For so many, the months of May and June are a time of joy and delight for it’s a time when so many students in our country graduate from their high schools or colleges, hopefully prepared to enter into a whole new adult season of their lives. But just before that happens, most of them look forward to their final gathering‒a graduation ceremony‒where they are handed their diploma/degree, accompanied by the cheers of family members and friends. Well, at least that’s what Anne Marie and I experienced May 16-19, once we arrived at the airport in Boise, ID in the midst of a dark and stormy weather system. Our son Rodd and his wife Kyna have three wonderful sons: Caleb (21), Joshua (18) and Alex (16). It was Joshua’s turn to graduate from Cole Valley Christian High School and it was such a delightful experience to be part of‒all the joy and excitement that honored Jesus Christ and those 64 students at that event. In a couple of years, we will get to do it all over again with Alex. The photo below is Joshua’s grandparents, Tom and Donna Swanson on the right and yours truly on the left.

 

Free at Last in Menlo Park, CA. I have the privilege of being one of several teaching Pastors on Pastor Frank VanderZwan’s team at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church that ministers among a large class of loving and caring folks considered senioradults. Frank took a group to Europe for three weeks in May and asked me to teach in his place. The Holy Spirit led me to teach three messages to encourage our folks on how to live our Christian lives in this most changing society. First in the series was: Adventures living in the Age of the Spirit (Acts 4), followed by: Why Pray when you can Worry (Philippians 4:4-7) and concluded with: The End of all Things is at Hand (1 Peter 4:7-11). Hopefully you will be encouraged by those scriptures as well.

Free at Last Disciple Group: I had originally planned to join Ed Woodhall on a trip to our prison ministry in Columbia, South America last month, but due to some health problems I needed to stay in the States. Traveling with Ed was one of our current disciples named Ray Li, a Stanford student working on his PhD program. They had a most wonderful ministry with Ray being given the opportunity to teach the Word of God with a Spanish translator. He loved the whole experience! Ed and I, along with our disciple group, see Ray as a wonderful future leader in the Church of Jesus Christ with his spiritual gift of teaching.

Free at Last in Santa Cruz, CA (June 2): Pastor Danny Wallen of the High Street Community Church has invited me to again teach the Sunday morning service. It’s always a privilege to be with those folks in their growing church.

Once again, with sincere hearts, we want to thank you for your prayers and support. It has been, and continues to be, a most exciting experience to be allowed to minister in the age of the Holy Spirit. Some days, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, we feel like young adults with new Bibles sharing the love and good news of Jesus Christ wherever we go. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Thank you!

 

RonAnneMarie