Friday, June 29, 2007

Update From the Pilgrim

Good morning, dear Pilgrim Pals! As you know, I've been away for a 1-day mini-retreat and I've been busy with a number of other things over the last few days.

How exciting to see how our PILGRIM PALS blog has taken off...so to speak. Each day we have new prayer requests, new friends, new testimonies of God's sustaining grace and power.

I'm back in my EPISTLE SPORTS MINISTRIES office in Peterborough this morning. I have a Charitable Organizations report that needs to be filed by the 30th of this month (tomorrow) so I'm locking myself in and concentrating on finishing that (after I send off this update).

Thanks for the prayer support that has been building for Carol and me and our family. It's so disheartening to go home and find stacks of empty boxes waiting to be filled with "stuff" to take to storage as we move towards selling our home. I DON'T WANT TO SELL! NEITHER DOES CAROL! As I've said before, we are trusting God for a miracle! We are praying BIG!

Next week we are going down to Erie, PA for a few days. We will enjoy the big, indoor waterpark called SPLASH LAGOON for a couple of days. On Tuesday I'll drive down to Pittsburgh to see a ball game and visit with Gabe Gross (Milwaukee Brewers) and his wife Kelly. What a special couple they are! Please pray that our family will be refreshed as we get away for this mini-vacation. Just the other day a donation arrived in the mail from some dear friends and we are using this towards our get-away (with the donors' permission).

I'm so grateful for our new friend Bob McCabe or Passing-Thru as we Pilgrims Pals know him as. Thanks for picking up the slack on Pilgrim Pals while I'm away.

Terry, I'm so glad that you're feeling better. Your lovely face is almost back to normal. Thank you, Father! We continue to pray for Dad Golden and his salvation.

Laura Mae and Lauren-Mary. thanks for all your input. Let's remember to keep Darren in our prayers as he begins his new responsibilities with Campus Crusade for Christ in Calgary.

And, to the two (2) Julies, we're glad your "with us".

Two wonderful friends continue to keep me encouraged. Hebrews 11:1 and Praying Sens Fan in Montreal! You are gifts from God to this stumbling Pilgrim. Thanks so much for your ongoing encouragement! Which Christian bookstore do you frequent in Montreal? I'll meet you there some day! I haven't been down to Montreal to see our new Hockey Ministries International headquarters office dear the Bell Centre but I hope to get down there this fall.

Pilot Mom, thanks for the blessing of your friendship. We continue to pray for your hubby.

Same with you, Vicki! May you and your hubby know His all-surpassing strength during these days.

There are so many others whose names I haven't mentioned but thanks for your association with Pilgrim Pals.

Theophil...glad to have you aboard. Hope your visit with Passing-Thru as you were "passing-thru" was a fruitful one! Please come by and visit your new Pilgrim Pals often.

I better close off this post and get to work but, before I do, let me share today's scripture selection from Our Daily Bread. The psalmist writes, "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you." - Psalm 55:22.

The writer of today's devotional thought, Dave Branon (a friend of mine), writes, "The joy of the Christian life is knowing that God can handle anything we hand over to Him...but at the same time, the great burden of the Christian life is that we - weak and helpless individuals that we are - hang on to stuff we know we need to give to God. We all know the feeling."

He goes on to say, "Our sins and concerns, big and small, seem to stick to us like Super Glue. The solution? We need to take those burdens off our own hands and put them on God's shoulders. Why carry around those sticky burdens?"

"God knows our burdens and our crosses,
Those things that hurt, our trials and losses,
He cares for every soul that cries,
And wipes the tears from weeping eyes."

- Brandt

GOD TELLS US TO BURDEN HIM WITH WHAT BURDENS US!

Thanks for your ongoing prayers, dear friends!

Much love in Christ,

David, the Pilgrim

9 comments:

passing-thru said...

GOD BLESS U AND CAROL -

am praying daily brother -

So many needs , may HE enlarge our vision to see that HE IS JEHOVAH JIREH -------

sometimes I feel so insignificant -so many blunders have been self-inflicted - oh to ask for wisdom and vision - Lord Bless brother David

Anonymous said...

