We are now entering part three of my journey thus far which means we are in the decades that most everyone remembers. In the 80’s and 90’s I continued to see God provide the places, people and passages that He ordained for me. Here are a few of those highlights:

Places – Jene & I had a unique opportunity to go on a mission trip in 1980 that took us to Zaire, Africa along with time in Romania, East & West Germany (before the Berlin well came down) and Zurich, Switzerland. It was a great opportunity to see different parts of the world where God was at work. We assessed and concluded God was not leading us to Africa but we committed ourselves to remain available to Him. In 1990, I had the opportunity to take two guys with me to visit Navigator ministries in Japan and Taiwan. Again, God used it to challenge me to see that He came for “the world” and not just my little corner of it. He used the mission trips and our continued interest to allow us to reach out and befriend several international students at Drake University during the 90’s. It was a perfect ministry outreach for us as a family because international students often miss their siblings and nieces/nephews and are interested in relating with an American family.

We saw our two children born in 1983 and 1986. We found ourselves challenged by our new roles as parents and thankful that Jene was able to stay home full time with the kids from 1983 thru 1993. She later began working part time in the mid 90’while the kids were in school. This decision challenged us financially at times but it is a decision that we do not regret.

1994 was a difficult year. While involved in a very demanding project at work, I experienced for the first time a case of clinical depression. It was physically, emotionally and spiritually draining for me and Jene. God used this to force me to take a more holistic view of my mental health. Like the Psalmist, I had to address my own wrong dehabilitating self talk. During minor set backs in this area, God has helped me to recognize the symptoms and respond quickly when I have sensed the pending gloom of depression on the horizon.

I was fortunate to be able to work in multiple roles for a stable company for 19 years before realizing that I was going to be downsized in 1998. God used it and subsequent job changes to challenge my ability to adapt to change and reexamine His view of work.

People – God used Dick and Lola along with a strong bunch of peers before bringing Chuck Strittmatter into my life in 1985. “Stritt” was a spiritual father for me similar to what we read in 1 Corinthian 4:15. I had several very good teachers along the way but “Stritt” really cared for my soul as a father. Jene & I had the privilege of serving with Chuck and his wife Nancy as Associate Staff with the Navigators from the mid 80’s to the mid 90’s.

God was faithful in providing people to challenge me in my walk with God. He also allowed me to influence a few people as well. There was my brother, Tony who came to Christ in the early 80’s and my friend Al who came to Christ as we worked through an evangelistic John study together. There were young singles like Frank, Carol and Tracy whom God allowed us to influence as they lived in our home at different points of time.

As noted before, there were also several international students that we interacted with on a regular basis. One family that has been special to us is the Machodos from Venezuela. It started with our meeting Mercedes and then her younger sister, Julia. That was followed by meeting their parents. Then, we got a call from Julia who said she was getting married and asked if we would help them get settled in Ames. Little did we know that Julia and her husband Marco would spend their first two weeks of married life in our basement. They have enriched our lives!

It was in the early 80’s when we first started coming to Willow Creek Baptist Church (a.k.a. Airport Baptist at the time). We have seen God faithfully provide pastors and individuals that have become trusted friends and co-laborers as we have laughed, cried and supported one another. I am not sure what we would have done without such a strong church family these past 25+ years. God is good!

Passages – Here are a few of the most impactful passages God used during these times:
When Beth was born, we asked God to help her learn to “abide in Him” as we see in John 15:4-5. Later, when Kyle was born, we began to pray that God would instill Psalm 15:1-2 into his life. That he would become “a man who walks with integrity, works righteousness and speaks truth in his heart.” We continue to pray for God to work out these verses in their lives as young adults.

God used Isaiah 49:6 in 1991 to show me that He has the world on His heart when he described the Messiah who would come to be the “light of the nations.”

2 Timothy 1:7 in the Living has been special because God has used it often to help us to “not be afraid of people…but to love them and enjoy being with them.” He regularly uses it to give us confidence and to keep us from viewing people as “projects.”

During my period of depression, I found the Psalms to be the only place I could go where I felt emotionally connected with God. He used other familiar passages like James 1:5, Philippians 4:6-7 and Matthew 6:34 to help me bring my anxieties to Him.

How About You? Are you thinking about your circuitous journey? Where are the “places” God has taken you? Who are the people He has used to influence you? What are the passages He is drilling into your life to help you live biblically?

Part 1, 2, 4