blind, he could with the “eye of his heart” see such a glorious sight. He then went on to state, that the various sermons he had heard were now his companions in solitude, and the source of his comfort in affliction.

    On saying, at the close of the interview, that I would go home and prepare some medicine for him, which might afford him ease, he replied, “I will drink it, because you say I must, but I shall not pray to be restored to health again, for my desire is to depart and be with Christ, which is far better than to remain longer in this sinful world.” In my subsequent visits, I always found him happy and cheerful, longing to depart and be with Christ. This was constantly the burden of his prayer. I was with him when he breathed his last. During this interview, he quoted many precious passages of Scripture; and having exclaimed with energy, “Oh death, where is thy sting?” his voice faltered, his eyes became fixed, his hands dropped, and his spirit departed to be with that Savior, one drop of whose blood had melted away the mountain of his guilt. Thus died poor old Me, the blind warrior of Raiatea.

Messenger of Peace, the ship built by John Williams
and used in many of his missionary travels

As One Does In Chicago...

In March we made a trip out to Chicago for a CocoaConf. On most of our trips for CocoaConf, we send a delegation, and we were very happy that it worked out for us all to go this time!

We all help out in various aspects for a Cocoaconf, but usually most of the work is during initial set up and then teardown (during the conference we only need a handful of people there to keep things running). So while the conference is going on, the rest of us who aren’t busy helping hang out at the hotel, catch up on laundry, or (most exciting :) go sightseeing. The Lord has allowed us to see some pretty neat things on our trips for CocoaConf — since the conferences are held all over the country, we get the opportunity to explore lots of interesting and fun places.

This time, we visited Wheaton College!

(I'm not sure if that counts for typical sightseeing, but it's quite the sort of thing we like to do :)

We had a few potential places to see lined up, one of which was a museum at the Billy Graham Center. But then we learned the Billy Graham Center also houses an archive containing materials from many American missionaries. Our family reads lots of missionary biographies, and we were very excited to be able to see some of the original writings of missionaries we had read about!

So Mom got in touch with the folks at the Billy Graham Center, and arranged a time for us to visit.

It was exciting just to be at Wheaton, as some of our family's favorite missionary
heroes, Jim Elliot and Nate Saint, were students here in the 1940's.

After we arrived, Mom took the little boys to see the museum, leaving Hannah, Joanna, Bekah, Susanna, Sammy, and me in the Manuscript Reading Room.

(I think we all liked the fact that we got to be in a room called the Manuscript Reading Room — it just sounded so scholarly.)

Before we left for the Billy Graham Center, we pulled up their catalog page on their website, and we selected some collections of documents to look through. Everything was in numbered folders, packed in labeled file folder boxes. We only went through one box at a time, to keep from mixing things up.

First we looked at a box of materials related to/written by John and Betty Stam (missionaries in China).

John Stam's journal

We were able to take pictures of whatever we liked (as long as it wasn't restricted, and we didn't look at anything that was). Before we were through we had succeeded in draining the batteries and/or filling up the camera rolls on all of the four iPhones/iPods that we had brought with us. :)

Betty wrote this poem for her father (Charles Ernest Scott)

At first we were all rather nervous, and proceeded with all due ceremony — I as the oldest very carefully opening the first box and very carefully passing out the folders to the others who sat very carefully watching me. All done very carefully.

Joanna and Hannah

After a while we got over being nervous and abandoned further ceremony (while trying to maintain the aforementioned carefulness).

This was my favorite of the many poems in the Stams' folder.

Next we looked at some things from John and Isobel Khun (missionaries to the Lisu in China).

Isobel and her two children, Kathy and Danny.

Letters between John and Isobel before they were married.

Joanna and Bekah reading some Khun letters.

We also got to see a few things from Hudson Taylor (mostly scans of documents related to a trip he took to the US).

I was very excited to see some things from Hudson Taylor, but I had a hard time reading his (lovely :) cursive handwriting and didn't think to take more pictures for those at home who could! I did get a nice picture of his signature:

Suby

Last of all we looked at some things from Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth (missionaries in China in the late 1800's and early 1900's). We hadn't really planned it, but all of the missionaries whose writings we looked at were from China.

Another thing we hadn't planned was the order in which we looked at (something), and we ended up saving the best (or should I say biggest :) for last! The Goforths' manuscripts were close to twice as many as any of the others that we saw that day.

