Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Pilgrim Update

Dear Pals:

Many of you have asked various and sundry questions about the goings on in the Pilgrim's life lately (that's me with Pat Daley of the Peterborough Petes in the photo). I thought it would be prudent to update you on a few things.
In no particular order, here are some of the things that are happening:

Our move
to our "other" home will take place between June 2nd and 16th. We get possession on the 2nd but don't need to vacate our present location until the 16th. That gives us a two week cushion and will eliminate a lot of rushing around. There will be enough stress as it is but we are actually looking forward to the move now.

The book that so many have asked about is already written for the most part. It just needs to be edited and formatted with some final touches added. Much of the content has been published in one form or another over at Pilgrim Scribblings. The book will be an account of God's faithfulness over the years and I will relate many of the lifestories that helped shape me. It will have poems which I have written between each chapter. The main title, TAKING THE BUMPY ROAD HOME, is the result of a request that our son Nathan used to make of me before they paved one of the roads leading to our home. He would often ask, "can we take the bumpy road home?". Of course the application is that "my" road "home" has been anything but smooth but God has been at the helm for most of the journey.

I'm still grieving the fact that the Ottawa Senators made an early exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs. What may have happened had Mike Fisher been healthy? Guess we'll never know.

Our granddaughter Victoria is going on a Missions Trip to Belize with a group of young people from our church in late August. The church has been doing various fund raising events for the trip. Last Saturday we held a garage sale at my mother's home and raised over $1,000.00 for the trip. We'll do it again this Saturday morning, Lord willing.

This will be a busy Sunday for me. I'll be speaking at a church in Toronto in the morning then rushing back to speak at a local retirement residence at 2:00 p.m. Each month I speak on the 1st Thursday at one residence and then the 1st Sunday at another. It's rewarding for me and the "old folks" seem to enjoy our times together.


We continue to trust God to provide for the financial needs of
Epistle Sports Ministries. Writing cards and letters of encouragement to athletes is the primary calling of God on my life and "when I write I feel His pleasure."

My work with
Christian Horizons continues to occupy me 28 hours each week. For most of that time I'm sleeping. I'm now at a new home in Peterborough where there are presently four individuals that we care for.

Well that's about it for now, my pals. Thanks for your prayers and let's keep lifting each other up before the Father, who loves us passionately.


In His embrace,

~ David, the Pilgrim

6 comments:

Felisol said...

Dear Pilgrim David,
it's wonderful to learn that you and your family are coming through your financial hardships. Things looked really bad for a while, but the Lord has kept his promises, to neither leave nor forsake you.
There has been quite some good news and prayers answered in the past year.
I admire your poems. Seems like you can easily write about any topic, just pulling the verses out of your sleeve.
That is not how it's done, I know there's a lot of work behind.
The easy rhymes and rhythms are the proof of solid work.
Are you going to publish your poetry as well?
I sure hope so.
From Felisol
P.S. I watched an Oprah show this morning, their about a month behind the USA.
Poor woman, and poor follower who are lead to believe that they have to do it all by themselves, seeking some unknown force out in the universe, when Jesus is here right by our side, and have siad "It's fullfilled."
I feel so sorry for the poor who are trying to save themselves. All the longing, seeking souls who are doomed to fail.
We should pray, even more.

Vicki said...

Praying for your smooth transition, David,and also praying for your wife. Praising Him for your book of God's faithfulness, recorded for generations to come (love the title!). Will also pray for your granddaughter's trip to Belize! That's wonderful about the garage sale and I pray you'll raise much more money again this weekend!

Also, let's continue to pray for your ministry and for your time of ministering this Sunday.

blessings!
V.

Saija said...

i'm glad you were able to get your book done (well amost) ... that is so cool!!! my mom has published a few poetry books (in finnish) and i know the HUGE work behind that ...

looking forward to seeing a copy ...

blessings on ya!

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Fisher,

Thank you for updating us. Now I know how better to pray for you and your family!

I recognized the name Pat Daley...he played for the 67's the season I followed them (lockout year). My sister and I were cleaning in our room recently and I came across a paper that I'd scribbled their names on...I prayed for them every day!

I am so excited about that book you will have soon! Great job!

May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may He especially bless you as you encourage others through your letters.

Love and Prayers,
LPP
Go Habs Go! ;)

Anonymous said...

Can someone please post this for me? Thank you!

Dearest Pals,

In the midst of struggles and pain there seems to be a glimmer of hope and joy in my life lately. I just want to share that with you in the hope that you, too, will be encouraged.

First of all, to those who have a loved relative who keeps their distance from you...there is hope. My uncle, my fathers only sibling, and my aunt, distanced themselves from my family since I was young. They were Jehovahs Witnesses and wanted nothing to do with us...except win us over, or at least try to. I think from the time I was 7 to 12 I might have seen them a handful of times. I can probably count on one hand the times I saw them in my teens. Now, it is not like they live far away...they live in the same city, cornering district, 15 minutes away. Then my grandparents moved to our neighborhood, and I've occasionally seen my uncle at their house, although my brother sees him there more often. Two weeks ago, my uncle organized a reunion at my grandparents where his family, including sons and daughter-in-laws, and my family got together for the first time in awhile...that was beautiful! We spent some time togther talking too...and then the duplex I am taking care of had a problem with the faucet. I called my uncle for the first time in my life...I asked him to come fix it since I knew he is able to, and hired him rather than a plumber. We went to the hardware stores together looking for a faucet and as I rode beside him in the car it occured to me that neverin my life would I have dreamed of riding with my uncle to the hardware store...actually anywhere! "If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Romans 8:25

The second encouragement I have for you dear Pals...is reach out and encourage those around you and you will be blessed beyond measure. Three of my siblings and I put together a package for someone on Pilgrim's blogroll whose blog we really enjoyed. It was a simple package, and I just hoped it would encourage him as his blog had blessed us. It so happened to arrive on just the day when he needed to be encouraged the most, and blessed him. When I read his post about it last night, the tears streamed down my face and they keep threatening to today...who would have thought something so simple woudl mean so much?! But God used it like we could never have dreamed! "Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have opportunity therefore, let us do good to all men, expecially them that are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:9-10.

That is my bit of joyous sunshine that has brightened these dark dreary days...as I wait for my aunt to arrive late tonight! She'll be leaving on Sunday...and then life is back to normal again.


Have hope, Have faith, Be blessed!

LPP

Anonymous said...

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