10, 20, and 30 Years Ago

Help! I've been tagged again. Since this is a holiday week, it gives me a good opportunity to do something on a lark, and have a little fun. This may be my only entry this week. As I understand this meme, each one tagged is to write a little blip about what they were doing 30, 20 and 10 years ago. BTW, if you find this interesting, you may need to read the last series I posted, there may be something seriously wrong with you. ;-)

In the year 1977...
I was a heathen, a senior at Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and a freshman at Penn State at University Park, Pennsylvania. I had sunk into a partying lifestyle, was drinking far too much alcohol and smoking far too much dope (that's the way we used to say it!). I was lost in that foggy period where people know they want to strike out on their own, but are absolutely lost about who they are and where they're going. My father, in particular, was very little help, for he had never navigated out of those waters himself and was miserable in his own alcoholism and self-destructiveness. At least I got to watch some great football in the largest all steel stadium in the world (at least before the Southern Comfort kicked in, that is). Suffice it to say, it wasn't a great year for me.

In the year 1987...
I was replanting a church in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. The church was originally planted in 1942, and had gone through some good periods of vitality and growth, but when the steel industry collasped in the Mon Valley, a lot more than mills shut down or hobbled into the future. First Assembly of God was one of the casualties. There were 7 people left, in a church with no heat, no parking, and a ramshackle parsonage. By faith, my wife and I stepped into that challenge (the week after Thanksgiving in 1986) toddler in hand, another one on the way, and no salary. God was faithful. My second son was born in January, my father, still unbelieving, died in February, and the PTL scandal broke in March. Despite the difficulties, it was a very good year.

In the year 1997...
I was pastoring my current congregation in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The prior year had been the worst and darkest of my life as a Christian. I had been defeated, discouraged, disgusted, and deflated. I had been furious with God, frustrated with ministry, and lost in the fog of my own bitterness and resentment, all the while fighting to remain faithful to my calling. In January of 1997, in the midst of a service on a Sunday morning, a prophetic word came forth from a lady in our church, and something broke in my heart and the light came back on. We had some neat visitations from God over the following weeks. In April, four of us guys went on a whirlwind trip to Pensacola to see in person what was happening at Brownsville Assembly of God. We had a revival meeting the whole way home in a mini-van! In the fall, my wife gave me the surprising news that our family would be increasing the next spring. All told it was a life-saving year.

I am supposed to pick some other folk to tag with this. Hmm, let me see, whose old enough and may be willing enough to do this? I tag Dr. Michael Davis, David Copeland, and Peter Smythe. If you fellas have time, I'd love to hear your stories, God bless, regardless.