The manuscript for Goforth Of China

This page made me smile. :)

We got to look at the manuscripts for several of Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth's books
— several of them were handwritten in (very old!) composition notebooks

We had previous read this story (How "Old Autocrat" Was Won By A Sketch)
in Rosalind Goforth's book Miracle Lives of China, and Joanna found
the manuscript for it — in Rosalind's handwriting!

Looking at the manuscript for a book by Jonathan Goforth about
the Boxer Rebellion.

While we were busy being fascinated upstairs, Mom and the boys enjoyed looking around the museum downstairs.

The original score for the hymn "The Ninety and Nine"

They also took a spin around the Wheaton College campus...

We finished up at the archives around 5:30 pm. We spent about four hours there, but I'm quite sure we could have spent the whole day and had plenty to keep us busy! We had an amazing time and we're very grateful for the opportunity!

We grabbed a selfie before leaving (minus Suby)

Like I said earlier, our family reads lots of missionary biographies. It has been a tremendous blessing to us — to me personally, to hear and read the stories of great Christians of the past, and to see “at a glance,” so to speak, what God did in and through them. It was wonderful to able to see an touch the letters and journals of some of the heroes of the faith that we’ve read and heard of so much before.

One thing I’ve seen many times in the lives of many great Christian men and women is their relationship with Jesus. It came first. First they learned to walk with God, to love and obey Him. That relationship was central in everything else they did.  That’s what made them what they were.

From the book Borden of Yale '09 — William Borden was the son of a Chicago millionaire
who had dedicated his life to being a missionary to Muslims. He died in Cairo,
where he had gone to study Arabic, at the age of 26.

I’ve had to continually remind myself that Hudson Taylor, or David Brainerd, or William Borden, or any other Christian I read about, wasn’t just an extraordinary person. Each of them was a normal person that surrendered themselves to an almighty God, and He worked in them and through them. And that’s exciting, because that’s something that all of us who love the Lord can do too! We can have that same relationship with Jesus, and experience the same love and joy and strength — His love, His joy, and His strength. We might never end up in the Amazon or in Shanghai, we might never be martyrs, we might never have books written about us, but that isn’t the point, is it? The point is that God is glorified, and He is glorified when we surrender to Him and let Him work in us. And God will take care of the rest.

Well, I don’t know about you, but if I end up in Chicago again, I think I know where I might be spending some time! :)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, 

and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; 

who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, 

despising the shame, 

and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Zak and Beth's Wedding, Part 4

Long overdue post with pictures from Zak and Beth's wedding ceremony :)

Bekah blessed us by playing the piano
for the wedding

Dad Bale gave Beth to Zak, as Bekah and Joanna played
"O Perfect Love" on the piano/recorder

“As we have watched over the last several months of Zachary and Elizabeth getting to know each other, and coming to this momentous decision, it has been such a joy for us to see these two young people earnestly seeking the Lord’s will. More often than not, when you saw them together, you saw them with their Bibles open, studying together, praying together. It was such a joy to see that. As we have gotten to know Elizabeth, we are so thrilled to have her join our family.

"Zachary and Elizabeth, I just want to encourage you and challenge you that as you start your new life together, and as your love for each other grows, that you never lose your first love. It’s the Lord Jesus Who made this all possible for you two, and I know He is right now the most important Person in your lives - and it needs to stay that way. As you grow closer to Him, you will grow closer to each other. I encourage you to always seek that, so that together, with His help, your marriage will always be a wonderful thing, a blessing to each other and everyone around you."

"Elizabeth came home from Romania in January, having no idea what God was going to do with her life. Nor did any of us! that’s how God works. He has great things in store for all of us, as we seek and follow Him, and let our lives be committed into His hands and His care.
 

"We are so blessed to see Zak and Elizabeth wanting to serve the Lord. As we have endeavored to train up our children to love the Lord and love His holy Scriptures, that’s our final encouragement to give them today - 'Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.' Our desire for them is that their lives would be daily, weekly, monthly - as many days as the Lord gives them together - be based upon God’s Word. As Elizabeth and Zak build their lives together on God’s Word on Jesus Christ, Who is the Rock, they will get through the hard times that are coming in their future. They will get through them because Jesus Christ is the Rock, and they are going to build their house on the Rock.
May God bless Zak and Elizabeth from this day forward. May they shine for Him as one flesh. May that be carried on into all eternity. May they bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ."

