February 2005 Monthly Letter

Dear Partners in Changing Hearts of others,

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Bible clearly reveals that our God, performed the first heart transplant!

In Ezekiel 36:26 He declares, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a new heart of flesh."

I observed one of His heart-transplanted patients on a return visit to Brockport, PA. It is a small hamlet in rural Pennsylvania where strip coal mines mark the rolling hills which were brilliantly displaying all of the beautiful Fall colors of God's creative design.

This was the second year that four small Methodist churches joined together to sponsor an UpBuilding Weekend. They rented the town hall for the occasion.

Eddie met me at the door as he had when I was there before. However, this time he greeted me with a gripping hug rather than a firm handshake. With moistened eyes and a broken soft voice he whispered in my ear repeatedly, "It's so good to see you again, Nor (Ron backwards)."I asked him, "What happened?"

He replied, "God gave me a new heart through Nor!" "Tell me about it. " I said. With a big smile on his face and gleam in his moist eyes he told this story:

"When I first saw you at the family session as Nor, I scoffed at you, passed judgment on you, and thought 'what can this guy teach me. He's nothin' but a leftover hippie!'

(To enlighten you partners in ministry, during the family session I appear wearing a pony tail extended from a baseball cap, rings in my nose and ears, dark sunglasses, a Harley biker's black tee-shirt with sleeves rolled up, and sporting Bubba-type broken teeth! I look like a real tough dude! I use this outfit as a striking visual aid to make a couple of poignant teaching points.

Eddie continued…"You see, Nor, was dressed just like my son and daughter. I was alienated from them because of the way they dressed. We fought about it all the time. I had said some terrible things to them because of it. Things I now deeply regret. They hated me. Didn't respect me. Threatened to move out. Things were bad, real bad. A couple of times we almost came to blows!

My wife, Marsha, would plead with me to stop; to love them; to accept them; to control my tongue. All-to-no avail. That's where Nor came in. Nor showed us 1 Samuel 16:7 on the overhead. I've now got that verse memorized…'But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance…for the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'

Ron, God spoke to me through Nor! As you took off the long hair, rings, and dark clothing, it was like God was speaking directly to me. He convicted me of my sins against my children right then and there!

I don't think you saw me in the back of the building, but I left! I went outside and cried like a baby! Me a tough miner. I confessed my sins and cried out to God, ' Make me like You, God; Change my heart to see my son and daughter's hearts, rather than their outward appearance.' And He did it!

I didn't tell you this before because I had to work on Saturday and Sunday you had to leave early. That's why I was so glad to see you today. To tell you that God has given me a new heart. He has brought healing in our family relationships. Everything isn't perfect yet, but oh my, what a difference He has made!

May the Lord enable us to see people from His heart's point of view! Thank you for your partnership!