Dear David...It is so good to hear from you and yet so sad also, as you describe those empty boxes waiting to be filled and taken to storage.
I just feel so sorry about this and I just wonder "Why?".
The Lord must have some plan but it is so hard to understand sometimes.
When I lost my job a few months ago that "Why?" just kept me so low.
I think I DO see the reason why now though.
With dad being sick and my mom having to go to her doctor appointments, I would have never had the time for helping them because of the many hours and split shifts that I worked at Katy's.
Hind sight always seems better David but that is no help to you now, as you are in the midst of selling your loved house.
Just so great that you aren't selling your "home", though.
You and Carol and your three children are the "home" that nobody can take!

I'll say, have a good time on your little time away Pilgrim, but we will probably be talking to you before then....from Pilgrim pal Terry

Anonymous said...

Mr. Fisher...

I just screamed, "NO!" when I heard thatyou have a new HMI office...we have dreamed so often of driving by the West Island address that we have, but we always turn off Pierrefonds bvd. at St. John's...if we kept going, we'd pass by. Anyway, my sister is reminding me we probably have a better chance of drving by the new one...what is the address? Is it near the Atrium? (place 1000 Gauchetiere) Occasionally when we have a bit extra we can spend, my parents take us skating there during the Chrsitmas holidays. Last year they took us to Mont Royal --it is so nice there, too. We shop at the Christian bookstores on the West Island, that's actually where we first heard of you...oh, and they know us well, too, so if you really wanted to find us, you could :) It's a better mystery than that SUV one, but I really hope you don't solve it before I finally gather all my courage and tell my dad (you know what I mean...)

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Praying BIG still,
Lil Pilgrim Pal

Anonymous said...

I'm back! I've got 15 min. now...

Mrs. Shirkie,
Your comment about God's timing sounds just like our story! You see, when my dad was laid-off work, we wondered how God was going to provide for this large family (okay, not as large as yours when you grew up). Well, God provided for us, and I can't say that I ever really felt the pinch...I mean, the job he now has pays much less than the first one, but IT'S A JOB! But, back to what I was saying about God's timing...during the time he was off, his parents had several emergencies, and he drove the 20 min. to care for them. He saw the need for them to move closer, and in a miraculous, God-sent turn of events, they moved within a short walk ofour house, with my dad doing a lot of the reovations needed at their new home. Could we have ever seen that need or that that would actually happen? NO! Only God knew. He always knows. That's why he's in control, right?! :)

Mr. Fisher, I was just reading over my comment and I meant that the bookstore was where we first heard of HMI...I first found out about Epistle Sports Ministries while on some Christian ministry listing, and then found your blog when I googled Hockey Ministries International. Amazng how God works. Oh, and by the way, you really made my day by your remark about my sis and I. I think I've gotten over the initial shock I went through yesterday, and once I've collected my thoughts, I'll write a comment to be posted as a prayer request for someone in my city who's been diagnosed with ALS. My brother's doing better, too, but tonight the subject will come up for sure when he listens to the radio. Oh, and if you ever get to go to the Bell Centre, please be sure to tell us what it's like! I always dream of gettng a press pass to there, but I've only been offered one to an Impact game. Soccer is a beautiul game, but boring in comparison to hockey.

Whew! I've written enough to last me a week. Hope I haven't bored anybody out...

-Lil Pilgrim Pal

passing-thru said...

I agree with David , Heb 11:1 and her sister Praying Sens fan --- I find myself looking for her posts -- your a faithful witness to a Christian friendship to Mr. Fisher

Strange, how even the littlest thing can be so used in so many ways if its GOD CENTERED --- such as "looking" for Hebrews posts -

David considers U two some of his favorites ------ Lord Bless

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr McCabe (I'm so happy that the Pilgrim dropped your last name, so I don't have to call you Passingthru all the time),

Thank you for your kind comments. I enjoy your posts and comments,too.

passing-thru said...

Lol -- Hebrews , I like invisibitlity and he dropped my name ----- lol -----

U and your sister are used of the Lord , am sure because of your God Honoring parents and homelife - but - but U make a real impact by your "sensitivity" to the Leading of the Holy Spirit - U will bless many along this pilgrimage

Terry said...

Dear Hebrews 11:1...He will ALWAYS be "Passing-thru" to me just like you will be ALWAYS "Hebrews 11:1" to me and my mom and Bernie and Dad Golden!!...Love Mrs. Shirkie

Julie (Little Missionary) said...

May our gracious God bless you David and Carol. Remain in Him! We all love you and so does our Lord!