Re-scheduled

Hi Folks!

Well my surgery is back on again - now scheduled for Wed. Nov. 14. My daughter, Noelle, is getting married on Monday the 12th in Dana Point. So I don't have to wait to much longer.

I also wanted to thank all of you who've been praying for my brother, Mike. He's doing well and from the time I asked you to be praying for his sense of taste to return after several months of chemo, it's been on a steady comeback. He no longer needs a feeding tube and last Thursday he returned to work! His CT scans are all clean and he is greatly encouraged.

As I await the surgery there is much to do, particularly with our upcoming Harvest Celebration on Wednesday evening, special prayer times for our churches and communities on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and our ongoing fire relief efforts - the plate is full!

In His Arm's!

Pat

Surgery Cancelled

Hi Folks!

Due to the horrible fires ravaging our county and the call to evacuate my home on Monday, I had to postpone my colon surgery scheduled for tomorrow the 25th. I don't have a reschedule date yet. I have been able to return to my home and I only had a tree knocked over by the wind. We have had a wonderful team of our college age young people led by Pastor Miles and Pastor Eric, serving in the shelters set up at Mission Hills High School and Escondido High School. Pastor Mark and the church staff have been on the phone constantly checking on our seniors and others affected by the fires. Several evacuated families have set up camp at the church. As of this morning we still don't know if any of our church families have lost their homes. Many remain displaced and are waiting news on the condition of their homes. Pray!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Purpose

Greetings

I have written a few times about the uncertainty of my identity and ministry and purpose in life since the loss of my lovely Joyce. God has been ministering to me a lot during the past couple of weeks so I would like to share a little of what He has been showing me.

Being one flesh for nearly 35 years created a unique identity in that, tho we were still individuals, in a mystical beautiful way we functioned in life as a unit. Everything each of us said and did and even thought impacted the other - sometimes in ways we could see - but more often in ways we could not. Tho we were individuals we were not independent of each other. And that was wonderful and I'm so thankful for that relationship. So now that our life together has been completed (til death do us part) and she has gone on to her eternal reward in heaven, I find myself at times groping to understand who I am without her and what my life will be like in the months and years ahead - should the Lord give me more length of days.

Mercifully the Lord is not silent. He has been speaking many things to my heart and tho I don't have a clear vision of specifics, I do have a greater sense of His peace and His desire to continue to use my life for His purposes. You'ld think that would be a "no-brainer" but in grief often the link between theology and reality gets really blurred.

In His Arm's,

Pat

In Mesquite

I arrived in Mesquite, NV a little before noon to spend a couple of days with my friends, the Jackson's and Dorado's. We go way back! Both couples came to our church around Oct. 1981. We've seen our families and ministries grow over the years and it's been nice sharing memories as well as looking to what's ahead. It's a little hard for all of us to easily talk about Joyce but I trust in time that will change - there are so many good things to remember!

I'm sort of marinating in all that happened at the missions conference the past few days. I know one thing for sure, God still has a plan for my life. Tho I can't see ahead very clearly right now it's not as murky as it was a few weeks ago. And that excites me! I'm anxious to get my surgery behind me, heal up, and move ahead in the things God has for me and for our church and its' outreaches.

There is still so much more God wants to do thru us if stay in love with Jesus and remain yielded to His will and purposes for us. May His Word dwell in you richly as you serve Him and one another!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Send the Message

Hi Folks!

I'm presently attending the annual "Send The Message" missions conference at Calvary Chapel Spring Valley in Las Vegas. It's always a blessing seeing old friends still radically serving the Lord all over the globe - and meeting new folks is also a tremendous blessing. Got to spend some good time with Pastor Jeff and his wife Helen already and looking forward to hanging out with them for a couple of days after the conference. I'll give a more detailed update a little later.

Love to all!

Pat

A bit harder

This past week has been a little tougher to deal with. The Lord has been, as He always is, close. We had one of our seniors pass into heaven on Monday, Ouida; Tuesday I had my Griefshare class over at Emmanuel Faith; Wednesday I talked with a man who just lost his father to cancer; Thursday I ran into some old friends who didn't know Joyce passed away. I had to deal with the question again on Friday from a nurse at Kaiser, "How's your wife doing?" 

And, as has been my "new normal", I come home to an empty, all too quiet house every day. On my recent trips visiting family and friends so many new things were happening with them but I was painfully aware that I wouldn't be able to share those experiences with Joyce anymore. I'm dealing with it - I know that's just the way it's going to be for a while. Perhaps my upcoming surgery is working on my head as well. Will I get thru it reasonably well; will I be OK for my daughters wedding? Lot's to just leave in the Lord's strong hands.

So I'll be keeping pretty busy the next eight days or so - leaving tomorrow for the Missions conference then short visits to Mesquite and Phoenix. I'll likely be out of the pulpit for the next three or four weeks after my surgery as I recuperate. Appreciate your continued prayer!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Scheduled!

Sunday's services were sweet! I pray a fresh fire of God's love is stirring each of your hearts' this week!

Just a bit of update. First, a couple of praise reports, my brother Mike is doing better every day. His taste is returning along with his appetite and he hopes to have his feeding tube removed in the next couple of weeks - please continue to pray for his complete recovery. Secondly, on another medical note, I finally have my colon surgery scheduled!! I get to celebrate my 58th birthday on the operating table, oh I just can't wait, Oct. 25. Probably about 4 days in the hospital and then a week or two of recuperating at home and then my daughters wedding on Nov. 12th.

And to relax in prep for the surgery, I'm going to the Send the Message Missions conference at CC Spring Valley in Las Vegas next week and then a couple of short visits with friends in Mesquite, NV. and Phoenix, AZ and back to Esco on the 22nd to get ready for the surgery.

I am continuing my grief care meetings on Tuesday evenings when I'm in town - and the Lord has been holding my heart - it still hurts but my Lord has been gracious in seeing me thru the tougher days. Again, I thank you all for your continuing prayer and encouragement. What an amazing spiritual family we have!

In His Arm's,

Pat

3 Months

It's been three months now since my Joyce was taken to heaven. It's still hard to comprehend that she's gone and not coming back. I'm not troubled with the "why" questions much anymore. I know where she is and Who she is with! I also am keenly aware that she is not with me. I've been traveling a bit the last few weeks, visiting family and friends has been good for me and for them - but nearly every day I felt like I needed to call Joyce and see how she's doing and fill her in on all the new happenings with everyone. And I couldn't do that. Coming home to an empty house after each trip was also surreal. It's like time stopped while I was gone and when I opened the door everything was exactly as I left it. Nothing was moved, nothing was cooking, nothing new was added, nothing old taken away - then I open the refrigerator and realize that a few things had changed...and needed to be tossed in the trash :-)

So I'm out a lot. And that's OK. There's plenty to do ministry wise. And family thin

gs help a lot too. Seeing the grandkids, visiting Joyce's folks, having my granddaughter, Kaylee, spend the nite with granpa is a joy. We have another wedding coming up in just 5 weeks. My daughter, Noelle, is marrying a fine Englishman, Paul, and I couldn't be more happy for both of them.

My youngest granddaughter, Brooklynn, turned one a couple weeks ago and is walking real good now - she's such a cutie!

Tomorrow I see my surgeon and hopefully I'll have a better idea of just how much longer I need to wait for this surgery to happen - pray for me for patience!

Also, this Sunday I'll be teaching again - in Luke 24 - please pray for my study time and discernment as to what the Lord want's to say to His flock thru His Word this weekend!

I hope and pray that you all are growing in your walk with the Lord! Press on!

In His Arm's,

Pat