Rumblings of
changes taking place in the Worldwide Church of God began
to reach the ears of my husband, Hoyt, in 1989 & 90. Topics
like the Nature of God and tithing were being discussed. Mr.
Guy Sams, a local elder, and I stood in our church hall and
talked about many things. He told me then that the time would
come when we would have to know where we stood and that we
must follow headquarters of the church and not separate our
fellowship!
Ministers
would have to find outside employment. Others, "whom I felt
knew what they were talking about" told us that by Passover
of 1990 we would have to know who our friends were. I pondered
all of this.
In 1990 Hoyt
and I moved to Florida. He was blessed with a good job with
Florida Power & Light, a chance at becoming vested in
the company, and having a retirement pension. Up to then we
had moved from pillar to post, following Hoyt's work and had
made absolutely no plans for the future. But after all, we
WERE going to flee, WEREN'T WE? God would take care of us.
Hoyt was then 56 years old.
In Florida
the entire atmosphere was foreign to Hoyt and myself. We felt
like ducks out of the water at first. It took Hoyt
3 months to save $2,000 to pay our moving expenses,
utility bills, etc. We left Lynn Garrett's little
farmhouse where we paid only $200.00 rent a month to a small
house in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida that rented for a modest
$750.00 a month! Talk about Culture Shock!! Even the atmosphere
of the church was different for some reason.
All good
things must come to an end, and they did when F.P.L. (Florida
Power and Light) down sized. Hoyt lost his job by lay-off.
His heart was literally broken. But God is good, and he soon
found another job, this time in St. Louis, Missouri.
Mr. Lee was
the pastor there. He preached that Jesus Christ Crucified
and Resurrected was all that mattered. I couldn't believe
my ears. I called him on that! I said it sounded like heresy
to me! He said we heard the same thing in Florida and I just
didn't listen, but I told him I had never heard that in the
WCG. He said, yes, I had, and I said no, I hadn't!
The ministry
in Florida at the time did not preach what I was now hearing!
Hoyt said on the Day of Atonement in 1994 that if this were
true, then the Sabbath and the Holy Days would have to be
looked into.
In less than
a month Hoyt was no longer walking among us here on earth.
The past 4 years have been the hardest I have ever been through.
When Hoyt died in 1994 my world as I knew it was shattered.
I moved 5 times...5 address changes... 5 telephone numbers.
The week
after Hoyt died, Margaret Dooley, a close friend and member
of the WCG in Norton was killed by her husband who also killed
himself That same week I lost a 5 year old grand-nephew, who
was tragically killed in an accident involving a forklift
driven by his father. Shortly after those devastating losses,
Mr. Dobson, our pastor in Norton at the time, left our fellowship.
Many long-time
friends left the church because of "changes." Friends called
from all over the United States wanting to know what did I
think about this change...or that. Was I going to leave? What
would Hoyt have done?
Most of them
said that as long as "they" leave the Sabbath alone, they
would stay with the church. I kept saying "Don't jump ship!"
The Nature of God, Healing, Tithing, Holy Time, were all questions
in my mind too. Thankfully I was grounded in the fact that
I felt God placed me in this church and I would not leave!
You know
friends.., patience is something so hard to have. We humans
are in a hurry about everything. But Jesus isn't. He made
a day as 1000 years! All the phone calls helped me get through
my troubles. I felt I was helping some of my friends. Some,
sadly enough, chose not to study.
Our own happy
ending however is left up to us by God. It can be a glorious
ending if we choose love. So what if a few stray marks get
placed upon the page…God will just crumble our sheet of paper
and toss it away…and give us a new page for the next day!
They didn't
want even to try to understand the new covenant and the resulting
changes. If we want Him to, Christ will soften our hearts.
Anger can block Christ's efforts.
Unforgiving
hearts will eventually lead you astray. Brethren, I feel I
have been where I was -- so I can be where I am now, with
my heart firmly planted in the New Covenant. I realize I have
to claim Jesus Christ as MY OWN PERSONAL savior and Lord.
Lord of my life, with NOTHING, not any little part of me that
I want to control. I have to reach out and claim Him as MINE
and hold on with both hands. Sometimes my grip is not so strong.
It's weak.
Once in a
while I could be like Shadrach, Mechech and Abednego, walking
through the flames for my God and not a hair on my head be
singed. But brethren, I don't have that sure grip all of the
time. I am working on it through prayer, prayer and more prayer.
Most of all, I am glad to be among you who know me as I am,
and love me anyway!
Hang tight,
hang tough, and hang with it!
Because it's worth it!
It's everything and all we really have in this life when everything
else fails.
Continue to pray for me
and I will pray for all of you.
Here’s a
poem that’s one of my favorites that will enforce this message:
KEEP PULLING
UP THE ROAD
Up the road
of life, my brother,
You'll find
the very best
Of everything
worth living for,
And in the
end sweet rest.
Then set your
face just like flint,
And get beneath
your load
With courage
like a hero brave
Keep pulling
up the road.
You'll find
a lot of hindrances,
A lot of stumbling
stones
And voices
of discouragement
Will speak
in thunder tones
But keep your
eyes upon the goal
Make this
your mighty road
And with your
faith in God above
Keep pulling
up the road.
The best and
greatest of all men
For centuries
and ages
Have stood
against the mighty foes
To gain eternal
wages
So if you'll
go the way they trod
You'll have
on you bestowed
The Victor's
crown some blessed day
Keep pulling
up the road.
There'll be
some flowers on the way
You'll have
some sweet repose
As you will
have some resting spells
Among your
bitter foes
But know the
best is coming soon
If you will
bear your load
And be a pilgrim
heaven-bound
Keep pulling
up the road.
Rejoice and
pray as you move on,
And reach
a helping hand
To other pilgrims
on the way
Who may not
understand
That they
must fight if they would win
A crown in
God's abode
And be a soldier
true till death
Keep pulling
up the road.
Oft times
you'll feel like turning back
The storms
will rage around
The clouds
of fog and dire despond
About you,
may abound
But know that
God sits on His throne
In Heaven's
blest abode
And He will
reach His mighty hand
to help you
up the road.