Klein family singing "Love"

Love is patient, love is kind

No eyes of envy, true love is blind

Love is humble, it knows no pride

No selfish motives hidden inside

Love is gentle, makes no demands

Despite all wrong, true love still stands

Love is holy, love is pure

It lasts forever, it will endure

Love knows when to let go

Love knows when to say no

Love grows in the light of the Son

And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come

Love is loyal, believes the best

It loves the truth; love stands the test

Love is God sending His Son

Love forgives all we have done

Love knows when to let go

Love knows when to say no

Love grows in the light of the Son

And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come

In this world where hatred seems to grow

True love goes against the flow

And becomes so hard to show

In this world, where push turns into shove

We have strength to rise above

Through the power of His love

Lord we need to know the power of Your love

Love knows when to let go

Love knows when to say no

Love grows in the light of the Son

And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come

Bale family singing "The Love of God"

The Love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star

And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled

And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure,

The saints and angels song.

When hoary time shall pass away

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;

When men who here refuse to pray

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God's love, so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam's race,

The saints and angels song.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure,

The saints and angels song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry,

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky!

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure,

The saints and angels song.

For the last verse and chorus, both families sang in Romanian

Iubirea Lui e mult prea mare,

În vorbe simple să o descrii.

Mai sus de orice stea răsare,

Şi în adâncimi o poţi găsi.

Înaintea Lui când vii şi Îi spui

Păcatul tău murdar,

El, prin Isus, îţi dă de sus

Scăpare, în al Său har.

Iubire sfântă şi bogată,

Tu ne rămâi mereu

Cântarea noastră minunată,

În veci lui Dumnezeu!

Zak and Beth sharing their story (you can read it here)

A mutual friend from the Madison area, Dave,
shared about the importance of vows, and officiated

"I, Zachary, before God and these witnesses, take you, my dear Elizabeth, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish according to God’s holy and beautiful will. And so I pledge to you my love, and faithfulness, and I give myself to you as your husband."

"I, Elizabeth, before God and these witnesses, take you, my dear Zachary, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish according to God’s holy and wonderful will. And so I pledge to you my love, and faithfulness, and I give myself to you as your wife."

The new couple sang "Joy in the Journey"

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

And all those who seek it shall find it

A pardon for all those who believe

A hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

And to all who've been born of the Spirit

And who share incarnation with Him

Who belong to eternity, stranded in time

And weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that's before you

And never stop counting the cost

Remember the hopelessness when you were lost

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

In their excitement they forgot the words for a moment :)

Patrick Clough from Saint Louis, whose family hosted Beth in May

Matthew 13:45-46 

“…the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

"...Zak and Beth, this reminds me of the two of you. I think you both have some firsthand knowledge of what the merchant in this parable must have felt. You both come from families that taught you, not only to value the Lord, which is most important, but also to value people, especially Christian fellowship. You both have been walking with the Lord Jesus for a number of years, you’ve served Him in various places, in various capacities, and you’ve seen some of life in your time. You’ve seen the everyday pearls of the world. But you also know what a good one looks like. Both of you entered this relationship knowing exactly what you were looking for. I know there were long afternoons and evenings spent on the phone, on my front porch, in the living room, other places, going over all the qualities of the pearl that you had found one another. The result - here we are today! Today is evidence that you have found, both of you, the pearl of great value."

"...Zak and Beth, in a sense, you are this day selling everything you have, to commit to the other. You’re saying you recognize the great value that is to be had in one another. So many marriages struggle today because they don’t see their marriage as a beautiful pearl which takes effort to secure. The man in this parable old all that he had. Action was required.

"...A good marriage isn’t based on chemistry. It’s not even based on trust, though that’s important. The Bible teaches it’s not even based on love for one another. It’s based on the desire of two individuals to love, serve, and honor the Lord Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives. And as a result of that love for the Lord Jesus, there will be trust, there will be chemistry, and oh yes, there will be love."

"We see that God’s Word, the Bible, has a lot of keys in it for a good marriage. But it also has a lot of keys to everything in it. We’re here today to celebrate the pearl of great price, that Zak and Beth found in each other, but that’s not the end of the parable that we read.

