Well..we're back from our little beach trip. Mustang Island was great..very relaxing. It was great getting to just slow down and enjoy doing nothing. The weather was great and the view from our condo was incredible. We spent a lot of time soaking up the sun and the water. It was nice, but it's also nice to be back.
On the way home yesterday we stopped in Temple to visit an old friend. His name is Roy Parker and he is the Senior Pastor of Memorial Drive Baptist Church in Temple, TX. He was my pastor growing up at First Baptist Church Baytown, TX.
Roy was there when my mom and dad were dealing with marital crisis. He was there when I surrendered to the ministry at the age of 17. He's the reason I ended up at Ouachita Baptist University where I found my wife, and began the ministry God had called me to. I can't tell you how many times Kelly and I would get a letter from him with $50 in it telling us to go out and enjoy each others company when we were pitifully broke college kids. The last time I saw him was 7 years ago at my dad's funeral.
We stopped in around 4:30 for a short visit, and 4 hours and dinner later were on the way home. At 67 years old, he has decided that he is retiring at the end of this year. We sat and talked about church and ministry. He has an incredible grasp of what is needed, not just at his church, but in the church overall. He said he just doesn't know if he has the energy to do it, so he's going to retire before his church wants him to retire.
I have never known anyone who is a better example of the love of Christ to hurting world. His influence on my life is immeasurable. As we walked across the parking lot with my arm around him, he began to tell me how proud he was of me, and encourage me. I reminded him who my leader was as a young man, and where I learned what the love of Christ looks like. His parting advice....to replicate the love that I was shown to the people around me. That's my prayer as I continue this walk. Thanks Bro. Roy.....
I'm out.
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