I remember when the Lord called me to preach. I was a diesel mechanic in Tallahassee, Florida, and was so excited and fearful at the same time. There was no way in those days to see how things would turn out in the years to come. It was January 1972 when Darleen and I moved to Greenville, South Carolina with our five-month-old son to start studying at Bob Jones University. Every day was a new experience. We were receiving an education each day whether classes were going on or not.
Four years later the Lord directed us to Central Baptist Church in Greeneville, Tennessee. Again, there was excitement and fear at the same time. There were so many new things that I was responsible for, and I had virtually no experience in them. The education continued!
After nine years the Lord called me into missions. To let go of a wonderful church family was very difficult. We then had four children. We had no income, no home, and no car that could take the miles that deputation would require. Humanly speaking, there was simply no way for this to turn out right. But God! When we could not see the way before us, He made a way.
I preached my first sermon the third Sunday night of January 1971. There were times that we felt all hope was gone, but our Lord never failed us. We would not take all the world’s wealth for the experiences of these years, and the friends that time has brought our way.
I don’t know what the new year looks like to you as you attempt to look into the coming days, but I do know that our Lord will never forsake you. Make knowing and doing His will the greatest ambition of your life. Give Him, and those that He has called you to minister to, the very best that you have to give. Continue to invest your life in the lives of others and find satisfaction beyond belief.
Love what you do, and thank God everyday for the privilege to do it. So many are counting on you and your faithfulness to Christ. I pray that you too will remember the process that the Lord has brought you through so that you could fulfill His purpose in your life today. May you know the blessings of our Lord in 2017.
In His Service,
Danny A. Whetstone