"You and I are the pearl. The merchant Who sold all to buy the pearl is none other than Jesus Christ. I can tell you right now, I don’t often look feel like a beautiful pearl. And I know I don’t look like one. I mess up, I make mistakes, you could even say that I sin against God Who created me. Maybe you would say today, 'Yep, me too. I am not worthy to be a beautiful pearl purchased by Him.' The bad news today for me, for you, is that there is some truth to that. The Bible teaches that we’ve all offended God with our sinful nature, and that we’ve fallen short of the standard that He requires of us. In Romans 3 we are told that 'all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.'

"That’s the bad news. But this is a wedding - we want some good news. And here it is: that today in God’s mercy and love, He does not leave us without hope. Even though you and I have blown it many times, even though we have a sinful nature, you and I are valuable to God. Even when we ignore, or even mock Him. Friends, the good news is that He still loves us. Don’t take my word for it. Hear what kind of love God has for you, from His Word. 'For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man, some would even dare to die; But God demonstrates His own love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6, 8).'

"In this story, we’re not told the pearl was perfect, but all pearls have value. Christ wants you to come to Him, in your imperfection, because perfection is not what’s required to be accepted by the Lord. What’s required is a willingness to repent of your sins, ask the Lord for forgiveness, and live each day recognizing the price He paid for you. What was that price? 

"What did the Lord do to purchase you? He did what the merchant is this parable did - He sold all. He sacrificed Himself, He gave up His place at the right hand of God, He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and came in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). That was the price He paid, to purchase you and I. Why would He do that? He did that because you are a valuable, valuable pearl to Him. 

"In this parable, the transaction of buying the field was an act of joy. Can you imagine the excitement the merchant must have had, as he went and laid down everything he had, to get this pearl that he had finally found? The Lord Jesus made this transaction joyfully. Hebrews 12 tells us, 'for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.' 

"What a gift we have been given! Like any gift, we did nothing to earn it. Just like Zak and Beth didn’t earn one another today - they are a gift from God to each other. Likewise, we don’t earn the right to be bought by the Lord. No amount of good deeds, good works, are going to give us favor with God. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.'

"The Lord loves you, He wants you, and He’s been seeking you as a pearl of great price. Wouldn’t it be cool if today, you made the transaction, and turned your life over to Jesus Christ?"

Ray,  a mutual friend from Saint Louis

"When I first got to know Zak, there was a little discussion about young people getting married. And so from that day on, I prayed for Zak, to be led to the young woman who was the Lord’s choice. So today I can say before I pray, a prayer already has been answered."

Father, You are a great God, a good God, and truly the only God we can know. You were glorified in this ceremony today, and we thank You for that. I thank you for each family that is here today, and all the friends who have witnessed these vows made here. I praise You for the fact that You have led Zak and Elizabeth to come to know each other. I praise You for their testimony. As they go from this place, I pray that they will be a light in a sinning world, as was and is our Lord Jesus Christ, and I pray that they will be witnesses to everyone they meet as they journey, through this country and through their life. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised. Amen.

Leaving, while the congregation sings
All The Way My Savior Leads Me

    
All the way my Savior leads me,

    What have I to ask beside?

    Can I doubt His tender mercy,

    Who through life has been my Guide?

    Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

    Here by faith in Him to dwell!

    For I know, whate’er befall me,

    Jesus doeth all things well;

    For I know, whate’er befall me,

    Jesus doeth all things well.

    All the way my Savior leads me,

    Cheers each winding path I tread,

    Gives me grace for every trial,

    Feeds me with the living Bread.

    Though my weary steps may falter

    And my soul athirst may be,

    Gushing from the Rock before me,

    Lo! A spring of joy I see;

    Gushing from the Rock before me,

    Lo! A spring of joy I see.

    All the way my Savior leads me,

    Oh, the fullness of His love!

    Perfect rest to me is promised

    In my Father’s house above.

    When my spirit, clothed immortal,

    Wings its flight to realms of day

    This my song through endless ages:

    Jesus led me all the way;

    This my song through endless ages:

    Jesus led me all the way.

 

 

An ecstatic Mr. and Mrs. Zachary Klein!

Last post will be photos from the reception!