Pryor/Vinita

As I entered the nursing care facility this morning I was immediately met by a residents who, in just the past few days, tried to commit suicide. Loneliness can set in especially this time of the year. I started some music for everyone to listen to but then we didn't start singing right away because it was time for the two of us to have a talk. It is very important to know we are loved. It's not just the love of God but it's the love of God through a person. He works through people. We all need to know that someone cares! After a few minutes we started the service. The joy of the Lord was present and we all know, it's the joy of the Lord that is our strength.

Muskogee/Tahlequah

Another great service! I have been with this facility and with these residents for close to 9 years. We continue to grow in the things of the Lord. Today the hymn singing was wonderful. Some of the residents began to sing hymns I didn't have on my list. But, we sang them anyway. It was wonderful. We sang, I Come To The Garden Alone - acapella. A beautiful sound and all from the heart.

Muskogee/Haskell

This was another wonderful morning. It's amazing to hear a room full of assisted care residents singing their heart's out for the Lord. There seems to be many things they can not remember but they do remember the hymns. It was food and fellowship around the glorious hymns of the church. Praise The Lord!

On my way to Muskogee I heard a radio evangelist say, "I don't want to be busy, I want to be fruitful. For the last several years I have been very busy. There has been much fruit but I think I could have been more fruitful. For the last several months the Lord has been helping me revise my schedule and develop a new focus. It's called - "Heart Fit: spirit, soul, and body." This focus will be used on the road and on the trail, (the bike and running trail.) What I mean by that is the Lord has expanded my focus. In 2019 I will continue to minister to those who find themselves in nursing care facilities. I will also be ministering to athletes and those who are homeless in the Tulsa area. You can be fit physically but not spiritually. You can also be fit spiritually but not physically. It takes both to run your race effectively for God. Thus "Heart Fit: spirit, soul, and body."

Barnsdall/Bartlesville

Barnsdall has a tremendous group of people, both residents and staff. They love the Lord. This morning they were, more than ready, to praise the Lord. We are continuing to look at the promises of God. The bible says, every promise God has ever made is YES to the believer. It's very important to understand how to receive these promises. Real faith is believing in the heart and speaking with the mouth. That's how we receive. Hands were in the air and shouts were on their lips as the revelation hit them. Praise the Lord.

Heart Fit: spirit, soul, and body

Heart Fit: spirit, soul, and body.

Strengthening The Saved & Saving The Lost

in the nursing homes and on the bike trail.

We had another wonderful service this morning. This service is "church" to the residents. Some of them dress up but all of them are ready to praise the Lord. When they hear that every promise that God has ever made is "yes" to the believer they light up. They are understanding more and more that God really does love them.

I want to share something very powerful the Lord is doing through this ministry. In the last few months the Lord has put a powerful focus on this ministry. It is called "Heart Fit: spirit, soul, and body" Heart Fit is intended to help us run our race, for the Lord, with: focus, endurance, and strength. Heart fit is a strategic way to train the spirit, soul, and body of man. Heart Fit gives me a renewed focus for ministry in the nursing homes and on the bike trail.

Let me digress a little bit and tell you how this all began.

Back in October of 2016 I had said, “I want to be in the best shape of my life the year I turn 65.” I was turning 65 in the following year (2017.)

After having ministered for the Lord since 1974 and full-time in nursing homes for the past 6 years I said to the Lord, “Lord I’ll go wherever you want me to go and I’ll do whatever you want me to do.” I meant it more than ever before. He simply responded to my statement with a question, “Can You?” I knew He was being kind. There were some issues I needed to address.

(I was overweight and had not exercised for years. I thought, “How can I run my race for the Lord effectively without taking care of my body. I was inspired by my mother who was approaching 100 and very fit.”)

Back in the 70's and 80's I had been a part of the Des Moines bike club, in Des Moines, Iowa, and had ridden in RAGBRAI, (A bike ride across Iowa that takes a week to accomplish). I loved it! So, I thought biking might be the way to go for exercise. On a Saturday I rode with a friend of mine. After riding 3 miles with him I was so exhausted all I could do was turn around and go back to my car. I decided I was going to lose weight first and not exercise. Doing both at the same time would be too much for me. I would have quit. I found an app for my phone that tracked calories. I decided to eat whatever I wanted but watch my calories. From March 2017 to June 2017 I lost approx. 30 lbs. That was exciting. In August I got back on my bike and started riding again. By the end of the year I was riding in the 30 – 40 mile range. I wanted to be cardiovascular fit more than muscular and had been studying a lot on the different ways to do that. I discovered how to train the heart for cardiovascular fitness. Now I was riding my bike based on my heart rate as apposed to my speed. By the end of 2017 I rode 65 miles in the year I was 65 and then in August of 2018 I rode 100 miles. As of this writing I have ridden 3,850 miles for the year.

I have sensed, for the last several month, (the end of 2018) the Lord wanting me to be more intentional with my faith on my bike. To use the phrase “Heart Fit” in a way that will lead people to the Lord. Take the same mandate of "Strengthening The Saved & Saving The Lost" in the nursing homes and include it on the bike trail. (Bikers, runners, joggers, walkers, the homeless, etc.) To establish the ministry of Heart Fit: spirit, soul, and body.

Just as you can become heart fit in your body you can also become heart fit in your spirit; with the intended purpose of running your race for God. The more fit you are in every part of your being the more able you are to run your race effectively for the Lord.

There is so much more I could say about this but we would be getting into the nitty-gritty of how this all works.

Heart Fit: spirit, soul, and body.

Warner/Tahlequah

The morning service went in a different direction than I had planned. I believe it was a God thing. We were looking at the promises of God and the next thing I new, I was laying hands on the sick and having a healing service.

Mark 16:17-18 King James Version (KJV)
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Tulsa/Bristow

What a great morning. Even though we had changed our monthly meeting time, we didn't skip a beat. Everyone was so excited about the promises of God. There were shouts and hands in the air all over the room. I guess you could say, "We have revival".
Now I'm off to Bristow. It's my first service in a new facility.

Muskogee/Tahlequah

This morning we had a few situations that gave us the ability to use our faith openly. To demonstrate our faith. We were looking at some of the promises of God which state we can lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. As I was ministering, I noticed a resident in tears. She was cramping around an area on her legs where she had had surgery. We laid hands on her and prayed God's healing power to flow. Then, a nurse came and took her away. Within the hour she was back. The nurse said, "She hates to miss your services." It was a wonderful demonstration of God's love to us. We continue to teach His love and His miracle working power.